Tank Chats #82 Challenger 1 | The Tank Museum

Great video I’ll bet you were ready for a cuppa after that.

Excellent, absolutely loved the amount of historical detail in this one. Probably the best tank-chat yet.

As a cadet, I drove a challenger 2 for 2 minutes at the age of 15. Amazing vehicle - thanks to the queens own hussars

I was a young REME Corporal in the Royal Hussars LAD when we received the first Chally 1's, in 1984. It Had a few problems with pack reliability or at least understanding it. The gearbox controller had issues as well , but we had full support and loads of VIP visists including Maggie Thacher. A few years later I was attached to the TOGS program next door at 7 Armd workshops, Stripping Chally 1, mk 1 and converting them to Chally 1 mk 2. Later and still posted in Fallingbostel, I went with the Scots DG to the Gulf war where the Chally 1, mk 3 with upgraded armour and extra fuel tanks and loads of extras really came to life and proved itself. A wonderful time to be a British Soldier, chally in the cold war theatre!!!

Great video thanks. My uncle commanded a Challenger 1 in Iraq and I remember as a child visiting him in Lulworth and sitting in his tank. My favourite thing was looking through the Thermal Imaging sight, that was a great day!

This has been my favourite so far. So much history and info 10/10

Superb video! As a veteran of the 1991 conflict, I'm very pleased to confirm that those tanks give everyone cause to hold our heads high. In many ways it outperformed the M! Abrahams. A huge thank you not only to the folks who built it but also the civilian contractors who deployed alongside the troops and helped maintain the vehicles in the harshest of desert conditions. Some of whom became very ill as a consequence.

lots of great footage of the challengers in combat. most gulf war docs are full of Abrams footage.

"Fair old bit of wellie behind it" is my new favourite description of engine locomotive power.

I love how the thing about equipping Challengers in '91 is exactly like someone was sitting at the loadout screen in World of Tanks. "Hmm, we might run into T-72s. Better pack a few rounds of premium ammo." :)

Excellent production, solid thumbs up, thank you.

Former Chally 1 full crewman here. We ( QDG) did the last op deployment in the CR1 in Kosovo over the Millennium. A great wagon .

David Willey smashes another belter in the back of the net

Very nice to touch upon the rifled/smoothbore reasoning, so many people out in the wild come up with the wildest theories.

had the pleasure to meet David at the Dutch National Military museum at the Summer Offensive event. great guy, cant wait to go to bovington sometime!!

I served in The Lifeguards LAD as C Squadron Tiffy in the late 80s and early 90s in Sennelager on CR1. During the Gulf war I went to Saudi with 8 Armd Wksp. Just before the war started, I was in charge of a great team of 4 to fit the extra Chobham on the sides and reactive on the front. I had something like six weeks to upgrade around 40 odd tanks, maybe more, I can't remember. Anyway, we worked our b*llox off and finished it in three weeks. And all I got was a lousy tee shirt!!! LOL

This guy really knows his subject. I love this Tank Museum. Shame not to get there on my recent UK trip.

As someone with the eastern block background I’d like to point out that Chieftain and Challenger (as well as Leopard II) were considered the most dangerous adversaries to our (Soviet tanks). In real combat conditions 3-part ammunition of the L11 gun was very fast to load and eliminated loading mechanism failures. It also added a crew member. Crew comfort level was a dream. Someone try to spend more than 15-20 minutes in T64 or T72 gunner or commander seat and tell the impressions :-) By the way, rifled cannon is a good thing.

Incredibly detailed and interesting story. Also, as much as I appreciate mr Fletcher, for a foreigner like me listening to mr Willey is just so much easier. The embodiment of an Englishman. Keep up the good work, Gentlemen!

Challenger 2 and m1 abrams are my favorite tanks...the challenge 2 is damn near Indestructible. And the British is very good with their cannon creation.