Jordanian Falcon

[Supertom]

Sweet!

[Ginge!]

cheers guys!

Radish - it is a small world. I believe the gun parts from this exact challenger kit are the ones I sent to John T a few months back!

[Radish]

I pointed John Tapsell onto the thread and he said you and he had corresponded on this.
It's a great looking monster. B)  

[Patrick H]

WOW, great stuff. I love it. Looking foward to seeing it painted.



Patrick

[Ginge!]

This weekend I start work on a Challenger 2E, for the South African Defence Force.

I'll be modding the Cr 2 to "E" standard, and then adding a 120mm smoothbore, dual protected weapon stations, mine clearance device, hull & turret armour, and few other bits.

Initially, I wanted to go with a Greek Cr 2E, as Alvis had even taken part in the Greek trials, with a Cr 2E painted in Greek Army camouflage. However, the Hellenic Army selected the Leopard.

Then I decided to do it Australian, but the diggers went and selected the M1 Abrams. I was running out of options - the last thing I wanted to do was put all this work into a Cr 2E and leave it in Company Demonstrator markings. All of the mods I've planned for this model are either really on the Cr 2E, or have been suggested by Alivis, or picked up in defence trade magazines.

So I cracked open Janes and began looking at every country that was ready to retire their current MBT and use a new one.

Though a wiffer, I wanted it to be as grounded in reality as possible. Therefore I established the following conditions:

- Could not be a country that already produces its own MBT, ruling out France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, USA. Also ruled out countries that historically purchased from Russia or China

- Country had to have a defence budget that traditionally procured an MBT as part of its Army inventory

- And of course, it had to be a country that was looking to purchase a new tank, so it could not already be operating a later generation tank such as Leopard 2, Leclerc, M1

Those conditions ruled out a lot of countries. I was left with the following:

-Bahrain – they are a good one, using M60's, and have purchase much of their military eqpt from the UK.
-Belgium, a leopard 1 user, but has not yet selected leopard 2 for replacement
-Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, all countries using older tanks, but not sure if they are still in the market for an MBT.
-Jordan – possible, but they seem to be doing their own upgrades with the Falcon.
-Morocco – interesting, a possibility, though I don't know if they'd go for such an expensive MBT
-Poland, but then they went and got the Leopard 2A4
-South Africa, they are still using the Olifant Ml 1 a & b (a Centurion tank, albeit heavily upgraded) so a real possibility as that tank is showing its age. The South Afircans are expected to receive increased defence funding in 2010 for re-equipment projects (according to Janes), and they have an expanding regional security role. A New MBT was on the books for the army, but was dropped in favour of an APC. Plus, the Cr2E was proven in Oman and Iraq as a strong desert performer.

[Mike Wren]

This weekend I start work on a Challenger 2E, for the South African Defence Force.

I'll be modding the Cr 2 to "E" standard, and then adding a 120mm smoothbore, dual protected weapon stations, mine clearance device, hull & turret armour, and few other bits.

sounds very interesting, and as ever, make sure you post some pics  

hopefully I will eventually get round to doing a Challenger 2E in Aussie colours...

[Radish]

What's a Challenger 2E??
Very different?

Need to build one some day I suppose but it'll need to be a What If?

What about giving AFVs aircraft colour schemes??
Red Arrows anyone?

 

[Mike Wren]

What's a Challenger 2E??
Very different?

it's basically the export version offered with lots of new bits & pieces like a new German engine, French sights etc, Greece trialled it but went for Leopard 2 instead

link

 

[Sisko]

Outstanding Love the concept can't wait to see it all painted up.

[Ginge!]

Managed to get it done before 2006!

OK, it's only a little bit of a wiffer. The 1st Tank Regt of the Jordanian Army operates the Al Hussien, essentially a Challenger 1 Mk III. These are painted in a 3-tone scheme of khaki, red-brown, and green. Now, the King Abdullah Design Bureau has mounted the Falcon Turret on to the Challenger 1 hull, but so far only in prototype form, and only in montone desert tan.

So my 'wifferness' for this one is that I've depicted the Falcon-2 as an 'in service' tank, painted & marked in the current Jordanian scheme.

Cheers!

Graeme

[Ginge!]

Just realized all the earlier pics are red-x's. So here it is unpainted:

[Radish]

That is BRILLIANT.
I LOVE           IT!!!!!

[John Howling Mouse]

Now, that is just TOO much!  Unbelievable in every respect.

Now, pardon my ignorance but what are the two red, fire-extinguisher-looking thingies just above the forward lamps???

     

[cthulhu77]

Holy Cow.  That is beautiful !!!!  Fantastic tank.

             greg

[cthulhu77]

Now, that is just TOO much!  Unbelievable in every respect.

Now, pardon my ignorance but what are the two red, fire-extinguisher-looking thingies just above the forward lamps???

   

Twiglet sensors?