Vickers Valiant Universal 120mm

[JAZZ]

The Vickers Valiant turret was redesigned to incorporate the L11 120mm tank gun. This design came to being in 1982. Weights did change, i have no information on the weight of this tank.

In 1985, in an effort to sell tanks to Eygpt the german leopard-2 chasis was matched with the Universal-120mm turret and renamed Vickers Mk-7 MBT. Combate weight of 54,000kg and 1500bhp engine.

 

[JAZZ]

The turrent of the Valiant was also sized to be the same as the challenger, here is a computer image showing the turret matched to a Challenger hull and also (a whif) Merkava hull.

 

[goose]

Great pictures of a handsome tank. Pity it wasn't a success as we seem to be moving away from 65 ton monsters to lighter, more deployable MBTs. I wonder how it would have performed in the Gulf war?

 

[JFC Fuller]

Apparently, much of the work done on this turret was reused in the EE-T1 Osorio

 

[Sea Skimmer]

What was the possible logic behind placing a completely different turret on a Leopard II tank, and thus making the export customer dependent on two different nations for spare parts for his tanks? All the more so in the 1980s when HESH was no longer effective against the latest tanks with composite or spaced armor?

 

[TomS]

What was the possible logic behind placing a completely different turret on a Leopard II tank, and thus making the export customer dependent on two different nations for spare parts for his tanks? All the more so in the 1980s when HESH was no longer effective against the latest tanks with composite or spaced armor?

The Valiant/Mk 7 turret was designed around Chobham armor, while the Leo 2 of the era was still using perforated armor.


PS: I came across a period advertising video of the Mk 7 (specifically the Mk 7/2).


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP-Iev3217o

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Here is an article about the Vickers Valiant by Richard M. Ogorkiewicz from an old US Armor magazine. Some interesting facts and points within the article.

 

[isayyo2]

I found this picture on 4chan of all places, no background info was given.

 

[Herman]

Reply to post #6.


Thanks for the article by Ogorkiewicz. He has published very extensively over many, many years on all manner armoured vehicles. I have a two-book volume written by him called: "The Technology of Tanks" which is quite outstanding. I wonder if he is still around?


In the article, reference is made to Vickers as an outstanding producer of tanks for many years, starting in the 1920's. To get a good impression of the tank situation in Britain between the wars and during the first part of WW2, one should read "The Great Tank Scandal", by David Fletcher. It is a litany of disasters but, with the Valentine, Vickers does not come out of it too badly.

 

[TomS]

Ogorkiewicz is still around and had a new book published earlier this year. He must be getting on, though. His first book was published in 1960!

 

[alejandrogrossi]

Hi to all
I´m searching information "if the ammunition was housed in the turret in the case of 120 mm /L44 Rheinmetall
Thanks

 

[TomS]

Not all of the ammo was in the turret but some certainly was. Jane's is short on details but says "ready use" ammo was stored in the turret.

The same turret was also used in the Mk7, which had a Leopard 2 chassis. Ammo capacity for the Mk7 was reported as 44 rounds of 120mm smoothbore ammo. Since the Leo2 chassis can only stow ~27 rounds in the hull, the reminder must have been in the turret.

 

[alejandrogrossi]

Not all of the ammo was in the turret but some certainly was. Jane's is short on details but says "ready use" ammo was stored in the turret.

The same turret was also used in the Mk7, which had a Leopard 2 chassis. Ammo capacity for the Mk7 was reported as 44 rounds of 120mm smoothbore ammo. Since the Leo2 chassis can only stow ~27 rounds in the hull, the reminder must have been in the turret.

Thank you so much TomS

 

[Grey Havoc]

View: https://youtu.be/GHa-WYDmkkU

 

[alejandrogrossi]

View: https://youtu.be/GHa-WYDmkkU

One question
The Vickers Universal turret with the L11 (same turret that the Vicker Mk IV) could be monted on Centurion?