Chinese Eye Chieftain

[Stephen White]

D Sqn, 4 RTR exercise in Denmark. OC’s tank, just before my time in command. That’s real “weathering”.

[Daniel Brooker]

Hi Stephen
Could you recommend a battery to use on a chieftain and a good place to purchase one ?

Regards
Dan

[Stephen White]

Dan, hi. Since others have asked too, I've put an answer on your other thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=8325

My choice for Centurion was a battery by Tracer. I may well go for the same for Chieftain but will have a good look around the market first. Tracer here:

https://www.tracerpower.com/24v-20ah-battery-slab.html

My experience with Centurion suggests 20Ah is perhaps too much capacity. An alternative array would be two of these, which would be much cheaper:

https://www.tracerpower.com/tracer-12v- ... ttery.html

Chieftain is heavier than Centurion (models that is) but on the other hand the latest motion packs are more efficient, so on balance I'd think the two battery solution would be more cost effective. Tracer are a very reliable brand, based in UK and specialising in packaging lithium solutions.

[Derek Attree]

Hi Stephen
Hope you are well and keeping safe.
I was just wondering if you have started building your Chieftain at the moment as you
normally do a really good build log.

I have a Famo on the go but stalled at 75% built ( I will probably sell this)

I also have an Elefant hull in build at the moment a Lee in boxes and a Universal carrier coming
before I get to old I hope

Regards

Derek

[John Clarke]

Stephen, Can you charge two 12v lithium type batteries in series or would you have to split them while charging?

I've used Li po type batteries in the past but never charged them in series.

It seems an expensive solution, having £1000 worth of batteries in just two models Chieftain and Centurion. Gerhard says their last up to 20 years, but I don't think I'll be around to appreciate that. On even funnier note, why is the warranty for only two years

[John Clarke]

Derek, your life seems to be mapped out for the next ten years
UC No option, Lipo all the way.
Wonder what happened to it?

[Stephen White]

Derek

Good to hear from you, hope all's well, pity we'll miss our annual reunion at Ally Pally. I've been taking a break from tanks, doing aeronautical stuff at Yeovilton and a bit of RC flying. I'll get back to Chieftain at some point when the mojo returns.

John, the Tracer 12v 7ah battery comes with a dedicated charger so you would charge the two simultaneously (having disconnected them from the circuit).

I was very clear LiPo batteries are utterly inappropriate for Armortek models. Anyone who is into RC aircraft or cars will almost certainly be using LiPo but they'll also be very mindful indeed of the risks. The choice for our models is between Lead Acid and Lithium Iron Phosphate only.

[John Clarke]

I realise not everyone likes Lipo batteries, but I use them in my fast electric boats. Like all batteries, treat them with respect, acknowledge their limitations and all should be well. They have a good capacity rating, light weight and are very compact.

What do you think we will be offered on the UC when it turns up, space will be quite limited, even Lifepo's becomes bulky on such a small model.

[Stephen White]

A while back I published a short account of Exercise KEYSTONE, the NATO major exercise in West Germany for 1987. 4RTR was acting as enemy forces. This excellent website published some of my photos which I took when commanding D Squadron on the exercise.

https://military-database.de

A new album has just been put up, this time featuring C Squadron, Fourth Tanks. There are some great images of Chieftain in the field. It still surprises me that we had such a mix of marks, including non-STILLBREW Mark 9s and the latest and last STILLBREW Mk 10s and STILLBREW/TOGS Mk 11s.

Our tanks have red crosses, to denote enemy, the blue circle tac sign for C Sqn, the Chinese Eye of 4RTR and tank names dating back to WW1 in black lettering on the side bins. It was the height of summer after the crops were harvested and the wagons are covered with a patina of oil, diesel and dust. Good guide for weathering.

A non-tactical move between exercise areas. We're bunched up to allow the Bundespolizei to minimise traffic disruption.

STILLBREW/TOGS Mk 11, complete with flashing light aka winky pot

Mk 11

Note the crew is wearing NBC suits minus the masks

2IC's dozer tank. 1 in each squadron. This crew has over-filled the diesel tanks and a spillage has drained out onto the side plates. On a steep down-slope, diesel could find its way forward onto the driver's neck. Not popular, nor with the crew when it came to sleeping on the back decks.

[Paul Fowler-Smith]

A few more photos to add to your collection, from ATR Winchester last sunday.
Found on the edge of the square gently rusting away.

[Mark Heaps]

There are some great images of Chieftain in the field. It still surprises me that we had such a mix of marks, including non-STILLBREW Mark 9s and the latest and last STILLBREW Mk 10s and STILLBREW/TOGS Mk 11s.

At that time 87/88, Challenger 1 was also being fielded aswell as the Chiefies being upgraded. 14th/20th replaced QRIH at York Barracks in Münster, one squadron in Berlin with I believe Mk11s. The tanks when I arrived at York Barracks at the start of 87 were all Mk9s, and when sent back were replaced with Chally 1.
During 87/88 we never had a Mk10 or Mk11 there to the best of my knowledge.
To me it makes sense that the upgraded Chieftains went to the "Chieftain regiments" untill it was their time to convert to Challenger.

Also maybe of interest is the fact that units which went from Mk11 to Challenger had problems keeping the TOGS working even though they were experienced with it.

On Mk11s the TISH ( Thermal Imaging Sensor Head ) was on the left hand side of the turret, replacing the searchlight. On Challenger, it was on the right hand side. The mount for the TISH was rotated through 180 degrees and the TISH was bolted to the other side of the mount. A software setting, which defaulted to Chieftain, informed the system whether it was mounted on a Chieftain or Challenger and whether the mount should move up or down when the gun elevated or depressed.

Mark

[Stephen White]

Some interesting reference photos which come up from time to time on FaceBook. Mostly Fourth Tanks in Tidworth, circa 1983, with one or two 5th Skins. Mostly Mk 5s. Being UK bases reinforcement troops, the UK Armoured Regiment were the last to get upgraded kit. By the time the Regiment returned to Germany in 1985, we were getting the first Mk 11s. Shows the difference between a tank prepared for a big demonstration ("parade state") and the normal operational condition. Tanks were washed down after every cross country movement but nevertheless, the paint took on a dusty, dull patina, which suited us fine. Fortunately, I missed the Tidworth tour, which I swapped for the joys of playing with the Russians in East Germany.

Dessart Wood was one of the forming up points for the Battle of Cambrai, 1917. The name was used post war for a Ferret in Recce Tp but when tank regiments reorganised into four tank squadrons, it was used in D Sqn, 15 Tp

Red rectangle denotes "enemy" force on exercise

B and D Sqn vehicles

Diana, second in command, C Sqn

Decisive, 5 Tp, B Sqn

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Diehard, 10 Tp, C Sqn

Cent ARV

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Royal Sovereign, OC B Sqn. HM The Queen visited 4RTR in Catterick in 1957 (as Colonel in Chief RTR) and the Regiment was given the privilege of naming the tank prepared for her inspection Royal Sovereign

? D Sqn

Unusual. Troop corporal's tank in 15 Tp, D Sqn. The dozer was usually fitted to the squadron second in command's tank.

Air cleaner housing removed for cleaning

Drambuie, Tp Sgt, 15 Tp D Sqn.

Defiance, Tp Ldr, 6 Tp, D Sqn. This was my first tank name as a young troop leader.

Dewar, 2IC B Sqn (callsign 0C)

Diana, second in command, C Sqn

Decisive, 5 Tp, B Sqn

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Diehard, 10 Tp, C Sqn

Cent ARV

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? D Sqn

Unusual. Troop corporal's tank in 15 Tp, D Sqn. The dozer was usually fitted to the squadron second in command's tank.

Air cleaner housing removed for cleaning

Drambuie, Tp Sgt, 15 Tp D Sqn.

Defiance, Tp Ldr, 6 Tp, D Sqn. This was my first tank name as a young troop leader.

Dewar, 2IC B Sqn (callsign 0C)

Dolly, 15 Tp, D Sqn, with dozer blade.

Royal Sovereign again, with fume extractor and thermal sleeve removed for barrel cleaning and greasing

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Dhala, (a village NE of Aden, where the Regiment operated in 1964). Tp Ldr, 13 Tp, D Sqn.

Defiance, Tp Ldr 6 Tp, B Sqn. B Sqn square tac sign in Oxford Blue on the turret

(Nearest) Drocourt, a village near Arras. The Drocourt-Queant Line was a famous objective in 1917. Tp Sgt, 14 Tp, D Sqn

Probably 5 Innis DG, prepared for a demo at Warminster

Ditto

[David M Wilks]

Many thanks for sharing Stephen, pics like those certainly help to push through the tough bits of the Chieftain build, ie re-machining wheel hubs + track bashing etc.

[Charles A Stewart]

Well said Sir.
Charles

[John Clarke]

Super pictures Stephen. I always like to see pictures of the vehicles in their real life environment
I've never seen so many Chieftains without the skirts, l especially like the shed park pictures. Many Thanks