Knackered old army tanks

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I love old military vehicles, especially the ww2 ones (surprise surprise) seeing images like this really put a smile on my face and make me wish I had been there too!

Have any of you ever caught the tv program "Tank Restoration"?
It was watching that which made me realise how much I would love to own and restore a few, any war wounds would be kept though unless it hampered the vehicle's operation.
Alas, this is just a lottery win dream unless I become rich and famous so I will just have to enjoy examples such as this or those at shows, owned by some one else (lucky sod!)

Anywho... thank you for sharing

Iv seen the programme, not only that but I work for one of the companies featured!
Did you see the episode with the centurion? She's come a long way! Anyone interested in pics, I have loads, feel free to ask
 
Iv seen the programme, not only that but I work for one of the companies featured!
Did you see the episode with the centurion? She's come a long way! Anyone interested in pics, I have loads, feel free to ask

would love to see some pics please
 
Iv seen the programme, not only that but I work for one of the companies featured!
Did you see the episode with the centurion? She's come a long way! Anyone interested in pics, I have loads, feel free to ask

Sorry to be so girly but....OMG!!! That is amazing and yes I do remember that episode very well! I am sat here feeling so very envious right now, you lucky man!!!!
To see some pictures would be absolutely amazing please :mrgreen:
 
Which end of otterburn ranges did you go in at mate?

I've been across those a few times and never found those beauties, thanks for posting!
 
The armour was barely bullet proof but, because of its weight, it caused endless problems with knackered gear boxes, broken half-shafts, burnt out clutches etc etc etc. Most of them had been put into storage by the time the Northern Ireland troubles kicked off in the late 60s but they were the requirement for some kind of armoured protection meant that large numbers were dragged out, dusted off and put back into service.

Nice to have input from somebody who was involved with this vehicle, however I would like to qualify the 'dragged out of storage' comment.

By the end of 1969 the MOD's holding of the 'Pig' was very small indeed, the vast majority being disposed of via the Ruddington Disposal Auctions. As an MSc student in the mid 60's I occasionally drove for the family transport business and hauled out a fair number from Ruddington myself. Due to the above quoted mechanical problems the MOD began a program of 'buying back' from the dealers who had originally purchased the lots from Ruddington.

I can only give actual details on the 15 or so that Lew Jackson at Misson got from Ruddington. In early 1971 I purchased a couple of Landrovers from him and he offered me a Pig for £350. In early 1973 the MOD purchased all the suspension units and driveshafts from every Pig Jacksons still had had - the suspension less bodies were just dropped onto the concrete hardstandings of the old missile site. Some time later contractors for the MOD came and removed all the bodies complete with engines and gearboxes. Subsequent information indicated that the Pigs were totally re-furbished in REME workshops, one of the initial modifications being the addition of the tubular pedestrian guard to the front of the vehicle (as seen on the example pictured on the range) - I forget the number of the actual workshop carrying out the work.
 
Nice to have input from somebody who was involved with this vehicle, however I would like to qualify the 'dragged out of storage' comment.

By the end of 1969 the MOD's holding of the 'Pig' was very small indeed, the vast majority being disposed of via the Ruddington Disposal Auctions. As an MSc student in the mid 60's I occasionally drove for the family transport business and hauled out a fair number from Ruddington myself. Due to the above quoted mechanical problems the MOD began a program of 'buying back' from the dealers who had originally purchased the lots from Ruddington.

I can only give actual details on the 15 or so that Lew Jackson at Misson got from Ruddington. In early 1971 I purchased a couple of Landrovers from him and he offered me a Pig for £350. In early 1973 the MOD purchased all the suspension units and driveshafts from every Pig Jacksons still had had - the suspension less bodies were just dropped onto the concrete hardstandings of the old missile site. Some time later contractors for the MOD came and removed all the bodies complete with engines and gearboxes. Subsequent information indicated that the Pigs were totally re-furbished in REME workshops, one of the initial modifications being the addition of the tubular pedestrian guard to the front of the vehicle (as seen on the example pictured on the range) - I forget the number of the actual workshop carrying out the work.

That's very interesting, thanks. Of course, my comment was founded on an assumption rather than hard fact. The Northern Ireland situation, as it developed and worsened through the 70s, caused many similar pieces of lateral thinking. A case in point would be the ships used in Belfast and Londonderry, initially to hold internees and then as accommodation ships for the army garrison. HMS Maidstone (a former destroyer depot ship) and HMS Hartland Point (a former heavy repair ship) were berthed in Belfast and another repair ship (Rame Head) was berthed in Londonderry. The story went that Maidstone (at least) had already been sold for scrapping and had to be bought back (or leased) for use by the MOD.

J
 
That's very interesting, thanks. Of course, my comment was founded on an assumption rather than hard fact. The Northern Ireland situation, as it developed and worsened through the 70s, caused many similar pieces of lateral thinking. A case in point would be the ships used in Belfast and Londonderry, initially to hold internees and then as accommodation ships for the army garrison. HMS Maidstone (a former destroyer depot ship) and HMS Hartland Point (a former heavy repair ship) were berthed in Belfast and another repair ship (Rame Head) was berthed in Londonderry. The story went that Maidstone (at least) had already been sold for scrapping and had to be bought back (or leased) for use by the MOD.

J

Not surprising that the facts are/were somewhat cloudy - those at the 'sharp end' are always kept in the dark or the last to know. The mention of the 'Rame Head' rings a bell, I think the scrapping tender had been signed off before the powers that be realised that it was needed elsewhere. I forget the details now and my Naval friend who did know died last year unfortunately.

It is interesting to note that the dealers who bought the original consignments of Pigs would have made a tidy profit, via the tax payer, on this deal with the MOD. The vehicles were originally purchased for around scrap value and were just dumped in dealer's yards on delivery. When the MOD wanted the spare suspension sets, they were found exactly where they have been dumped originally - this certainly was the case with the dealers I was acquainted with, sales being almost none existent prior to the urgent need for suitable patrol vehicles in NI.
 
Hi all,
The Chieftain is in fact one of the final variants and as fitted with TOGS Thermal Observation Gunnery System, you can see the barbette on the left side of the turret replacing the 11 Million candle power searchlight. All of the stowage bins and catwalks are missing along with the thermal sleeve, which makes the tank look very strange. The front of the turret was up armoured with Stillbrew armour in the mid-late 80s which put I think about an extra 4 ton on. By the time we had to get rid of these for Challenger 1 it really was a very good tank. Nice to see the tracks a properly tightened. Hope this helps.
 
Ok not a tank but it is a tracked ex-military vehicle!
This is a Volvo BV202 we spotted in the hills in County Durham. It was a few years ago so don't know if it is still there.

BV202a.jpg



BV202d.jpg
 
Bit sad seeing the chieftains so destroyed, I work on a great example of this vehicle and it has made quite an impression on me! They are both early marks, older versions have extra armour attached to the front of the turret.
Looks like the thermal wrap is missing from the barrel too, I don't think they built a chieftain without it so I'm guessing they took it off. Do they still have their engines?

I drove one when i was 17 in Fallingbostel. It would never happen today!!. Squaddies hanging on for dear life on the outside while i literally crashed the gearbox, dipping the front end down. This was in a main car park on camp and a few nerves were shredded that day. Loved it. The bet was to get it into top gear and all for a bottle of lager. :lol:

I used to go out live firing with my dad on Hohne ranges and also at Salisbury. Sadly for a cleptomaniac like me i wasn't allowed to take spend shell cases or mortar tail fins home as they has to be accounted for. Well - that's my dads excuse anyway!!
 
This might interest some of you folks, though it's in pretty poor shape after having been buried for the best part of 50 years and having had the turret and tracks removed. It's a Mk. II Churchill and stands on Kithurst Hill in West Sussex.

103_3280.jpg

The tank

103_3287.jpg

Cogwheels for tracks

103_3284.jpg

Standing on top

103_3282.jpg

Remaining controls

103_3288.jpg

Bullet holes

A little history adapted from here:

During 1942, the King's Own Calgary Regiment was practicing tactics and tank manoeuvres with Mk. II Churchills at the deserted village of Tidemills near Seaford in preparation for the intended raid on Dieppe.

During the Canadians' training, 'A' Squadron discovered they had been lumbered with a 'dead-head': a tank with a a crucial mechancal failure. Due to the anticipated arrival of new Mark III Churchills, the tank was not considered worth repairing and was decommissioned.

The Dieppe raid ended in disaster with most of the men being killed or captured by the enemy, but the "dead-head" tank was passed to the infantry units of the 2nd Canadian Army Division who transported it to the training grounds above Storrington in West Sussex where it was used as a target for PIAT anti-tank weapons.

After hostilities ended, the tank was pushed into a bomb crater and covered with earth and rubble. It remained buried until the 1990s when it was dug up by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The turret went to a private collector and various other parts went to the Tank Museum at Bovington but the rest remains as an unoffcial memorial to the Canadian forces in this part of the world.
 
First pic is defo a PIG personell carrier as used in the NI Troubles. The SP Gun is in fact a 105MM Abbot SP Gun which went out of service in the 90's.
 
I'm pretty sure the tank is a chieftan too. And they aren't so much bullet holes, but holes from cannon rounds. Maybe from Rarden cannon?
 
I drove one when i was 17 in Fallingbostel. It would never happen today!!. Squaddies hanging on for dear life on the outside while i literally crashed the gearbox, dipping the front end down. This was in a main car park on camp and a few nerves were shredded that day. Loved it. The bet was to get it into top gear and all for a bottle of lager. :lol:

I used to go out live firing with my dad on Hohne ranges and also at Salisbury. Sadly for a cleptomaniac like me i wasn't allowed to take spend shell cases or mortar tail fins home as they has to be accounted for. Well - that's my dads excuse anyway!!

I think he lied :lol:. I had a few mortar tail fins given to me when I was younger :).
 

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