33:
571:
626:
609:
589:
358:
millimeter recoilless guns with revolver style magazines containing seven rounds each, 18 5-inch rockets, or three guided missiles. All of the weapons were to be externally mounted to keep the internal hull dimensions as low as possible, however, only the gun option was considered in any real depth.
296:
and had only a limited traverse. Most aiming relied on steering the entire tank on its tracks. Elevation used an unusual system, a hydraulic suspension system, with independent height control of each wheel station, which allowed the tank chassis to be tilted back and forth. This system had already
361:
The rifles were on a swivelling mounting above a low boat-shaped hull with conventional suspension, crewed by a commander-driver-gunner. The mounting could elevate conventionally. The autoloaders and their ammunition were carried in armoured boxes above the hull, with the reaction nozzles of the
357:
The original weapons chosen to be studied in the FV4401 Contentious project were four recoilless guns with one round each for a total of four shots before a reload was needed. This was deemed extremely impractical, and so two guns were dropped and in place it was to feature either exterior 120
316:
example; it was unarmoured and the armour layout design had not been completed and the body of relatively high and vertical plates is unlikely to have been the shape or the material used for a final example. In particular, the petrol tanks were exposed and mounted above the track guards.
194:
testbed which came about in the late 50s as part of project prodigal, a huge overlapping project aimed at the future generation of british vehicles. The contentious project is often misattributed the âFV4401â title, but this designation was merely used for an earlier design which was
349:, derived from the 20 pounder. The replacement was relatively easy, as the 105 mm is largely a rebarrelled version of the 84 mm and has a similar breech. Photographs of the prototype do show some change to the recoil cylinders between the two.
272:
A particularly lightweight vehicle was needed, which restricted the possibility of a conventional tank with a conventional turret. The path chosen was that of a low-profile open hull with a semi-fixed gun, similar to the layout of the wartime
1257:
202:
At least one
Contentious I has been constructed and tested, although no production vehicles were built or put into service as it was never intended to be more than a testing vehicle.
258:, which would have to be heavily armed to deal with the massed and thickly armoured Soviet tanks of the Cold War. In particular, there was no attempt made at protection against the
1272:
215:
1184:
259:
338:
engine. Drivers were instructed to drive in pursuit of fixed and moving targets and to track them with a simple windscreen-mounted sight. The
329:
406:
345:
As with the
Centurion, Contentious was later up-gunned; first tested with the 84 mm 20 pounder, the Bovington example later gained a
745:
1262:
305:, although with only four road wheels rather than the Comet's five. The prototype was completed and tested on the firing ranges of
1151:
220:
714:
655:
489:
1267:
895:
954:
232:
985:
550:
469:
199:
directly connected to the contentious I, though lessons learned from the FV4401 were applied to successor vehicles.
829:
738:
227:. The intention was to produce an air-portable tank destroyer. The vehicle was to provide for a flexible
723:
306:
1238:
1138:
914:
1161:
1044:
999:
821:
755:
324:, in tests against a wheeled vehicle to test the virtues of tracked and wheeled arrangements for the
224:
362:
recoilless rifle protruding behind. Sighting for these recoilless rifles was to be the same M8C .50
342:
s steering was infamously imprecise and it was found that the tracked
Contentious performed better.
1091:
731:
235:. Despite the low intensity of such conflicts, it was assumed that the increasing supply of Soviet
1128:
1146:
1114:
839:
293:
285:
146:
1052:
869:
697:
696:
AVIA 67/18 Combustible cartridge cases in aid of project PRODIGAL 1961â1963 WAE/244/02 Pt A,
683:
575:
516:
335:
534:
453:
1029:
590:"Contentious at Kirkcudbright, showing elevation of the gun and the adjustable suspension"
542:
8:
1169:
885:
156:
1222:
1217:
680:
Project PRODIGAL: some initial designs for automatic feed systems for main battle tanks
513:
Project PRODIGAL: army vehicle with limited airborne capability 1960-1962 BZ/8/05 Pt A
461:
1099:
786:
546:
465:
346:
1034:
900:
796:
791:
781:
255:
313:
1076:
980:
535:
428:
321:
277:. The small hull could accommodate only a crew of two, which in turn required an
240:
38:
1062:
859:
854:
640:
375:
363:
298:
289:
191:
51:
454:
381:, the first serial production vehicle with hydraulic suspension gun elevation.
1251:
1122:
1081:
1071:
1012:
970:
944:
934:
890:
223:
series of
British light tanks and related vehicles. as research into future
1202:
1174:
939:
864:
811:
806:
801:
776:
391:
274:
188:
82:
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1212:
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302:
278:
244:
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32:
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602:
759:
599:
411:
582:
334:, a six-wheeled skid-steered experimental chassis, powered by a
1227:
949:
401:
281:, particularly for the heavy armament and ammunition in mind.
1179:
1104:
929:
610:"Contentious at Kirkcudbright, showing depression of the gun"
711:
User
Handbook for the Gun, Equipment, 120mm BAT, L6 (WOMBAT)
243:
would require an anti-tank capability greater than previous
768:
236:
1258:
Cold War armoured fighting vehicles of the United
Kingdom
1185:
Challenger
Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV)
566:
564:
562:
328:
air-portable tank destroyer. The vehicle chosen was the
633:
528:
526:
559:
445:
523:
301:. The chassis components were based on those of the
262:
threat that was expected for any
European conflict.
491:
657:FV4401 Contentious - Tank Design & Development
1273:Abandoned military projects of the United Kingdom
653:
487:
231:response to conflicts around the vestiges of the
1249:
366:, one for each barrel, as used with the WOMBAT.
619:
292:, with the autoloader. The mount was fixed in
739:
407:Type 60 Self-propelled 106 mm Recoilless Gun
746:
732:
709:"Section 5. Spotting Rifle 0.5in M8C".
532:
451:
1250:
1239:UK unarmoured or non-fighting vehicles
717:. 1964. pp. 25â33. WO Code 14202.
385:
727:
352:
213:The vehicle was developed as part of
615:. October 1964. E1976.199 - 7905-C1.
595:. October 1964. E1976.199 - 7905-C1.
537:Chieftain Main Battle Tank 1965-2003
483:
481:
288:(84 mm), already in use in the
205:
13:
1180:FV434 Armoured Maintenance Vehicle
654:Armoured Archives (1 April 2022).
488:Armoured Archives (5 April 2022).
113:8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
14:
1284:
478:
297:been demonstrated in the Swedish
121:3.1 m (10 ft 2 in)
100:possibly up to three constructed
31:
1263:Tank destroyers of the Cold War
702:
690:
678:"INTERNAL MEMORANDUM P1/2/63".
671:
647:
320:The vehicle was also tested at
505:
265:
94:
1:
439:
417:
7:
1139:Combat engineering vehicles
915:Armoured personnel carriers
369:
307:Kirkcudbright Training Area
254:seen as a substitute for a
166:Hydraulic elevation control
18:Air-portable tank destroyer
10:
1289:
1268:Airborne fighting vehicles
1162:Armoured recovery vehicles
1000:Infantry mobility vehicles
896:Fox reconnaissance vehicle
756:armoured fighting vehicles
225:armoured fighting vehicles
1236:
1223:Vickers MBT Mk. 4 Valiant
1193:
1160:
1137:
1113:
1090:
1061:
1045:Internal security vehicle
1043:
998:
963:
922:
913:
878:
847:
838:
822:Infantry fighting vehicle
820:
767:
219:, which give rise to the
170:
162:
152:
138:
133:
125:
117:
109:
104:
93:
88:
78:
70:
65:
58:Place of origin
57:
46:
30:
23:
1194:Experimental, prototype,
1092:Self-propelled artillery
713:. Director of Infantry,
1147:Terrier Armoured Digger
1115:Self-propelled anti-air
840:Reconnaissance vehicles
533:Dunstan, Simon (2003).
284:The gun chosen was the
698:National Archives, Kew
684:National Archives, Kew
517:National Archives, Kew
147:Ordnance QF 20 pounder
1053:Shorland Armoured Car
686:. 1963. DEFE 15/1214.
576:Bovington Tank Museum
452:Griffin, Rob (2001).
336:Rolls-Royce Meteorite
891:Saladin armoured car
667:– via YouTube.
641:"FV4401 Contentious"
501:– via YouTube.
1170:Centurion ARV Mk II
715:Ministry of Defence
460:. Crowood. p.
427:, is on display at
386:Comparable vehicles
178:500 miles (planned)
157:Rolls-Royce B range
1208:FV4401 Contentious
541:. Osprey. p.
353:FV4401 Contentious
89:Production history
41:, Bovington (2010)
1245:
1244:
1218:Vickers MBT Mk. 3
1123:Alvis Stormer HVM
994:
993:
909:
908:
182:
181:
1280:
920:
919:
886:Ferret scout car
845:
844:
748:
741:
734:
725:
724:
719:
718:
706:
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694:
688:
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540:
530:
521:
520:
509:
503:
502:
500:
498:
485:
476:
475:
459:
449:
312:This was only a
256:main battle tank
241:satellite states
216:Project Prodigal
96:
35:
26:
21:
20:
1288:
1287:
1283:
1282:
1281:
1279:
1278:
1277:
1248:
1247:
1246:
1241:
1232:
1195:
1189:
1156:
1133:
1109:
1086:
1077:FV438 Swingfire
1063:Tank destroyers
1057:
1039:
990:
959:
905:
874:
834:
816:
763:
752:
722:
708:
707:
703:
695:
691:
677:
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662:
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639:
638:
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625:
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612:
608:
607:
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592:
588:
587:
583:
570:
569:
560:
553:
531:
524:
519:. AVIA 65/1540.
511:
510:
506:
496:
494:
486:
479:
472:
450:
446:
442:
429:The Tank Museum
423:The prototype,
420:
388:
372:
364:spotting rifles
355:
270:
211:
175:
173:
143:
141:
134:
71:In service
66:Service history
42:
39:The Tank Museum
37:Contentious I,
24:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1286:
1276:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1243:
1242:
1237:
1234:
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1205:
1199:
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1038:
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1027:
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983:
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952:
947:
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932:
926:
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906:
904:
903:
898:
893:
888:
882:
880:
876:
875:
873:
872:
867:
862:
860:FV107 Scimitar
857:
855:FV101 Scorpion
851:
849:
842:
836:
835:
833:
832:
826:
824:
818:
817:
815:
814:
809:
804:
799:
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789:
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773:
771:
765:
764:
751:
750:
743:
736:
728:
721:
720:
701:
689:
670:
646:
643:. Arcane AFVs.
632:
627:"TV1000 Rhino"
618:
598:
581:
558:
551:
522:
504:
477:
470:
443:
441:
438:
437:
436:
419:
416:
415:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
387:
384:
383:
382:
376:Stridsvagn 103
371:
368:
354:
351:
290:Centurion tank
269:
264:
210:
204:
192:tank destroyer
187:was a British
180:
179:
176:
171:
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164:
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154:
150:
149:
144:
139:
136:
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107:
106:
105:Specifications
102:
101:
98:
91:
90:
86:
85:
80:
76:
75:
74:Prototype only
72:
68:
67:
63:
62:
61:United Kingdom
59:
55:
54:
52:tank destroyer
48:
44:
43:
36:
28:
27:
25:Contentious I
17:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1285:
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1200:
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1183:
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1176:
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1163:
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1144:
1142:
1140:
1136:
1130:
1126:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1118:
1116:
1112:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1097:
1095:
1093:
1089:
1083:
1082:FV102 Striker
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1072:Humber Hornet
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1042:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1024:Wolfhound TSV
1023:
1020:
1018:Ridgeback PPV
1017:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1003:
1001:
997:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
968:
966:
962:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
935:FV103 Spartan
933:
931:
928:
927:
925:
921:
918:
916:
912:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
883:
881:
877:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
850:
846:
843:
841:
837:
831:
828:
827:
825:
823:
819:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
788:
785:
783:
780:
778:
775:
774:
772:
770:
766:
761:
757:
749:
744:
742:
737:
735:
730:
729:
726:
716:
712:
705:
699:
693:
685:
681:
674:
659:
658:
650:
642:
636:
628:
622:
611:
605:
603:
591:
585:
577:
573:
572:"Contentious"
567:
565:
563:
554:
552:1-84176-719-0
548:
544:
539:
538:
529:
527:
518:
514:
508:
493:
492:
484:
482:
473:
471:1-86126-438-0
467:
463:
458:
457:
448:
444:
434:
430:
426:
422:
421:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
393:
390:
389:
380:
377:
374:
373:
367:
365:
359:
350:
348:
347:L7 105 mm gun
343:
341:
337:
333:
332:
327:
323:
318:
315:
310:
308:
304:
300:
295:
291:
287:
286:QF 20 pounder
282:
280:
276:
268:
263:
261:
257:
253:
248:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
217:
209:
203:
200:
198:
193:
190:
186:
185:Contentious I
177:
169:
165:
161:
158:
155:
151:
148:
145:
137:
132:
128:
124:
120:
116:
112:
108:
103:
99:
92:
87:
84:
81:
77:
73:
69:
64:
60:
56:
53:
50:Air-portable
49:
45:
40:
34:
29:
22:
16:
1207:
1175:FV106 Samson
940:FV105 Sultan
812:Challenger 3
807:Challenger 2
802:Challenger 1
710:
704:
692:
679:
673:
661:. Retrieved
656:
649:
635:
621:
584:
578:. E1976.199.
536:
512:
507:
495:. Retrieved
490:
455:
447:
424:
392:M56 Scorpion
378:
360:
356:
344:
339:
330:
325:
319:
311:
283:
271:
266:
251:
249:
214:
212:
207:
201:
196:
189:air-portable
184:
183:
83:British Army
79:Used by
15:
1213:Vickers MBT
1152:Trojan AVRE
1100:FV433 Abbot
1021:Mastiff PPV
1008:Panther CLV
971:Saracen APC
663:8 September
497:8 September
314:boilerplate
267:Contentious
245:light tanks
172:Operational
97: built
1252:Categories
1203:FV301 tank
1015:variants:
976:Humber Pig
787:Charioteer
440:References
303:Comet tank
279:autoloader
163:Suspension
1030:Husky TSV
797:Chieftain
792:Conqueror
782:Centurion
456:Chieftain
433:Bovington
418:Survivors
397:M50 Ontos
294:elevation
250:This was
239:tanks to
229:strategic
1127:tracked
1035:Foxhound
760:post-war
754:British
629:. 13794.
370:See also
326:Prodigal
322:Lulworth
208:Prodigal
206:Project
142:armament
1070:FV1620
964:Wheeled
955:Warthog
945:Stormer
923:Tracked
879:Wheeled
848:Tracked
830:Warrior
758:of the
613:(photo)
593:(photo)
412:VT tank
1228:MBT-80
1196:export
1129:Rapier
1013:Cougar
950:Viking
901:Jackal
549:
468:
425:UXM127
402:ASU-57
379:S-tank
340:Rhino'
299:S-tank
275:Alecto
233:Empire
221:CVR(T)
153:Engine
110:Length
1105:AS-90
986:Boxer
981:Saxon
930:FV432
865:Sabre
777:Comet
769:Tanks
435:, UK.
331:Rhino
174:range
118:Width
870:Ajax
665:2024
547:ISBN
499:2024
466:ISBN
237:T-54
140:Main
126:Crew
47:Type
762:era
431:in
260:NBC
252:not
197:not
95:No.
1254::
682:.
601:^
574:.
561:^
545:.
525:^
515:.
480:^
464:.
462:10
309:.
247:.
747:e
740:t
733:v
555:.
543:6
474:.
129:2
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
