Chieftain tank in Chinese military museum

**hardware** · 08-24-2012, 01:49 AM

in febuary 2012 issue of Tanks and armour vehcile magazine (Chinese language) show Chieftain tank in chinese museum. the tank painted in standard PLA dark green,without the skirt and gun thermal sleeve.
it appear that the tank was stripped for technical examination and evaluation,and later put back together.likely the tank either come from Iraq (capture from Iran) or iran itself.

**pendragon** · 08-24-2012, 02:48 PM

Apparently PRC has always kept up its knowhow in different armament fields.
mig23/27 from Egypt, probably also sukhoi 22, mig 29, F-16; Mirage III, V, F-1 by Pakistan; F-14, phoenix, harpoon, hot and hellfire from Iran; ... leo1, Leo2, amx30, M-1, chieftain etc. either whole weaponsystem as a gift or acces to subsystems in exchange for hard cash or military hardware.
Lord knows what hidden beauties we are as yet to encounter.

The PRC was clearly following closely but lacked state of the art production facilties.
The fact that they didn't produce any 'modern' weaponry in the 80's wa mistaken for a lack of knowledge.
This explains rapid catch-up and fast production rates of modern weaponry as those facilities (and budget) eventually came at hand after a long period of austerity and stimulating and modernizing of industry.
In mind and on the board these systems already existed!

**Franticfrank** · 09-03-2012, 07:23 AM

I'm sure there were many ways for the vehicle to end up in China. Probably from Iran or Iraq or perhaps through the hands of a private collector. Strange that its painted in PLA Green, though.

**plawolf** · 09-03-2012, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by Franticfrank

I'm sure there were many ways for the vehicle to end up in China. Probably from Iran or Iraq or perhaps through the hands of a private collector. Strange that its painted in PLA Green, though.

Thats probably either a case of the museum taking a creative liberty and promoting interesting 'what if' scenarios, or just the museum being cheap and decided to just use what paint they had at hand (not surprise that it would be standard PLA camo green) instead of buying new paints to restore the tank to it's authentic original colour scheme.

Indeed, if the tank was an under-the-table gift, China would obviously
not want to betray that confidence by painting it in the
colours of its original owning country.

**MwRYum** · 09-03-2012, 11:23 PM

Which museum you guys talking about? I know the Beijing's military museum is undergoing major renovation at this time...

**hardware** · 09-04-2012, 02:45 AM

correction,either a museum or proving ground.
picture show the turrent pointing rear ward.
it's common kownledge that china like other countries obtain foreign weapon for technical evaluation,I recall saw picture what appear to be fuselage of either Tu-22 blinder or TU-128 fiddler in aeronautic engineer school in Xian.according to aviation week reporter during there visit to Xian aerospace university discover several pieces of A-6,F-105 and F-4 in the university compound.