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Charioteer
Charioteer-latrun-2
Charioteer at Yad La-Shiryon, Latrun.
Type Tank destroyer
Place of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service history
In service -
Used by British Army
Wars 1978 South Lebanon conflict
Lebanese civil war
Production history
Manufacturer Robinson and Kershaw Ltd, Dukinfield, Cheshire
Number built 442[1]
Specifications

Primary
armament
Ordnance QF 20 pounder
Suspension Improved Christie

The Charioteer officially known as FV4101 Cromwell Heavy AT Gun[2] and FV4101 Tank Medium, Charioteer was a British armoured fighting vehicle. It was produced in the 1950s as a self-propelled anti-tank gun to add firepower to units serving in West Germany by mounting a 20 pdr (84mm) gun on a Cromwell tank chassis.

Development[]

In the early 1950s, in an attempt to give extra firepower to the Territorial Army units of the Royal Armoured Corps, some Cromwell tanks received a 20 pounder gun (the same as used by the Centurion) in a new but lightly armoured two-man turret.[3] The resulting vehicle was designated as the FV 4101 Charioteer tank destroyer. About 200 units were converted by Robinson and Kershaw Ltd at their works in Dukinfield, Cheshire.

Service[]

In practice the Charioteer was used by British Territorial Army units only and during mid and late 1950s most of the vehicles were sold to Austria, Finland, Jordan and Lebanon.

Operators[]

Flag of Austria Austria
  • Austrian Army purchased 56 vehicles in 1956.
Flag of Finland Finland
  • Finnish Army bought 38 "Charioteer Mk VII Model B" by 1960 and they remained in use until 1979. The tanks were stored until 2007 when they were auctioned off.
Flag of Jordan Jordan
  • Jordanian Army equipped two squadrons (24 vehicles) of their 3rd Tank Regiment in 1954. Some of the Jordanian Charioteers were sold to Lebanon.
Template:LIB
  • Lebanese Armed Forces received 43 vehicles, passed on in 1976 to several Lebanese or Palestinian warring factions.
  • Lebanese Arab Army operated unknown number of tanks between 1976 and 77.
  • Lebanese Forces operated unknown number of tanks between 1980 and 1993.
  • Lebanese "Tigers Militia" operated unknown number of tanks between 1976 and 1980.
Flag of Palestine Palestine
  • Palestine Liberation Organization operated several ex-Lebanese vehicles against Israel Defense Forces in Southern Lebanon during the 1978 South Lebanon conflict.
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
  • The Territorial Army was the main operator of Charioteer.

Survivors[]

Flag of Austria Austria
  • An Austrian Charioteer in the Museum of Military History (HGM - Heeresgeschichtliches Museum) in Vienna.
Flag of Finland Finland
  • A Finnish Charioteer is on outdoor display in the Parola tank museum.
  • Another Finnish Charioteer is on outdoor display near the main entrance of Army Academy in Lappeenranta.
Flag of Israel Israel
  • A Charioteer tank destroyer is on outdoor display in Yad la-Shiryon Museum in Latrun.
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom

See also[]

Portal-puzzle Tank portal
  • Conqueror tank

Notes and references[]

  1. Finnish Defence Forces sale of used equipment
  2. "Fighting Vehicle 4101 Cromwell Heavy Anti-tank gun
  3. Bingham p27
  4. FV4101 Tank Medium, Charioteer (E1965.3)
Bibliography

External links[]

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