Tank Question

[panzerfuehrer]

ID Shooting has got it right. Layout and crew positions, as well as replacement procedures for missing crew were the same in the M48 and M60 series tanks. For personal weapons, each individual carried a 1911, and there were two M3 SMG's per vehicle. We actually had two separate MOS's for drivers (19F), and loader/gunners (19E).

My last command was M60A3, and there was a large cupola on top of the turret, which housed the M85, an electrically-fired .50 MG. Fun to shoot, runs out of ammo quickly, and combat reloads just ain't happening. Hated the cupola, because it added to the profile of an already-too-tall vehicle, and seemed more like a large target than some small protection against small-arms fire. Still, it was a decent tank, although I started out in M48's, and hold a special spot for them. Wish we could have had the TTS and LR in the 48 - now that would have been a great rig.

Pf - 19EB830H....long ago and far away

 

[Battlespace]

M8 Armored Gun System

Most everyone here got it right. However the Army recently purchased four M8 AGS for the 82nd Airborne. These vehicles have a 105mm main gun and a crew of three. They do come with an auto loader. United Defense Limited Production (UDLP) assembled eight of them while the contract was still active. These four and another with a 120mm gun on it still existed. Although they are not technically a tank I thought it should be mentioned that we do have an autoloader in a fielded armored vehicle. The AGS program was canceled due to funding, but is being relooked closely as the Stryker Mobile Gun System (MGS) has some major problems.