Australian Chieftain AS2

[Buzzbomb]

After the Australian Army chose the Chieftain to replace the Centurion... backstory, backstory etc etc

So I inherited an old Chieftain build from somewhere which got me thinking about what to do with it. I had the turret and upper hull from an Accurate Armour MK11 Conversion (which is why you blokes now have the Takon mk11). Got me thinking about what mods the Australian Army might do.
Now the Australian Army/Defence Force is prone to tinkering with perfectly good weapons systems to "better suit the Australian requirement" and add/Delete/Change or otherwise modify perfectly good vehicles/aircraft/Ships for sometimes no apparent reason. But that is a whole 'nother topic.

So far I have added more turret armor, similar to the Stillbrew mods but called BillyBrew in Australia.
Deleted the NBC filter gear as clearly that would be unnecessary for the Australian Defence force(??), replacing that with another turret basket, that would undoubtably get filled with jack rations, gas bottles and perhaps a surrupticious EndEx Carton.

The IR Searchlight had to go as well as that will be replaced by a IFS system.

What we have so far


Billybrew armour with gunmount dust cover. Armour is chunks of Plastic card with Apoxy Sculpt. Dust cover is also apoxy sculpt.


The place for stuff and clutter. Soldered Brass basket


Some more filters to go on and some sort of IFS system.

[Kerick]

Niiicce

[GTX_Admin]

What era are you going for?

You may wish to copy some of the mods made to the Leopard AS.1s in service - see here

[GTX_Admin]

The IR Searchlight had to go as well as that will be replaced by a IFS system.

Maybe replace with TOGS:

[Old Wombat]

 

[Rickshaw]

Interesting idea.

As to the Australian Army modifying vehicles to suit "local conditions" most of the modifications are necessary.  The Leopard AS1 was modified initially by placing all the external CES tools in tool boxes, to protect them from being wrenched off in close country - a lesson from Vietnam and from operating the Centurion in the Australian bush.   However, they didn't go far enough 'cause they never fitted air conditioning in them, 'cause when they initially bought them, they were only operated in the SE corner of Oz, with the occasional sojoin to Queensland.   Once they were moved to the Top End, where temperatures inside the vehicle reached 60 degrees Celsius and close to 100% humidity, the calls came in for air conditioning.   The M113 was treated in a similar manner, with increased ventilation when we initially bought them.   NBC filters I agree aren't initially much use but all Australian Army AFVs are fitted with them, coming as bog standard on them.

[Volkodav]

Interesting idea.

As to the Australian Army modifying vehicles to suit "local conditions" most of the modifications are necessary.  The Leopard AS1 was modified initially by placing all the external CES tools in tool boxes, to protect them from being wrenched off in close country - a lesson from Vietnam and from operating the Centurion in the Australian bush.   However, they didn't go far enough 'cause they never fitted air conditioning in them, 'cause when they initially bought them, they were only operated in the SE corner of Oz, with the occasional sojoin to Queensland.   Once they were moved to the Top End, where temperatures inside the vehicle reached 60 degrees Celsius and close to 100% humidity, the calls came in for air conditioning.   The M113 was treated in a similar manner, with increased ventilation when we initially bought them.   NBC filters I agree aren't initially much use but all Australian Army AFVs are fitted with them, coming as bog standard on them.

Some of the mods for Australia included:
- the removal of air-conditioning "because this is the army not the girl guides" from a number of COTS vehicles bought for RAE
- the refitting of air-conditioning to vehicles it had previously been removed from due to operators suffering heat exhaustion
- removal of hot plate cookers from the Leopard turrets
- refitting the hotplates
- deletion of AM/FM radios (at greater expense than leaving them there) on ADF spec Unimogs

Lots and lots of "great coats on, great coats off" as common sense replaced ignorance.

[Volkodav]

Love the Chieftain and am planning one myself after I complete the Challenger II that replaced the type in the RAAC.  My back story is Australia raised an Infantry Tank Brigade to support the 2nd AIF at the same time as the 6th division was raised and that this brigade remained in existence ever since using heavy tanks where possible while armoured cavalry used cruisers then lighter MBTs.

[Buzzbomb]

Thanks guys.
I really don't have a period in mind but post 70's, late 80's I would think to account for the add on armour.
Not made too many changes on the hull. Mainly went for dust skirts rather than "bazooka plates"


Turret is just about done I think. I put the NBC filter stuff back but went for a AC unit look. Added a sighty thing.
Last things will be Antenna mounts for American type radios of the era and stuff in the bins


Will go for the three tone camo though, regardless of era because it just looks cool

[Old Wombat]

So far, so cool!

[Camthalion]

Looks good so far.  Nice one

[GTX_Admin]

I prefer the look without the dust skirts

[Frank3k]

This is looking good. From the top, the added turret armor looks like the armor on the T-55AM turret.

[Rickshaw]

I prefer the look without the dust skirts

One suspects that the dust skirts wouldn't last long operationally.   It all depends on whether they are faced by loads of RPG bearing infantry.

[Buzzbomb]

I prefer the look without the dust skirts

One suspects that the dust skirts wouldn't last long operationally.   It all depends on whether they are faced by loads of RPG bearing infantry.

Maybe, maybe not.. part of the CES.

Painting time has commenced. Not using any FS number/Paint mix/commercial set,  just a close enough will do

[Old Wombat]

Oh, yeah! Lookin' good!

[Volkodav]

I was expecting something good but that is outstanding.

[Gingie]

Chieftain looks really good in those colours!

[Brian da Basher]

I was expecting something good but that is outstanding.

I couldn't put it better! Just bowled over by that amazing paint job!

The details like the racks and stowage really make this baby shine!

Brian da Basher

[Buzzbomb]

Thanks guys,

Calling this done, for a quick build whiffer.

Probably some touch ups, maybe, that that pretty much it

[AXOR]

I like it alot...balanced weathering is on my taste,great job BB  :)

[Brian da Basher]

That's some very impressive work on the figure. Looks so life-like!

Well done!

Brian da Basher

[Zaskar24]

That looks great. A very subtle wiff. I really like how you put the NBC system and balanced it with a storage bin. What did you use for the NBC system?

[GTX_Admin]

 :)

[apophenia]

Very convincing. And a very nice build  :)