The 65-Ton Wreck
A British Conqueror tank sat abandoned for 58 years on a military training range before recovery crews pulled it from the mud.
Carup.se reported that the vehicle had sunk so deeply into the swampy field that its wheels were almost entirely hidden.
Field Recovery Hazards
Salvor Joe Hewes and his team faced severe risks while working on the military range, as unexploded ordnance could have been buried beneath the mud. Hewes stated in a YouTube video, “We can not just come here and pull it out with the winches. There could be unexploded ordnance under our feet.”
Overcoming Missing Parts
The tank required its original tracks reinstated under British military orders, yet a tree had grown straight through one of the drive wheels. Hewes said, “I managed to somehow find the only pair of Conqueror tracks in the entire country.” Two military Foden recovery vehicles then lifted the hull while an Oshkosh M1070 used its winches to move the 65-ton load forward.
Salvage Crews Target the Intact Turret
The complex salvage operation targeted the vehicle primarily for its intact turret rather than the hull. Hewes explained, “We do not really want this Conqueror tank. We want the turret. But the military will not let us remove the turret without the entire tank following along.”
Workers Will Salvage Components in Leicester
The Tank Museum is currently restoring another Conqueror that lacks its original turret and cannon. Workers will transport the retrieved wreck to a workshop in Leicester to salvage the turret and reusable components before scrapping the remaining metal.
