Other than the 8x8 tank trainer...any other AATV use in military?

[George]

Danville! I put a few hundred Sundays before they moved the museum from New York. Now I get down there a few times a year.

I'm due for a visit.

[Tankguy]

Danville! I put a few hundred Sundays before they moved the museum from New York. Now I get down there a few times a year.

I'm due for a visit.

From your description, I was pretty sure about the vehicle/location. There are not many surviving Sheridans (that didn't get gutted at Ft. Irwin for OPFOR vehicles) that I'm not familiar with. For better or worse, the Sheridan has been a part of my life for >forty years. Did Sheridan School, VN with 2/11th ACR, Armor Board to test the first LRF while on active duty. There's a nice one in Charlotte that begs for help, too. AAF's seems to have really sound parts, from my visit with it. I also see why you knew the M60A2 system, I go back with that type, too.

Some assembly required....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...pse2b792ba.jpg

[George]

That's the one! I've seen one in Danbury, CT too. I believe theirs is a runner. The Danbury museum also has an MBT70.

Did you see the Sgt. York at the AAF? That one is pretty cool...not as roomy in the turret as most would think.

[Tankguy]

That's the one! I've seen one in Danbury, CT too. I believe theirs is a runner. The Danbury museum also has an MBT70.

Did you see the Sgt. York at the AAF? That one is pretty cool...not as roomy in the turret as most would think.

The one in Danbury is a little rough, especially the water barrier, but those don't wear well anyway. Most of ours in VN were removed by the jungle, and occasionally the crews (tenting material and otherwise useless). Typically, they rot out when left outside.
I did not tour the DIVAD, but I know the system as it was the Board President, my boss, the late Col. John Berres that conceived it. Since the Army chose to mount it on an M48 chassis, it was obsolete at introduction, since it couldn't keep up with the forces it was intended to support. Most of the weapon system was automated, so not much space for the crew. MANPADS made concepts like mounted AAA quickly obsolescent, anyway.

I've viewed several MBT70's, some of which are much nicer than the Danbury example. Currently, however, they are not accessable to the public since the Patton Museum at Knox and the APG vehicles have been relocated under BRAC and are tucked away until heaven-knows-when. This project had just been killed when I reported to the Armor Board...ergo the introduction of the already built M60A2's, to everyone's regret.

[Tankguy]

Hey TG,

My favorite tank to drive is the 1st generation M60 (not even an a1). The museum has an M551 that I'd love to take for a spin but it's all apart for a restoration and it may never get reassembled.

I hope someday you get that Sheridan drive you want. It was THE sports car of AFV's until the superpowered M1's and Leo 2's and such came out. Prior that, only the lightweight tank destroyers of WWII (M10-M18-M36) had anything like the performance of a Sheridan (or course, they had very narrow tracks and poor protection so had to be quick). The Sheridan had, as I recall, a 4-Sp semi-automatic transmission and the Detroit Diesel 6V-53T (the "T" for turbocharged, essentially the same engine as a Greyhound bus or an M113 but with a forced induction). Typically around 300H.P. in best form. This engine is now installed in M113A3's and it makes a world of difference. A Sheridan in proper shape and tune (not the OPFOR mules they beat to death at NTC) was a kick to flog around an unsupervised area. Spinning donuts, the works. Hottest thing on tracks for it's day. The only thing better than driving tanks is shooting them, but range time is probably not on your agenda. Sheridan's are awesome to fire, however...I've seen the third road wheel lifted completely off the ground under recoil. It is a religious experience inside the vehicle. There is a nice "conduct of fire" video on Youtube you might enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFGhY88hOnI

Some nice recoil shots, in slo-mo here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NurGf1zkEB0

[Tankguy]

I'll also ask over at some other specialized forums, and sum up here, but have you guys seen any other uses of AATV's in the military? Other than recreation? Most of my books are packed away, so I can't get to my U.S. military vehicle history books, but I seem to remember there were a few prototypes and test vehicles...but nothing in actual use, other than the 8x8.

My other interest and hobby is historic military vehicles, it'd be great to be able to tie these two hobbies together....

The demands of military operations invariably render commercial vehicles unsuitable for use "as is". By the time you allow for waterproofing, armament and commo gear, one has exceeded civilian requirements by light years/mass (and we won't even get into military procurement "gold plating"). Vehicle with some degree of origin in Real World designs that you can probably find images of with a little Google-fu include: Chenowth Fast Attack or Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (based, roughly, on their established off-road racing designs), the AAI "Barr Car", the "XR-311", the Teledyne Continental Motors FAV and, the USMC experiments with an M151-based FAV Anyone with time on M151 gunjeeps or M151C recoiless rifle jeeps in a combat environment can attest to how unsuitable such an inadequate series of vehicles the M151s were "outside the wire".