Thursday, 23 December 2010

Big Boys' toys - part 3

Following on from my two posts about my recent visit to the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, I have posted below some photos from my earlier visit.  This post will deal with tanks, and the next - rather more extensively - with APCs.
T-72 with some dodgy looking tank riders.  This tank did have a previous owner before the British Army acquired it...
Chieftain and Centurion - 'proper' tanks!
Challenger 2.
Tom demonstrates the Challenger 2 control panel (the thing that looks like a X-Box controller) while Jim Wallman looks on.
Leopard 1 cut neatly in half by Bundeswehr technicians.  It must have taken a lot of hacksaw blades!
AT ammunition.
The effect of a HEAT round (I think) on spaced armour.
Flaking paint on the T-62 showing the original Russian green under the Iraqi sand colour.
'Wittman' Wallman enjoys the view from the King Tiger.
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10 comments:

  1. Paul23 December 2010 at 19:35

    Nice looking visit. The Leo 1 is a great idea!

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  2. Tim Gow23 December 2010 at 21:50

    Paul
    It gives a really good idea of how the interior is laid out - without trying to climb around inside!
    Tim

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  3. Bill24 December 2010 at 07:08

    LOL there are advantages to not having to climb around in one!
    I say this as one who has had to live in the bloody things for
    years!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tim Gow24 December 2010 at 08:32

    Bill
    Tanks (especially Russian ones) are certainly not designed for the well-nourished 6ft2in tall person!
    Tim

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  5. Don M24 December 2010 at 18:24

    Tanks (especially Russian ones) are certainly not designed for the well-nourished 6ft2in tall person!
    Tim

    Well it was a well known joke with
    Bill's friends about him being the
    only Tanker in the US army that could
    stand flat footed on the floor of the turret and have his head out the
    hatch....We tease him that's why he made Command Sergeant Major so fast so he'd get his own Humvee...)

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  6. Tim Gow24 December 2010 at 19:27

    Don M
    Was that in an M60 or a Carden Lloyd tankette?
    Tim

    ReplyDelete
  7. Geordie an Exiled FoG24 December 2010 at 20:20

    Happy Xmas Tim

    Did you get one of these tanks in your stocking?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Bill24 December 2010 at 23:20

    Well started in M60s and went to M1A1s actually...I wouldn't fit
    in a Carden Lloyd tankette, or anything Russian!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Tim Gow25 December 2010 at 13:35

    Geordie
    I don't think I'd have got one past the gate guard at Shrivenham. Or here.
    Tim

    ReplyDelete
  10. Tim Gow25 December 2010 at 13:36

    Bill
    I look forward to hearing more of your adventures under armour. Or, just this once, 'armor'.
    Tim

    ReplyDelete