Service Entry

The "Beasts" started to enter service in early 81 after a period of trials. We still had a mix of Saladin and Scorpion Beasts in mid 82 at 2 Cav and the Scorpions were in pretty new condition then. They really started to look old by 86 when I got posted back. They were used by the Armies Medium Recon Unit - 2 Cavalry Regt (in Sydney and Darwin); the HQ Sqn of 1 Armd Regt; School of Armour and by the ARES - 8/13 Victorian Mounted Rifles, 10 Light Horse, 1/15th Royal NSW Lancers and 12/16 Hunter River Lancers.
The Kit markings are spurious and none were ever issued to 5/7 BN Royal Australian Regt (Mech Infantry). The 3 Colour scheme was introduced in their last three years of service and for most of their life they were in Lustreless OD only (with local mud cams etc when on Exercise) excepting the Cam trials of the early 80's. Markings tended to be a White (79-85) triangle on the sides (Recce) with callsigns to the left and right of the Triangle. The Vehicle Callsigns varied over the period of service depending on where the vehicles were in the Tp. A Recce Tp consisted of 2 MRV and 2 X LRV (M113 with T50 Turret 50/30 cal)
The Opfor Vehicles were School of Armour vehicles.
I for one was not sorry to see these leave service, they were a pig to work on being a hybrid of US and British Electrical and Radio Systems. The II sights were very good and we upgraded ours (2 CAV )using later Gen tubes in the late 80's

Al
Arte Et Marte