Armortek

Hi Guys,
Can someone please tell me if Armortek made and sold different models of the Chieftain MBT. Also are the option packs still available.

Thanks Martin.

Martin

Chieftain was sold as a Mk5. If you wanted any other version then you would make the necessary mods yourself. Re the option packs, I would suggest emailing Armortek and asking. Hope this helps.

Regards

Thank you

The Chieftain Mk5 was the quintessential Chieftain, Although converting to a Late Mk3-Mk3s would be very easy to do.
Early Mk3's were upgraded Mk2's and then many of the Mk2's were upgraded to Mk5's and upward Mk's, using the Mk5 as the basic platform.

If you were to try for an Mk1 or a standard Mk2 early Mk3, the rear engine deck is a lot different with less deck covers and access covers to oil and a hydraulic topping up move around. The hardest Mk to do with this model is the Mk1. The rear end is completely different, shorter and a very different cupola/hatch. Going back to the early Mk3 or earlier Mk's you'll be looking at making the original NBC pack on the back of the turret to get that early turret vibe.

the best and easiest is a late Mk3-Mk3s with very few mods. On the outside just remove the MRS barrel reflector and add a range-ing Machine gun to the turret.
(a lot of Mk5's had range-ing mg's too)
Remove one head lights from each side and make a new guard for them, (common on early Mk's) then you have an almost Instant late Mk3-M3s.

If you were to go upwards in Mk's there were not many changes on the outside from the Mk5 until you get to Mk10 Stillbrew and then Mk11 with added togs.

A machine gun cupola mount will be appropriate for all Mk's except possibly Mk1, But that's about it.

None of this includes super detailing, that would be left to the builder.

Look forward to seeing what you decide to do.

Hi Martin,
As far as I am aware there were no visual differences between the Mk5 and later marks untill the Stillbrew armour was added, and the searchlight was replaced by TOGS ( Thermal Observation Gunnery System). Mk 10 to 12 ?
I was trained in 1986 to repair the electrical firing system of the ranging MG on the Chieftain. Arrived in Germany at the start of 87, all the tanks had TLS ( Tank Laser Sight) no RMG and no TOGS. End of 87 we were backloading the Chieftains and getting Challenger 1.
Units converting from TOGS equipped Chieftain to Challenger had problems maintaining the TI system. The mount was the other way up ( rotated around the top of the turret ) so you had to set a software switch telling the system what tank it was on. Default setting was Chieftain.