“Before you start, check the tank’s log book/maintenance records (kept by the commander’s seat) to make sure it doesn’t have any restrictions on use. Make sure the tank is centered in elevation before driving.”
“Check your personal equipment. Verify a number of things before driving (commander’s cupola secured, commander’s machine gun secured, all road wheels enabled).”
“Check the fire alarm systems and the portable fire extinguishers.”
“Check the fixed fire extinguishing systems.”
“Daily maintenance tasks.”
“Check the oil levels. Check the steering and brakes. Verify that the tank commander’s control override works.”
“Check the elevation controls, then lock the elevation. Check that the rear driver’s hand-controlled throttle works.
… and more oil checks.”
“Check external lights and reflectors. You won’t get as much as in the pictures, though.”
“Check the communications equipment.”
“Additional equipment. Did you forget anything? Check the muzzle protection.
When driving: before, secure the emergency escape hatch at the bottom. Make sure all hatches are locked into position properly!”
“Smoke? Brakes? Steering? Bridges? Remember, the tank is wide!”
“Fold the antennas down if you need to pass under power lines. No hitchhiking!”
“Keep an eye on the warning lights.
Do you need a convoy with warning vehicles before and after you?
Ensure free space behind the tank before reversing.”
“Do not drive the tank with the suspension lowered, it damages the elevation system and you risk losing a track.
Listen to the tank - no weird noises!”
“Use a guide in narrow passages, when loading the tank onto rail cars, and in garage areas.
When working on the tracks and underneath the tank, use protective gloves and glasses.”
“Break time? Check the tracks! Pads, pins, etc.”
“On a long break, check fluid levels (oil, fuel, coolant). WARNING! Coolant can be very hot, do not open coolant system if the temperature exceeds 95 degrees Celsius!”
“Driving across ditches: go straight across ditches no more than 3.5 meters wide. Wider ditches, go about 30 degrees diagonally.
When driving backwards, adapt your speed to the visibility. Elevate the tank if necessary so the rear driver can see the ground, but remember to depress if there are obstacles, or you risk damaging the magazine.”
“Risk of oversteering when doing clutch-brake turns on slippery surfaces. Use polygon steering.”
“Turbine technique:
- Idle for three minutes before turning it off, but no longer than 15 minutes - you risk coking it up!
- “High power” mode wears the turbine, use when stuck or when crossing obstacles.
- Avoid dust, keep distance between tanks when driving in column
- Protect the turbine air intakes and exhausts from getting blocked in winter - careful with snow falling from trees!
- Do not start the turbine indoors (garage or equivalent)
Remember, it takes time to spin up - throttle up in time!”
“After driving, check suspension ride height and track tension. Turn off main breaker. Close protective hatches for sights and cupolas.”
“At the end of the day - report problems!”
“Pre-firing checklist”
“Check the firing circuits. Check the hydraulic recoil damper.”
“Grease the gun mechanism. Check the smoke grenade launchers.”
“Machine gun checklist”
“Check the locks for the 5-round manual loading magazine (smoke rounds). Check the ventilation hatch. Make sure the ammo type switch matches what you’ve loaded into the magazines. Check that the gun rammer is in the downward position.”
“Re-zero the gun if you’ve switched sighting parts or if either the gun or the sights have been disturbed by external factors.
Gun should be zeroed to either 1000 or 1500 meters!”
“Hatches closed
Breech open
Load a round
FIREEEEEEE!”
“During pauses in firing - switch machine gun barrels if more than 500 rounds have been fired in sequence
After firing - secure!
Clean the gun mechanism carefully!”
“Clean the gun barrel and the chamber.
Report problems! Do not forget the maintenance log!”
“End of day procedures”
“you locked the hatch, right…?”
(Completely off topic from this, I think it’s interesting Gaijin doesn’t model the Strv 103-0/A tracks with the rubber pads (similar to the Bkan 1C) also on the note of the Bkan 1C, there is a handbook similar to this one over the Bkan instead of the Strv.)