Jordanian army in the Arab Israeli wars

[Jim Ando]

Hi
Was wondering how much western kit the Jordanian army used . I know they preferred the west to the Russians. I'd like to do a Jordanian army so I could face the Israel with similar tanks. Also what would the infantry look like.

cheers

Jim.

[Chad]

Jim

MBTs - M47, M48A2 and Centurion Mk5.
Artillery - 25pdr and 155mm Howitzer.
M113 APC

Chad

[Jim Ando]

Hmmmm centurions you say that should put the cat amongst the pigeons.

Cheers.

Jim

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Uniforms were British, as was the webbing. Used M1 Garand as rifle, and wore Brodie type helmets, the type PHILL used completely wrong on the British Falklands figures.

[fsn]

According to my trusty "Armies of the Middle East" (von Pivka, 1979) Jordan had:

       320 M47/48/60
       200 Centurion
       140 Ferret
       600 M113
       120 Saracen
       110 25pdr
       90   105/155/203mm
       35   M52 105mm SPG
       20   M44 155mm SPG
       
       81mm, 107mm, 120mm mortars
       106mm RCL, TOW, Dragon ATGW
       200 M42 twin 40mm SPAA

        60 F5 A/E Fighters
        18 F104
     
The F5's were replacement for Hunters.

[Chad]

My details were related to the '67 war as I don't think the Jordanians played any significant part in '73.

Chad

[holdfast]

The sainted Brig Peter Young spent some time seconded to them and by all accounts was called home early because he was doing such a good job training them.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Chad - they attempted to flank the advance on Damascus in conjunction with the Iraqi's.

IanS

[Sunray]

Uniforms were British, as was the webbing. Used M1 Garand as rifle, and wore Brodie type helmets, the type PHILL used completely wrong on the British Falklands figures.

  No, Ian,  not completely wrong.   I would argue that it was a prudent choice.  With the amount of scrim the actual model of infantry lid  is hard to discern, but should be the Helmet Steel Mk4, or "Turtle Shell "which  was worn by the Guards and Ghurkhas, and on occasions by Marines in the Falklands.  It means that we have usable British Infantry for all Cold War gaming from 1962 to 1980s.  This makes them very useful and unique sculpts
The beret types can be used for marines and paras, or berets painted black to depict regular infantry.  I have just done up some to represent RAF Regiment No2 Squadron. 

I agree we need a few Para lids to finish the range, but we have had this discussion at length on this forum.

[Techno]

I'm absolutely sure it was the MK 4 /Turtle shell...Covered in scrim, that I was advised to make, by a Falklands' veteran....So as far as I'm concerned I made what I was asked to.
We've been through this so many times now, as James says.

Cheers - Phil

[Sunray]

My details were related to the '67 war as I don't think the Jordanians played any significant part in '73.

Chad

No direct contact across the Jordan frontier, but the Jordanian armour moved north into Syria and with Iraqi units were engaged by the IDF around Mashara, 13 October 1973.

" Now a new factor entered the battle. Their red pennants flying in British tradition, Centurions of the Jordanian 40th Armoured- a crack outfit that had fought gallantly in the previous [Six Day] war, approached the battle zone in perfect combat formation......   General Laner's brigades took up firing positions ....and opened up from maximum range.  His sharpshooting tankers picked off the Jordanians, who soon retreated leaving 20 of their Centurions in flames......At this point the Iraqis mounted a flank attack...the Israelis again outflanked them ....[they ]withdrew leaving 60 tanks on the battlefield".   

T. Eshel, S Baskin et al Born in Battle:the Yom Kippur War  (Hod Hasharon,1978) pp.44-45.

[mart678]

They now have challenger 1 

[Sunray]

They now have challenger 1 

That's interesting Mart, the Al Hussain- are these ex-British Army stocks ?

I was in Amman in the early 2000s, and at that time they had the Khalid, which was the tank the Chieftain was meant to be.

Gone was the notorious Smokey Joe Leyland 2 stroke (I kid you not !) and in its place a 12v Perkins Condor - same as Challenger.  It had the PC sight and Barr & Stroud rangefinder.

I was also told that ex-Iranian Chieftains had been acquired via Iraq and brought up to Khalid standard.

It don't think the Khalid saw action, which is a pity.  It was such a good tank for its era.   

[mart678]

Yes sunray
Our government has sold our war reserve tanks good job we are on such good terms with Russia