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TrevorLarkum · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 10:56 pm Post subject: Tank Overhaul

I imagine this show is available most places, but this is just a heads up for UK members that there's a new series just started showing this week on the Yesterday (stupid name) satellite channel.

The first episodes are about Centurions (2 at Duxford and 2 at Oshawa) and the APG Elefant. I've only seen the first one so far and recommend it (not just because it's got me and the family in the background at the Duxford tank fest!). Of course, you have to forgive nearly every tank shown (Chieftain, CHARV, Conqueror, T-55 ARV) getting called a Centurion at least once.

It's a bit spooky that I saw and photographed all 4 Centurions within a couple of months of each other last summer (just coincidence).

SHAWN · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 484

Hey Trevor,
It has aired over here quite a bit. The episodes that I have seen, they have covered the Centurion, Elefant, Sherman, M24 and the BMP.

On a show called Wreaknation, the host went to a tankathon or whatever they called it? It was up in WI, the owners had mostly British armor.

SR

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 12:03 am Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

They've also done a Comet, Littlefield's Panther, an M10 (or M36 tank )destroyer.

SHAWN · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 31, 2006 Posts: 484

Doug, the Comet, the overhaul shop for that episode was in Canada? I remember a shop in Canada and it was winter...
SR

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

Doug - yeah, I saw those, they were the original series, this seems to be a new series.

I guess there's no point in arguing about whether the BMP should be in there. I was amused to see a write-up for the programme that said it was one of the first fighting vehicles ever (I'm thinking they meant infantry fighting vehicles!).

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:51 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

The fact that the BMP is Greg Taylor's personal project probably had something to do with it's inclusion.

Here's the Mil.Channels lineup for the next little while:

military.discovery.com...84.33658.3

JeffStringer · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 637

I found the BMP episode more interesting than the others because of the fact that an individual was performing this, financing it and on his spare time away from his real job.

Too bad the thing didn't run at the end.

ChrisC · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 147

I'm still not sure about the show, they need to hire some new researchers, their stock footage shows every tank but the one they are talking about, they keep perpetuating the myth that the Sherman was meant to fight other tanks, didn't they try to compare the Elephant to a Bradley in that one episode?
Second, the new episodes seem to be influenced by "overhaulin" everyone is working against some time restraint, "will the tank make the parade???" bah....

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:32 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

Jeff, ChrisC - I know what you mean. The Centurion episode was all about the Tank Show at Duxford, and about what work needed to be done on the Centurions to get them running, then it ended by saying they would need many more years work before they could have their day at the Show.

Joe_D · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:28 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

The problem is target audience,

They always have to have their patented "Drama" situations. If they were to do a show that satisfied this boards alumni, it would be overly technical and dull to the average "Sound Bite" generation. We'd probably love it but most would be bored and flip the channel, which would result in loss of sponsors (Yes, gotta have the commercials).

I tried to watch some of the car programs, which IMO are worse, since they take what usually is a classic car that's very restoreable and turn it into another worthless abomination with 20" rims, a thumping stereo and gawdy paint job.

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

- Joe_D

I tried to watch some of the car programs, which IMO are worse, since they take what usually is a classic car that's very restoreable and turn it into another worthless abomination with 20" rims, a thumping stereo and gawdy paint job.

Joe,

I so wish you hadn't mentioned that...I was already worried that somebody at the network would think that "Pimp My Tank" sounds like something there might be a market for. (Yeah, I know it's already been done to some M113's and at least one BMP).

OTOH, I already had gawdy paint jobs on two AFV's, and both were still in service.

piney · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:36 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

how bout a "Pimp my 109*"program Twisted Evil

Piney

* That's BF-109 not M

TrevorLarkum · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

I'm grateful we have these kinds of programs at all, and appreciate they could be worse.

JG300-Ascout · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:31 pm Post subject: Re: Tank Overhaul

- TrevorLarkum

I'm grateful we have these kinds of programs at all, and appreciate they could be worse.

Good point. I notice there haven't been any I didn't watch just because "wider audience" aspects were intolerable.

JeffStringer · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 637

- TrevorLarkum

I'm grateful we have these kinds of programs at all, and appreciate they could be worse.

You are so right. I try not to be too critical on the shows I dislike because something is better than nothing. Wink

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