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The sound this thing produces is absolutley insane! All feedback on the shot appreciated! And also one of the most stunning colors for this car imo.
The Vickers-Armstrongs Universal Carrier was one of the best loved of all light armoured vehicles used by the British Army, it was developed from a requirement in 1921 for an Armoured Tracked Ammunition Carrier to avoid using horses to carry ammunition across bullet swept battlefields. The first Universal Carriers were armed with a single Bren gun so they quickly became known as the ''Bren Gun Carrier'' regardless of their purpose. Some were fitted with a ''Boys Anti-Tank Rifle''.
The first of the Carriers, the ''Bren Carrier'' and the ''Scout Carrier'' with specific roles, entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the ''Universal Carrier'' was introduced in 1940. The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth Forces during World War Two, they were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or used as machine gun platforms. Approximately 113,000 units were built by 1960 in the United Kingdom and abroad, it is probably the most produced Armoured Fighting Vehicle in history.
The hull is made from a simple steel box with the engine mounted mid centre. The Driver and Commander / Gunner sit in the front near the radiator fan, the noise from which would make conversion impossible so headphones were used. Men or equipment were carried in the rear either side of the engine with other weapons such as Mortars. The front set of wheels are mounted on a shaft which can be moved side to side to give gentle turns while sharp turns are done by brakes on each track. Driving controls are conventional so minimal specialist training was needed. By the latter part of World War Two most Universal Carrier's would carry more weight than they were designed for so it was not unusual to see a spare wheel strapped to the front glacis plate.
British variants -
▪︎Carrier - Machine Gun No.21937.
▪︎Carrier - Bren No.2 Mk.I and Mk.II seating for three crew, armour plate on front and left hand side only.
▪︎Carrier - Scout Mk.I - carried a No.11 wireless set, armour plate on front and right hand side only.
▪︎Carrier - Cavalry Mk.I used for carrying personnel of Light Tank Regiments in Mobile Divisions. A total of 50 were built by Nuffield, discontinued with the reorganization of the Mobile Divisions into Armoured Divisions. Seating was provided for six passengers on benches.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured Observation Post for carrying Royal Artillery Observers under protection, the machine gun position was fitted with an armoured shutter instead of a gun slit, 95 built in two Mk's.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured, 2-pounder A Carrier, machine gun converted to mount a 2-pdr gun with fixed armoured shield protecting the crew.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured 6-pounder -
▪︎ Universal Mk.I initial model.
▪︎Universal Mk.II updated stowage and layout, battery moved behind the divisional plate, towing hitch added. Welded waterproofed hull, crew of four. 2 in Mortar or 4 in smoke mortar beside Gunner. Spare wheel on front hull. weighed ½ ton more than Mk.I.
▪︎Universal Mk.III welded hull as Mk.II modified air inlet and engine cover.
▪︎Wasp - (FT, Transportable, No.2) A Flamethrower-equipped variant, using the ''Flame-Thrower, Transportable, No.2''. The Mk.I had a fixed Flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 imperial gallons, 1,000 produced. The Mk.II had the projector in the Co-Driver's position. The Mk.IIC (C for Canadian) had a single 75 imperial gallon fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection, allowing a third crew member to be carried. Many Wasp variants were fitted out at No.71 Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, at the premises that after the war became Rists Wire and Cables. No.71 Factory also repaired 20mm Hispano cannons during World War Two.
General characteristics -
▪︎Type: Armoured Personnel Carrier / Weapons Carrier
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two / Indonesian National Revolution / Indochina War / 1948 Arab–Israeli War / Costa Rican Civil War / Korean War / Suez Crisis / Biafran War
▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1960
▪︎Number Built: 113,000
▪︎Mass: 3 ton 16cwt laden / 3 ton 5cwt unladen (Mk.I Universal Carrier)
▪︎Length: 12ft / Width: 6ft 9in / Height: 5ft 2in
▪︎Crew: 3
▪︎Armour: 0.27in to 0.39in
▪︎Main Armament: Bren Light Machine Gun / Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
▪︎Secondary Armament: one Vickers Machine Gun / M2 Browning Machine Gun / 2in or 3in ▪︎Mortar or Projector Infantry or Anti-Tank carried
▪︎Powerplant: Ford V8 3.9-litre petrol, 85hp at 3,500rpm
▪︎Transmission: 4 forward / 1 reverse
▪︎Suspension: Horstmann
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 20 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 150 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph.
Information sourced from - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Carrier
The AEC Model 850, also known as the 'FWD R6T' was available in two versions, as an Artillery Tractor and a Recovery Vehicle both used by the British Army, it was in production from 1929 to 1936 and 57 units and one prototype was produced. In 1928 several truck manufacturers were asked by the British Army to develop a Six-Wheel Drive Artillery Tractor. In addition to English companies such as Guy Motors, Leyland and Scammell, the American company FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) with a branch in Slough, was also invited. The vehicles had to be able to carry a trailer load of approximately 6 tons.
FWD came up with the R6T, which was the manufacturer's first Six- Wheel Drive Vehicle, it was equipped with a Dorman JUL six-cylinder petrol engine with side valves, a 6.6 litre engine producing 78hp. All wheels were driven via a four-speed gearbox and an additional reduction gearbox allowing them to operate in high and low ranges could be used (4F1Rx2) In 1929 the prototype was delivered to the British Army for testing. At the end of that year, the vehicle came back to the factory. FWD was given an order for nine vehicles, but some changes were necessary. In 1929 FWD and AEC entered into a partnership, components were replaced with AEC equipment. The engine was replaced by an AEC A136 with overhead valves, which had a smaller displacement of 6.1 litres, but with 95hp it had more power. The gearbox was also exchanged for a version of AEC. Adjustments to the driver's cab and superstructure were also made, the most notable being the position of two Crew members next to the engine slightly ahead of the Driver. The cabin and cargo hold were open, but could be covered with a canvas roof.
In 1932 the English branch of FWD was taken over by AEC, the type designation of the vehicles changed from R6T to AEC Model 850. A total of 24 units were built at FWD in Slough and 33 units at the AEC factory in Southall between 1932 and 1936, a total production of 57 units. At the outbreak of World War Two, a number of vehicles were sent to France between 1939-1940 with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Many of them were left behind during the evacuation of the BEF in May 1940. The only surviving example is this one at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, which was fully restored in 1970.
▪︎Type: Artillery Tractor / Recovery Vehicle
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1939 to 1940
▪︎Used By: British Army
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company)
Designed:
▪︎Manufacturer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) / AEC (Associated Equipment Company)
▪︎Crew: 1 Driver + 8 Crew
▪︎Produced: 1929 to 1936
▪︎Number Built: 57
▪︎Mass: 8.7 tons / Length: 19ft 3in / Width: 7ft 6in / Height: 8ft 7in
▪︎Powerplant: AEC A136 6.1 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine, 95hp
▪︎Drive: 6x6
▪︎Transmission: Four speed gearbox
▪︎Maximum Speed: 20mph.
Taken from Wikipedia nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Model_850 and other sources.
The Universal Carrier was one of the best loved of all light armoured vehicles used by the British Army. It was developed from a requirement in 1921 for an armoured tracked ammunition carrier to avoid horses being used to carry ammunition across bullet swept battlefields.
The first Universal Carriers were armed with a single Bren Gun so they quickly became known as the ''Bren Gun Carrier'' regardless of their purpose. This one is fitted with a ''Boys Anti-Tank Rifle''.
The hull is made from a simple steel box with the engine mounted mid centre. The driver and commander/gunner sit in the front near the radiator fan, the noise from which makes conversion impossible so headphones were used. Men or equipment were carried in the rear either side of the engine with other weapons such as mortars.
The front set of wheels are mounted on a shaft which can be moved side to side to give gentle turns while sharp turns are done by brakes on each track. Driving controls are conventional so minimal specialist training was needed. By the latter part of WWII most Universal Carriers were more weight than they were designed for so it was not unusual to see a spare wheel strapped to the front glacis plate.
Specifications -
▪︎Engine: Ford V8 cylinder petrol, 85bhp
▪︎Performance: Range 160 miles, Speed 32mph
▪︎Transmission: 4 forward, 1 reverse
▪︎Weight: 3¾ tons
▪︎Armament: 1 x Bren Gun or 1 x Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
▪︎Armour: 0.47 inches
▪︎Crew: 3
▪︎Number Built: 35,000
▪︎Date Manufactured: 1942.
Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.
Part I :-
The Soviet ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is a Lightly Armorued Self-Propelled, Radar Guided Anti-Aircraft Weapon System (SPAAG). The acronym ''ZSU'' stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka (Russian: Зенитная Самоходная Установка) meaning ''Anti-Aircraft Self-Propelled System'' the ''23'' signifies the bore diameter in millimeters, the ''4'' signifies the number of Gun Barrels. It is named after the Shilka River in Russia. Afghan soldiers nicknamed it the ''sewing machine'' due to the sound of firing Guns. It is also referred to by its nickname of ''Zeus'' derived from the Russian acronym.
The previous Soviet Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ZSU-57-2, was armed with two 57mm Autocannons, it was aimed optically using a basic tracking and lead calculating system, and was not particularly successful despite its very powerful Autocannons, given their large caliber, it could only carry 300 rounds, was inaccurate as it lacked radar and could not fire while on the move. The ZPU series armed with 14.5mm Heavy Machine Guns carried on a towed mount or stationary, point Air Defence had a much higher rate of fire. The 23mm version of this Weapon System was known as the ZU-23-2, a towed mount carrying two 23mm Cannons. However, these towed or improvised Truck-Mounted Weapons had similar disadvantages.
▪︎Armament :- Is composed of four AZP-23 23mm Canons with an elevation of +85° to - 4°, and 360° Turret traverse. The 23mm Canon is gas operated with a vertically moving breech-block locking system which drops to unlock, and has a cyclic rate of fire of 800 to 1000 rounds per minute per barrel. The ZSU-23-4 Shilka can engage targets using only one or two of the four Canons.
▪︎Design and protection :- A large turret is mounted to the centre of the chassis, the Commander, Gunner and Range Operator are seated in the large square turret. The Guns and Ammunition are in the forward part of the turret and separated from the Crew by a gas-tight and armoured bulhead. Access to the Guns and Ammunition is by two large hatches, one either side of the turret roof, which are hinged in the centre and open vertically. The all-welded hull of the ZSU-23-4 is divided in three compartments, Driver at the front, combat at the centre and the engine at the rear. The Armour protection is 0.5in at 55° for the glacis plate, hull sides and 0.3in for the hull rear and the turret sides.
▪︎Drive and Suspension :- The ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is based on the GM-575 Tracked Vehicle Chassis, which used components from the PT-76 Light Amphibious Tank. The engine and the transmission are at the rear of the hull as is the DG4M-1 gas turbine coupled to a manual gearbox with 5 forwards and 1 reverse gear. The torsion bar suspension system consists of six single rubber-tyred road wheels with the idler at the front and the drive sprocket at the rear, there are no track return rollers.
▪︎Accessories :- The ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka'' is equipped with an NBC system with an air filtration unit, fire-fighting equipment, TNA-2 Navigational System, Infrared Vision Device, R-123 Radio Set, R-124 intercom and electric power supply system consisting of a DG4M-1 single-shaft gas turbine engine and a direct-current generator.
▪︎Country users :- Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Russia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Georgia,Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Libya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, North Korea, Peru, Poland, Somalia, Syria, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.
▪︎Designer Company :- Russian State Arsenals.
▪︎Accessories :- NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Protection, Fire-Fighting Equipment, Infrared Night Vision, Electric Power Supply, Firing Control System and Radar.
Link to part II flic.kr/p/2i33btX
To combat the firepower of the German Panther and Tiger tanks the A34 Comet was armed with a 77mm high velocity gun. The tank evolved from the Cromwell which had been in service June 1944 and from 1946 the Cromwell was replaced by the Centurion.
It had the powerful Rolls-Royce Meteor engine whose Merlin aviation version was used in the Spitfire. In December 1944 the 11th Armoured Division was the first formation to receive the Comet which was used to cross the Rhine and participated in the Berlin Victory Parade in July 1945. It later saw service in the Korean War in 1950-53.
This tank was manufactured in early 1945 and in 1960 was sold to the Irish Army.
It was aquired by the Museum in 1990 in poor condition and after a four year rebuild it is now one of the few working examples.
Specifications -
▪︎Turret Armour: 4 inches
▪︎Engine: Meteor Mk.3 V-12 petrol, 600hp
▪︎Top Speed: 32mph
▪︎Range: 155 miles
▪︎Armament: 1 x 77mm gun
▪︎Armament: 2 x 7.92mm Besa machine guns
▪︎Armament: 12 x smoke mortars
▪︎Crew: 5 - Commander, gunner, loader, driver and hull machine gunner
▪︎Weight: 33 tons
▪︎Manufacturer: British Leyland Motors Ltd.
Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.
October 8, 2016
A beach buggy (what they call 4WD campers equipped for beach travel out here) on its way to the outer beach, along Nauset's Cape Cod National Seashore. The dunes are dressed in their Fall colors, the wind is up and hurricane outflow clouds linger above.
Nauset Outer Beach
Orleans, Massachusetts
Cape Cod - USA
Photo by brucetopher
© Bruce Christopher 2016
All Rights Reserved
...always learning - critiques welcome.
No use without permission.
Please email for usage info.
A member of the Alvis FV600 series, the FV603 Saracen is a Six-Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier that was used by the British Army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of 'The Northern Ireland Troubles' as well as for its role in the South African Government's enforcement of apartheid, it still plays a secondary roles in some countries.
The FV603 Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier carries a Driver, Commander, plus a squad of eight Soldiers. Most models carried a small turret on the roof, carrying a L3A4 .30in Browning Machine Gun. A .303 Bren Light Machine Gun gun could be mounted on an Anti-Aircraft Ring-Mount accessed through a roof hatch and there were ports on the sides through which Troops could also fire weapons. The Saracen saw extensive use into the 1980's in Northern Ireland and was a familiar sight, nicknamed ''Sixers'' during 'The Troubles', at times they appeared on the streets of Hull, a less-hostile atmosphere for Driver training in a city of similar appearance to Belfast, and only a few miles from the Army School of Mechanical Transport.
As a member of the FV600 series, the FV603 Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier shared many common components with the FV601 Saladin Armoured Car ( flic.kr/p/2i31DyB )
FV620 Stalwart High Mobility Load Carrier ( flic.kr/p/2mx5SdG ) and FV652 Salamander Fire Tender. The punt chassis, suspension and H-drive drivetrain remained similar, but the engine, transmission and braking systems varied significantly. The Saracen was in turn used as an Armoured Personnel Carrier, Armoured Command Vehicle and Armoured Ambulance. The FV 603 model saw many variants in detail, including Radio or Command Fitments and specialist equipment for Artillery or Signals use.
The Saracen series also includes:-
*FV604 Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV) with extra Radio Equipment and distinctive ''penthouse'' roof extensions to support.
*FV610 Armoured Command Post Royal Artillery (ACP) no turret and higher roof to the armoured compartment allowed headroom for the Battery Command Post Officer and Technical Assistants of the Royal Artillery to sit at a fitted table and use their plotting instruments and ALS 21 in front of the Command Post Officer. There were also fittings for a canvas ''penthouse'' to the rear and sides. A small generator was sometimes carried on the front wing.
*FV606 / FV611 Armoured Ambulance.
The FV603 Saracen was produced before FV601 Saladin because of the urgent need for a Armoured Personnel Carrier to serve in the 'Malayan Emergency' entering production in 1952.
The FV603 Saracen was produced both with and without turrets fitted. They are popular with collectors due to their prices being as low as $20,000 in Australia and $11,000 in the Czech Republic.
Alvis FV603 Saracen Mark's:-
**Mk.1 - Early version with a small 3-door turret and turret weapon ports.
**Mk.2 - Modified Mk.1 with later two-door turret, the rear turret door folds down and can act as a seat for the Commander.
**Mk.3 - Reverse-flow cooling for use in hot climates.
**Mk.4 - Prototype only.
**Mk.5 - Mk.1 or Mk.2 vehicles modified with extra armour specifically for use in Northern Ireland.
**Mk.6 - A modified Mk.3 with extra armour as for the Mk.5 for use in Northern Ireland.
**Concept 3 New Generation Armoured Car - Mk.3 suspension and drive train with chassis redesigned by the South African Defence Force to accept a 77mm HV Tank Gun (Prototype only).
▪︎Type: Armoured Personnel Carrier
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1952 to present
▪︎Conflicts: Aden Emergency / Malayan Emergency / The Troubles / Nigerian Civil War / South African Border War / Soweto Uprising / Sri Lankan Civil War / Black September / Yom Kippur War / Lebanese Civil War / Invasion of Kuwait
▪︎Manufacturer: Alvis
▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1976
▪︎Mass 11.0 tons
▪︎Length: 15ft 9in / Width: 8ft 4in/ Height: 8ft 0.5in
▪︎Crew: 2 plus up to 9 Troops
▪︎Armour: 0.63in Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA)
▪︎Main Aarmament: Browning M1919 Machine Gun or L37 General Purpose Machine Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: .303 Bren Light Machine Gun, 6 to 12 Smoke Grenade Launchers
▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.3A or Mk.6A, 8 cylinder Inlet over Exhaust petrol engine, 160hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.5hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: 6x6 wheel, independent torsion bars
▪︎Operational Range: 248.5 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 45mph (off-road 20mph).
Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvis_Saracen
Development of the ZSU-23-4 Shilka began in 1957, the first prototype was completed in 1960. After extensive trials it entered service with the Soviet Army in 1962. Production of the ZSU-23-4 commenced in 1964. It was a very successful design, that was built in large numbers. It was exported to a number of soviet allies. Also this anti-aircraft system saw action during numerous wars. Despite its age the Shilka is still in service with a number of countries worldwide.
The ZSU-23-4 Shilka is armed with quad 23mm machine guns, and is a modified variant of the towed ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun, it has a rate of fire of 3,400 rounds per minute, and also fires the same rounds as the ZU-23. The Shilka is fitted with target surveillance and tracking radar and simple fire control system. Its radar has a tracking range of 3.7 to 6.24 miles, depending on the targets altitude. The baseline Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) has a 30% chance of hitting an air target. The ZSU-23-4 was involved in a number of military conflicts, and has also been extremely effective against ground targets.
The thin armour of the ZSU-23-4 provides only limited protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. It has been reported that the sides of the vehicle can be penetrated by standard Soviet 7.62x39mm rounds fired from an assault rifle. Though the front arc withstands this ammunition. The vehicle is also fitted with a Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection system.
The vehicle has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, radar operator and driver. The Shilka has a tracked chassis and uses many automotive components of the SU-85 self-propelled artillery system. The vehicles produced until 1970 were fitted with a V-6P diesel, vehicles produced since 1970 are powered by an improved V-6P1 diesel engine, developing 280hp, the ZSU-23-4 is also fitted with auxiliary power unit.
Variants -
▪︎ZSU-23-4V - improved variant developed in 1969.
▪︎ZSU-23-4V1 - improved variant with new fire control system, developed in 1971.
▪︎ZSU-23-4M1 - has improved radar, developed in 1972.
▪︎ZSU-23-4M2 - was optimized for firing against ground targets during Afghanistan war. It had no radar, but carried 3,000 rounds instead of 2,000. This vehicle was used against ground targets. This variant was developed in 1978.
▪︎ZSU-23-4M3 - fitted with friend-or-foe identification system, new fire control system, improved radar and laser rangefinder. This variant has a 74% chance of hitting air targets, comparing with 30% of the baseline model. This variant was developed in 1978.
▪︎ZSU-23-4M4 - upgraded version, fitted with two Igla surface-to-air missiles, new vision devices, improved radar and improved transmission. This variant was developed in 1999.
▪︎Donets - proposed Ukrainian improved variant, fitted with upgraded turret, armed with additional Strela-10M surface-to-air missiles. This variant was mounted on a T-80U main battle tank chassis and had much higher level of protection. It never reached production.
▪︎ZSU-23-4MP Biala - Polish upgrade of the ZSU-23-4 with added Grom anti-aircraft missile and a number of other improvements. Since around 2019 this air defense system used more capable Piorun air defense missiles.
General characteristics -
▪︎Type: Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1960 to present
▪︎Designed: 1957 to 1960
▪︎Manufacturer: Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant (UMZ) / Mytishchi Machine-Building Plant (MMZ)
▪︎Unit Cost: U.S $357,000 (export price to Libya, 1972/73)
▪︎Produced: 1964 to 1982
▪︎Number Built: About 6,500
▪︎Mass: 19 tonnes / Length: 21ft 5.3in / Width: 10ft 3in / Height: 8ft 5.4in - 11ft 8.6in) with Radar elevated
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander / Driver / Gunner / Radar Operator
▪︎Armour: Welded steel - 0.36in turret / up to 0.59in hull
▪︎Main Armament: 4 x 23mm 2A7 Autocannons (AZP-23 ''Amur'' Quad Automatic Anti-Aircraft Gun) 2,000 rounds
▪︎Powerplant: V-6R, 6-cylinder 4-stroke airless-injection water-cooled 20-litre diesel engine, 280hp at 2,000rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.7hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Individual torsion bar
▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.8in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 11.2 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 280 miles (road) / 186 miles (off-road)
▪︎Maximum Speed: 31mph (road) / 19mph (off-road).
Information sourced from -
Mercedes-Benz World
A facility at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit owned and operated by Mercedes-Benz.
Home to the largest display of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK, Mercedes-Benz World is so much more than just a retail site.
The facilities include:
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Handling Circuit
Off-Road Circuit
Skid Pan
Café
Restaurant
Mercedes-Benz Store
Silver Arrows Display Team
Mercedes-Benz Premier Dealership
www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_un...
www.mercedes-benzretailgroup.co.uk/mercedes-benz-cars/abo...
Mercedes ML 250 4MATIC
A genuine 'mud plugger' able to cope with the most extreme off road conditions. That said I don't expect may of these will ever be used off road.
This model now discontinued and replaced with the Mercedes GLE which comes in 250, 350, 500 and AMG 63 versions.
I quite fancy the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC. A bargain at a mere £94,500, which can quickly escalate to £100K+ if you add on a few extras.
1941-1945 WILLYS MB
The U.S. Army requested a vehicle, and drove off in a ''Hero'' the Willys MB, its spirit forged by the fire of combat and honed in the heat of battle, seared its way into the hearts of warriors fighting for freedom. Fierce emotional bonds often developed between a Soldier and his ''Jeep'' 4x4. The faithful little MB earned a place in every GI's heart, in every area of combat, in every conceivable role. The tough, simple Jeep 4x4 became the GI's best friend, second only to his Rifle. One Jeep MB was even awarded a Purple Heart and sent home. General George C. Marshall, U.S Army Chief of Staff during World War Two, and later U.S. Secretary of State, described the Jeep 4x4 as ''America's greatest contribution to modern warfare'' Scripps Howard World War Two reporter Ernie Pyle once said, ''It did everything. It went everywhere. Was a faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carried twice what it was designed for and still kept going''.
The Willys MB started a revolution in the use of Small Military Motor Vehicles in the U.S. Army, horses along with motorcycles, solo and side car, were rendered obsolete almost immediately. The all-purpose Willys MB was amazingly versatile, they could be fitted with .30 or .50 caliber Machine Guns for combat and were also widely modified for long-range desert patrol, snow plowing, telephone cable laying, saw milling, as fire-fighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors and, with suitable wheels, would even run on railway tracks.
Willys MB's could be loaded into transport aircraft for rapid deployment and were also small enough to fit into the large gliders used in the D-Day Invasion of Europe, over the course of the war, customised field kits were developed for winter and desert conditions, deep-water fording and other combat needs.
Although the Willys MB was not the first four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Go Anywhere, Do Anything vehicle, but it did influenced every 4x4 built in its wake. The New York Museum of Modern Art includes a Military Jeep Brand 4x4 in its display of eight automobiles and regarded it as “one of the very few genuine expressions of machine art.”
Willys MB / Ford GPW:-
▪︎ Type: 1⁄4 ton 4x4 Utility Truck
▪︎ Place of origin: United States
▪︎ In service: 1941 until varying per country
▪︎ Used by: USA and its allies of World War Two
▪︎ Wars: World War Two, Korean War, Various post 1945 conflicts
▪︎ Designer: Karl Probst, Delmar G. Roos
▪︎ Designed: 1940 through early 1942
▪︎ Manufacturer: Willys-Overland (MB) / Ford (GPW)
▪︎ Produced: 1941 to 1945
▪︎ Number built: World War Two total = 647,925 including pre-production units – Willys MB: 359,489 / Ford GPW: 277,896
▪︎ Variants: Ford GPA ''Seep'' 12,778
▪︎ Specifications: (MB and GPW same)
▪︎ Mass: 2,453lb, curb weight (with engine fluids and full fuel) 2,337lb dry weight
▪︎ Length: 132 1⁄4 inch
▪︎ Width: 62 inch
▪︎ Height overall with top up: 69 3⁄4 inch reducible to 52 inch
▪︎ Crew: 3 to 4
▪︎ Main armament: designed to mount .30 or .50 caliber Machine Guns swiveling on post between front seatbacks
▪︎ Secondary armament: towing 37mm Anti-Tank Gun
▪︎ Engine: 2.2 litre Inline 4 Willys L134 ''Go Devil'' 60hp
▪︎ Power/weight: 54.0hp/ton
▪︎ Payload capacity: 1,200lb on-road, 800lb cross-country
▪︎ Transmission: 3 speed x 2 range transfer case
▪︎ Suspension: Live axles on leaf springs front and rear
▪︎ Ground clearance: 8 3⁄4 inch
▪︎ Fuel capacity: 12.5 imperial gallons
▪︎ Operational range: 300 miles
▪︎Maximum speed: 65mph.
Mercedes-Benz World
A facility at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit owned and operated by Mercedes-Benz.
Home to the largest display of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK, Mercedes-Benz World is so much more than just a retail site.
The facilities include:
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Handling Circuit
Off-Road Circuit
Skid Pan
Café
Restaurant
Mercedes-Benz Store
Silver Arrows Display Team
Mercedes-Benz Premier Dealership
www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_un...
www.mercedes-benzretailgroup.co.uk/mercedes-benz-cars/abo...
Mercedes ML 250 4MATIC
A genuine 'mud plugger' able to cope with the most extreme off road conditions. That said I don't expect may of these will ever be used off road.
This model now discontinued and replaced with the Mercedes GLE which comes in 250, 350, 500 and AMG 63 versions.
I quite fancy the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC. A bargain at a mere £94,500, which can quickly escalate to £100K+ if you add on a few extras.
Not sure exactly what year, maybe late 60s. It is really rare to see one of these anymore in NE PA, even at car shows.
From Wikipedia:
1966–77
First generation
Production 1966–1977
Body style Compact SUV
Engine 170 cu in (2.8 L) Straight-6
200 cu in (3.3 L) Straight-6
289 cu in (4.7 L) Windsor V8
302 cu in (4.9 L) Windsor V8
Wheelbase 92 in (2,337 mm)[3]
Length 151.5 in (3,848 mm)[3]
Width 68.5 in (1,740 mm)[3]
Height 71.6 in (1,819 mm)[3]
The original Bronco was an ORV (Off-Road Vehicle), intended to compete primarily with Jeep CJ models and the International Harvester Scout. The Bronco's small size riding on a 92-inch (2,337 mm) wheelbase made it popular for off-roading and some other uses, but impractical for such things as towing. The Bronco was Ford's first compact SUV, and Ford's compact and midsize SUV niche would be taken by the compact pickup based Ford Bronco II (1984–1990), Ford Explorer (1991–present) and the Ford Escape (2001–present).
The idea behind the Bronco began with Ford product manager Donald N. Frey, who also conceived of the Ford Mustang; and similarly, Lee Iacocca pushed the idea through into production. In many ways, the Bronco was a more original concept than the Mustang; whereas the Mustang was based upon the Ford Falcon, the Bronco had a frame, suspension, and body that were not shared with any other vehicle.
The Bronco was designed under engineer Paul G. Axelrad. Although the axles and brakes were sourced from the Ford F-100 four wheel drive pickup truck, the front axle was located by radius arms (from the frame near the rear of the transmission forward to the axle) and a lateral track bar, allowing the use of coil springs that gave the Bronco a 34-foot (10.4 m) turning circle, long wheel travel, and an anti-dive geometry which was useful for snowplowing. The rear suspension was more conventional, with leaf springs in a typical Hotchkiss design. A shift-on the-fly Dana Corp. transfer case and locking hubs were standard, and heavy-duty suspension was an option.
The initial engine was the Ford 170 cu in (2.8 L) straight-6, modified with solid valve lifters, a 6-US-quart (6 l) oil pan, heavy-duty fuel pump, oil-bath air cleaner, and a carburetor with a float bowl compensated against tilting.
Styling was subordinated to simplicity and economy, so all glass was flat, bumpers were simple C-sections, the frame was a simple box-section ladder, and the basic left and right door skins were identical except for mounting holes.
The early Broncos were offered in wagon, the ever popular halfcab, and less popular roadster configurations. Roadster was dropped early and the sport package, which later became a model line, was added.
The base price was US$2,194, but the long option list included front bucket seats, a rear bench seat, a tachometer, and a CB radio, as well as functional items such as a tow bar, an auxiliary gas tank, a power take-off, a snowplow, a winch, and a posthole digger. Aftermarket accessories included campers, overdrive units, and the usual array of wheels, tires, chassis, and engine parts for increased performance.
The Bronco sold well in its first year (23,776 units produced[4]) and then remained in second place after the CJ-5[5] until the advent of the full-sized Chevrolet Blazer in 1969. Lacking a dedicated small SUV platform, the Blazer was based on their existing full size pickup which was a larger and more powerful vehicle, offering greater luxury, comfort and space. The longer option list included an automatic transmission and power steering, and thus had broader appeal. Ford countered by enlarging the optional V8 engine from 289 cu in (4.7 L) and 200 hp (150 kW) to 302 cu in (4.9 L) and 205 hp (153 kW), but this still could not match the Blazer's optional 350 cu in (5.7 L) and 255 hp (190 kW) (horsepower numbers are before horsepower ratings changed in the early to mid-1970s.)
In 1973, the 170 was replaced by a 200 cu in (3.3 L) straight six, power steering and automatic transmissions were made optional, and sales spiked to 26,300. By then, however, Blazer sales were double those of the Bronco, and International Harvester had seen the light and come out with the Scout II that was more in the Blazer class. By 1974, the larger and more comfortable vehicles such as the Jeep Cherokee (SJ) made more sense for the average driver than the more rustically-oriented Bronco. The low sales of the Bronco (230,800 over twelve years) did not allow a large budget for upgrades, and it remained basically unchanged until the advent of the larger, more Blazer-like second generation Bronco in 1978. Production of the original model fell (14,546 units) in its last year, 1977.[4]
Racing
In 1965, racecar builder Bill Stroppe assembled a team of Broncos for long-distance off-road competition for Ford. Partnering with Ford's frequently favored race team Holman-Moody, the Stroppe/Holman/Moody (SHM) Broncos proceeded to dominate the Mint 400, Baja 500, and Mexican 1000 (which was later named the Baja 1000). In 1969 SHM again entered a team of six Broncos in the Baja 1000. In 1971, a "Baja Bronco" package partially derived from Stroppe's design was offered in the Ford showrooms, featuring quick-ratio power steering, automatic transmission, fender flares covering Gates Commando tires, a roll bar, reinforced bumpers, a padded steering wheel, and distinctive red, white, blue, and black paint. However, at a price of US$5,566 versus the standard V8 Bronco price of $3,665, only 650 were sold over the next four years.[6]
In 1966, a Bronco "funny car" built by Doug Nash for the quarter mile dragstrip ran "erratic" with a few low 8-second times, but sidelined by sanctioning organizations when pickups and aluminum frames were outlawed.[7]
A member of the Alvis FV600 series, the FV603 Saracen is a Six-Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier that was used by the British Army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of 'The Northern Ireland Troubles' as well as for its role in the South African Government's enforcement of apartheid, it still plays a secondary roles in some countries.
The FV603 Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier carries a Driver, Commander, plus a squad of eight Soldiers. Most models carried a small turret on the roof, carrying a L3A4 .30in Browning Machine Gun. A .303 Bren Light Machine Gun gun could be mounted on an Anti-Aircraft Ring-Mount accessed through a roof hatch and there were ports on the sides through which Troops could also fire weapons. The Saracen saw extensive use into the 1980's in Northern Ireland and was a familiar sight, nicknamed ''Sixers'' during 'The Troubles', at times they appeared on the streets of Hull, a less-hostile atmosphere for Driver training in a city of similar appearance to Belfast, and only a few miles from the Army School of Mechanical Transport.
As a member of the FV600 series, the FV603 Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier shared many common components with the FV601 Saladin Armoured Car ( flic.kr/p/2i31DyB )
FV620 Stalwart High Mobility Load Carrier ( flic.kr/p/2mx5SdG ) and FV652 Salamander Fire Tender. The punt chassis, suspension and H-drive drivetrain remained similar, but the engine, transmission and braking systems varied significantly. The Saracen was in turn used as an Armoured Personnel Carrier, Armoured Command Vehicle and Armoured Ambulance. The FV 603 model saw many variants in detail, including Radio or Command Fitments and specialist equipment for Artillery or Signals use.
The Saracen series also includes:-
*FV604 Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV) with extra Radio Equipment and distinctive ''penthouse'' roof extensions to support.
*FV610 Armoured Command Post Royal Artillery (ACP) no turret and higher roof to the armoured compartment allowed headroom for the Battery Command Post Officer and Technical Assistants of the Royal Artillery to sit at a fitted table and use their plotting instruments and ALS 21 in front of the Command Post Officer. There were also fittings for a canvas ''penthouse'' to the rear and sides. A small generator was sometimes carried on the front wing.
*FV606 / FV611 Armoured Ambulance.
The FV603 Saracen was produced before FV601 Saladin because of the urgent need for a Armoured Personnel Carrier to serve in the 'Malayan Emergency' entering production in 1952.
The FV603 Saracen was produced both with and without turrets fitted. They are popular with collectors due to their prices being as low as $20,000 in Australia and $11,000 in the Czech Republic.
Alvis FV603 Saracen Mark's:-
**Mk.1 - Early version with a small 3-door turret and turret weapon ports.
**Mk.2 - Modified Mk.1 with later two-door turret, the rear turret door folds down and can act as a seat for the Commander.
**Mk.3 - Reverse-flow cooling for use in hot climates.
**Mk.4 - Prototype only.
**Mk.5 - Mk.1 or Mk.2 vehicles modified with extra armour specifically for use in Northern Ireland.
**Mk.6 - A modified Mk.3 with extra armour as for the Mk.5 for use in Northern Ireland.
**Concept 3 New Generation Armoured Car - Mk.3 suspension and drive train with chassis redesigned by the South African Defence Force to accept a 77mm HV Tank Gun (Prototype only).
▪︎Type: Armoured Personnel Carrier
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1952 to present
▪︎Conflicts: Aden Emergency / Malayan Emergency / The Troubles / Nigerian Civil War / South African Border War / Soweto Uprising / Sri Lankan Civil War / Black September / Yom Kippur War / Lebanese Civil War / Invasion of Kuwait
▪︎Manufacturer: Alvis
▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1976
▪︎Mass 11.0 tons
▪︎Length: 15ft 9in / Width: 8ft 4in/ Height: 8ft 0.5in
▪︎Crew: 2 plus up to 9 Troops
▪︎Armour: 0.63in Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA)
▪︎Main Aarmament: Browning M1919 Machine Gun or L37 General Purpose Machine Gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: .303 Bren Light Machine Gun, 6 to 12 Smoke Grenade Launchers
▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.3A or Mk.6A, 8 cylinder Inlet over Exhaust petrol engine, 160hp
▪︎Power / Weight: 14.5hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: 6x6 wheel, independent torsion bars
▪︎Operational Range: 248.5 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 45mph (off-road 20mph).
Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvis_Saracen
The Vickers-Armstrongs Universal Carrier was one of the best loved of all light armoured vehicles used by the British Army, it was developed from a requirement in 1921 for an Armoured Tracked Ammunition Carrier to avoid using horses to carry ammunition across bullet swept battlefields. The first Universal Carriers were armed with a single Bren gun so they quickly became known as the ''Bren Gun Carrier'' regardless of their purpose. Some were fitted with a ''Boys Anti-Tank Rifle''.
The first of the Carriers, the ''Bren Carrier'' and the ''Scout Carrier'' with specific roles, entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the ''Universal Carrier'' was introduced in 1940. The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth Forces during World War Two, they were usually used for transporting personnel and equipment, mostly support weapons, or used as machine gun platforms. Approximately 113,000 units were built by 1960 in the United Kingdom and abroad, it is probably the most produced Armoured Fighting Vehicle in history.
The hull is made from a simple steel box with the engine mounted mid centre. The Driver and Commander / Gunner sit in the front near the radiator fan, the noise from which would make conversion impossible so headphones were used. Men or equipment were carried in the rear either side of the engine with other weapons such as Mortars. The front set of wheels are mounted on a shaft which can be moved side to side to give gentle turns while sharp turns are done by brakes on each track. Driving controls are conventional so minimal specialist training was needed. By the latter part of World War Two most Universal Carrier's would carry more weight than they were designed for so it was not unusual to see a spare wheel strapped to the front glacis plate.
British variants -
▪︎Carrier - Machine Gun No.21937.
▪︎Carrier - Bren No.2 Mk.I and Mk.II seating for three crew, armour plate on front and left hand side only.
▪︎Carrier - Scout Mk.I - carried a No.11 wireless set, armour plate on front and right hand side only.
▪︎Carrier - Cavalry Mk.I used for carrying personnel of Light Tank Regiments in Mobile Divisions. A total of 50 were built by Nuffield, discontinued with the reorganization of the Mobile Divisions into Armoured Divisions. Seating was provided for six passengers on benches.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured Observation Post for carrying Royal Artillery Observers under protection, the machine gun position was fitted with an armoured shutter instead of a gun slit, 95 built in two Mk's.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured, 2-pounder A Carrier, machine gun converted to mount a 2-pdr gun with fixed armoured shield protecting the crew.
▪︎Carrier - Armoured 6-pounder -
▪︎ Universal Mk.I initial model.
▪︎Universal Mk.II updated stowage and layout, battery moved behind the divisional plate, towing hitch added. Welded waterproofed hull, crew of four. 2 in Mortar or 4 in smoke mortar beside Gunner. Spare wheel on front hull. weighed ½ ton more than Mk.I.
▪︎Universal Mk.III welded hull as Mk.II modified air inlet and engine cover.
▪︎Wasp - (FT, Transportable, No.2) A Flamethrower-equipped variant, using the ''Flame-Thrower, Transportable, No.2''. The Mk.I had a fixed Flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 imperial gallons, 1,000 produced. The Mk.II had the projector in the Co-Driver's position. The Mk.IIC (C for Canadian) had a single 75 imperial gallon fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection, allowing a third crew member to be carried. Many Wasp variants were fitted out at No.71 Factory in Stoke-on-Trent, at the premises that after the war became Rists Wire and Cables. No.71 Factory also repaired 20mm Hispano cannons during World War Two.
General characteristics -
▪︎Type: Armoured Personnel Carrier / Weapons Carrier
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two / Indonesian National Revolution / Indochina War / 1948 Arab–Israeli War / Costa Rican Civil War / Korean War / Suez Crisis / Biafran War
▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1960
▪︎Number Built: 113,000
▪︎Mass: 3 ton 16cwt laden / 3 ton 5cwt unladen (Mk.I Universal Carrier)
▪︎Length: 12ft / Width: 6ft 9in / Height: 5ft 2in
▪︎Crew: 3
▪︎Armour: 0.27in to 0.39in
▪︎Main Armament: Bren Light Machine Gun / Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
▪︎Secondary Armament: one Vickers Machine Gun / M2 Browning Machine Gun / 2in or 3in ▪︎Mortar or Projector Infantry or Anti-Tank carried
▪︎Powerplant: Ford V8 3.9-litre petrol, 85hp at 3,500rpm
▪︎Transmission: 4 forward / 1 reverse
▪︎Suspension: Horstmann
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 20 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 150 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph.
Information sourced from - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Carrier
Outshopped from the Royal Ordnance Factory in Leeds, this Centurion Mk.III Main Battle Tank entered service in 1952, used by the Territorial Army from the late 1950's she was then restored by the 38 Central Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in 1979. Centurion 07 BA 26 arrived at the Imperial War Museum Duxford from Chilwell in 1982, and she is currently on display on top of a Thornycroft Mighty Antar Tank Transporter outfit in the Land WarfareHall.
By the end of World War Two, the British Military was developing counter measures for the powerful German Tiger and Panther Tanks among others, and one of the designs they chose was the Centurion. Fitted with the 17 pounder Rifled Gun initially, its sloped armour and Horstmann suspension set it apart from its British predecessors. Although it was not in time to be deployed during World War Two it was quickly pressed into service during the Korean War, which broke out in June 1950, more precisely, the Centurion Mk.III model was pressed into action, a variant which was upgunned with significant effect with the 20 pounder Rifled Gun. The Centurion Mk.III was a key presence, to the extent of its being often named as the most effective fielded Main Battle Tank in the United Nations force. A number of further variants were developed in later years, as the Centurion served various European militaries and even equivalents in India and Israel.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: Main Battle Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1946 to present (derivatives still in service)
▪︎Conflicts: Korean War / Suez Crisis / Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 / Six-Day War / Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 / War of Attrition / Black September / Yom Kippur War / Vietnam War / South African Border War / Operation Motorman (AVRE) / 1978 South Lebanon Conflict / 1982 Lebanon War / Gulf War (AVRE) / 2006 Lebanon War
▪︎Unit Cost: £35,000 (1950) / £38,000 (1952)
▪︎NumberBuilt: 4,423
▪︎Mass: 52 tons / Length: Hull - 25ft / Overall - 32ft with 20pdr / Width: 11ft 1in with side plates / ▪︎Height: 9ft 10.5in
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)
▪︎Armour: 2.0in to 6.0in
▪︎Main Armament: 105mm L7 rifled gun / 17pdr rifled gun / 20pdr rifled gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: Co-axial .30 cal Browning Machine Gun
▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Meteor 650hp engine
▪︎Power / Weight: 13hp / ton
▪︎Transmission: 5-speed Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk. F gearbox
▪︎Suspension: Modified Horstmann
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 8in
Operational Range: 32.5 miles across country / 62.5 miles on road (Mks. 3, 5, and 6)
Maximum Speed: 21.5mph.
Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_(tank)
The 9K31 Strela-1 (Russian: 9К31 «Стрела-1» English: Arrow) is a Highly Mobile, Short-Range, Low Altitude Infra-Red Guided Surface-to-Air Missile System. Originally developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K31, it is commonly known by its NATO reporting name ''SA-9 Gaskin''. The system consists of a BRDM-2 Amphibious Vehicle, mounting two pairs of Ready-to-Fire 9M31 Missiles.
The SA-9 Gaskin is a Short Range, Low Altitude Self-Propelled Surface-to-Air Missile Carrying System based on the BRDM-2 amphibious chassis. The vehicle carries four SA-9 SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) launchers on a revolving mount in place of the machine gun turret. The missiles are usually fired in pairs to increase the kill probability. The Driver and Commander both have infra-red vision systems and the vehicle has standard NBC (nuclear, biological chemical) protection, including overpressure. Weighing in at 6.8 tons and with a crew of 3 (Commander, Gunner and Driver) it first entered service in 1968 and was manufactured in Russia by the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod.
ARMAMENT:
Each SA-9 Gaskin carries four ready-to fire 70lb Mach 1.5 ‘Strela-1’ solid fuel Surface-to-Air Missiles, at 3ft 10in long and 4.7in in diameter with a wing span of 1ft 2in it carries a 5.7lb HE fragmentation warhead and proximity fuse and has a lethal radius of 16ft 4in and a damage radius of 25ft and has a range of 2,952ft 9in to 13,779ft 6in but typically carries no missiles for reloading which is performed manually and usually takes approximately 5 minutes.
ENGINE:
The SA-9 Gaskin is fitted with a GAZ 41 V8 water cooled petrol engine producing 140bhp at 3,400 rpm and is coupled to a gearbox with four forward and one reverse gears, giving the vehicle a top speed of 62mph on the road and 6.2mph in water.
ROLE:
The SA-9 Gaskin was designed as a Close Support Vehicle for Troops and Tanks against an airstrike, it fired a short-range, low altitude, infrared guided surface-to-air missile.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: Vehicle-Mounted Surface-to-Air Missile System
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1968 to present
▪︎Conflicts: Arab–Israeli Wars / Western Sahara War / Yugoslav Wars / South African Border War / Lebanon Wars / Iran–Iraq War / Gulf War / 2003 Invasion of Iraq / Syrian Civil War / Yemeni Civil War (2015 to present)
▪︎Designer: OKB-16 Design Bureau (now the Moscow-based KB Tochmash Design Bureau of Precision Engineering)
▪︎Manufacturer: Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod (GAZ)
▪︎Produced: 1966
▪︎Variants: 9K31 / CA-95
▪︎Mass: 6.8 tons / Length: 19ft / Width: 7ft 10in / Height: 7ft 6in (travelling)
▪︎Crew: 3 (Commander / Gunner / Driver)
▪︎Armour: 5 mm to 14 mm
▪︎Main Armament: 4 x 9M31 (or 9M31M) Surface-to-Air Missiles
▪︎Guidance System: Infrared homing
▪︎Powerplant: GAZ 41 V-8 water-cooled petrol engine, 140hp at 3,400 rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 2 hp / ton
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 4in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 64 imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 466 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 62 mph road / 6.2 mph water.
Sourced from:
The 9K31 Strela-1 (Russian: 9К31 «Стрела-1» English: Arrow) is a Highly Mobile, Short-Range, Low Altitude Infra-Red Guided Surface-to-Air Missile System. Originally developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K31, it is commonly known by its NATO reporting name ''SA-9 Gaskin''. The system consists of a BRDM-2 Amphibious Vehicle, mounting two pairs of Ready-to-Fire 9M31 Missiles.
The SA-9 Gaskin is a Short Range, Low Altitude Self-Propelled Surface-to-Air Missile Carrying System based on the BRDM-2 amphibious chassis. The vehicle carries four SA-9 SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) launchers on a revolving mount in place of the machine gun turret. The missiles are usually fired in pairs to increase the kill probability. The Driver and Commander both have infra-red vision systems and the vehicle has standard NBC (nuclear, biological chemical) protection, including overpressure. Weighing in at 6.8 tons and with a crew of 3 (Commander, Gunner and Driver) it first entered service in 1968 and was manufactured in Russia by the Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod.
ARMAMENT:
Each SA-9 Gaskin carries four ready-to fire 70lb Mach 1.5 ‘Strela-1’ solid fuel Surface-to-Air Missiles, at 3ft 10in long and 4.7in in diameter with a wing span of 1ft 2in it carries a 5.7lb HE fragmentation warhead and proximity fuse and has a lethal radius of 16ft 4in and a damage radius of 25ft and has a range of 2,952ft 9in to 13,779ft 6in but typically carries no missiles for reloading which is performed manually and usually takes approximately 5 minutes.
ENGINE:
The SA-9 Gaskin is fitted with a GAZ 41 V8 water cooled petrol engine producing 140bhp at 3,400 rpm and is coupled to a gearbox with four forward and one reverse gears, giving the vehicle a top speed of 62mph on the road and 6.2mph in water.
ROLE:
The SA-9 Gaskin was designed as a Close Support Vehicle for Troops and Tanks against an airstrike, it fired a short-range, low altitude, infrared guided surface-to-air missile.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: Vehicle-Mounted Surface-to-Air Missile System
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1968 to present
▪︎Conflicts: Arab–Israeli Wars / Western Sahara War / Yugoslav Wars / South African Border War / Lebanon Wars / Iran–Iraq War / Gulf War / 2003 Invasion of Iraq / Syrian Civil War / Yemeni Civil War (2015 to present)
▪︎Designer: OKB-16 Design Bureau (now the Moscow-based KB Tochmash Design Bureau of Precision Engineering)
▪︎Manufacturer: Soviet state factories
▪︎Produced: 1966
▪︎Variants: 9K31 / CA-95
▪︎Mass: 6.8 tons / Length: 19ft / Width: 7ft 10in / Height: 7ft 6in (travelling)
▪︎Crew: 3 (Commander / Gunner / Driver)
▪︎Armour: 5 mm to 14 mm
▪︎Main Armament: 4 x 9M31 (or 9M31M) Surface-to-Air Missiles
▪︎Guidance System: Infrared homing
▪︎Powerplant: GAZ 41 V-8 water-cooled petrol engine, 140hp at 3,400 rpm
▪︎Power / Weight: 2 hp / ton
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 4in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 64 imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 466 miles
▪︎Maximum Speed: 62 mph road / 6.2 mph water.
Sourced from:
The M41 Walker Bulldog Light Tank was a development of the T37 Experimental Tank and designed to replace the World War Two M24 Chaffee, which gave good service during the war but its armament was found to fall short of expectations when used against the later versions of Enemy Tanks. The M41 underwent trials in 1949 and in 1950, the contract for mass production was signed. The Tank was produced by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors.
The T37 incorporated the proven American 76mm Main Gun matched with a newly developed rangefinder system which proved to be too complicated and was thus simplified, the resultant vehicle was re-titled ''T41'' and after tests and field trials entered service as the ''M41 Little Bulldog'' subsequently gaining the ''Walker'’ tag after General Walton Walker who died in a Jeep accident in Korea in 1950. In all 3,728 examples were produced.
The M41 was an agile, robust, easy to handle and well-armed vehicle, on the other hand, it was noisy, fuel-hungry and heavy enough to cause problems with air transport. The M41 appeared in many variants, 1953 brought in the M41A1 with a hydraulically powered turret which, being more compact allowed for increased storage of projectiles, up from 57 to 65 rounds. In 1956 along came the M41A2 with a Continental AOS 895-3, 6 cylinder petrol engine featuring fuel injection. Earlier marques were up-engined to this new unit. The M41 chassis was then converted to a Mobile Air Defence Weapon with the fitting of 2 x 40mm Bofors Cannons. The U.S Army finally replaced the M41 with the M48 ''Patton'' Medium Tank but worldwide the M41 continued to find widespread use, over 1,500 examples being delivered around the globe including Taiwan, Brazil and Thailand and remains in use somewhere in the world today, despite its outdated technology and high running costs.
.
ARMAMENT:
The Walker Bulldog was fitted with a 76mm M32 Main Gun, Coaxial .30 calibre Brown Machine Gun and the Commander .50 calibre Browning Machine Gun.
ENGINE:
Continental AOS 895-3 6-cylinder gasoline, 500hp, producing 21.3hp per metric tonne. Range 100 miles.
SUSPENSION:
The suspension is of the torsion type and consists of five pairs of road wheels each side with the drive sprocket at the rear and front idler, there are three track return rollers.
General Characteristics:-
▪︎Type: Light Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎In Service: 1953 to 1969 (U.S Armed Forces) 1961 to present (foreign users)
▪︎Conflicts: Bay of Pigs Invasion / Vietnam War / Lebanese Civil War / Guatemalan Civil War / ▪︎Somali Civil War / 2006 Thai coup d'état
▪︎Designed: 1944
▪︎Manufacturer: Cadillac Motor Car Division
▪︎Unit cost: USD $162,000 (1988) (equivalent to $311,950 in 2020)
▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1954
▪︎Number Built: 5,467
▪︎Mass: 23.49 tonnes / Length: 19ft 1in (hull) / Width: 10ft 6in / Height: 8ft 11in
▪︎Crew: 4 - Commander / Gunner / Loader / Driver
▪︎Armour: Welded steel - 1.0in turret front / 0.98in turret sides and rear / 0.50in turret top / 1.25in top / 1.25in at 45° hull nose plate / 1.00in at 30° hull glacis plate / 0.75in) hull rear / 0.36in hull floor
▪︎Main Armament: 76mm M32A1 Rifled Cannon (increased from 57 to 65rounds)
▪︎Secondary Armament: .30 caliber M1919A4 Coaxial Machine Gun (5,000 rounds) / .50 caliber ▪︎Browning M2 Roof-Mounted Machine Gun (2,175 rounds)
Powerplant: Continental AOS-895-3 six-cylinder air-cooled petrol, 500 bhp
Power / Weight: 21.2hp / tonne
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground Clearance: 1.5ft
Fuel Capacity: 140 U.S gallons
Operational Range: 100 miles
Maximum Speed: 45.0 mph.
Sourced from norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/walker-bulldog-m41-light-tank/
Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicle 89 BA 43 first entered service with the British Army in in 1956 and remained in service up until 1970. Believed to be part of the War Reserve Fleet, a fleet of vehicles kept 'Battle Ready' to replace front line vehicles. During 1970 to 1976 89 BA 43 was issued to the Light Aid Detachment, Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, then attached to the 1st Queen Dragoon Guards, following that the Queen's Own Hussars as part of the British Army of the Rhine forces, based in Berlin as the Berlin Armoured Squadron. In 1976 89 BA 43 returned to the United Kingdom to the Central Workshops, Chilwell, before being delivered to vehicle depot Ludgershall. In 1983 she was sent to the Defence Research Agency at Kirkcudbright in Scotland for further testing and evaluation. Then in 1995 she was sent to Shoeburyness Range to be used as a 'Hard-Target' for the trial and evaluation of new ammunition, but survived as the trials finished before she was ever fired upon ! Then in 2001 Centurion ARV 89 BA 43 joined the Norfolk Tank Museum collection.
The Centurion Mk.II FV4006 Armoured Recovery Vehicle was introduced, after extensive trials, in 1956. The Mk.I ARV was a simple tug vehicle converted from earlier versions of Gun Tanks. The Mk.II was mostly newly built as an ARV. The Centurion ARV consisted of a basic tank hull with a box superstructure in place of the turret, this accommodated the winch and separate winch engine, which was a 160hp. Rolls Royce B80. The engine powered a generator supplying electric power to the winch. The cable emerged from the back of the winch housing and a rear mounted spade gave stability whilst winching. The winch has a 31 ton direct pull capacity and, using 3:1 snatch blocks, is capable of pulling up to 90 tons.
ARMAMENT:
The Centurion ARV is fitted, on the exterior of the cupola, with a 30in No.7 Mk.I Browning Machine Gun for use by the Commander in defence against ground troops and low flying aircraft. There are also smoke discharges fitted on all four corners of the hull which would provide a readily available smoke screen to allow the vehicle to manoeuvre under smoke cover, the dischargers are designed to fire the No.80 grenade using electric No.F103 Mk.2 and Mk.3 fuse’s as propellant.
ENGINE:
The Centurion ARV is fitted with the Rolls Royce Meteor Mk.4B V-12 cylinder, 27 litre water cooled petrol engine producing 650bhp at 2500rpm giving the vehicle a top speed of 21mph and a fuel consumption of about 3 to 4 gallons per mile (depending on driving conditions). The vehicle is also fitted with a Morris USHNM Mk.II water-cooled, 4 cylinder side valve petrol engine, producing 20bhp, to drive a 3kw Dynamo for charging the batteries.
SUSPENSION:
The suspension is of the Hortmann type, a system that uses coiled springs and has the advantage of a relatively long travel. Housed within a self-contained Bogie which is bolted to the outside of the hull, which causes little or no encroachment on internal hull space, consequently, the entire suspension unit may be relatively easily removed and replaced if damaged by a land mine forexample. There are six pairs of road wheels on each side with the drive sprocket at the rear and idler at the front, three track return rollers are fitted.
General characteristics:
▪︎Type: Armoured Recovery Vehicle
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1946 to present (derivatives still in service)
▪︎Unit Cost: £35,000 (1950) / £38,000 (1952)
▪︎Mass: 52 tons / Length: Hull - 25ft / Overall - 32ft with 20pdr / Width: 11ft 1in with side plates / Height: 9ft 10.5in
▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander / Gunner / Loader / Driver)
▪︎Armour: 3in
▪︎Main Armament: 7.5x55mm Swiss tank gun
▪︎Secondary Armament: 8cm fog dispenser 51
▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Meteor 650hp
▪︎Transmission: 5-speed Merrit-Brown Z51R Mk.F gearbox
▪︎Power / Weight: 13hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension: Horstmann suspension
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 8in
▪︎Operational Range: 50 miles Mk.2/Mk.3
▪︎Maximum Speed: 22 mph.
Sourced from:
The SA-13 Gopher (ZRK-BD Strela-10) consists of four Ready-to Fire Solid Fuel, Short-Range Low Altitude, Infrared Guided Surface-to-Air Missiles, the SA-13 Gopher incorporates the Range-Only 'HAT BOX' Radar System which provides the operator with the targets range to prevent wastage of missiles outside the effective range of the system. The HAT BOX circular parabolic radar antenna is located between the two pairs of missile canisters. Rather than being mounted on an amphibious but lightly armoured BRDM chassis like the SA-9 Gaskin, the SA-13 Gopher is mounted on a more mobile tracked, modified MT-LB, with more room for equipment and missile reloads. Provision for amphibious capability is provided, in some variants, by the use of polyurethane-filled floats. It first entered service in 1979 and was manufactured in Russia by the Saratovskiy Zenit Machine Plant.
ARMAMENT:
The SA-13 missile (9M 37) is 7ft 2in long and 4.72in in diameter with a 1ft 3in wingspan, they are capable of reaching Mach 2 and carries an 11lb High Explosive Warhead which is fitted with either an improved passive lead sulphide all-aspect infra-red seeker unit, or a cryogenically cooled passive all-aspect infra-red seeker unit with a range of 1,640ft to 11,483ft It typically carried four missiles for reloading which is performed manually and usually takes approximately 5 minutes.
ENGINE:
The SA-13 Gopher is fitted with a YaMZ 238 V8 Diesel, water cooled engine producing 240bhp and coupled to four forward and one reverse gearbox, giving the vehicle a top speed of 38mph on the road and 3.7mph in water.
ROLE:
The SA-9 Gaskin was designed as a Close Support Vehicle for Troops and Tanks against low level aircraft or helicopters, precision guided munitions and reconnaissance RPV’s (Remotely Piloted Vehicle).
General characteristics:-
▪︎Type: Vehicle Mounted Surface-to-Air Missile System
▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union
▪︎In Service: 1976 to present
▪︎Conflicts: Angolan Civil War / Iran–Iraq War / Gulf War / Kosovo War / Syrian Civil War / War in Donbass / 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War / Russo-Ukrainian War
▪︎Designer: KB Tochmash Design Bureau of Precision Engineering
▪︎Designed: 1969 to 1976
▪︎Manufacturer: Saratovskiy Zenit Machine Plant (Muromteplovoz Joint Stock Company for the 9K35M3-K)
▪︎Produced: 1976 to present
▪︎Variants: Strela-10 / Strela-10SV (Prototype) / Strela-10M / Strela-10M2 / Strela-10M3 / ▪︎Strela-10M3-K / Strela-10M4
▪︎Mass: 12 ton / Length: 21ft 7in / Width: 9ft 4in / Height: 7ft 6in (travelling) 12ft 5in (firing)
▪︎Crew: 3 (Commander / Gunner / Driver)
Armour: 0.276in
Main Armament: 4 x 9M333 (or 9M37MD)
Powerplant: YaMZ-238 V diesel 240hp
Suspension: Torsion bar
Ground Clearance: 2ft 3in
Fuel Capacity: 99 imperial gallons
Operational Range: 310 miles
Maximum Speed: 38mph (road) / 3.7mph (water).
Sourced from:
The FV103 Spartan tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier was not developed in isolation, but as a part of an armoured combat vehicle family headed by the Scorpion Light Tank armed with a 76mm gun. There are seven main members in the family, all produced by Alvis Vehicles, in which the Spartan was intended to be a specialist combat team carrier. This means that the Spartan is normally operated not as an infantry combat section vehicle but as a combat engineer, battlefield reconnaissance or air defence missile team carrier. A total of 967 FV103 Spartans were built.
Since the British Army has reorganized, many Spartans have become available from their former employment so are now widely issued as general purpose liaison and patrol vehicles. The chassis and suspension of the Spartan are shared with all other members of the Scorpion family, as is the Jaguar petrol engine (later replaced with Cummins diesel) but on the Spartan the aluminum hull is enlarged to a box configuration to accommodate the driver, team commander/radio operator and the vehicle commander who also operates the 7.62mm machine gun mounted over his cupola, the machine gun can be aimed and fired from within the vehicle.
The troop compartment at the rear seats four personnel with space for their specialized and personal equipment, more equipment can be stowed externally in racks or boxes. Some Spartans have provision for mounting a battlefield surveillance radar on the hull roof while others have internal racking for air defence missiles. At one time British Infantry had tank destroyer Spartans with MILAN ATGW launcher turrets on their roof but these have now been withdrawn.
Another variant was known as the Streaker (mainly due to its high speed potential, although all members of the Scorpion family are agile and fast). The Streaker was s Spartan chassis with an open flat bead rear to act as a front line stores transporter or mine dispensing equipment carrier, but it did not pass the prototype stage. In 2014 the British MoD ordered a total of 59 PMRS armoured personnel carriers as a replacement for the ageing Spartans. These specialist combat team carriers entered service with the British Army around 2017. In 2022 / 2023 some retired British Spartans were delivered to Ukraine.
General characteristics -
▪︎Country of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Entered Service: 1978
▪︎Crew: 3 men / Personnel 4 men
▪︎Weight: 8.17 tons
▪︎Length: 16 ft 9 in
▪︎Width: 6 ft 11 in
▪︎Height: 7 ft 4 in
▪︎Armament: Machine guns 1 x 7.62mm
▪︎Powerplant: Diesel engine, power 195 hp
▪︎Maximum Road Speed: 50 mph
▪︎Range: 300 miles
▪︎Gradient: 60%
▪︎Side Slope: 35%
▪︎Vertical Step: 1 ft 7 in
▪︎Trench: 6 ft 6 in
▪︎Fording: 3 ft 3 in.
Information sourced from - www.military-today.com/apc/fv103_spartan.htm
The OT-64 SKOT (Czech acronym for :- Střední Kolový Obrněný Transportér, and/or Polish Średni Kołowy Opancerzony Transporter, Medium Wheeled Armoured Transporter) is an 8x8 Amphibious, Armoured Personnel Carrier, developed jointly by Poland and Czechoslovakia (ČSSR) well into the 1960's. Until the early 1970's Czechoslovakia produced around 4,500 OT-64 SKOT's of all variants, just under a third of which were exported.
The OT-64 SKOT was intended to replace the Halftrack OT-810, which was nearly identical to the German SdKfz 251 from World War Two. The first prototype was built in 1959 and in 1961 the first sample series were built and starting from October 1963 the vehicles were produced in Lublin, Poland by Fabryka Samochodów Ciężarowych. Serial production of the Transporter started at FSC in Lublin, Poland on October 12th 1963. The Polish plant acted as an assembly plant. Components of the Propulsion System and Power Transmission (engine Tatra, transmission Praga and chassis) were imported from Czechoslovakia. Armored Hulls and Towers (Huta in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and Huta Częstochowa) elements of the Suspension System (Huta Stalowa Wola) and On-Board Armaments (Zakłady Mechaniczne in Tarnów) were manufactured in Poland. Production ended on July 22nd 1971. Of the 4,500 OT-64 SKOT's produced, 2,500 of them were obtained by the Polish Army, and 2,000 of them by the Czechoslovak Army. They were also acquired by the Hungarian Army. Later, after introducing the BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles into service, SKOT Transporters were exported to other countries, today they are gradually being replaced by newer vehicles.
The OT-64 SKOT's Engine, Transmission, Suspension and Axles were produced in Czechoslovakia. The Engine was produced by Tatra, the Gearbox was manufactured by Praga Hostivař, it has a pre-select Praga-Wilson gearbox (5 forward +1 reverse gears) A gear is selected using the gear stick then when the gear is required the left pedal (gear change action/clutch combined) is pressed to the floor, giving a hiss of air sound, on release of the pedal the dry plate clutch engages after about half the return spring controlled movement. The drive then passes to an auxiliary gearbox with low, neutral and high ratios which needs to be selected before moving off, for road/neutral/off-road use, this gives option to the driver of 10 forward and 2 reverse ratios. The gear change pedal is hydraulic and on action opens an air valve which causes the selected gear to engage. The Armored Hull and Weapons were produced in Poland.
The OT-64 SKOT was the answer to the Soviet BTR-60, contrary to this, the OT-64 SKOT used a diesel set in place of a petrol engine. That diminished the danger of fire and at the same time increased the range. The main advantage in relation to the Russian counterpart was the Full-Armored Interior. The entrance is at the rear of the vehicle via twin doors, the OT-64 SKOT had an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Protection Facility and Night-Vision Equipment. It also has central inflation for all wheels which can be controlled by the Driver during a drive. The OT-64 SKOT was Air-Transportable and Amphibious, for transport on water used it used two Propellers installed at the rear. Several variants were built, some OT-64 SKOT's were re-equipped for Air Defense or built as Tank Hunters which used the AT-3 Sagger Missile as a Weapon. Until the early 1970's Czechoslovakia and Poland produced around 4,500 OT-64 SKOT's of all variants, just under a third of which were exported.
OT-64 SKOT 8x8 Armoured Personnel Carrier Specifications :-
▪︎Weight :- 14.5 ton
▪︎Length :- 24ft 4in
▪︎Width :- 8ft 4in
▪︎Height :- 8ft 10in
▪︎Crew :- 2 + 18 Personnel / 2 + 10 Personnel (OT-64A and SKOT-2A)
▪︎Armour :- 0.5in to 0.6in
▪︎Main Armament :- 7.62mm PKT Machine Gun and 14.5mm KPV Machine Gun
▪︎Engine :- air-cooled Tatra T-928-14 V-8 diesel 177hp
▪︎Power / weight :- 12.4hp / tonne
▪︎Suspension :- 8x8 or 8x4
▪︎Operational Range :- 441 miles
▪︎Speed :- 58.5mph (in water 5.5mph).
IMO best color for the Italia. What do you guys think of the shot, all feedback appreciated as always!
This off-road vehicle was primarily produced to meet the British Army's requirement for a Gun Tractor, and was designed to tow a Field Gun (L118 Light Gun) with a ton of Ammunition and other Equipment in the rear load space, giving it the alternative name of the Land Rover ''One Tonne'' the vehicle was designed to be easily transported by air, the positioning of the 3.5 litre Rover V8 engine beneath and to the rear of the cab eliminates the bonnet at the front, making the vehicle more or less cuboid thus reducing unused space in Transport Aircraft. Of concern was the payload and limited stability, particularly when crossing an incline.
The official name of ''101 Forward Control'' is derived from the vehicle's 101 inch wheelbase, and the position of the driver, above and slightly in front of the front wheels which used a fairly large 9.00x16in tyre. To cope with the extra height above the ground, the wheels feature an unusual feature for a Land Rover (but used for many years on the much older and similar Mercedes Unimog S404) a flange around the centre of the wheel has an embossed tread pattern forming a step for the crew when entering the cab, named a 'wheel-step'.
Development of the 101 Forward Control started in 1967, with a design team led by Norman Busby (14th October 1931 to 30th June 2005). Production took place between 1972 and 1978, in common practice of the Armed Forces, many vehicles were not used for some years and it is not unheard of for Military Vehicle enthusiasts to pick up these vehicles after only a few thousand miles service. All the vehicles produced at the Land Rover factory at Lode Lane, Solihull were soft top ('rag top') General Service Gun Tractors, although later on many were rebuilt with hard-top Ambulance bodies and as Radio Communication Trucks. A rare variant is the Electronic Warfare Vampire body, it is thought that only 21 of these were produced and less than half of these survive today.
The 101 Forward Control also served with the RAF Regiment, two 101's were allocated to each Rapier Missile set up, the British RAF Rapier System used three Land Rovers in deployment, a 24V winch fitted 101 Firing Unit Tractor (FUT) to tow the Launch Trailer, loaded with four Rapier Missiles, Guidance Equipment and radio, a 12V winch fitted 101 Tracking Radar Tractor (TRT) to tow the Blindfire Radar Trailer, also loaded with four Rapier Missiles and Guidance Equipment, and a 109 Land Rover to tow a Reload Trailer with 9 Rapier Missiles and loaded with the unit's other supplies and kit.
The 101 Forward Control also served in the Ambulance role, the Ambulance bodywork was built by Marshall of Cambridge, and was manufactured in both left and right hand drive with either 12 or 24 volt electrical systems. Some 101 Forward Control's were produced with a PTO powered Nokken capstan winch mounted on the chassis at the centre of the vehicle, allowing winching from either the front or rear. Another variation on a small number of pre-production vehicles was the addition of a trailer with an axle driven from the PTO, creating a 6x6 vehicle, this adaptation was abandoned before full production when it was discovered that the trailer had a propensity to push the vehicle onto its side when driven over rough terrain.
By the late 1990's, the 101 Forward Control's were decommissioned by the MoD and were replaced with Defenders and Pinzgauer Vehicles. Many 101's have entered into private ownership and there is a thriving 'Owners Club' supporting these sourcing spares and providing technical support the club also keeps a register of known surviving vehicles throughout the world. A prototype 101 was built based on a Recovery Vehicle, but only one of these is known to be in existence, at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_101_Forward_Control
The British built FV4201 Chieftain was the first and most powerful Main Battle Tank in NATO during the Cold War Era, delivered to the British Army in 1966 and remained in service until withdrawn in 1995, it was replaced by the Challenger 2. As a development of the Centurion, the Chieftain introduced the supine (reclining) Driver position, this allowed a heavily sloped hull with reduced height. A new powerpack and improved transmission gave it higher speed than the Centurion despite being heavier due to major upgrades to armour protection and the armament, this allowed it to replace both the Conqueror and Centurion while performing their roles effectively. It remained in service until replaced by the Challenger 1 which shared many of the Chieftain's features.
The design of the FV4201 Chieftain included a heavily sloped hull and turret which greatly increased the effective thickness of the frontal armour 15.3in on the glacis (from an actual thickness of 4.7in and 15.4in on the turret (from 7.7in) it had a 'mantletless turret' in order to take full advantage of reclining the vehicle up to 10° in a hull-down position. For security reasons early prototypes had a canvas screen covering the mantlet and a sheet metal box mounted over the sloping glacis plate to disguise the configuration of the vehicle. The driver lay in a reclining position in the hull, when his hatch was closed down it helped to reduce the profile of the forward glacis plate. The Commander, Gunner and Loader were situated in the turret. To the left side of the turret was a large searchlight with infrared capability in an armoured housing.
The Leyland L60 engine is a two-stroke opposed piston design intended for multi-fuel use so that it could run on whatever fuel was available, but in practice it did not deliver the expected power and was unreliable, estimated to have a 90% breakdown rate but improvements were introduced to address this. Primary problems included cylinder liner failure, fan drive problems and perpetual leaks due to vibration and badly routed pipework, the downfall was, as the engine power improved the Tank itself became heavier.
The FV4201 Chieftain was steered by conventional tillers hydraulically actuating onto external brake discs, which worked via the epicyclic gearbox providing ''regenerative'' steering. The Merritt-Brown TN12 triple-differential gearbox was operated motorcycle-style with a kick up / kick down ''peg'' on the left, which actuated electro-hydraulic units in the gearbox, the accelerator cable was operated by the right foot. In the turret, the Loader was on the left and the Gunner on the right of the Gun with the Commander situated behind the Gunner. The suspension was of the Horstmann bogie type with large side steel plates to protect the tracks and provide stand-off protection from Hollow Charge attack.
The Main Armament was the 120mm L11A5 Rifled Gun, which differed from most contemporary main Tank Armament as it used Projectiles and Charges that were loaded separately, as opposed to a Single Fixed Round, the charges were encased in combustible bags. Other Tank Guns such as the 120mm L1 Gun on the Conqueror, needed to store the spent Shell Cartridges or eject them outside. The Combustible Charges were stored in 36 recesses surrounded by a pressurised 'water / glycol mixture' so-called ''wet-stowage'' In the event of a strike penetrating the Fighting Compartment, the jacket would rupture soaking the charges and preventing a catastrophic propellant explosion. As there was no Shell Case, the firing of the Charge was by vent tubes automatically loaded from a ten-round magazine on the breech. Due to the length of the Gun, which required balancing, and the need for storage space, the turret has a large overhang to the rear. This contains Radios, Ammunition and Fire Control Equipment and has further stowage externally.
▪︎Type: Main Battle Tank
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1966 to present
▪︎Used By: UK, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman
▪︎Wars: Iran–Iraq War / Persian Gulf War
▪︎Manufacturer: Leyland Motors
▪︎Unit Cost: £90,000 to £100,000 in March 1967
▪︎Number Built: 1,896 (900 for UK, 996 exported)
▪︎Mass: 56 tons
▪︎Length: 35ft 4in (gun forward) / 24ft 7in – hull / Width: 12ft 0in / Height: 9ft 6in
▪︎Crew: 4
▪︎Armour: Glacis: 5.0in) (72°) / Hull sides: 2.0in (10°) / Turret: 14in (60°)
▪︎Main Armament: L11A5 120mm Rifled Gun
▪︎Secondary Aarmament: 2 x L7 Machine Gun
▪︎Powerplant: Leyland L60 (multifuel 2-stroke opposed-piston compression-ignition) 750hp 6-cylinder, 19 litres
▪︎Power / Weight: 11.1hp / ton (at sprocket)
▪︎Transmission: TN 12
▪︎Suspension: Horstmann Horizontal Coil Spring / Suspension Bogies
▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 10in
▪︎Fuel Capacity: 195 Imperial gallons
▪︎Operational Range: 310 miles on roads
▪︎Maximum Speed: Road: 25mph - Mk.1 to Mk.3 / 27mph Mk.5.
Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chieftain_(tank)
These wild ponies were holding up cars in exchange for carrots. The one in the front was stamping it's feet and refusing to move!