FV433 Abbot Self-propelled Gun

Digitally reproduced from original Army documents

The Abbot self-propelled gun uses the 105mm gunwhich had become the standard close supportartillery piece during the 1960s. From the designstage the Abbot shared many common componentswith the FV430 range of vehicles and wasdesignated FV433. It differs from other FV430vehicles in having a fully traversable turret.

FV433 Abbot is armoured and fully tracked andnormally carries a crew of 4. The driver is located inthe front of the hull. The other crew members –Commander (No. 1), layer and loader are located in

the turret. The vehicle carries 40 HE and HESHshells together with separate charge cases.

Abbot is powered by a Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuelengine which drives a six-speed automatic gearbox.This gives a top speed of 29mph. Using flotationequipment the vehicle can achieve 3.5 mph onwater via its tracks.

FV433 Abbot entered service with the British Armyin the mid-1960s and was deployed as divisionsupport artillery. It was replaced in the mid 1990s bythe AS-90.

Contents1. General description2. Hull and turret details3. Engine4. Engine lubrication system5. Cooling system6. Fuel and injection systems7. Lighting, starting and

electrical accessories8. Generating system9. Transfer box and Gearbox10. Final drives11. Sprockets, tracks, track adjusters

and guide rollers12. Suspension and shock absorbers13. Fire fighting equipment14. Power tools equipment15. Fault finding charts16. Hints and tips on driving17. Ordnance18. Mountings19. Sighting and vision equipment20. Gun and Command Post

communications21. Service Schedule22. Lubrication Chart23. Guide to Inspection24. Tools25. Stowage diagrams26. Ammunition

The User Handbook is in English and comprises 560 pages giving user operating and maintenancedetails. The Handbook is divided into 5 parts and covers the basic vehicle, fighting compartment,communications, servicing schedule and ammunition. There are over 230 colour and monochromeillustrations including vehicle stowage and wiring diagrams.

USER HANDBOOK