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#1: M48A2 AVLB Author: MarkHolloway, Location: Beatty, Nevada

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:34 am
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At work there's an M48A2 AVLB (Bridge). Were these diesels? The power plant has been removed. I was surprised there were any around this old. Looks like it came from the 30th Armor Brigade. I think that may be North Carolina National Guard.

#2: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:47 am
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- MarkHolloway

At work there's an M48A2 AVLB (Bridge). Were these diesels? The power plant has been removed. I was surprised there were any around this old. Looks like it came from the 30th Armor Brigade. I think that may be North Carolina National Guard.

M48A2's were gassers, but don't know for sure about AVLB's. Were they converted?

#3: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: Neil_Baumgardner, Location: Arlington, VA

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:12 am
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BTW Mark, any vehicles on static displays on-post? Even if you cant take pictures, just the info would be good - ie for the register.

Neil

#4: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: SFC_Jeff_Button, Location: Ft Hood, TX

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:17 am
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I researched an M48A5 while at Ft Irwin, CA. Here are some stats I found while doing my research;
- 2570 total were built, (2069 converted M48A1's, 501 converted M48A3's, these are tank conversion numbers, actual conversion to M48A5 AVLB's in unknown at this time).
- The M48, M48A1 and M48A2 were all powered by a 12-cylinder petrol engine which developed between 810 and 825 hp at 2,800 rpm, while the M48A3 was powered by a 12-cylinder diesel (AVDS-1790-2A) engine which developed 750 hp at 2,400 rpm, giving the vehicle an increased operational range. In FY78 the US Army requested $20.9 million to convert 136 M48A1 and M48A2 tanks into M48A5 AVLBs.
- weight 63.4 tons, (48.6 tons w/o the bridge)
- 385 gallon fuel tank, (300 mile road range, average of 1.3 mile per gal)
BRIDGE DATA
- length 63FT
- max load under "risk" conditions, 70tons
MLC70 bridges are used with M1 chassis, while the MLC60 was used with the M60 and M48 series.

#5: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: Sabot, Location: Kentucky

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:09 am
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By the time I went to AIT as a Combat Engineer Vehicle crewman, there were two basic types of AVLB. One based on the M60 chassis and the other on the M48. We trained on the M60 at Leavenworth, but my National Guard unit had the M48A5 AVLB. All were diesel.

#6: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: MarkHolloway, Location: Beatty, Nevada

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:40 pm
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Neil, The only static display is an old V-100 Armored car just outside the gat. Are you interested in this? I can take pix of it too.

#7: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: SFC_Jeff_Button, Location: Ft Hood, TX

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 2:45 am
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Tumbleweed, this M48A5 sat in front of the 58th ENG motor pool when I left Ft Irwin, CA in June 06. This picture was taken 6 Dec 2005. This AVLB was a "runner" at the time. It was driven into place and then expanded its bridge section out to this position. It was even moved once and gone for roughly a week before reappearing. The data plate might be hard to read, but it's serial number was A1B072, reg number was JZ002H. First acceptance of M48A5's was October 1975.

#8: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: MarkHolloway, Location: Beatty, Nevada

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:06 pm
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Interesting, Jeff. All of our M48 series bridges start with serial number "A2****". So, since 'your' bridge has the 5 support rollers I wonder if it was built from an 'A1' chassis and the ones we have here (with 3 support rollers) was built from an A2? Would make sense. We have some M60A1 AVLB's and they just have a 3-didget number.

#9: Re: M48A2 AVLB Author: Joe_D, Location: Razorback Country

Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 6:44 pm
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Hi 'Weed, Jeff, Rob,
From what I recall the M48 AVLB series were made from old A3/A5 hulls which originally were M48/48A1's converted. They also took some old M48A2 and A2C hulls to make AVLB's and while doing that changed them to diesels. We had some of those in Korea. The give a way was the support rollers, 3 were from A2/A2C's and 5 from A3/A5 hulls.

Joe D

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