Chieftain and Challenger

[ChernayaAkula]

^ So they are finally getting rid of the two-part ammo! 

[Mossie]

Has anyone seen a test vehicle armed with anything other than the Royal Ordnance 120mm gun.  Perhaps a version with the 120mm gun from the Leopard and M1 Abrams?

The Chieftain Marksman was a SPAAG armed with two Oerlikon 35mm cannon, it was trialed but never saw service. 


The same turret was trialed on a Chally I as well, there's a poor quality pic on this site (it won't let me 'borrow' it):
http://www.jedsite.info/tanks-charlie/charlie/challenger_series/challenger-marksman/challmark-intro.html

The Marksman turret was fitted to a number of platforms, more as a marketing exercise than anything, but has only seen service with Finland mounted on a T-55 chassis.  More info on Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marksman_anti-aircraft_system
Pics here, some are dud, but if you type "xxxx Marksman" into Google you can find the dud pics on that site:
http://www.jedsite.info/artillery-mike/mike/marksman_series/marksman-series.html

[GTX]

Bovington has a Stealth Chieftain in it's collection. I've got a couple of photos somewhere - I'll see if I can dig them out.

Look forward to it.

Here's another idea - a Challenger with a 140mm main gun like was trialled on the Leo II:



Regards,

Greg

[dy031101]

Here's another idea - a Challenger with a 140mm main gun like was trialled on the Leo II......

Expanding this idea, we can throw in a radar-guided twin 7.62mm MG anti-ATGM turret (I remember seeing an illustration of a Challenger tank equipped with it on top of the turret bustle) and voilà- a real-life counterpart to the Paladin tank in C&C: Generals!

[gunfighter]

The Challenger is the best MBT around IMHO... It´s a pity it didn´t gain more orders.

[Aircav]

Is bigger bore guns the right way to go, what about smaller with a higher velocity instead ?, ceramic barrels may be.........

[pyro-manic]

I doubt that guns will get any bigger. Too big, heavy, cumbersome, etc. Ammunition is also an issue - can the loader pick the shells up? Small missiles may come into play soon - things like the laser seeker head for the Hydra rocket, ground-launched versions of Brimstone, the Thales LMM lightweight missile, etc. may mean that vehicles are both able to carry a large number of guided weapons, and that the vehicles themselves cannot be sufficiently armoured against this type of weapon. You may then see a growth in active defence systems (ie CIWS for tanks), giving rise to faster, lighter vehicles with less armour.

For a smaller, high-velocity weapon, what about the Israeli 60mm HVMS (Hyper Velocity Medium Support) gun?

[ChernayaAkula]

Radar-guided Anti-ATGM CIWS - now that's cool!

Here's another idea - a Challenger with a 140mm main gun like was trialled on the Leo II:

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/8420/pz87140mm1ku.jpg

Not only the gun is different. This one seems to have different add-on armour on that turret as well.

[elmayerle]

How about a Chieftain or Challenger as a combined TEL and control center for a Pershing II or a brace of GLCMs?

[pyro-manic]

Here's the stealthy Chieftain at Bovington Tank Fest this year. I was sure I got some front shots, but can I find 'em...?



Oh, and I also thought I'd throw in this bit of armour-porn. Nowhere else in the world will you see this:

[kitnut617]

My bro-in-law (we actually get along  ) was telling me that when they used to do live fire exercises out on the range in Germany, they had to stop firing while some A-10's would swoop in to do their stuff, and just for practice they would track the A-10's with the main gun as they flew by    He figured that at certain ranges the 120mm would be able to shoot an A-10 down.

[GTX]

Is bigger bore guns the right way to go, what about smaller with a higher velocity instead ?, ceramic barrels may be.........

Maybe, back never-the-less back in the late '80s, the 140mm main gun was looked at by a few in NATO - apart from the Leo II, I understand there may have also been an M1 trial.

Another alternative (probably in smaller calibre) would be a EM Rail Gun conversion.

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Jus thinking - what if the Chieftain had more export success?  My thoughts (and modelling desires) are already looking towards an Australian Chieftain  instead of the Leopard 1.  Perhaps John or someone can help inspire with some artwork - hint, hint!!!!

Regards,

Greg

[Maverick]

Consider it done Greg, it's been a while since I've done some armour...

Regards,

Mav

[GTX]

A recent find:




Hopefully it might inspire something.

Regards,

Greg