Description
British Army Chieftain Mk 11 Main Battle Tank.
The Chieftain Mk 11 main battle tank represented the final and most advanced stage of Chieftain development. Building on the Stillbrew armour upgrade introduced with the Mk 10, the Mk 11 added a comprehensive enhancement of the tank's sighting and fire‑control systems to bring the design up to late-Cold War standards.
At the heart of the Mk 11 upgrade was the integration of the TOGS (Thermal Observation and Gunnery System). Linked to the existing laser rangefinder, improved fire control system and muzzle reference system, TOGS provided a true passive thermal imaging capability, giving Chieftain effective day‑and‑night combat performance and extending reliable engagement ranges beyond 3,500 m. This represented a major step forward over the earlier infrared searchlight system.
The installation of TOGS required some compromises, including the loss of the commander's contra‑rotating cupola function and the removal of stowage space for four main‑gun rounds. Even so, the increase in night‑fighting and target‑tracking performance was considered a decisive improvement.
Other Mk 11 updates included a revised NBC protection system and incremental refinements to the long‑troubled L60 engine, which by this stage had become noticeably more dependable in regular use.
In total, 324 Chieftains were upgraded to Mk 11 standard before the end of the Cold War halted further conversions. The variant remained in front‑line British Army service until 1995, closing more than three decades of Chieftain development that began in the early 1960s, culminating with its most capable configuration.
The kit: Hatches can be built open or closed, gun can pitch. Individual tracks & photo-etch parts included.
Choice of 5 markings:
(1) 01 EB 91, unknown unit, British Army Training Unit, Suffield, Canada (BATUS) No 10.
(2) 06 FA 52, A Squadron, 1st Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment, Tofrek Barracks, Hildesheim, Germany, 1992.
(3) 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, BATUS No 21, Suffield, Canada.
(4) 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, BATUS No 30, Suffield, Canada.
(5) 01 FD 20, Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
Box code: No.2026.
Box description: Chieftain Mk 11.
1:35 scale plastic model kit from Takom, requires paint and glue.
