derek burton Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 (edited) In the very late 80`s or could have been 1990 i was on my gunnery star course(sort of top up training for reserves) at Lulworth, while we were there we noticed a group of R.E. on the gunnery simulator, when i asked how so i was told that there was a plan afoot to equip some R.E. bridgeing and minefield clearance units with cast off Chieftain`s as they were replaced by Challenger`s for protection of the above units so they did not have to rely on dedicated armoured units for protection, does anyone if this plan was ever put in place? Dek. Edited April 5, 2011 by derek burton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 In the very late 80`s or could have been 1990 i was on my gunnery star course(sort of top up training for reserves) at Lulworth, while we were there we noticed a group of R.E. on the gunnery simulator, when i asked how so i was told that there was a plan afoot to equip some R.E. bridgeing and minefield clearance units with cast off Chieftain`s as they were replaced by Challenger`s for protection of the above units so they did not have to rely on dedicated armoured units for protection, does anyone if this plan was ever put in place? Dek. Will ask around as I'm currently at 32, but I think the answer is no, more like the lads having a jolly to see what they were missing. The loss of the Cent with the dustbinchucker was and is still felt, but if we were bridging and clearing we would be doing it with lots of people waiting for us to complete and providing non organic protection as happened in the breaches in both Granby and Telic. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek burton Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Thanx for that Greg it seems like one of those "good ideas" that fall flat, but i cant imagine anyone being allowed to jolly around at the gunnery school. Dek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek burton Posted April 5, 2011 Author Share Posted April 5, 2011 Yes come to think about it it could have been some sort of "see what the other guys kit looks like close up" day, god knows what they thought about us after three years in the real world i was running around in full tanky gear but with a pony tail and ear rings. Dek. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Or on thinking about it further, it could have been to practice the team cohesion and drills required for the 165mm as there probably was not a Cent turret sim and Cent was in its final days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan-o Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 We never did have Chieftain gun tanks,but we did get some Centurion 105's that came from the RA. they were used as AVRE.s and i think each troop had one each. i hope that is of use to you Ivan (ex 31 AES spt troop) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Modeller Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 We never did have Chieftain gun tanks,but we did get some Centurion 105's that came from the RA.they were used as AVRE.s and i think each troop had one each. i hope that is of use to you Ivan (ex 31 AES spt troop) I remember way back in the 80s that the Armoured Farmers (oops Armoured Engineers......) had a supply of 105 Cent Gun tanks and the reason given then was that they didn't have enough "Dustbin Chuckers" to go around, sound familiar........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan-o Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 (edited) I remember way back in the 80s that the Armoured Farmers (oops Armoured Engineers......) had a supply of 105 Cent Gun tanks and the reason given then was that they didn't have enough "Dustbin Chuckers" to go around, sound familiar........ Steady on when you say way back in the 80's Mick it could make some of us feel old LOL! The 105's were supposed to be for local protection but they were fitted out as any other AVRE although they never had a blade,just a plough and fascine rack Uploaded with ImageShack.usimg] Ivan. Edited April 26, 2011 by ivan-o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Modeller Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Steady on when you say way back in the 80's Mick it could make some of us feel old LOL!The 105's were supposed to be for local protection but they were fitted out as any other AVRE although they never had a blade,just a plough and fascine rack Uploaded with ImageShack.usimg] Ivan. Hi Ivan, The pic must have been after my days, I don't remember seeing any mine plows or fascine racks on the Cents. Another odd one from the ole days was the Air-Defence Spartans with pintle mounted M2 .5 Brownings on their coupolas, now there was an odd view, the Ma Deuce was almost as big as the Spartans...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 The basic Centurion AVRE had a dozer blade, fascine rack and 165mmDEM was still in service until after Desert Storm. The Centurion AVRE105 was only used with the Pearson track width mine plough and fascine rack. I have seen several photos of the 165 version in Desert Storm but no 105 ones. There was a Chieftain AVLB version, fitted to new built hulls, which was in service from the mid 1970's until replaced by the Titan(Which uses a new hull with Challenger 2 automotive parts). In the late 1980's several cheiftains were converted to AVRE's. These had the turret removed and a cupola and hatches fitted to the plate which covered the turret opening. A winch was fitted in the hull and a series of frames fitted over the hull which could hold 3 facines or 4 lengths of traceway. The hull front usually had a Perason track width mine plough fitted although it mont a dozer blade. In Desert Storm they were fitted with the same uparmoured side skirts as on the Challengers and a chain curtain(Similar to the Israeli Merkava turret) hung down from the front of the Facine frame. Some vehiclse also had a magnetic mine detonator device. Google "Cheiftain AVRE" for loads of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Modeller Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Hi Ivan,Another odd one from the ole days was the Air-Defence Spartans with pintle mounted M2 .5 Brownings on their coupolas, now there was an odd view, the Ma Deuce was almost as big as the Spartans...... I remember Soltau days and the AD Spartans with their 5-oohs, looked so silly but we'd have had them in a heartbeat!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Modeller Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 The basic Centurion AVRE had a dozer blade, fascine rack and 165mmDEM was still in service until after Desert Storm. The Centurion AVRE105 was only used with the Pearson track width mine plough and fascine rack. I have seen several photos of the 165 version in Desert Storm but no 105 ones. Probably something along the lines that every movable 165 AVRE was in theater..... Some of the things that were/are kept very quiet was that there wasn't too many servicable Challengers in Germany, with the unbelievable sight of stripped Challenger hulls minus turrets littering tank parks. I remember seeing a shot of the "Battle Damage Replacement Squadron" tanks........ Late mark Chieftains, now that said something...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derbyeomanry Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Took this pic and others of stripped Challengers at Munster during Gulf war 1 - they belonged to 14th/20th Kings Hussars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg B Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Bit of a coincidence, I was thinking about this topic the other day as I saw a picture of a 105 Gun Tank in RHQ. So it looks like there were some at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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