laststandonzombieisland

Here we see some very groovy light tanks, characterized as Alvis Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) CVR(T)s, specifically FV101 Scorpions.

The handy 8-ton Scorpion was meant to replace the humble Ferret of the 1950s. Designed in the 1960s and placed in production in 1973 for armored recon units of the British Army, Scorpion capable of making 50mph on prepared roads while cross-country speeds were only a bit less.

Best of all, their light weight and compactness (just 17 feet long) meant they could move around ancient narrow roadways in European towns and bridges usually off-limits for conventional armor. As such, they filled a niche between the larger U.S. M551 Sheridan (at 15 tons, a ringer for the old M3 Stuart in that category) and the much smaller West German Wiesel.

On the downside, their armor was only sufficient to stop about a .51 caliber Dshk gun round, which meant they were live bait when it came to a Mi-24 gunship, wandering RPG gunner, or SU-25 tank buster.

Nevertheless, a couple served in the Falklands in 1982 with the Blues and Royals where their onboard night vision gear was considered the best available in the whole task force. After continuing the serve in the Cold War and Gulf War, the Scorpions, armed with an ROF 76mm L23 gun, were put to pasture.

That is, except for the OPFOR unit of the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada.

There, along with a fleet of very well maintained Landrovers and FV432 Bulldogs, they continue to mix it up on the regular in month-long rotations fighting British and Commonwealth armored units across the rolling plains of Alberta in a maneuver area the size of Wales.