© 2023 Gengriz.co.uk
A number of Imperial War Museum pictures are also used on this site under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
British Cold War Tanks
The FV4030/4 Challenger 1
& FV 4034 Challenger 2
The Challenger 1 tank entered British Army service in 1983 and served until
its replacement by the much improved Challenger 2 in 2001.
Challenger 2 is the current in-service Main Battle Tank of the British Army.
FV 4030 Challenger 1
The Challenger 1 was designed around the revolutionary “Chobham”
ceramic armour. Its underpinnings were an improved variant of the FV
4201 Chieftain Tank that had served since the late 1960s. The updated
vehicle was originally produced for the Iranian Army, but had not been
delivered due to the Iranian revolution. Challenger 1 shared many of
the Chieftain's faults, including a less than effective gun aiming system
and unreliable power plant. However, its very high protection levels
and the lethality of its main armament remained powerful factors.
With the Chieftain looking more and more outdated, the new design
was quickly introduced to service with the British Army..
This is the Revell 1/72 model, representing a Challenger 1 Tank of The
Queen's Royal Hussars, operating as part of IFOR (the NATO-led
Implementation Force) in Bosnia during 1996.
FV 4034 Challenger 2
Fitted with second generation Chobham armour, the Challenger 2 is
probably the best protected tank in the NATO armoury. Initially it
suffered from the poor reputation and reliability of its predecessors,
but an astonishing effort from Vickers successfully raised the
Challenger 2s performance so that it is now proven to be one of the
most reliable AFVs in the world.
The Challenger's performance in Iraq in 2003 was nothing less than a
revelation. Its 120mm rifled gun proved lethal against all opposition
and it took a massive roadside bomb before the first and only case of a
Challenger's armour being defeated. One tank that shed a track spent
several hours immobilised, under direct and close Iraqi RPG and anti
tank fire, but without injury to any its crew. It was recovered, repaired
and placed back in service within 24 hrs.
During the assault on Basrah, 14 Challenger 2 tanks of C Squadron,
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Scotland's only remaining Cavalry
Regiment, were on their way to reinforce 3 Commando Brigade, Royal
Marines on al-Faw peninsula, when they encountered a column of 14
Iraqi T-55 tanks. In what was the biggest and most decisive tank battle
fought by the British since El Alamein, all 14 Iraqi tanks were destroyed
with no damage to the Scots tanks.
Both of these models are the Trumpeter 1/72 kit, in slightly different
variants, with add-on armour packs and a dozer blade as appropriate
to their tasking and environment.
Top two: A Challenger 2 of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, operating
in support of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, during the assault
on Basrah, Iraq in 2003.
Bottom two: Challenger 2s of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards also
participated in the 2004 KFOR (NATO Kosovo Peacekeeping Force)
operation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Kosovo.
Return to Main Battle Tank page
Return to British Cold War page
Return to Dark Side AFVs index page
Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page
© 2023 Gengriz.co.uk
A number of Imperial War Museum pictures are also used
on this site under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
British Cold War Tanks
The FV4030/4 Challenger 1
& FV 4034 Challenger 2
The Challenger 1 tank entered British Army service
in 1983 and served until its replacement by the
much improved Challenger 2 in 2001.
Challenger 2 is the current in-service Main Battle
Tank of the British Army.
FV 4030 Challenger 1
The Challenger 1
was designed
around the
revolutionary
“Chobham”
ceramic armour.
Its underpinnings
were an improved
variant of the FV 4201 Chieftain Tank that had served since the late
1960s. The updated vehicle was originally produced for the Iranian
Army, but had not been delivered due to the Iranian revolution.
Challenger 1 shared many of the Chieftain's faults, including a less
than effective gun aiming system and unreliable power plant.
However, its very high protection levels and the lethality of its main
armament remained
powerful factors.
With the Chieftain
looking more and
more outdated, the
new design was
quickly introduced
to service with the
British Army..
This is the Revell 1/72 model, representing a Challenger 1 Tank of
The Queen's Royal Hussars, operating as part of IFOR (the NATO-led
Implementation Force) in Bosnia during 1996.
FV 4034 Challenger 2
Fitted with second
generation
Chobham armour,
the Challenger 2 is
probably the best
protected tank in
the NATO armoury.
Initially it suffered
from the poor
reputation and
reliability of its
predecessors, but
an astonishing
effort from Vickers
successfully raised
the Challenger 2s
performance so that it is now proven to be one of the most reliable
AFVs in the world.
The Challenger's performance in Iraq in 2003 was nothing less than
a revelation. Its
120mm rifled gun
proved lethal
against all
opposition and it
took a massive
roadside bomb
before the first and
only case of a Challenger's armour being defeated. One tank that
shed a track spent several hours immobilised, under direct and
close Iraqi RPG and anti tank fire, but without injury to any its crew.
It was recovered, repaired and placed back in service within 24 hrs.
During the assault on Basrah, 14 Challenger 2 tanks of C Squadron,
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Scotland's only remaining Cavalry
Regiment, were on
their way to
reinforce 3
Commando
Brigade, Royal
Marines on al-Faw
peninsula, when
they encountered a column of 14 Iraqi T-55 tanks. In what was the
biggest and most decisive tank battle fought by the British since El
Alamein, all 14 Iraqi tanks were destroyed with no damage to the
Scots tanks.
Both of these models are the Trumpeter 1/72 kit, in slightly
different variants, with add-on armour packs and a dozer blade as
appropriate to their tasking and environment.
Top two: A Challenger 2 of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards,
operating in support of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines,
during the assault on Basrah, Iraq in 2003.
Bottom two: Challenger 2s of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards also
participated in the 2004 KFOR (NATO Kosovo Peacekeeping Force)
operation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Kosovo.
Return to Main Battle Tank page
Return to British Cold War page
Return to Dark Side AFVs index page
Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page