Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What does it take to bring Britain’s most stubborn Cold War tanks back from the dead? Meet Mr Hewes—the Leicestershire mechanic turning broken Chieftain tanks into roaring pieces of living history.
In this video, we explore Joe Hewes’s journey from restoring his first armoured vehicle at just sixteen to building one of YouTube’s most popular military restoration channels. Discover how his workshop recovers abandoned Chieftain tanks, battles their notoriously difficult Leyland engines and TN12 gearboxes, and achieves first starts that many believed were impossible.
We also examine Mr Hewes’s partnership with The Tank Museum, the restoration of the legendary FV4005, the Chieftain Mk 11 that became a working tractor, and the ambitious plan to produce the world’s only running British-built FV214 Conqueror for TANKFEST 2028.
This is more than a story about tank restoration. It is about preserving British military history by allowing these Cold War machines to run, smoke, break down, and live again.
Which Mr Hewes restoration is your favorite—and which historic tank should his team revive next? Share your answer in the comments, like the video, and subscribe for more stories about remarkable machines and the people keeping them alive.
#MrHewes #ChieftainTank #TankRestoration #MilitaryHistory #BritishTanks
Video source: networthpost.com
What does it take to bring Britain’s most stubborn Cold War tanks back from the dead? Meet Mr Hewes—the Leicestershire mechanic turning broken Chieftain tanks into roaring pieces of living history.
In this video, we explore Joe Hewes’s journey from restoring his first armoured vehicle at just sixteen to building one of YouTube’s most popular military restoration channels. Discover how his workshop recovers abandoned Chieftain tanks, battles their notoriously difficult Leyland engines and TN12 gearboxes, and achieves first starts that many believed were impossible.
We also examine Mr Hewes’s partnership with The Tank Museum, the restoration of the legendary FV4005, the Chieftain Mk 11 that became a working tractor, and the ambitious plan to produce the world’s only running British-built FV214 Conqueror for TANKFEST 2028.
This is more than a story about tank restoration. It is about preserving British military history by allowing these Cold War machines to run, smoke, break down, and live again.
Which Mr Hewes restoration is your favorite—and which historic tank should his team revive next? Share your answer in the comments, like the video, and subscribe for more stories about remarkable machines and the people keeping them alive.
#MrHewes #ChieftainTank #TankRestoration #MilitaryHistory #BritishTanks
Video source: networthpost.com
