Dougy FV432 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hello All, Can anyone help identify the date this 432 would have been in service. Some of you may have seen the picture before as it is the one used on wikipedia for the fv432. I'm assuming that it is in Iraq. I would like to try and date it as at some point generally the fv432 went through some major external modifications including exterior stowage roof basket, side stowage box, sabre boxes on the rear ledge, night heater fitment, power tool socket removal, which in a lot of cases became a jump start socket, new rear view mirrors, (which this 432 doesn't have), fire extingusher mounts changed and some had pull out penthouse frames fitted. Do any of you know when the modifications where carried out? Also this vehicle looks like it is still Clansman radio installed. Thanks in advance, Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Just to add, I've seen in a fv432 manual reference to the fire extinguisher mounts as early as 1994, beacon fitment as 1997, a reference to night heater pipe work in 1994 and SA80 mounts on the engine covers as 1997, rear marker board holders as late as 2004 and rear troop compartment seat belts 2005. Which I was quiet surprised at the wide margin of dates as I always though they were roughly all came in at the same time of about the early 2000s. Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hello All, Can anyone help identify the date this 432 would have been in service. Some of you may have seen the picture before as it is the one used on wikipedia for the fv432. I'm assuming that it is in Iraq. I would like to try and date it as at some point generally the fv432 went through some major external modifications including exterior stowage roof basket, side stowage box, sabre boxes on the rear ledge, night heater fitment, power tool socket removal, which in a lot of cases became a jump start socket, new rear view mirrors, (which this 432 doesn't have), fire extingusher mounts changed and some had pull out penthouse frames fitted. Do any of you know when the modifications where carried out? Also this vehicle looks like it is still Clansman radio installed. Thanks in advance, Dougy I would say based on the US Marines in the background, who have a mix of Marpat and tri-colour desert, but Coyote brown body armour, around 2004. Not scientific but after that the USMC were all in Marpat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiffy_massive Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 From the picture I would date it during the build up for Gulf War 2. I say that as all British Armd vehicles taking part in Gulf war 2 had recognition panels fitted to the tops and sides to prevent Blue on Blue with the USAF and these are missing. It may be Gulf war 1, but I am sure the extra stowage modifications did not get fitted until the late 90's. The bloke at the rear of the vehicle is wearing a black watch TOS as seen by his red hackle. The call sign is 33A which was that of the CSM, assuming it is his vehicle. The Black Watch deployed on Gulf War 2 in Warrior AFV's and the CSM would have had been in a 432. As for the mirriors we used to take them off for Ops so not unusual to see them missing. The stowage mod consisted of the roof basket, side stowage boxes and rear boxes mounted each side of the door, these rear boxes contained other modifications that required extra stowage space. I think the last FV432's came into servie in the late 70's so the vehicle is old but would have been throught the normal base repair scheme every 7 years. Updated and updated to the condition you see it in the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy FV432 Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Thanks for your replies, amazing notice of detail from you both to help date it. Can anyone advise of the actual colour it is, picture makes it look more yellow than sand, what would the proper code have been, or would they have been painted locally like they did with the 1st Gulf where as we all know there was a very wide range of desert paint shades used. One other thing, there is a mounting bracket on the commanders cupola, next to the Gpmg mount (i'll try to upload a better pic later) does anyone know what it was for? Tiffy_massive, when were the recognition panels fitted, where they the ones that looked like louvres/slats in a square/rectangle frame and white in colour if I remember correctly? Dougy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiffy_massive Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Yes, those are the ones. Square and like louvrers. We fitted them ourselves once they turned up at units. Some units only got them the evening we went through the gap others would have received them in the days before. Can't see the bracket from the photo so can't really comment on that for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Thanks for your replies, amazing notice of detail from you both to help date it. Can anyone advise of the actual colour it is, picture makes it look more yellow than sand, what would the proper code have been, or would they have been painted locally like they did with the 1st Gulf where as we all know there was a very wide range of desert paint shades used. One other thing, there is a mounting bracket on the commanders cupola, next to the Gpmg mount (i'll try to upload a better pic later) does anyone know what it was for? Tiffy_massive, when were the recognition panels fitted, where they the ones that looked like louvres/slats in a square/rectangle frame and white in colour if I remember correctly? Dougy Th e panels were called CIPS (Combat Identification Panels) and designed to show up in IR as a different heat signature to the tank. They were a very light grey colour with a desert sand frame. The Chally 2 had flat panels on the front turret armour as it was the right angle. There was also a TIP (thermal identification panel) which looked like a orange air signalling panel and normally placed on the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 oh and the Warpaint series of books by Dick Taylor are a good reference for the colours. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Warpaint-Colours-Markings-Vehicles-1903-2003/dp/8361421238/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395258979&sr=8-2&keywords=warpaint+dick+taylor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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