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Author Topic: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?  (Read 7672 times)

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Offline Merlin

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AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« on: June 26, 2018, 11:27:17 PM »
Folks,
You may not have been aware that it was Armed Forces Day last weekend; this year held in Coleraine. To say it was poorly advertised would be an understatement  :(

While looking at some aerial pics posted by the PSNI Aviation Unit, I noticed that they had a Challenger tank on display at this years event.

Can anyone confirm if it was real or a mock-up?

If it was a real one, how did it get here? I know there was an RAF C-17 in last week, and they are capable of carrying two tanks in their hold.
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Offline smudge

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2018, 10:48:27 AM »
I don't believe a real Challenger 2 has been flown* in anything short of an An-124, so I'd suspect it was either a replica that came in by air or a real-metal example that came on a lowloader by ferry.


* though one has been loaded, statically, into an RAF Globemaster 
« Last Edit: June 27, 2018, 10:52:57 AM by smudge »
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Offline aacgazelle

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2018, 01:08:38 PM »
I can confirm that the Challenger was indeed real. I was speaking to the crew who moved her from England, and she came from Dorset (presumably Bovington) by road. Please see below for photos/videos that I shot of the Challenger.

The Challenger leaving Coleraine by road:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrHJOHO_OJw
The Challenger propelling itself onto the truck:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8o1LcVkNDI


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Offline aacgazelle

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2018, 01:22:35 PM »
A few more shots for good measure.

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Offline Merlin

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2018, 09:31:46 PM »
 :goodjob:

Thanks for the pics and vids.

So they went the land & sea route, I'll bet that wasn't cheap  ;D

Wonder what made them decide to bring one over in the first place?
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Offline aacgazelle

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2018, 09:55:38 PM »
You're most welcome.
The fellas who moved it over said it took 4 days. I initially thought it was flown in too but that obviously wasn't the case.
I did find it unfortunate that no aircraft were at AFD this year. The Newsletter had said that there would be a Gazelle however that didn't show up.
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Offline aacgazelle

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2018, 10:02:55 PM »
However in saying that (concerning the fact that there were no aircraft) the Royal Navy did bring along HMS Tracker, a P2000 patrol vessel.

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Offline Dr Draken

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2018, 10:24:06 PM »
Presumably if it was flown in it would still have to be moved by low-loader from the airport?
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Offline wavecrest1

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2018, 10:10:17 AM »
Quote from: smudge on June 27, 2018, 10:48:27 AM
* though one has been loaded, statically, into an RAF Globemaster

That's interesting.... The investment case stated that it could carry a Challenger 2 tank, so many landrovers etc.
It's even in the text of contract extension announcement this year :
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/260m-deal-signed-to-keep-raf-giants-flying

Are you suggesting it can carry a Challenger but only around the airfield? ; that it can't actually take off?
Is it a balance thing?
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Offline viking9

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Re: AFD 2018 - Where did that Challenger come from?
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2018, 09:52:19 PM »
There is no reason why anyone would want to transport a Challenger 2 or any MBT by air. Better to carry several Apache AH1 with reloads and FARP kit to a safe area for unloading then fly them to the contact area where they can knock out any known MBT and return to the safe area for refuelling/rearming and retasking.



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