The Tank Museum and Mr Hewes are partnering once again – this time to bring a Conqueror Heavy Tank back to life.
Having successfully completed the restoration of the FV4005, Mr Hewes has accepted the challenge to restore another Cold War monster to running condition.
And we are turning to our supporters to help raise £50,000 needed to fund the work.
Nick Booth, Director of Curatorial Services, said: “When completed, it will be the only running example of the British-built Conqueror in the world – filling an important gap in the British tank story of the Cold War.”
The vehicle chosen for the project – Conqueror 40 BA 81 – returned to The Tank Museum from IWM Duxford in the late 1990s.
Having been built at Dalmuir near Glasgow, it entered service in March 1955 and was sent to serve with the British Army of the Rhine as a troop trial vehicle.
It’s thought it may have been the second production vehicle off the line – but its service life was short.
By 1966 the Conqueror was effectively obsolete, and it was sent back to the UK.
In November it was sent to the Fighting Vehicles Research and Development Establishment at Chertsey. Before later being passed to the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment at Christchurch in Dorset, where it was used as a tug. During this time, its original turret was removed.
In 1985 it was donated to The Tank Museum.
In order to bring the project to fruition, The Tank Museum has sought to revive its successful partnership with Mr Hewes.
“The vehicle will be sent to their Leicestershire workshop, where work will be covered on Mr Hewes YouTube channel.
“We’re all hoping that the project will run as smoothly as our last collaboration – in which they restored the FV4005 to running order,” said Nick.
Meanwhile, researchers at The Tank Museum have identified an original 120mm gun turret on a Ministry of Defence range and are in negotiations to recover it and complete the vehicle.
The project to restore Britain’s last heavy tank is expected to be complete in time for TANKFEST 2028.
