Weirton WV T95

[bsmart]

Since I was looking through old photos today I decided to pull some other oldies out that I don't think we've seen in a while







These are from several years ago. I need to go back and check on this one again soon.

[Dontos]

Whats up with the rear deck??

Quite different from the McCoy T95...



Neils 'mystery' vehicle...

Don

[bsmart]

I think one of the times we talked about this vehicle it was reported that it had been used for engine testing. I suspect the metal on the aft end isjust sheet metal used to cover the hole where they removed the engine pack.

[Neil_Baumgardner]

Four T95s (specifically T95E8s converted from earlier T95 hulls) were fitted with AVDS-1100 and LVDS-1100 diesel engines. Earlier T95s had Continental AOI-1195-5 engines.

This makes the Wierton WV T95 one of four possible models:

9B1043: First pilot T95, sent to APG, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no. 4
9B1044: Second pilot T95, sent to Knox, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no 7
9B1047: T95E1 pilot, sent to APG, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no. 5.
9B1051: Second pilot T95E3, sent to Knox, later converted to a T95E8 and then fitted with a variable height suspension and M60E2 turret - chassis no. 6. Most likely the one at Fort Knox.

So we can probably eliminate chassis no 6 / 9B1051...

Unfortunately, its hard to narrow it down much further. According to Haugh / Duplessis, "At least some of the T9E8s [sic] were at first fitted with the M48 90mm cannon armed turret, but these were later replaced by a variety of turrets on each of the hulls." Haugh / Duplessis earlier stated that chassis no. 5 / 9B1047 was fitted an M48A2 turret; and Hunnicutt shows chassis no. 7 / 9B1044 with an M48A2 turret...

As for the odd, tall turret ring on the Wierton T95 - no idea... It doesnt look like chassis no. 7 / 9B1044 had such a turret ring.... But with the turret changes indicated by Haugh / Duplessis, its hard to be certain what changes might have happened to any particular hull...

This info is from Hunnicutt Abrams, p. 93-95; and "An Idea Too Early for Its Time: The US Army T95 Medium/Heavy Tank Series" by David R. Haugh and Michael Duplessis in the November 1999 issue of the Journal of Military Ordnance:

9B1043: First pilot T95, sent to APG, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no. 4
9B1044: Second pilot T95, sent to Knox, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no 7
9B1045: Third pilot T95, sent to APG - chassis no 8
9B1046: Fourth pilot T95, retained at Detroit, later fitted with variable height suspension and Integrated Fighting Compartment turret - chassis no 9. Turret later transferred to Ford Aeroneutronics for use in Shillelagh testing.
9B1047: T95E1 pilot, sent to APG, later converted to a T95E8 - chassis no. 5.
9B1048: First pilot T95E2 (M48 turret), sent to APG, later converted to a T95E5 - chassis no. 1
9B1049: Second pilot T95E2 (M48 turret), sent to Knox - chassis no. 3, Could be the one at Fort McCoy, WI.
9B1050: First pilot T95E3, sent to Yuma, later converted to a T95E8 and then fitted with a variable height suspension, now range target at Camp Grayling, MI? - aka chassis no. 2
9B1051: Second pilot T95E3, sent to Knox, later converted to a T95E8 and then fitted with a variable height suspension and M60E2 turret - chassis no. 6. Most likely the one at Fort Knox.
9B1052: T95E8, tested at Yuma, later fitted with an Integrated Fighting Compartment turret armed with a 120mm Delta gun
9B1053: T95E8
9B1054: T95E8
9B1055: T95E8, tested at Detroit Tank Arsenal
9B2027: T118 Combat Engineer Vehicle variant, later fitted with a variable height suspension and M48 turret.
9B2028: T118 CEV
9B2029: T118 CEV
9B2030: T95 built for, but not fitted with AVLB. Later fitted with a friction/hydropneumatic variable height suspension and M48 turret at APG. Apparently later fitted with M60E2 turret. Now in storage at Anniston Army Depot.

That should leave:

1 vanilla T95 (9B1045)
1 T95 with a variable height suspension and with unknown turret in final configuration (9B1046). Formerly had the Integrated Fighting Compartment turret.
1 T95/former T118 with an M48 turret and variable height suspension (9B2027)
1 T95 with an M60E2 turret and friction/hydropneumatic variable height suspension (9B2030)
1 T95E2 with an M48 turret (9B1049). Almost certainly the one at Fort McCoy, WI.
1 T95E5 with an M48 turret and a 105mm gun (9B1048)
3 converted T95E8s with AVDS/LVDS-1100 diesel engines and "various turrets" (9B1043, 9B1044, 9B1047). One is at Wierton, WV.
1 T95E8 with a Ford diesel engine, an Integrated Fighting Compartment turret and 120mm Delta gun (9B1052)
3 other T95E8s with Ford diesel engines and "various turrets" (9B1053, 9B1054, 9B1055)
1 stripped down T95E8 with variable height suspension at Camp Grayling (9B1050)
1 converted T95E8 / T95'E13' with a diesel engine, mockup M60E2 turret and variable height suspension (9B1051) at Fort Knox.
2 T118 CEVs (9B2028 & 9B2029)

Additionally, two T95E6 pilot hulls (chassis no. 10 & 11) were completed with siliceous-core armor. However the T95E6 project was cancelled before turrets were fitted.

Neil

[bsmart]

Neil

Maybe this will help


If I go back I'll look more closely for stampings

[Neil_Baumgardner]

Yeah... That probably indicates it is 9B1047 - chassis no 5. Problem is Haugh / Duplessis and Hunnicutt dont indicate SNs, as opposed to chassis numbers... Normally SNs are sequential along with the RNs, but the T95 chassis numbers arent (chassis number 4 being the first one for example)... But 9B1047 is the fifth T95, which should make it SN 5 (as well as chassis number 5).

Neil

[Dontos]

Here you Are

Ft McCoy T 95 SN Data. Posted this on the old site 'back in the day'.



Wish I could find all my Shelby Photos from 2004/5. Oh well,...

Regards,
Don

[bsmart]

Don -Do you have a similar picture of the one at Ft Knox?

Neil - How many of the T95s do you believe still exist?

[Dontos]

- bsmart

Don -Do you have a similar picture of the one at Ft Knox?

Neil - How many of the T95s do you believe still exist?

No, but I'll see about getting a pic of that.

Don

[Neil_Baumgardner]

- bsmart

Neil - How many of the T95s do you believe still exist?

Four or five - Anniston, Knox, McCoy, Wierton and possibly at Camp Grayling...

Rob Griffon's Chieftain also had a picture of a T95 hull at an unidentified location, and he doesnt know where it came from... Could be the Camp Grayling one I suppose...

Neil

[Neil_Baumgardner]

- Dontos

Here you Are

Ft McCoy T 95 SN Data. Posted this on the old site 'back in the day'.

Assuming a sequential SN numbering (which is normally the case) and disregarding chassis numbers (there was no chassis no. 12), that could make it T95E8 9B1054... I'll need to do more photo comparison, I previously thought it was a lower number hull...

Neil

[bsmart]

I guess I'm a little confused with 'Chassis number'

Also looking at the pictures of Weirton I believe the extended turret ring was installed to allow the turret to clear the higher engine deck. Even looking at the tight pisture Don put in this thread it appears weirton's engine deck is higher than the McCoy engine deck.

Don - do you have a good side shot of McCoy ( I know that's probably a dumb question )

[Neil_Baumgardner]

Haugh / Duplessis and Hunnicutt refer to "chassis numbers" (matched up to RNs) as opposed to serial numbers. But the actual hulls are marked with serial numbers, but not chassis numbers - and they dont seem to line up. T95s are the only type that I have encountered "chassis numbers."

Neil

[Neil_Baumgardner]

BTW, Bob, do you have an address or name of the park, etc for the Wierton T95?

Neil

[bsmart]

Not really. I would guess that it is 'Memorial Park' It is mainly a Vietnam Memorial (has a Cobra, a Morter set up in a firing pit', etc) but also has a large Ships Anchor and some benches/sculptures that appear to be cut from Battleship class steel (I assume pieces from the armor belt of the USS West Virginia but that is only a guess) When I was there it looked like it was just being built or rebuilt, that is one reason I want to go back.

I Google mapped it but the resolution isn't real good. Here is the reference for that
maps.google.com/maps?f...&z=14&om=1

The park is right off the main highway (US 22) (You can see the highway and or exit ramp in a couple of the pictures) I think the cross street is 'Main Street' (shows as State Rt 2 in Google maps)

This was one of my early 'tank hunting' trips. Now I make sure I take a picture of the VFW post sign, park sign or similar location marker along with the tank pictures