Any tank nuts here? WW1, WW2 Korea, Vietnam?

[mutt71]

The Germans were about technology. When they Built their tanks. When they started using Prisoners to build them, there were many, many instances of poor quality work, or intentionally shoddy work, intended for the Tanks to break down after a few miles.

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At one time, years ago, I had a 1950 Cadillac M-42 "Duster". It had a Cadillac engine, an open turret housing dual 40MM Cannon for Antiaircraft, as well as ground targets. She was a beast, used gas like no one's business. When I got it, it had been arsenal rebuilt and had less than 100 hours on it, since that rebuild. I also had access to and driven a Czech OT-810 APC. It was built Post WWI by the Czech's using production equipment captured from the German's who had used it to produce the Sdkfz. 251 series. The OT 810 used a totally different engine and there were other differences as well. The Re-enactment group I was part of bought and imported it, and converted it to look more like the 251. I had a LOT of fun driving and maintaining these two vehicles.

 

[Canyon707]

Is that place still in existance? I thought he died and all the tanks were auctioned off.

 

[Richard Cranium]

IIR Chrysler built mainly tanks / tank engines while some of the other auto manufacturers build planes, engines, etc. Don't recall all the details but the Chrysler corp was mainly into helping out with the tank production again if memory serves.

Chrysler tank engine....

 

[SlinktRR]

The Germans were about technology. When they Built their tanks. When they started using Prisoners to build them, there were many, many instances of poor quality work, or intentionally shoddy work, intended for the Tanks to break down after a few miles.

The germans had a tendency to overengineer their tanks which was one reason why they could win tactically but strategically they couldn't make the production numbers they needed, despite slave labor and albert speer's administrative abilities. The tanks broke down on their own merits, too heavy and usually underpowered drivetrains for the weight especially the 70 tonners. One look at a maus or jagdtiger shows the extreme to which the reich squandered their armaments industry. The good thing was that it made the war end quicker and the designs they built were cool for scale modelers to replicate in plastic.

It's nice to see these old beasts running though. Kubinka in Russia has a Panther G that is in full running condition and the bovington museum in the UK has the tiger I captured in Tunisia restored. The tiger was in the fury movie. Bovington has a whole series of videos on the tiger on youtube demonstrating how it is maintained and operated.

 

[Pops1967GTX]

 

[snakeyes]

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[steve from staten island]

I started out as driver and at times loader on a M48 which had a gasoline engine,later on we had M60's. Thanks for a great thread

 

[snakeyes]

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Steve this is for you [video]https://youtu.be/csOFJncNn3I[/video]

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[video]https://youtu.be/A0IIzJShA_U[/video]

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[video]https://youtu.be/SAQQ7kdqmlU[/video]

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[video]http://www.guns.com/2013/04/19/want-to-buy-a-tank/[/video]

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Awesome thread !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's a few pictures I recently found of "yours truly".....................

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Back in the day. Started out as a loader in a M-60A1

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Here's another one of the tanks I crewed. I logged over 2,000 miles behind the "T" bar.

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That's me second from the left...............

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Here is me on my very FIRST run going down range as a TC. Our weapons were still cleared here, that's why the green flag was flying.

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I have a BUNCH more that I still need to scan and upload in the computer. Shortly after this last picture we got the "Brand New" M1-A1's with the 120 MM smooth bore.

It was like going from a Duster to a Hemi Challenger R/T - SE...................

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Lastly a few pictures of a model (that I still have to finish) painted up EXACTLY as one of the tanks I was in. I used old photos to duplicate the camouflage scheme.

 

[Cordobaleather]

Hey I have a question for you guys. My father was in the army around 62' 63'. He was a tank mechanic. He used to tell me stories about how they used shermons as "tow trucks." But what I'm not certain is what tanks would he have been working on (what was the main tank of that time era)?

 

[Pops1967GTX]

“a full tank please!”

 

[snakeyes]

your father most likely worked on a mix of armored vehicles from WWll ,Korea and Viet Nam. I will post some photos later .

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Front line armor was the M-48 (probably an A2 gas powered version still with the 90MM main gun) But there were still plenty of M-47's, M-46's and I wouldn't doubt if a few WW2 vintage M-4 Sherman's with the HVVS suspension were still around.

The M-60 like I spent most of my time in were just coming off the production lines then and they used an M-48 style turret back then. I'll try to help snake eyes out with some photos in a little while if I can..........

Got some good home made chili calling me right now.

Hope this helps,
Louis

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PS, there may even have been some M-26 Pershing's floating around too. Most of them were converted to the M-46 "Patton" series though. The main difference was the drive line and rear deck.

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Cool pic of an Israeli "Merkava" Pops !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Here are some pictures that may answer your questions about which tanks your Dad may have worked on.

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This is a WW2 era M-4 Sherman. These were all probably used as targets by the time your dad served. This one has what they called VVSS. It stood for Vertical Volute Spring Suspension. It referred to what type of spring was used on the suspension and the way it was mounted which was vertical.

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This one is also considered a Sherman but it incorporates a lot of upgrades including the new suspension which was called HVSS which stood for Horizontal Volute Spring Suspension indicating the style and position of the springs. This later model had numerous changes including a newer style turret to house the larger 76MM main gun and wet storage for the main gun rounds. Early on they found out that spalling from a hit would create a fire inside the tank which almost immediately caused the ammo to cook off. It also used a new type of track and a different engine and transmission.

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These may have been around when your Dad was in the Army.

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This is a Korean War M-26 Pershing. This tank was introduced near the end of WW2. Later on some of them were upgraded to M-46 Patton standards.

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This is a M-46 Patton. You have to really know your tanks to tell them apart from a Pershing.

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This is a M-47

It's a totally new tank. It has a different hull and turret. But it still shared a lot of parts with the earlier mark tanks.

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This is a M-48 A1 or A2 version. Up until now all US tanks were gasoline powered. This one still has a 90 MM main gun. This tank also had a major change in the hull and turret. Starting with the M-47 the crew was reduced from 5 to a 4 man crew. They eliminated the Bog gunner who sat next to the driver in the hull on the passenger side so to say. Starting with the 47 the driver sat centered in the middle and it remains that way today.

This was the front line main battle tank when your dad served.

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This one is a M-48A5. By now it has a 120MM main gun and a Diesel engine. This tank looks like it might be in Vietnam when the photo was taken.

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Take that back. This one still has a 90MM on it. Sorry. The 120 came later. You can look at the muzzle break and tell what size main gun it has.

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This one is an early M-60. It still has the M-48 style turret. It looks like an upside down tea cup. These tanks also had a really small escape hatch which was later changed to a larger oval style.

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Here is a later M-60 like the type I spent most of my time in. Notice the different turret. The later tanks had add on stabilization and thermal sights, plus some other stuff but I don't want to bore you with details.

Hope this helps to answer your question about which tanks he could have worked on.

 

[mutt71]

The Collings Foundation has acquired the collection and did an auction of excess vehicles and parts last year. They erecting a building to house them for display purposes.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

You're referring to the Littlefield collection ???? If so it's good news to hear the Collings Foundation ended up with the collection. They send a LOT of work down here to a place called "American Aero Services" in New Smyrna. Even though they primarily focus on aircraft, a few years ago they restored a few 88MM guns and German search lights for a customer. I was able to snap a few photos of them. They also did a Russian T-34 and a V-2 rocket, but I still have to find those photos........

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Here is what the V-2 looked like...........................

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These guys rock !!!!!!!!!!!! Still looking for the T-34 pics, sorry...................

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[Pops1967GTX]

French WWI Single-Man Tank - Popular Science, May 1917

 

[Pops1967GTX]

 

[Pops1967GTX]

What?!!! Yes a nuclear tank

Chrysler TV-8 an experimental nuclear powered medium tank

A experimental nuclear powered medium tank. built to be amphibious and able to take a direct hit from a 105mm artillery round. Not too much is known about this tank. but its design disabled its ability to rotate the main turret.

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/military-vehicle-news/what-yes-a-nuclear-tank-chrysler-tv-8.html

 

[71airgrabberRR]

With all of the rain (at least it's not SNOW) we have been getting over the last few days, I haven't done anything out in the shop. Things will "flash rust" really quick if you don't treat the metal or paint it.

So I have been using the time to finish up one of my other favorite pass times: Plastic model building. I mainly build Aircraft and Tanks.

Here are some pictures of it. It's a WW2 German late war Panther G.

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Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!