FV432

Does anyone know when the last FV432 was taken out of service in BAOR? Does anyone also know why the took them out of service? I thought they where a very good piece of kit, so why get rid of them?


Mike

Hi mike

The Fv 432 are still in service here in Hameln

Big_Mike wrote:

Does anyone know when the last FV432 was taken out of service in BAOR? Does anyone also know why the took them out of service? I thought they where a very good piece of kit, so why get rid of them?
Mike

Mike,

They are still in service in various units apparently, others with better contacts will be able to tell you more.

The "Bulldog" is basically the 432, take a look at:-

http://www.fv432.co.uk/homepage.htm

Paul.

Smelly, dirty, cold (except when you sat on the louvers and your arse got hot while the rest of you froze), slow and noisy. Mind you, I did feel like Rommel when commanding one.

Here's a question for the experts. We once went through Brunsweig in convoy. Being signals we had whip aerials all over the place and they came close to the overhead tram cables. Being the hero that I was, I bent mine down and ordered the other member of my crew to do the same with the rearmost ones. Should I have been worried?

Teabag wrote:

Smelly, dirty, cold (except when you sat on the louvers and your arse got hot while the rest of you froze), slow and noisy. Mind you, I did feel like Rommel when commanding one.

Here's a question for the experts. We once went through Brunsweig in convoy. Being signals we had whip aerials all over the place and they came close to the overhead tram cables. Being the hero that I was, I bent mine down and ordered the other member of my crew to do the same with the rearmost ones. Should I have been worried?

Yes and no

With having rubber track pads, it is quite possible that you would have been insulated from any possible "electrical problems" should the aerial have touched overhead cables.

But, as it was not your normal 240 volt household supply, that might not have been enough. I seem to remember that there was an instruction that aerials were supposed to be removed, or tied down if possible, when travelling close to low level overhead cables.

In 31 Field Ambulance, if I remember correctly, one of the AFV 432 Ambulances on its way to an exercise (with aerial fitted) passed over a level crossing and the Commander ended up with some pieces of aerial in his cheek.

Paul.

Can't remember any instructions on this,but I did ensure that a careful eye was kept on overhead cables,in the main anything over 6 foot of AE while on the move,depending on the vehicle,was risky!
-------
Don

Thanks for that, so it seems I did have valid worries? No one ever mentioned possible electrocution problems with them. Plenty about checking when you were erecting an antenna mast but nothing about whips on the move. I note that when you see Humvees and the like these days, the whips are tied back.

That's an awesome site Paul, thanks. Brings back some very good memory's of me as a very young soldier hammering one of these things round 'Sennelager' training area. Some of those on that site look a bit sorry for themselves. They do look oddly out of place to see them in this state. It brings a tear to the eye.

Both the 'ATU' as well as the 'AMU' where set up to withstand a 5000V surge. No problems here, but the 'Over Surge' tubes in the 'ATU', 'AMU' and the aerial input on the radio equipment would have to be changed though. Some of you lads would remember these things because they look like an oversize glass fuse. As the 'Aerial Mounting Unit' was made of full rubber you could bend the whip aerial. At the end of the 60's the 'AMU' where mounted on both sides at the front of the 432. Most of the Infantry regiments where told 'Tie the aerials down'. I have seen some in the late 70's with one 'AMU' rear left side and the other front right side. How the went about driving around at night, god only knows, as you cant see the end of the whip aerials. I can only imagine the lads brought back off of exercise a lot of broken aerials.

Big_Mike

From a REME point of view, I liked the 432, with one exception, it being the dreaded sticking/seized Starter Motor, which resulted in a Pack lift.

Generally this was caused by, well I think anyway, switching off the engine immediately following a good thrash which had brought the engine temp right up.

Idealy, one needed to let the engine tickover for a long time to allow temps to disapate and cool down.

I agree this was not possible when a Unit arrived at a field hide and instructions were given to switch off due to tactical reasons.

Just a little anecdote. While at Detmold I was ordered to take my 432 up to a training ground (forgotten where) and let a load of army cadets have a cabby. One of whom was the brigadiers son so you let them play and have fun don't you?

An AAC Staffie met us out there in his Gazelle and they all had a jolly time flying around in that as well. When things had quietened down a bit, this staffie approached me and asked if he could have a go in the 432 as he had always wanted to try one. Of course I let him and he was in his element going over hills and ditches at roughly 20 mph. He thought it was the bees knees.

Ex member of a helicopter display team who did god knows what with that helicopter yet he was like a big kid in my lumbering heap of metal. Yes he did offer me a go in his gazelle but I declined. I had been up there with him before when we did FAC and once was enough.

Ah the FAC! First time I did that live was with a Hawker Hunter in N Ireland, (before '69 I might add!).. God knows what the pilot was saying but it wasn't the VP we were taught in training!
Had some good shoots in later life though.

Paul wrote:

The "Bulldog" is basically the 432, take a look at:-

http://www.fv432.co.uk/homepage.htm

Paul.

FV432 Mk3 Bulldog APC

The Bulldog is a re-built 432 to a Mk3 standard with diesel engine upgrade, new steering unit, and new braking system as well as improving armour protection to a level similar to that of the Warrior. They were intended for service in Iraq and Afghanistan and also have air-conditioning. [All Bulldogs are re-worked FV 430 Series Hulls]



The first 100 examples were converted by ABRO (now DSG) at Donnington and the MoD then signed a contract with BAE Systems Land Systems to update over 1,000 FV 432 to Mark 3 standard to extend the 432's service life for at least another 10 to 15 years. The first 500 of the batch were handed over to the British Army in December 2006.

Initially, only FV432 and 434 models were converted but other variants are being considered.

http://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/fighting-vehicles/1478.aspx[img]

Examples are being issued to units in BFG

Hmm... 432s. I remember shortly after I was posted to Sennelager in 79. The regiment was just about to move to Catterick/ Berlin/ Belize, so all the vehicles were being prepped for hand over. Having just left training I was not a driver, however I was asked to jump into a panzer to drive out of the hanger. "I'm not a driver " I protested, to little avail. Anyway I got in started it up watching the guider I saw a look of horror dawning on his face. When I stopped and got out the dick had guided me straight into the rear (open) door of a 432, this wasn't the last time some clown guided me into something however. So within a fortnight of joining the regiment I was up in front of the SSM (Chaz Goy). Where upon a somewhat unbelievable story was concocted involving me guiding and a strong gust of wind blowing the hatch open. I think Chaz had it in for me after that and he later became RSM.

I was on exercise somewhere on Soltau. When I got back to our base location,and took a walk around the 432 I could not believe that a road wheel was missing. I doubled checked the registration number to ensure I had not taken the wrong 432 from the last location. That's when our 434 turned up and the Q shouting," look what i've got, some #*&@ has lost his road wheels!!"
After that I never went on exercise without checking the tightness of those road wheels.

I wanted to join GW troop with the 438, mainly on the basis that I was told they had heaters. Maybe someone can confirm that. As at the time Cheiftain had no heater we always ran on turret air breathing and they were bloody cold! Apparantly there were electrically heated suits but we were told we couldn't have them issued in case we damaged them.

However by the time I got to Regiment they had all gone to the Royal Artillery.

Bit chilly, here in Cheshire this morning Paul !

There were'nt any heaters on the 438, just the blower that pressurised the veh in the NBC role.
The thing about that kind of veh though was that you had the heat coming from the gearbox, which kept things bearable when at the halt.
Electrically heated suits ? Don't think I ever heard of anything like that. Why would they give them to the Gunners I wonder ? Another Urban myth !

brum

Electrically heated suits. They had them in the RCAF in WW 2. I remember a fella who kept his and used for duck/goose hunting. Still had the connector inlets visible. Said they were great when they worked but a bugger if over heated or cut out.

OK, I'll bite ... what are all the badges of rank for .. did I miss a posting ..

Len (Ciphers)

Hell I'm a Major . what about back pay and allowances from 1966 to date ... NO .. Oh Well!!

Len (Ciphers)

C'mon Len. You know as well as I do. All Major's in the Signal Corp were just Major Nuisances

Hell I'm trying ..

Len (Ciphers)

brum wrote:

Bit chilly, here in Cheshire this morning Paul !

There were'nt any heaters on the 438, just the blower that pressurised the veh in the NBC role.
The thing about that kind of veh though was that you had the heat coming from the gearbox, which kept things bearable when at the halt.
Electrically heated suits ? Don't think I ever heard of anything like that. Why would they give them to the Gunners I wonder ? Another Urban myth !

brum

I well remember the FV438s, used to spend a fair bit of time on Range 1A doing 2nd line repairs while with 12 Fd Wksps Swingfire Section. We had a commer box body mounted onto a Bedford RL chassis, the body was fitted out with all mod cons including TV cooker and the odd bit of test kit!! I remember a few times the missile never left the launch box or if it did it either just climbed vertically or blew up (cbu).
Just noticed that I have the same rank as when I left..18 years ago! But was REME!!

I too loved the 432, did heaps of work on them. your right about the starter Alan, caused by turning it off before it had cooled down. you could sometimes get away with taking of the back engine cover and discharging a CO2 extinguisher onto the starter. but usually it was a pack lift.

brum wrote:

Bit chilly, here in Cheshire this morning Paul !

There were'nt any heaters on the 438, just the blower that pressurised the veh in the NBC role.
The thing about that kind of veh though was that you had the heat coming from the gearbox, which kept things bearable when at the halt.
Electrically heated suits ? Don't think I ever heard of anything like that. Why would they give them to the Gunners I wonder ? Another Urban myth !

brum

I read somewhere that when they were doing the trial on Chieftain the crews also trialed some electrically heated gloves and socks! I think they were binned on the basis that they got to hot.

From my recollection it was always warm in the back of a 432, even on exercise ice breaker.