question Earliest FV432?

[barrynevuk]

The Mk1/1 Fv432 that I own a share in has the military reg 02 EA 21.

 

In the Tankograd FV432 book written by Rob Griffin, he states the first 54 432s delivered were 02 EA 01 to 02 EA 54, and they did not have a reinforced floor.

I now have 2 questions,

Were these later upgrades to have a reinforce floor or were they left?

More interestingly for me, is ours the oldest remaining 432? Does anybody know of any other of the early 432s?

 

I am assuming this referes to production vehicles, does anybody know if there are any prototypes remaining?

 

 

[Meteor mark 4B]

There is, or was, a very early 432 at the Cobbaton Combat Collection in Devon.

[alan turner (RIP)]

the earliest FV432s were numbered 03DA17-23 and were built in Woolwich Arsenal. they differed from the final spec as the had overheads exhausts and no air con boxes down sides. The first to current spec was ALF245B. I have the images, Geoff Fletcher has confirmed in his CMV article. Earliest GKN Sankey number started 03EA**.

 

As for the Woolwich Builds they were alll torched and cut keeping the local scrappy busy when the Government of the day (Denis HEaley etc) awarded production rights to GKN, the jigs went the same way as well. GKN's were dearer per unit than Woolwich as well.

 

Attached images show 03DA17 on roll out display between buildings 19 and 22 in Woolwich Arsenal date unknown but prob 1962 and wooden mock up in Woolwich