The FV4201 "Chieftain" was the first purposely designed main battle tank (MBT) of the British Army, and the main weapon system of the Royal Armoured Corps for most of the Cold War era. When it entered service in the 1960s it replaced the medium and heavy gun tanks in service with the British Army at that time, namely the FV4007 "Centurion" and FV214 "Conqueror".
The "Chieftain" was designed to dominate the battlefields of Western Europe if the Cold War ever turned hot, plus it was engineered to be superior to Soviet tank designs. In total, the British Army eventually received 941 FV4201 "Chieftain" MBTs. This publication describes meticulously and in great detail the various variants (Marks) of the "Chieftain" as well as the tank's development and technology. For this purpose it almost exclusively uses hitherto unpublished photographs taken on various exercises.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Schulze, Carl
Title
FV4201 Chieftain. Britain's Cold War Main Battle Tank
Details
Englkish and German text, paperback, 36 bw- and 92 colour photops. 72 pages.
