120mm Conqueror rounds

[SG500]

Just a few pictures of some 120mm Conqueror rounds.
The Conqueror was a post WW2 tank built to counter the Soviet threat - full details are on the following link.

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The photo show 2 cases with HESH and APDS projectiles next to a modern 120mm APFSDS drill round (for scale)

These rounds are separate loaded but all the same the cases are HUGE.

Dave.

 

[SG500]

Close up of HESH

Another one of the HESH projectile (all inert etc.)

Dave.

 

[SG500]

Just to complete this thread I've attached some photographs of the headstamp, propellant and the bakelite/plastic cap to the top of the case.

The measurements of the case are exactly the same as the case dimensions for the American 120mm tank and anti aircraft cases (I've checked the Hawkinson data for those). Main difference being the top of the British case that has a screw top to take the bakelite/plastic cap.
Case length 833mm
Mouth diameter 135mm
Head diameter 191mm

Headstamp photographs



Bakelite/plastic closing cap photographs



Propellant photographs. Each piece about 20mm long by 5mm diameter (there's a few rattling around inside the case)...

 

[tankbarrell]

I would like to find a closing cap for my case, rather hard to find, I should imagine!

 

[Listy]

The measurements of the case are exactly the same as the case dimensions for the American 120mm tank and anti aircraft cases (I've checked the Hawkinson data for those). Main difference being the top of the British case that has a screw top to take the bakelite/plastic cap.

The US closing caps were a fraction too long to be loaded into the British gun, so you needed to file them down a bit first, then they'd go in.

 

[HAZORD]

The Wiki article mentions that the Conqueror and Chieftain used the same gun. How many different British Tanks fired the separate loading APDS projectiles? How are the projectiles marked to identify which gun they are intended for?

Which British Tanks fire the separate loading APFSDS-T projectiles?

 

[tankbarrell]

Conqueror and Chieftain use different guns, L1 and L11 respectively and the ammunition is different. Chieftain does not use a cartridge case. Projectiles are different too.

 

[Eggburt1969]

The Wiki article mentions that the Conqueror and Chieftain used the same gun. How many different British Tanks fired the separate loading APDS projectiles? How are the projectiles marked to identify which gun they are intended for?

Which British Tanks fire the separate loading APFSDS-T projectiles?

As stated later by Tankbarrel, the L1 and L11 of the respective Conqueror and Chieftain tanks are different guns. Both separate loading, but the Conqueror used metallic cased charge assemblies, where as the Chieftain's were originally bagged, with some later types being using CCC (combustible charge case).

The L11 and the L30 (Challenger 2) guns had APFSDS-T ammunition. I never worked on the L1 and have next to no data on it, but I'm not aware of any service APFSDS-T rounds for it? Maybe someone else knows?

I've found that most tank historians, Tank Museum persons for example, have woefully poor knowledge of the actual tanks' weapons and their ammunition. Very good at the more general history and some other components, but weapons and ammo, plus armour, nah, forget about it. It's so bad I can no longer watch a lot of the YouTube channels, such as the Tank Museum's, as what's the point watching these videos when the experts commonly seem to know next to nothing technically about the primary drivers of the subject they are talking about: armour, weapons, and ammo.

Conqueror and Chieftain use different guns, L1 and L11 respectively and the ammunition is different. Chieftain does not use a cartridge case. Projectiles are different too.

Yeah, that's Wikipedia for you. Information is right some of the time, just not all of the time, especially when it comes to military technical data.

 

[tankbarrell]

I might have the armament pamphlet for Conqueror, will have a look but as far as I know, it was just APDS and HESH. I assume a smoke was also available.

 

[HAZORD]

If the rounds were different between the Conqueror and Chieftain, does anyone have any photos of the Chieftain projectiles and powder Bags or charges? How do you tell the projectiles from the two guns apart?

 

[tankbarrell]

120mm L1 projectiles.

120mm L11 projectiles.

 

[HAZORD]

Thanks Tankbarrel! Very Informative!