Com-Central.net

JiriTintera

Dear Sirs,
please specify the type and name of the vehicle. I found the photo on the Russian forum, without any explanation. I suppose the author of the photograph is colleague Dontos.

vif2ne.ru/nvk/forum/fi...tb_007.jpg

P. S.
I do not know why he does not want to see photos!

Dontos

That is a photo I took several years ago of the M1A1 TTB, when it was in Richardson Motor Pool at Ft Knox.

It is based on the M1A1 but has a 3 man crew positioned in the hull and the turret is strictly the 120mm main gun feed by an autoloader.

It was an experimental test bed vehicle from the mid 90's that was literally left in the motor pool when the Army cancelled the program.

It is currently at Ft Benning

Regards
Don

Dontos

BTW The photo view is standing on the back deck looking forward.

Here is a frontal view of the TTB:

Regards
Don

Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Dontos! Hi Folks!

Is the TC and Gunner positions in the hull next to the driver?

Sgt, Scouts out!

Costas_TT · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 15, 2012 Posts: 387

On either side, in fact.

JiriTintera

Dear Friends,
warm thanks to all.

Dontos

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Dontos! Hi Folks!

Is the TC and Gunner positions in the hull next to the driver?

Sgt, Scouts out!

The Driver is in the center with the Gunner & Commander to the left and right (Not really sure which is where.)

There are three hatches in the hull for the crew.

Regards
Don

Doug_Kibbey

- Dontos

- Roy_A_Lingle

Hi Dontos! Hi Folks!

Is the TC and Gunner positions in the hull next to the driver?

Sgt, Scouts out!

The Driver is in the center with the Gunner & Commander to the left and right (Not really sure which is where.)

There are three hatches in the hull for the crew.

Regards
Don

Don,

Is this perhaps the vehicle for which the autoloader in Vagabond's Watervliet Arsenal thread was intended? I have my doubts about the prototype autoloader being considered for the M551 (as we know it) based on size and configuration. The gun in that thread appears to be a smoothbore (assuming it's even a real gun...the barrel walls are mighty thin). Then again, the original M1's had L7 105mm rifled guns so I'm perplexed. Might the autoloader pictured in that thread have been intended for either the MBT 70 or an early M concept vehicle?

www.com-central.net/in...mp;t=15030

Dontos

The MBT 70 auto loader is flat and sorta square. We had one in RMP.

As for the autoloader on the TTB,.....I don't think it was removable, ie built into the hull of the vehicle below the turret.

The TTB is a 120mm. Interestingly, the gun/breech is inverted. When you look into the plexiglass on the center of the turret 'roof' the bottom of the breech could plainly be seen.

I took a bunch of photos of the TTB including interior shots, but it appears I lost them with one of my infamous computer crashes back in 2006/2007.

Regards
Don

Dontos

As for any possible references to an autoloader on the M551,.....

Check 'Falkovich' on 'THE LITTLE RED BOX'...(!?) Cool

Regards
Don

Com-Central.net

Select Language

Login

`±`Recent Visitors

`±`User Info-big

Com-Central.net

Select Language

Login

±Recent Visitors

±User Info-big

`±`Recent Visitors

`±`User Info-big