ferrettkitt Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Saxon personel carriers there were 3 saxons on OTA from 1996 [ATTACH=CONFIG]36570[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]36569[/ATTACH] Surprisingly they 2 were soon removed form the range and scrapped [ATTACH=CONFIG]36571[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]36572[/ATTACH] That last picture of the Saxon hull wouldn't be a great moral booster for troops still having to use them on ops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 ferrettkittThat last picture of the Saxon hull wouldn't be a great moral booster for troops still having to use them on ops Apart from patrol use -for example to replace Saracen etc in NI they certainly have never impressed me. If I recalled correctly this hull was placed on the "RAF" range so probably shot up by aircraft. Grizzlies 52 and 76 at the roundabout at Redesdale Camp for transport south. The last "proper" Sherman was removed about 1983-84 if I recalled correctly, it was one sided with at least one complete bogie unfortunately by the time I got there the scrap compound was bare:-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Windy Haus/Quickencote HESH range M47s these with the Comets and a concrete filled Saracen were cleared during 1995 Looking good at the rear Complete tram smash at the front. Unlike the above, this M47 was filled with concrete which didn't prevent catastropic damage. Detail of the turret showing the effect of HESH inside the turret. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recymech66 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 That last picture of the Saxon hull wouldn't be a great moral booster for troops still having to use them on ops They aren't used anymore mate, all been backloaded.:-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 They aren't used anymore mate, all been backloaded.:-D The smile at the end says it all about the vehicles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 (edited) The other M47 at Windy Haus was in excellent condition until 1994 Detail photo of casting logo on M47 roof This M47 is possibly the tank mentioned by Alien FTM in Post #13 Edited October 25, 2010 by steveo578 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 This M47 is possibly the tank mentioned by Alien FTM in Post #13[ATTACH=CONFIG]36702[/ATTACH] If the firing point is 3 Ks or so down to the left and Scotland behind the camera, quite possibly. Thirty three years of being duty target have not been kind to it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 M47 on the Hindsike hill road which was recovered along with the Grizzlies. It had comparatively little damage in spite of its white paint job- one ATGW managed to piece the turret roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Further M47 pics Casting mark detail on turret roof. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morris c8 fat Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Must have been the glare from all the sun uo there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmac Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Where did the M47s come from? I always imagined that we used ex-uk forces armour for targeting... well until we ran out of suitable vehicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 (edited) ajmacWhere did the M47s come from? Germany Belgium Italy and possibly Portugal. After all the Grizzlies were not ex British stock neither are the Russian stuff T34s and T54 that found their way onto ranges prior to the first Gulf War. I don't know the exact circumstances that the M47 came in for targeting -perhaps they purchased or possibly were part of a deal for licence payments for use of British facilities- for example the Belgians in particular, Germans and Netherlands used OTA well into the 1990s and the Germans used Castlemartin for tank gunnery until about the same time. Steve Edited October 27, 2010 by steveo578 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 There were 3 pre-series Abbots on the RAF range The third yellow is visible in the background. They were joined in 1994 by ex service Abbots Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 28, 2010 Share Posted October 28, 2010 Most of the M47s were ex-Bundeswehr and were rh drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 Adrian BarrellMost of the M47s were ex-Bundeswehr... Yes alot were - 107341 shown in post #53 is one. M47 seem to have first arrived on OTA fairly early in the M47 disposal programme probably from early 1970s but M47s were still being placed as targets in the late 1980s. and were rh drive. The driver of the M47 sat on the left (RH drive) -I assume you mean the co-driver and his secondary controls were deleted and the space used for stowage. This made M47 a four man crew tank -as were M48s and Leopards. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 28, 2010 Author Share Posted October 28, 2010 Three pics of the Bushman Road Centurion. the good side The bad side The long range tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 The driver of the M47 sat on the left (RH drive) -I assume you mean the co-driver and his secondary controls were deleted and the space used for stowage. This made M47 a four man crew tank -as were M48s and Leopards. Steve No, I mean the LH side controls were removed and used for extra ammunition IIRC, making them RH drive using the co-drivers controls. If you drive it from the RH side, it is RH drive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 Adrian BarrelIf you drive it from the RH side, it is RH drive! got it now :confused: I'm confusing with driving on the right I suppose it would make the ammunition more accesable for the loader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 I suppose it would make the ammunition more accesable for the loader That makes a lot of sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 (edited) As with any range there are a fair number of FV432, the first one supports a plate target but is peculiar as the Cromwell and Comet turret combination mentioned previously were positioned to allow ATGW operatives on ATGW 1 to pick up the target- realistic training is always essential in the Army :banghead: 432 near Black Stichel Otterburn Impact Area 432 on the air weapons range Steve Edited October 29, 2010 by steveo578 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 The OTA was notable for a long term dummy airfield asset complet with aircraft- vehicles and even its own air defence system including Thunderbird launchers and 40mm L/70s It was cleared from 1997 -1999. Sea Vixen FA W2 XJ604 ex Cranfield -Halton Sydenham Sea vixen at the scrap compound in 1998 One of 2 EE Lightnings on the range Hawker Hunter FGA 9 a composite of XG264 and the rear of XF445 Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted October 29, 2010 Share Posted October 29, 2010 Superb thread Steve. On page 7 on the pic of the 4th Abbot down, there is a blue thing lying on the ground. What is it? Tip of a munition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 29, 2010 Author Share Posted October 29, 2010 Pretty sure it isn't a air weapon although this range is for bombing. I think it could be the back end of a practice Charlie G (they have an explosive marker content)-that were supposed to go out of service and then came back as a really useful demolition weapon. Note the damaged 1st road wheel which was probably where it hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 432s near Brown Law Ex IFOR awaitng targeting awaiting the scrapman Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 A total of 4 Centurion ARV Mk2s arrived on OTA in 1994 This ARV 06ZR58 service in the 1991 Gulf War refurbished and then sent for targeting. 6 years as a primary target two photos of a wreck in the Ferny Knowe area. A good target from both ATGW2 and 3 at sufficient distance to allow operators to pick up the target without difficulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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