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Tank ID Help


Julien

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Gents can anyone help with the MK ids on 2 tanks I have to put up for the walkaround section, both these are at Bovy I understand. Thx in advance.

 

cheify.JPG

 

t64.JPG

 

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Going by the roadwheel spacing and headlight position, the latter looks like a Type 69: Chinese T-54/55 variant.

 

J.

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You could well be right Jason, I was just about to edit to take a bet either way when you posted. The was something about the gun that wasn't right for a T-62 but appears right for a T-55.:)

Steve.

Edited by stevehnz
Finish what I was saying.
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The Chieftain is somewhere between a Mk5/1 and a Mk9.  You can't tell from this angle.  Mks 6, 7 and 8 were re-works of Mks 2 and 3 variants to Mk5 standards.  Mk9 deleted the ranging gun and Mk 10 introduced the turret spaced armour, which this vehicle doesn't have. 

 

The Iraqi tank is a Chinese Type 59: essentially a T-54 copy but different in many details.

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7 hours ago, Das Abteilung said:

 

The Iraqi tank is a Chinese Type 59: essentially a T-54 copy but different in many details.

 

Type 69 I believe, which in turn is very similar to the 59 but has a different headlight arrangement amongst other things.

 

J.

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This Chieftain carries an SP(Special Projects)number - its registered 06SP71 indicating it was in use on experimental trials and as such never saw active service with any Armoured Corps regiment.  The Pearson Mine Plough has been added whilst on site at the museum, I doubt very much that it ever carried said item unless it was tasked with trials for the attachment of Plough to Chieftain Tanks.  I know that these ploughs were attached to Bridgelayers in the Gulf War

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Thanks for your help guys.

 

 

On 5/13/2017 at 09:19, Rob G said:

Could you just email Bovington and ask for a definitive answer?

 

I could do, but often quicker to get an good answer from the guys on here.

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On 5/13/2017 at 11:20, Panzer Vor!!! said:

Fancy taking pics and not noting what the tanks were  :doh:  some people :whistle:

Indeed Dave :doh:

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The second tank is a Chinese Type 69 - the headlamp clusters on the fenders are indicative of a '69 rather than a '59. There are other differences too, but they are not visible in the photo.

 

Cheers,

Centaur

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Some googling found this out about the Cheify

 

The record card for this Chieftain Mark 5 (as 00 FD 69) shows it was built at ROF Leeds and had a Date in Service of 27 March 1972 at Ludgershall. Then it was at the School of Electronic Engineers at Arborfield in September 1973; no further details are given. It was put on the museum books in 2011. It was 00FD69 before the SP number?

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This is quite possible.  The change of ERM (Equipment Registration Mark) means it was converted as a prototype for a later upgrade to a later Mark, intended for trials and probably never intended to go back into Field Army.  You suggest it was originally a "vanilla" Mk5: there were also Mks 5/1, /2 and /3 and Mks 5 were later upgraded to Mks 8.  I do not know if the record card would have discriminated between the Mk5 sub-marks, but you would expect so: they were different configurations after all.  As pictured here it is at least a Mk 5/1 or 8/1 as it has the Muzzle Reference System fitted.  If it was built as a vanilla Mk5 then I suspect it was most probably upgraded as a Mk8 sub-mark prototype.

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