Example of fv432 mk1 and mk2 ces stowage.

Now one of the things you will want to do with your fv430 is get some of the CES (Complete Equipment Schedule) and fill those empty spaces. Most probably in the later years of service, most kit wouldn't have survived in its originial place. Either it was obsolete, there was no need to carry it as other support groups would have it with them, or it was just not practical. Also some vehicles were modified, and we guess the fear of losing kit meant equipment was stowed inside for safe keeping. We would think that it was only at a vehicle inspection that a fv432 would be adorned with everything in place.

So for this article, we have some photos of CES stowage on the right hand side of the vehicle as carried on the mk1 and mk2 fv432. These two marks differ as the NBC pack is mounted externally.

The external NBC pack provides a handy shelf to carry the spare track links, four in total in purpose made brackets. They just slide in, no straps or clamps are provided. We noticed that when stowing them on 10EA15 that the links did not fit in nicely, it was as if the links were too big! Our theory is that as the mk1 and early tracks had circlips on the end of the track pins, when the pins were modified to having nylock nuts on the end, the track links themselves were "beefed" up. Now we have no confirmation of this, but if any of you have any ideas please let us know.

Along with the spare links, we have the wire tow cable and large crowbar. The wire tow rope hangs from a couple of hooks, one end is the large ring and the other normally has a large "D" shackle holding the two ends of the cable together and hooked over at the rear, and is supported by two channels. The crowbar also sits in a channel with a couple of bracket stops at the ends.