Artillery & Air Defence…

FV 433 Abbot SPG

AS-90 SPG

Vickers FV433 Abbot Self Propelled Gun The Abbot FV433 shared much of its running gear with the FV432, but mounted a Vickers 105mm automatic gun in a rotating turret. The gun had an effective range of 17km with a variety of ammunition types carried by an accompanying FV630 Stalwart 6x6 truck. A flotation screen could be raised to allow the Abbot to traverse rivers, whilst an NBC filtraiton system was fitted to allow the crew to operate for extended periods ina comtaminated environment. Abbots served from 1965 until replaced by the AS-90 in the mid 1990s, by which time the 105mm gun was of limited effectiveness against modern longer range opponents. This is a Cromwell 1/72 resin kit of an Abbot.

Vickers AS-90

The AS-90 relaced the 105mm Abbot and 155mm M109 self propelled guns in British Army service from 1993 onward. The AS-90 was used with success in the former Yugoslavia and (after some hot weather and sand related issues had been resolved) it played a significant role in the 2nd Gulf War. The AS-90 turret design has also been acquired by Poland to retrofit some existing ex-Warsaw Pact tank chassis as SPGs. AS-90s are expected to remain in UK service unti the early 2030s. In 2023, the UK donated 20 AS-90s (plus 12 spares) to Ukraine along with Challenger 2 tanks. Fourteen Swedish built Archer SPGs have been procured to fill the gap until the British Army can decide on a longer term replacement. This is the Trumpeter 1/72 kit Return to Artillery & Air Defence page Return to British Cold War page Return to Dark Side AFVs index page Return to Gengriz Modelling Index Page