The Challenger 1 was Britain’s Main Battle Tank from the 1980s to 2001 when it was superseded by the Challenger 2. It is a development of the earlier Chieftan MBT with improved armour protection, cross-country performance and other enhancements.

The Challenger was designed at a time when new and better Russian tanks were entering service to overcome the Chieftan’s main deficiencies of it’s poor armour protection and mobility.

A total of 420 were manufactured and 221 took part in Desert Storm where they destroyed about 300 Iraqi Russian built tanks, many being hit at over 4km range, and lost no Challengers.

Tamiya 1/35 kit. Guitar wire used for aerials and picture framing wire used for tow cables with shredded paper and gauze bandage mixed with enamel paints used for main gun camouflage. Painted with Model Master enamels, Western European based main paint, weathering by ground oil pastels and buff enamel paint with Dullcote overspray. Enamels for crew members camo jacket. Completed by Wayne in about 2001.