Inside the Chieftain's Hatch: Challenger 1 Prototype Pt 1

FV4030/4 was developed for British Service to bring British armored forces up to a greater capability than Chieftain whilst pending the development of a true successor vehicle. This trials vehicle differs in some ways from the production Challenger 1, but shows many of the features.
Thanks to the US Army's ACC and the financial support from Patreons, merchandise purchasors, or other direct donations for making the trip possible.
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[@muazazman3999]

The Chieftain is probably the only man to make a Challenger look small. I knew he was tall but I never thought he WAS THAT TALL

[@Chopstorm.]

Iirc he's about 6'4? Not freakishly huge by any means.

[@Masada1911]

He is 6’5 I believe

[@mbr5742]

Put me aside the tank and I make it look small and light ;)

[@user-rs5ui5lg5i]

@@Chopstorm. not sure buddy 6'4 seems rather tall to me, though I'm like 5'6 so that's probably why.

[@Chopstorm.]

@@user-rs5ui5lg5i 6'4 is definitely well above average, but it's not like he's Shaq.

[@variouscheeses]

Lounging like Burt Reynolds on top of the turret is perfectly dignified!

[@tgapmax4051]

I thought it was like a Jordache commercial. For the ladies that are always commenting on how fit the Colonel looks.

[@TheGbelcher]

Brilliant 😂

[@ZGryphon]

When I was studying mechanical engineering tech years ago, we learned to use captive nuts mainly to simplify manufacture. It's easier and quicker for whoever has to build the thing you designed if all they have to do is make a hole a bit bigger than the major diameter of the bolt you've specified, then weld the appropriate-size nut on the back of it, rather than having to make an exactly sized hole and tap the threads directly into it. Plus, the threads in factory-made nuts are presumed less likely to get fouled up than threads tapped by hand in the part itself. (Later in the product's life, as you note, having the nut welded on there also means whoever takes it apart a) doesn't have to use two wrenches and b) can't lose the nut. In the program I was in, our main focus was on designing for manufacturability, but taking care of the end user was considered good form as well. :)

[@jarink1]

And if the threads do get messed up, it's a lot easier to break off the old and weld on a new nut than it would be to replace the whole bracket.

[@1337flite]

"our main focus was on designing for manufacturability, but taking care of the end user was considered good form as well. :" that;'s dumb. It gets built once and serviced hundreds or thousands of times. Of course the manufacturer doesnt pay for servicing, only the manufacturing. And the public servants who dole out the procurement dollards dont even think about the ongoing costs - just the initial investment. Sucks to be Tommy Atkins.

[@Tomartyr]

@@1337flite More expense doesn't mean more taxes raised, it means fewer numbers procured, another capability axed, or a different bidder being selected.

[@azgarogly]

The only thing is that special care has to be taken when welding nuts in place. Otherwise these will be pulled and warped and the bold would be very uneasy to (un)thread. Sure professionals know that, it's warning for DIY ppl who might pick the idea.

[@Dr_V]

@@azgarogly It's actually quite easy, you just fit-mount the piece in place, tighten all the bolts, than tack weld each nut, than unscrew the bolts and finish welding the nuts.

[@IslandBiker]

A trip down memory lane for me. I was both a Challenger 1 and Challenger 2 commander (and many other types). Thanks for sharing….oh, and yes, it was a dead track….easy to change though (compared to chally 2 anyway).

[@samuel10125]

What do you recommend Infantry or tank operator?

[@IslandBiker]

@@samuel10125 I did both during my service but I did like driving to work in 70 tonnes of armour

[@samuel10125]

@@IslandBiker I ask because I'm currently training for assessment and I want to join the Infantry but a couple of my friends think I might be better in the RAC. Any wisdom you can share?

[@brucemacallan6831]

SCOTS DG - Woo Hoo!

[@conncorde2694]

Hi i have a question,if i can ask? In TOGS in high mag mode Is the reticle circle like on chally 2 TOGS 2?

[@SMlFFY85]

xD Whoever painted that tank really couldn't be arsed.

[@kippamip]

To answer the question yes chally 1 was indeed dead track. I was chally 2. Engine was pretty much the same but a TN54 gearbox on chally 2. The dead track and grousers actually give a better cross country capability as well, but it's not friendly to roads. Probably one of the most underrated tank's for its day due to it's woeful performance at CAT in 1987. But the first Gulf War soon set the record straight.

[@ScottKenny1978]

Do you know/remember why dead track gives better cross-country performance?

[@kippamip]

@@ScottKenny1978 it has grousers on the track. Modern live track rely on the thick rubber blocks to dig into the ground instead of a full width metal grouser on the dead track. The only way I can describe it is like a clawing effect. This is why centurion and Churchill tanks could climb really well. The rubber blocks don't grip and claw the ground as well and cause the track to slip.

[@ScottKenny1978]

@@kippamip ah, gotcha! So there _is_ a performance reason to keep the heavy steel track and not go to some variety of much lighter rubber band track. Good to know for my sci-fi world building! Thanks!

[@brucemacallan6831]

I was Chally 1. Same as Chieftain, dead track.

[@Sturminfantrist]

@@brucemacallan6831 I remember a Chieftain column ( unit from northern ireland / ulster) couldnt pass a Bridge because they made a new asphaltlayer the Tank Company was redirected thru the narrow streets in our Town they did a lot of damage to the streets and Curbstones with their deadtracks. In late 60s early 70s during the autumn manouvres in lower saxony i saw BAOR Centurions and chieftain always driving with dead tracks/tracks without Rubberpads, the Farmers, Town mayors, Forrest service hated that because of the Damage done to the Roads, Town/Villagestreets, Loggingroads and Field/Tractorways, we kids liked that when we went out to find the Tanks with our bicycles because it was easy to follow their Route by looking at the Trackprints left on roads , loggingways ect. . One day a Dutch Centurion column drove down the Road but their Cent`s had 3 Rubberpads per Trackpiece.

[@TheKing1cobra]

Nice to see a newer tank on itch, and i've always had a soft spot for the Challengers despite being ungodly heavy

[@Retrosicotte]

They're about the same as most western tanks in weight really.

[@jeremypnet]

Why would your weight matter? Are they particularly cramped inside?

[@desertmandan123]

65 ton battle weight isn't heavy for an MBT.

[@SaltySwede]

19:26 - "Draw me like one of your French tanks."

[@deth3021]

japanese tank girls would probably fit better.

[@SaltySwede]

@@deth3021 But then how would my heart go on?

[@deth3021]

@@SaltySwede on waifus and ramen?

[@SaltySwede]

@@deth3021 Nah, I'd probably drown in sub-freezing waters.

[@Lintary]

Challenger 1 will remain my favourite tank, there is just something about the apearance of it that just sits all right with me. as shallow of a reason that might be.

[@mbr5742]

I think a Decoration, garden, mobile, BAOR aka Chieftain looks a tad better. But yes, they both look sleek

[@Colonel_Overkill]

See, I have to disagree with you good sir. The chieftain without the stillbrew armor is the best looking tank. The asymmetric turret has character, like a jaunty hat. Leopard 2A6 is the only option we have now for deviation from the box or saucepan turret options but other than chieftain all later turrets are one of 2 shapes. The less said about M60 the better.

[@jeremywitt1940]

Chieftain - tracks on Cr1 are carry-over Chieftain so as you point out, dead tracks. Live tracks came with Cr2.

[@shootingwithmitch5921]

I got to sit inside a challenger 1 when I was an army cadet back in the eighties--it was awesome!

[@monkieie]

I used to work on the Chally 1 in the 90s as a heavy vehicle mech in the REME. My ARRV was still a chieftain though... I loved the Challenger and the rapid removal of the powerpack (compared to the Chieftain) and really enjoyed adjusting the tappets and the fuel injection pump ;-) The gearbox really was pants though and it had serious problems doing a neutral turn. Still, a very enjoyable tank to work on and set the new standard for a more modern AFV.

[@Zajuts149]

Coventry Climax sound like British adult film.

[@tacticalmanatee]

This is cool, I like seeing the newer stuff. It's a very cool looking tank, almost sci-fi looking.

[@samm1561]

the Challenger prototype is more than 40 years old

[@MilesStratton]

Fantastic video. Looking forward to P2

[@beanhavok2287]

It is funny how the smaller ports basically had the same hatch design as the world war two cruiser tanks.

[@mitternacht4062]

Only so many ways you can design a small round metal door that opens outwards I suppose.

[@mitternacht4062]

The similarity to Challenger 2, at least on the automotive end, is quite unreal. The parts may be different, but the basic design is pretty much exactly the same. Guess if it ain't broke, don't fix it, but having crewed Chally 2s, this seems to be nearly identical. Glad track tensioning is a button on the newer model though.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

Its similar because the Chally 2 isn't really a new tank, it's just marketed as such (similar to how the "new" chally 3 is just the chally 2 LEP under a new name). Basically British army are still running around in Centurions :D.

[@jamesgale9722]

That's a hugely incorrect statement. Challenger 1 was essentially an upgraded Chieftain. The Challenger II was an entirely new design built from the ground up. With some basis externally being similar internally it was Mike's apart.

[@GrasshopperKelly]

The Chal server really will, the Brits just s*** themselves when the tank came last in most races and trials in a European military show/competition. Everything else was more accurate on the move, everything else was finishing the race tracks faster, and the visibility from the inside was poorer. So they started upgrading pretty much every electronic, changed view ports etc., and found a few other things they could update and change in the process. Such as adding new internal laser sensor to the barrel.

[@WozWozEre]

Everything I've ever read about Chally 1 and 2 says they're almost completely different tanks, despite external similarities. It also all says Chally 1 was a complete turkey, hence why Chally 2 was brought in so goddamn fast.

[@jimmydesouza4375]

@@jamesgale9722 Sorry but that's not the case.

[@blueboats7530]

I appreciate the bloopers at the end, myself I've done a lot of presentation speaking and I know how much work, practice, re-doing is required to have a faintly smooth end result.

[@skyraider8793]

You have the very best channel on explaining part on military vehicles. Please don't change anything. Very helpful on my model building. Thanks. BB.

[@cirian75]

Hello old friend, it's been 25 years since I was this close, and no TOGs.

[@GrasshopperKelly]

7:45 Two options: as an Engineering student, who's asked the same question about nuts that were welded in place I *believe* it's because those are adjustable bolt eyes/slots/tracks. I was told because it's where the bolt should end up, on that specific example (We were looking at a sterile filling machine). The slot for the bolt was a track, to allow for adjustment. But because the machine was semi mass produced, and the bolts were to hold two sections of machine together. The Washer might need to be a different model, because of a change in the vials, or a different manufacturers washer might be used in future etc. They're modular, in-case Amgen, Pfizer, Alexion etc. change the drug and vial they're filling but want to keep the machine worth 6 figures. You'd assemble the machine, adjust the levelling feet, make sure all the sections mate correctly, the machine runs smoothly. Then, the bolts that are in adjustable slots, you'd weld the nuts. So they cannot adjust themselves from vibration, and so if the machine is ever moved, or sections need to be disassembled for maintenance, they can be bolted back together exactly the way they were. TL,DR I *believe* It's so the skirts can be bolted back on, adjusted to the same place every time. The adjustment being put there by the factory, because despite even modern precision engineering, the part's wont be to micrometre tolerances. That's just to expensive a tolerance for what's designed to get shot at. A second possibility is, the corner bracket it's mounted on is just a mass produced part. As a result, the manufacturer doesn't know what kind of bolt/thread you intend putting through it. So the factory using the brackets on your tank, just take a bolt they think does the job, and a corresponding nut. Instead of making a custom bracket, and tapping a thread through it. Or making a square plate and tapping the thread in the plate and welding that to the bracket... just take a nut, it's easier and cheaper. Plus like you said, it can't go anywhere afterwards.

[@kw9849]

Or, the simpler explanation: someone just got tired of threading all those nuts on every time they took the skirts off and just tacked them in place.

[@AkosJaccik]

Frankly I think the reason for the welding is that they needed a threaded hole on the sheet metal part ( 07:52 ) and quite possibly the _cheapest_ way to achieve this is to just weld a commercially avaliable nut to it. They could've just supply it as a loose part, but this way it's - as Chieftain pointed it out as well - one less thing to lose, as there is no reason for that nut to ever come off. At a sheet metal shop I've worked at we've made similar parts (although for the food industry among others, not for tanks...) where the idea was the same: manufacture a cheap sheet metal product (in our case it was laser cut, bent and welded), weld a dirt cheap nut to it, bam, you don't need casting, don't need milling, you don't need threading, don't need anything a welder and a grinder can't do. In case the part receives damage, a field shop could improvise one rather easily this way as well.

[@31terikennedy]

Welding the nuts on was probably a MWO (Modification Work Order) to make it more user friendly.

[@agt155]

If they weren't welded on you'd need two spanners to do/undo them.

[@31terikennedy]

@@agt155 Most likely a field mod.

[@fredorman2429]

It’s all very complicated. I was in the infantry where I had a US Rifle, caliber 30 M1, in which the only caveat was to withdraw the right thumb quickly when closing the action. My buddy, Eddie, was the squad BAR man. He also carried a Browning 1911, in which the main caveat was to catch the barrel bushing and recoil spring when field stripping otherwise the bushing would be lost forever. Those were simpler, unsophisticated times.

[@calvingreene90]

Me grandpa use to say that getting Garand thumb more than once was a sign of being a slow learner.

[@Spartan265]

Thank you and your friend as well for your service.

[@tgapmax4051]

I spent an hour and a half searching for that darn 1911 barrel bushing one Annual Training.

[@fluffycat087]

Due to age and early onset dementia the outtakes are now my favourite part. Just focus, peace and inner harmony, peace and inner harmony dude.

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Spoiler Alert! The MBT-80 would not become operational by 1990.

[@jamieproctor8691]

Loved the Chally, I live up the road from the RoF Barnbow in Leeds so saw a few of them fresh out the factory.

[@gvii]

If you have several men stuck in a tank for a few days under NBC conditions, I can think of at least a couple of things you might use the refuse port to get rid of in a hurry. Unless they have some other method of storing/disposing of that sort of thing. Preferring disposal over storing, I'd hope.

[@eruantien9932]

I think the key is to have a storage method that you can put through disposal without any contamination.

[@gvii]

@@eruantien9932 Except we're talking about a tank where every square inch of space is a consideration, much like submarines from the early cold war and back. There is no advantage whatsoever to storing something like that, it would make all the sense in the world to provision it's prompt disposal via an airlock type port like this. That said, I have no idea what the official use of the port was. But, I have little doubt it would have been used for just that has the need arisen.

[@triangulan]

I suspect The Chieftain was quite aware of that, his tone suggested that he was deliberately not saying what for the sake of avoiding upsetting any viewers who might be eating their breakfast at the time of watching, rather than he didn't have some idea of what it might be used for...

[@tgapmax4051]

Then think a few days later. OK, we're out of the NBC area, time to decontaminate. Commander pulls out his side arm & points at Gunner. "Gunner, clean off the SH*T we've been jettisoning out the whole, onto the tracks."

[@triangulan]

@@tgapmax4051 Meh, by the point the tracks will have been going around so much anything deposited on them will have been dumped off and/or well diluted with everyday mud etc that it wouldn't be identifiable.

[@tony66au]

A few Father Ted moments at the end there Chieftain :-) Love it!

[@tgapmax4051]

Any Father Ted reference needs props. Father Dougal McGuire must have done the painting. "Paint it all green, that would be grand."

[@GeneralJackRipper]

I now know from personal experience just why you don't do these 'off the cuff'. The number of mistakes in my own attempt is frankly embarrassing. Nice video sir.

[@aussiebloke609]

Someone's gone nuts with a can of green paint. I'm not certain if those rubber bumpers were intended to be painted, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to be able to see through the auxiliary sight. 17:55

[@thomaschurch6171]

I listened to the refueling section a few times. Still not 100% sure if you fill it one side at a time or all at once.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

Both ports per side, likely one side at a time, but you can do all four ports if you have the capacity.

[@mitternacht4062]

If it's the same as chally 2, you fill one port on each side, swapping between the front and back filler holes as that side fills up. The Unit Support Tankers have two hoses and if you're lucky you'll get use of both during a replen. If you're on unlevel ground the side facing up the slope will take more diesel than side facing down the slope, so usually a flat bit of ground is preferable, so you can tank as much fuel as possible.

[@lizard2929]

Having bloopers at the end makes the video better

[@furmanmackey5479]

Ah hell.....I had almost forgotten the sound of the torsion bars, on our first generation M1 Abrams MBTs, snapping when it got really, really cold in our little corner of Bavaria after we returned from transition at Graf. The first time it happened we thought somebody was shooting at our barracks and the whole damn battalion went on alert! Add in a bit of cold nitrogen and I strongly suspect things would have gotten really interesting! As it was, during the cold months, we pulled Motor Pool duty keeping our M1s warm by firing them up every hour or so which allowed the turbines to "warm" the hulls and interiors enough to prevent, mostly, further torsion bar failures.

[@izumishion6267]

Super happy to see this and completely ecstatic to see Part 2. Out of all the modern day tank in service, the Challengers are my 2nd favorite tanks. I own a Tamiya model with the ERA armor package of both Challengers.

[@mitternacht4062]

I've crewed chally 2 for a few years, so feel free to ask me any Qs if curious.

[@izumishion6267]

@@mitternacht4062 Thank's for the suggestion but I got nothing at the moment. Actually, i got 2. What was your position and how did it feel to crew a Chally?

[@Austin_H_1900]

You certainly do do such a good job that it does appear that you do these “off the cuff” instead of with prompter. You do an excellent job sir.

[@kaiserwilhelmshatner3156]

That paint job level is of a 5 year old painting their first model. Way to go Fort Knox!

[@colbeausabre8842]

Probably told - "That Brit rank is rusting out. Paint it". It's not for nothing that OD is known as "Over Dirt". At least it preserved the vehicle until a proper job can be done. I imagine that packing up the Armor Museum was a big job without many people, so rushed jobs were routine and then it sat outside for several years until indoor storage could be built

[@jameswhymark4507]

Awesome video! Love the chally 1.

[@toastermicrophone7198]

The old timey drill is called a brace and bit they make a similar set up for sockets it is called a speed wrench

[@sdfarsight]

15:27, Or as Johnny Vaughan said on Top Gear: "And onto the stage here comes Coventry Climax! Yes she's doing'it for you boys..."

[@Zsub1]

I love you kept in the bloopers :D

[@birdmonster4586]

This is a great complement to the Tank museum Bovington's Video on Challenger 1. David goes a lot more into the history behind the decision to make and adopt Challenger along with some of the politics that made it a reality, and also the CAT '87 stuff and operational history. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqjGqWqsi86Yi7M

[@tacticaltrex6490]

love the Challenger.... also, do the BMP next to the challenger next!

[@PalisadeFence]

Did current events involving tractors lead to the addition of information on the importance of disconnecting the final drive first?

[@bigblue6917]

This may still be difficult without the tool to disconnect the final drive. And I cannot see a British crew just walking away to be at one in the forest. So expect armed resistance.

[@herosstratos]

You have to be aware that when you decouple the final drives you decouple not only the transmission but also steering and braking. It is therefore imperative to block the running gear thoroughly beforehand. A tank rolling down the slope unchecked can destroy a house (US-Army, Germany).

[@tgapmax4051]

My first thought was that would be an AWESOME prank while the crew was off somewhere / sleeping.

[@dennisvandermarkt8263]

Made my day !!!!!!!!

[@DraigBlackCat]

Following on from your 'sleeping on the engine deck' comment then I wonder if the designers ever consider this - after all, crew comfort is an important factor in operational effectiveness. So in relation to this I have a couple of questions: 1. Has any armoured vehicle ever had their engine deck specifically tailored to act as a comfortable sleeping platform? 2 If no to question one then has any armoured vehicle ever been tailored to allow slinging of hammocks?

[@MisteriosGloriosos922]

*Thanks for sharing informative video. Liked&Subcribed!!!!*

[@kevinizatt4358]

Still planning on going to the museum in Dubois Wyoming? Went there for my b-day and loved it. Several rare items, some extremely so.

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

I went over the summer. The owner has denied me permission to film there, so I just went as a visitor to check the place out

"How many times do I need to do this?" Said every KZbinr multiple times during filming a Video :) (At least I hope I am not the only one) Interesting Vehicle. The Britisch tank development and the story of Challangers 1/2 is quite convoluted.

[@ianmarsden1130]

Excellent. I also like that Nicholas is suffering from similar Intel control issues as I do.

[@TheBrewjo]

My favorite episode so far, the minions in the background were very well behaved :)

[@Centurion101B3C]

Hm, regarding the thermal shroud; The Centurion Mk5/2 with the 105mm L7a1 (onward) had similar.

[@michaelguerin56]

Thank you. Great video. Maybe you need a head mounted binocular telescope to read your teleprompter. 🧐 Getting older and needing magnifying optics for some tasks is fun, isn’t it? 🙂

[@JoshuaC923]

Awesome!

[@scotty200480]

My old man was involved in one of the test sqdrns for vickers on Challenger 1. Just thought I add that.

[@lord-heller647]

I can't wait for part two 😅

[@martindice5424]

Good show sir! The foibles are British. We do that. 👍👍

[@martindice5424]

Also. To bring this all up to date - wasn’t the Chally 1 the tanks we nicked off the Iranians after the ‘Islamic Revolution’ in 1979? Hence several British Iranian citizens being held under bogus ‘spying’ charges until we ‘suddenly’ decided to pay up?🤔🤔

[@crazywarriorscatfan9061]

Nice!

[@ricardobimblesticks1489]

I just adore the outro. Keep that sht up :D For me it adds so much to the rest of the Impeccable standard of your content. It's a bit of a tangent but it kinda reminds me of the best parts of Burt Reynolds movies that were such a big part of my youth. Gush over peace out :D

[@mbr5742]

East bound in a NATO tank...

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

"Dammit.." ~The Chieftain, 2022 I love this guy.... Heavens forbid a zombie apocalypse or post WW3 scenario ever happens, but if it does, I want this guy on my team of survivors.

[@johnhughes8016]

Spent years on CR1 before going to CR2, and i can say, I preferred the CR1 for working on, was fantastic after CH, sleeping on the decks was warm and comfortable compared to CR2....

[@wagon9082]

Good Video

[@childofconvienience]

I would love to get a view of the gunner and commander periscopes on the tanks if there is any chance!

[@exharkhun5605]

I'm confused, what's wrong with the sleeping space on the engine deck? Seems roomy and flat and with a whole load of rubber head rests. Great job on the double helping of track tensioning info!

[@charchadonto]

If you look closely there are plenty of little bumps/ridges or narrow spaces to make things uncomfortable or give you one hell of a backpain the next morning

[@exharkhun5605]

@@charchadonto I'm sure I've seen him declare way bumbier and ridgier engine decks as perfectly fine to sleep on in the past, ones without rubber headrests even. Personally I blame him getting older, I know I can't sleep on the same mat I used to take to festivals anymore, my back would be killing me. So do we need a new, younger and more limber Chieftain to do our engine-deck-sleepability assessments for us now? Or do we quietly decide that none of us are spry enough to ever sleep on an engine deck without getting a monumental case of the gyp?

[@mitternacht4062]

Once you put your roll mat down it's not too bad, but it's far from a queensize bed. The engine will keep you warmer than the ground would, and as long as you waterproof yourself there's little risk of getting wet. On the ground if it rains you can get streams that find their way into your sleep space and that's no fun when you get woken up for stag duty at 3 in the morning.

[@mbr5742]

@@exharkhun5605 Maybe another upgrade program? Turning him into a Mk6 or Mk9 depending on if you consixer his promotion an upgrade or a new paintjob ;)

[@exharkhun5605]

@@mbr5742 As he seems to enjoy British military nomenclature so much I propose we include at least a few **'s.

[@lakewooded4929]

WOW! Climb a 97-meter wall!

[@dvdraymond]

Glad I'm not the only one who heard it that way in his head :)

[@captaincrazyhat]

So if the Chieftain ever has to retire would his replacement would be named challenger?

[@TheChieftainsHatch]

He's over on the World of Tanks Europe channel

[@jimmydesouza4375]

Strictly speaking for this analogy to work, they'd just have to bolt a bunch of new stuff on to Chieftain to stop him retiring then call him challenger.

[@1701enter]

More fun than Sherman?

[@mbr5742]

@@jimmydesouza4375 Otoh there can be multiple marks of Chieftain. All done by bolting on extra stuff. We could also paint him in nice colors like they did in Berlin...

[@catfish552]

@@mbr5742 Ya know, a shirt in Berlin Brigade camo sounds fun...

[@ianjardine7324]

8:00 while the front bolt for the side plates is welded in place all e others should be free floating in a steel mounting block retained by two roll pins giving enough play to make mounting the plates easier even as they become deformed during use and making replacing damaged nuts an easy crew level repair.

[@maximelormant2102]

I love these videos so much, makes me want so bad to have one day the chance to visit a museum with Nicholas Moran :') Btw, little correction, it's not the first tank on Inside The Chieftain's Hatch to have a thermal sleeve, there also was the Chieftain in the Snapshots :D

[@Sturminfantrist]

Brits made the best lookin Tanks ever ,my favorites are 1. Chieftain, 2. Centurion, 3. Challenger 1! As a Kid i played often during manouvres in BAOR Tanks and other Vehicles. Their wheeled Stuff back then was great too iam in love with Ferrets, Saracens, Saladins and Stalwart`s

[@ThroneOfBhaal]

What kind of dangerous madman paints over the lenses on lights. :O

[@danieltaylor5231]

Really liking the modern vehicles. Any chance of a farm tractor or two?

[@tor6684]

Very interesting, informative and entertaining... as usual. But what I'm quite curious about is that the "bloopers" part has tended to get longer and longer over the years. Is this maybe due to signs of age or just a willingness to show more of those mistakes that always happened? 😉

[@calvingreene90]

Simply replacing Chieftan's engine would be a great improvement.

[@thewomble1509]

They did..........

[@simonrook5743]

Lounging on the turret brought to mind Kelly’s heroes! Of course Donald Sutherland was Irish as well, must be something in the Jameson’s!

[@coreymerrill3257]

You do of course understand ,Bruce, you now have to make toadtank patches and decals . I'd say just a camouflage pattern toad with a m1 Abrams gun turret on the back would suffice.

[@MajesticDemonLord]

*Get the Tea Lads, he's doing on of ours!*

[@roo1975]

On the modern AVRE and AVLB the track tension is hydraulic done by the driver. It as easy as a flick of a switch

[@thewomble1509]

And on the C2 itself.

[@1701enter]

Did you see the British finally repaid money from this project to Iran... that was what let the Lady hostage finally come home. I can't believe the paint job! and love a good blooper excellent wok thanks

[@commander31able60]

I want to see that BMP in the back.

[@cm275]

I know he did a Chieftain’s Shorts video on the BMP back on the World of Tanks Channel but I really want a full Inside the Hatch on that BMP-1 as well. However, Solfien did a video on a BMP-2 recently that’s pretty good.

[@Dodey2257]

Awesome video as always are you planning on doing a Abrams ? seeing as you did say a couple years ago you would if you had the chance

[@Masada1911]

He has a video on Abrams that is pretty good. It’s called chieftain chats Abrams

[@Dodey2257]

@@Masada1911 I'm aware of that video infact that's the one we're he talks about coming back and doing a full inside the hatch

[@Masada1911]

@@Dodey2257 ah yeah thats true. Didn’t know that you knew about it :-)

[@NumericCubic]

A friend I played BF2 with many years ago served in the first Iraq war, and he said that they would attach claymores to the rear end of the tank.

[@jabezhane]

Ahhh BF2...the best one, before it all got too realistic and pixel peep was required to spot stuff. I still play a bot match now and then.

[@williamtwiggs8813]

damn, you got me, 7:36

[@georgedoolittle9015]

"just keep larding up on the nickel" absolutely

[@williamlloyd3769]

Chieftain, could you do or have a guest speaker talk about armor column logistics? Just wondering about how you figure out what it takes to get from point A to B. PS1- What are your thoughts on Ukrainian conflict? Also in WW2 documentaries there were always references to the impact of weather when fighting on the Eastern front, seems comments on Spring mud are lacking so far. PS2 - Were US Marines correct in deleting tanks from their inventory? Appreciate your video series!

[@cm275]

He said in his last Q&A he was holding off on analysis of the war in Ukraine until things settle down and reliable information and declassified assessments start becoming available so it might be awhile before we get videos on that topic.

[@Masada1911]

He touched on the question about the US Marines in one of his Q&A’s. Can’t help you with which one though

[@RogueBrit]

Challenger 2 had track bushings, there was a Challenger 1 fitted with Deal live track. Which would curl over when split. Regular Challenger 1 was not fitted with live track

[@alanmorris9425]

Just for accuracy Deal the track manufacturer is spelt Diehl, a German company which was sold to Krauss-Maffei Wegmann in the last decade. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann build Leopard 2

[@88porpoise]

Seems like a pretty good tank to be stuck in for a few days. Hot chow and removal of the aftermath?

[@williammcdorman6426]

You can unlock a m60 with a hammer, smack the opening for the loaders vision block and it will pop open, reach in and unlock the hatch.

[@blackcountryme]

There is a challenger (or Kalid) prototype for sale on the internet needs putting together....

[@Redlin5]

The idea of breaking into a Challenger is very hilarious to me

[@alluraambrose2978]

What would happen if you are very brave(not me) and you'd face one of these in combat and crawled up to it and pulled the outside fire extinguisher, would it disable the tank?

[@ARCNA442]

I had the same thought when I saw that.

[@mbr5742]

Okay so now you have flooded the tank with foam. That means you have messed with the crews tea. So now they will come out and seek out whoever messed with their tea. No one is brave enough to risk THAT

[@markfryer9880]

@@mbr5742 No fear! Never mess with a Pom, Aussie or Kiwi and their cup of tea! Not unless you have a death wish at any rate.

[@ericbrenn9627]

I see that BMP1 in the back ground do an inside and outside of that.

[@ScottKenny1978]

The nitrogen charge handles large bumps, the hydraulic fluid is for smaller bumps.

[@sebastianshimmings5075]

The locking latches at 14:50ish are just done by hand, no special tools needed

[@simplebuteffective2377]

can u do a vid on T-72 that's in the tank museum in UK (where they have a running Tiger 131) plzzzzzz

[@minghe8011]

wow I just saw this

[@michaelfrench3396]

Muff de-coupler Is my secret nickname for my 3-year-old. 🤫

[@stevebotham2018]

Track tensioning at the front blasphemy lol JK

[@GARDENER42]

If you think Coventry Climax H30 No4 Mk18h is bad, there are also 18ha, hm, hr & hs versions...

[@vermillion.__-_.]

Ohhhhhh yessssss

[@victorbloom8286]

When did they move the Armour Museum from Knox . My First Tank was The Great M60A3 in 1973 .

[@canuck600A]

I know this is a gross point, but could the refuse ejection port be used to get rid of human waste? I imagine that could be a problem if you're locked in there for several days?

[@lwilton]

I'm pretty sure that was what he was implying. I'm sure it would be used to get rid of that and other small trash like MRE cans. Don't want food waste putrefying in the closed air of a sealed tank. Not healthy.

[@WindHaze10]

Can someone answer why Chally's upper front plate's center part is designed in that way. Wouldn't it be more effective to cover that with composite armor and simply use periscope for driver's visibility.

[@Sturminfantrist]

only Periscope? Bad idea because of the limited View during Road march, driving Head out gives u better visibility and 2nd the Drivers hatch is his escape Hatch too in an emergency, you really expect the Driver is crawling out of his seat then into the Turret and out when every second counts?

[@AHBdV]

It does seem like a nasty weak point, doesn't it? I also wonder about that... A hatch for sticking the head out, and a big periscope for button up seems an obvious improvement.... I must be missing something here...

[@thewomble1509]

@@AHBdV You are. The glacis is covered in Chobham armour which is why you get the "dip" in the middle. This gives the Driver better protection than say, the Leo2 which has no comp armour on the Glacis, only 60-70mm plate as with Abrams.