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Weapons of WarThe machinery of warfare. Sponsored by Aviation History magazine.
Last 5 man crew tank in the US Army: M-103 Heavy Tank, deployed to Germany with the Army. When the things got dumped to the marines they stayed in the states and were deployed to lebanon.
Last 5 man crew tank in the US Army: M-103 Heavy Tank, deployed to Germany with the Army. When the things got dumped to the marines they stayed in the states and were deployed to lebanon.
Fred,
You had to have "googled" this question. It took me 30 minutes to find this inforamtion at the Armor School Library a very long time ago.
__________________
Kevin Kenneally
Masters from a school of "hard knocks"
Member of a Ph.D. Society (Post hole. Digger)
I googled it to make sure I was right. Just typed in M-103 heavy tank and confirmed it had a 5 man crew. I knew the deployment history of it. I did some research on it some years ago.
In 1988, I found a total of 12 of these vehicles in the training areas and on the LAW ranges aT Fort Drum NY. When i went to Fort Knox in 1992, I satisfied my curiousity and investigated this vehicle.
Fred, you are correct.
__________________
Kevin Kenneally
Masters from a school of "hard knocks"
Member of a Ph.D. Society (Post hole. Digger)
Today I found a Training Manual for the Medium and Heavy Tank Battalions of the 1950s. It is very awesome to see how tank training continued to grow and expand during the threat of a nuclear war.
__________________
Kevin Kenneally
Masters from a school of "hard knocks"
Member of a Ph.D. Society (Post hole. Digger)
Today I found a Training Manual for the Medium and Heavy Tank Battalions of the 1950s. It is very awesome to see how tank training continued to grow and expand during the threat of a nuclear war.
Here's some related questions on the M103 heavy tanks:
1. What was a peculiar feature of the 120mm Ammuniton for the M58 gun of the M103 Heavy Tank that the US Army did not like?
2. What was the designation of the first US test tank that had a 120mm gun that preceded the M103?
Answer to question #1. The warhead and powder charge were two seperate pieces loaded into the gun, hence two loaders. Powder bags were normally kept on the right side of the turret and under the gunners location in the hull. The warheads HE, were kept along the hull wall and under the floor on the left side. I actually climbed into a turret and that is what the little labels still explained.
Now as for #2, Unknown.
__________________
Kevin Kenneally
Masters from a school of "hard knocks"
Member of a Ph.D. Society (Post hole. Digger)
Answer to question #1. The warhead and powder charge were two seperate pieces loaded into the gun, hence two loaders. Powder bags were normally kept on the right side of the turret and under the gunners location in the hull. The warheads HE, were kept along the hull wall and under the floor on the left side. I actually climbed into a turret and that is what the little labels still explained.
Correct! I From what I have read, the Army did not like this two piece ammunition at all as it slowed down the RoF of the gunner significantly.
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