01FD48 — Chieftain Archive

Notes

Chieftain AVLB (Tank Bridgelayer Mk5). No Tab 1 description record present in Merlin — vehicle tracked via movements only, suggesting managed under a separate inventory system. Merlin movements show multiple loans to Vickers Bridging (the AVLB manufacturer), service with 22 ENGR REGT and 26 ENGR REGT, DSG Bovington, and RE CS Troop. Last Merlin movement to Tank Museum, Bovington, January 2009 (RCP 999). Confirmed running and operational February 2025, described as the last fully working Chieftain AVLB. On loan from Tank Museum for display at public military shows. Merlin fleet count indicates approximately 47-48 Chieftain AVLB hulls built in total.

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Data source: Service history and last known location are sourced from the British Army Merlin Archive, the official vehicle inventory system covering records up to 2012 when the archive was declassified. Survival status has been assessed from the last recorded unit — vehicles may have changed hands, been restored, or been scrapped since then. If you have current information about this vehicle, please submit a correction.

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Service History

Movement records from the British Army Merlin Archive

01 Sep 1988

VICKERS BRIDGING (loan) Receipt: 01 Sep 1988

12 Jun 1992

ABRO BOVINGTON (PLANNED REPAIR) Receipt: 12 Jun 1992

01 Aug 1993

22 ENGR REGT — 3 ARMD ENGR SQN Receipt: 08 Sep 1993

22 Mar 1994

VICKERS BRIDGING (loan) Receipt: 22 Mar 1994

01 Jun 1996

ABRO WARMINSTER (PLANNED REPAIR) Receipt: 05 Jun 1996

01 Jul 1997

VICKERS DEFENCE SYSTEMS (loan) Receipt: 23 Sep 1997

28 Oct 2003

DSG BOVINGTON Receipt: 28 Oct 2003

01 Dec 2003

RE CS TROOP HQ CTG BG Receipt: 01 Dec 2003

11 Jan 2006

26 ENGR REGT — 8 ARMD ENGR SQN Receipt: 17 Jan 2006

26 Mar 2007

RE CS TROOP HQ CTG BG Receipt: 25 Apr 2007

23 Jan 2009

TANK MUSEUM, BOVINGTON Receipt: 23 Jan 2009

23 Feb 2025

On loan from Tank Museum — UK show circuit (confirmed running) Receipt: 23 Feb 2025

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