How to Start and Drive a Chieftain Tank!

A quick look around this MK10 Chieftain Ex berlin brigade.

Also a quick how to start and drive!

[patthompson]

The correct way to start a Chieftain or Challenger is to start the GUE first and put it on charge, then start main engine. In terminology it is not an isolator switch it is the Main Battery switch. I was a B3 driver for 4 years and a Driver Mech for 8 years on both the Chieftain and Challenger. Under certain revs the main engine generator does not function too well, it is usually only used on long marches. The button in the Infantry Tank Telephone is to get the attention of the crew inside. Good luck with the search light, it is rather dangerous as it will burn out your retina if you look directly into it when in operation. You have no Clansman radios, only the harness. More importantly you do not seem to have a boiling vessel. You do not seem to have the laser range finder nor the traverse control. You do have the gun elevator. There is a shield on the left side of the gun that slides forward and back. In the forward position the gun can not fire ergo no recoil, safety feature, also by the loaders hatch, on the roof, if memory serves me right, you should find a large switch, this is the safety switch and should be on safe unless you want to fire the gun LOL Good luck with her, I am jealous. Oh, just a quick one, at the very back of the vehicle there are 2 stowage bins, just inboard of each bin you will see a large bolt head, this is rather important as you undo it to drain water out of the fuel tanks. PS if or when, you change the GUE fuel filter, be very careful as the retaining bolt is prone to shearing if done up too tight. Health to enjoy.

[RubberDucki_]

As a former Leopard 2 driver, I am surprised about how huge the differences between these two tanks are. Thank you for letting us take a look inside.

[andyfisher]

Nice to see that this old girl is going to be renovated and did not end up down range as a hard target or smelted for razor blades!👍 The video brought back a lot of fond memories, l started on them as a gunner back in 1975. Then moved down to the drivers cab for a few years. In 1980 l moved back up into the turret to become a loader/radio operator, then in 1982 l did my crew commander’s course. I got to command a few for the next few years, crewed Mk2XYs through to Mk9s!

[JackosJingles]

I used to be a B3 crewman on Chieftains back in the late 70s early 80s (driver, gunner loader/radio operator) . We used to disconnect the auto changer to give smoother changes despite it being something you were not supposed to do. I seem to remember we started the generator first but it was a long time ago. There were also levers for the turret engine air breathing. The headrest was almost always broken and driving often involved holding the back of your head with a hand. In one camp I was in which was a training camp, a breech block went missing it was eventually found doubling as a seat!

[davedickinson]

First start of the day for the L60 would be done using the GUE firing up to get the main genny on line. In winter the hydraulic starter is preferred (when working). On the ME panel the middle switch would be left up for the first 30 seconds when cranking to raise the oil pressure to the exhaust crank. Middle switch controls the solenoid for the fuel injection pump.
Seen a few failures with bits coming through the top casing.
REME A mech with 9 years experience on the dirty, oily beasts. Loved them.

[donskelton]

Great video, started my career with BAOR in 85 on Chieftain as gunner… worked my way up to crew commander before moving onto Challenger 1. As many have mentioned lots of reliability issues with D&M side, the gun was bloody accurate and we trained to fight from pre-planned defensive positions anyway! (If the huge plums of white smoke from the cylinder liners on the L60 being shite didn’t give our road moves away) 😂😂
Good memories, every time we stopped there was a race to get the gearbox decks open and all of us sitting getting warmed up while the Op got the brews on from the BV “The most important part of the beast” oh and a CVR/T bivvi if you could pilfer one.!!
Good luck with this project 👍🏻

[gordon]

Brings back lot's of memories, love to have another drive one day .
It's also possible to start the main engine using the generator

[SuperChudley]

always start the gene first looks lik eturret gun indicator is off the mark, its showing 10 o'clock but the barrel is 12 o'clock, great video and brings back so many memories. thank you

[svenhassel]

Woaha, a mighty chieftain, my favorite Tank.They blasted our fields of, in hildesheim area.i was amazed about this pretty tank.i was 12 years old.And, yes, i miss the B.A.O.R.

[nriqueog]

I want to know how you picked up so much knowledge about these vehicles. It's amazing to see you work at them.

[glynnorman]

My Dad was on these back in the day as a commander. They used to wind up the infantry on exercise by storing beer in a few of the bag charge bins as they are water jacketed and kept the beer cold :)

[darthgator]

Painting it back to Berlin camo is going to be nice!

[paulcurrah]

Great vid, really impressed that something made by British Leyland starts on the bottom😎. Sequential box is a surprise but absolutely makes sense as driver’s previous vehicle was probably a moped

[mikeakhurst]

Nice little bit of a look round and show how to start/stop the engine.

[lordlucan]

Anyone who can incorporate the phrase “ random zoominness “ into a tank video definitely deserves more suscribers …

[stephenhowes]

Ah the memories, that L60 sounds a good one . Berlin brigade is a great camo and will look awesome. I’d love to relive the old days and have a drive

[tacfoley]

@4:54 - the rubber switch in the phone box sets off a light by the right-hand side of the TC's cupola, alerting him to the fact that somebody outside needs to talk to him. It MIGHT be marked ET [external phone] or just a red/orange light. Red is for night-safe, BTW, but you probably knew that already. The Mk X had the enhanced frontal turret armour, code-named Stillbrew.

[patchmack]

great commentary as usual
i remember most tankies have no front teeth from incidents such as headbutting the bulkhead when stopping and as you suggested hatches slamming ya bonce etc - i have to admit, when i get into these things, i am always very wary of what teeth i have left in my head, my age doesn't help me either, and being shorter can help but when your legs don't seem to bend like flamingos can also hinder - like you my legs don't bend that way but my knees are shot, so there is a bit of swearing to get my legs to function the way they used to
i like your mention of Smith instruments, most of which were probably made on a Friday afternoon, i have even seen them fitted to Russian recovery equipment (and they bloody worked, SHOCKED i was) dead right on the brakes and the handbrake, never used them either, we were always told these can stick when not in use, drivers start up, try to pull away and wreck the brakes which then means you have to wake that nice chap with the large spanner (SPANNER!) who would give you a very hard red faced stare, like a baboons backside - the only reason 60+ tons of tank might move would be if the Earth stopped spinning, i am reliably told this might never happen, i never argued with my sergeant since he was way ugliar than me
looking forward to seeing this monster back in its Urban camo

[Panzerjäger_SdKfz._Nashorn]

I seen the inside of the AMX 13 and it was much more simple to start and drive then a Chieftan thats for sure

[alastairmarshall]

Oh the memories... Took my track test in a Chieftain, this was the second vehicle I ever drove on the roads, the first being a small car I passed my test in a couple weeks prior.