Vehicle Collection

FV433 105 mm Field Artillery Self Propelled Abbot

The Abbot is a British Army self-propelled artillery system built on the chassis of the FV430 series of vehicles. Entering British service in 1965 the Abbot is armed with a 105mm L109 main gun as well as a single 7.62mm L4A4 machine gun. The maximum range of the L109 main gun was 15km with a rate of fire of 8 rounds a minute.

The Abbot would serve with both the British and the Indian Armies during the Cold War before being retired in the mid-1990s.

Our Abbot comes from a local private collector and was acquired surplus from the British Army Training Unit in Suffield Alberta (BATUS) and is currently undergoing restoration with support from Keyano College.

We have a second Abbott currently on exterior display.

FV4201 Chieftain MBT

Also on loan to the museum from a private collector is our 55 ton Chieftain MBT represents the type that entered service in 1967. Chieftain’s served with the British Army of the Rhine, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait and Oman. With a focus on armor and firepower over mobility the Chieftain differed from its contemporaries like the Leopard 1s used by Germany and Canada which prioritized speed. Chieftain MBTs (Main Battle Tanks) were second Generation MBTs which replaced the mix of heavy (infantry), medium (Cruiser), and light tanks. Chieftains had up to 390mm of armor on a mantleless turret. Chieftains would mount the highly successful 120mm L11A5 Rifled Gun as its main armament. Chieftains were also equipped with 2 L7 Machine guns.
One of the most controversial elements of the design was its incorporation of the Leyland Multifuel Engine. This engine could run on a variety of fuels. Because of it’s engine the vehicle, experienced frequent breakdowns and servicing issues.

LAV (Light Armoured Vehicle) III

The LAV III is the third generation of armored personnel carriers built by General Dynamics Land Systems in London Ontario. Our LAV III is an example of the type that served with Canadian Forces during the NATO mission to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014.

The LAV III is an 8×8 platform armed with a 25mm Bushmaster chain gun as well as a variety of 7.62 C6 and / or 5.56 C9 machine guns. Its armour was rated for STANAG 4569 Level III which made it proof against 7.62mm incoming rounds. With applique armour the LAV III could protect against up to 14.5 x 114mm heavy caliber rounds. Other armour kits were added throughout Canada’s participation in the Afghan Mission to give increased protection against mines, RPGs and shaped charges. Although the LAV III offered comparable or better all round protection than most other infantry carriers used by allied forces, many Canadian soldiers died in / around the vehicles while on patrol. Our vehicle serves as a memorial for all of the Canadian soldiers lost because of the conflict in Afghanistan.