Recovering a stuck vehicle is never easy, but extracting a 65-ton tank from a swampy field without its tracks presents a unique challenge. This was the task recently undertaken by Joe Hewes, from the Mr Hewes YouTube channel, and staff from The Tank Museum. Getting a 4×4 unstuck can be dirty, ego-bruising work that can also leave said 4×4 worse for wear, but this recovery involved a vehicle that hadn’t moved in decades and was located on swampy ground dotted with unexploded mines and artillery shells.
The museum is restoring a British Conqueror tank, which is missing its turret and main gun. They found replacements on a derelict Conqueror used for target practice at a U.K. Ministry of Defence gunnery range. Despite lacking an engine and transmission, the tank still weighed around 65 tons. The Tank Museum, known for housing one of the world’s largest collections of military vehicles, has a dedicated restoration YouTube channel that documents such projects.
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A Complex Operation in a High-Risk Area
The tank was located in a live-fire zone, potentially surrounded by unexploded munitions. Without its tracks, which distribute a tank’s weight, towing it could cause the vehicle to sink deeper. The Ministry of Defence required the tracks to be reinstalled before any recovery attempt. This was a critical safety measure, as attempting to move the tank without tracks in such a hazardous area could have disastrous consequences.
Sourcing replacement tracks for a rare tank like the Conqueror proved difficult, given that only a handful were built and even fewer survive. Once the tracks were found, the tank had to be jacked up on-site for installation. Hewes utilized two Foden heavy recovery trucks, formerly used by the British Army, to lift the Conqueror out of the ground where its road wheels were submerged. These trucks were essential for raising the tank enough to fit the tracks, a process that required precision and heavy lifting capability.
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An Oshkosh M1070, a U.S. military semi-truck designed for tank transport, then winched the Conqueror onto its new tracks and transported it away on a trailer. This final step ensured the tank could be moved safely without further damaging the vehicle or the surrounding environment.
A Vital Part of Tank History
The Conqueror holds historical significance as a link between the Centurion and Chieftain, two iconic British tanks of the early Cold War. Developed in response to the Soviet IS-3, it was part of a push for larger tanks. The U.S. came up with the M103, and the U.K. developed the Conqueror as a bigger sibling to the Centurion. However, its size and speed limitations, coupled with technological advancements, led to the rise of more versatile designs like the Chieftain.
