Chieftain Prototype Build

[Youngjae Bae]

The option pack is still being prepared. It can be delivered in late October or early November.

[Mark Heaps]

Congratulations Mark, "A1 No1" recipient. Did Armortek say anything about the option packs?

Checked my inbox, not a sausage

Monique was extremely happy with my speed of payment when she sent the monthly invoices out, and commented on it to me. Extremely shortly after she had sent it out, I sent her an email saying that the funds were transferred and shortly after that she was saying that the payment was visible on their account. I do not think that I will get "001" though, somehow I think that has been reserved for Stephen White, he deserves it. Maybe I will get "002" if I am lucky.
Mark

[John Clarke]

002 Not a chance, Phils got that one!

I'd like "42".................... "The Ultimate Answer".............. (Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy)

FV4201

Anyway, every body knows the best vehicles built are at the end of the run. All the glitches have been ironed out.

Hi Youngjae Bae

Which option packs?

[Mark Heaps]

Maybe "003" then ?

[Mark Heaps]

Or maybe Monique is going to spring a surprise on me and I get 24

[John Clarke]

Maybe 003.

Maybe 024.

Only the Tank Gods Know

Must go, got to go and check my emails.

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[Mark Heaps]

For anyone who did not serve with the British Army late 80s and afterwards and did not understand the joke, the "Two-Four" callsigns in Armoured formations were REME and what I crewed. My job was to ensure that people like John & Stephen were out there between the enemy and me, and that they had the best possible equipment to do it. During my whole 22 years in the Army, my attitude was that if I ever had to fire my rifle in anger, then I had screwed up. If I had been doing my job properly, then the enemy could not have got remotely close to me.
Mark

[John Clarke]

Even worse, if you had to throw one of the two grenades

Anyway, I thought you had a Sterling MG's on board, or was that just for the posh Gun tanks?

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[John Clarke]

Congratulations Mark, "A1 No1" recipient. Did Armortek say anything about the option packs?

Checked my inbox, not a sausage

Well that's embarrassing I binned the invoice by mistake a few weeks ago, apologies Armortek. Fortunately I did'nt empty the delete box.
Hotmail put the icons too close together, clumsy fat fingers on a tablet can be bit of a disadvantage.

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[John Clarke]

Wonderful walk rounds here The Mk10/11 has super clear closeups.
https://www.net-maquettes.com/pictures/ ... tank-walk/

[Mark Heaps]

UPS tracking number received from Monique and UPS tracking shows the consignment of boxes as having been picked up.

[Mark Heaps]

Even worse, if you had to throw one of the two grenades

Anyway, I thought you had a Sterling MG's on board, or was that just for the posh Gun tanks?

If I remember correctly, the only one in the fitter section to have an SMG was the tiffy, the recovery mechanic had a pistol and the rest of us had SLRs. I think we also had one LMG per vehicle for ground defense, could have been a GPMG but I never saw it so cannot confirm. It always got bagged up at the start of an excercise and stowed away to keep it clean, saved us having to clean it at ENDEX before handing it back into the armoury.
We only got "killed" or "captured" on one exercise, the Americans acting as enemy broke through and we had what appeared like about 150 M113s approaching the wood-line where the fitter section was. No-one could remember which bin we had put the automatic weapons in and we could not quickly open the bin holding the ammo. The ARRV was parked too close to a tree which prevented us opening it. A young small guy was sent up the track towards them with the two "grenades" ( thunderflashes) to put up a nominal defense. We heard one bang and he then came racing back down the track, vaulted up the blade of the ARRV, dived into the drivers seat and locked the hatch tight. He was closely followed by a 6 foot 6 american, built like the proverbial brick s**t-house who was wanting to beat the living daylights out of him. Turned out our guy had struck the first thunderflash correctly and threw it underneath the approaching vehicle as trained. Panicking at how close and fast the M113 was getting, he lobbed the second one over-arm, it hit the american vehicle commander on the chest and dropped down through his hatch, luckily due to his panic it had not been struck properly so did not ignite. However a few milli-seconds later, the first one did go bang right under the vehicle.

[Armortek]

Almost 8 months ago to the day we started with “Project Chieftain”, and today we are very pleased to say that the first kits have left the factory and are en route to their new owners.

We are often asked how international our customer base is, and a fantastic example of that is that the first 3 kits have gone to the Czech Republic, Germany and South Korea.

As we have said before, the Chieftain is a heavy kit – and the UPS driver would agree. The kit ships in 5 boxes – total shipped weight is 130kg (290 lbs).

Below are some photographs of the first kits heading out the door.

Manuals ready for packing

Kits waiting for the UPS driver.

[Mark Heaps]

I know where the one to Germany is going to
Mark

[Youngjae Bae]

I am the one who will receive Chieftain MBT in South Korea.