How many Australian tanks were in Vietnam?

Answer 1

Approximately 50 Australian Centurion tanks served in Vietnam. These medium tanks were the ONLY allied tanks other than US tanks serving in the war. The ARVN used US issued M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks. The Australian Centurions were part of the Australian 1st Armored Regiment and were equipped with a .50 caliber coax machingun (for ranging) and a 20 pounder main gun (84mm). The Australian Centurions also had a strange attachment to the rear of their tanks...an extra fuel tank shaped like a triangle. Most Centurian crewmen also removed the armored skirts from the port and starboard tracks.

Answer 2

Just so you'll know, other than the US M551 General Sheridan tank, which was made of aluminum (gun & turret were steel however), and was destroyed in large numbers in the Vietnam War; tanks are not destroyed...they are knocked out.

In the Viet War, approximately 42 Australian Centurions were knocked out or seriously damaged; of which 6 were damaged beyond repair. For US jargon, those 6 tanks would've been totaled. Totaled tanks in the US Military are sometimes "blown in place" but normally shipped back to the US, stripped, then used as a "hard target" or just scrapped out (re-cycled).