±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 1
Visitors: 340
Total: 341
Who Is Where:
 Members:
01: wheelsup_cavu > Community Forums
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Community Forums
03: Home
04: Community Forums
05: Photo Gallery
06: Community Forums
07: Home
08: Community Forums
09: Photo Gallery
10: Downloads
11: Community Forums
12: Community Forums
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Downloads
16: Community Forums
17: Community Forums
18: Home
19: Downloads
20: Community Forums
21: Member Screenshots
22: Photo Gallery
23: Downloads
24: Community Forums
25: Home
26: Member Screenshots
27: News Archive
28: Community Forums
29: Member Screenshots
30: Home
31: Community Forums
32: Photo Gallery
33: Home
34: Home
35: Home
36: Home
37: Home
38: Community Forums
39: Home
40: Home
41: Home
42: Member Screenshots
43: Community Forums
44: Home
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Community Forums
48: Photo Gallery
49: Photo Gallery
50: Member Screenshots
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Downloads
54: Community Forums
55: Photo Gallery
56: Downloads
57: Home
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Home
61: Member Screenshots
62: Home
63: Home
64: Community Forums
65: Downloads
66: Community Forums
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: News Archive
70: Downloads
71: Member Screenshots
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Home
75: Member Screenshots
76: Home
77: Photo Gallery
78: Member Screenshots
79: Home
80: Community Forums
81: Home
82: Home
83: Member Screenshots
84: Member Screenshots
85: News Archive
86: Home
87: Statistics
88: Community Forums
89: Home
90: Home
91: Community Forums
92: Home
93: Downloads
94: Member Screenshots
95: Community Forums
96: Home
97: Home
98: Community Forums
99: News Archive
100: Photo Gallery
101: Your Account
102: News
103: Home
104: Photo Gallery
105: Downloads
106: Member Screenshots
107: Community Forums
108: News Archive
109: Community Forums
110: Member Screenshots
111: Community Forums
112: Supporters
113: Member Screenshots
114: Home
115: Member Screenshots
116: Community Forums
117: Home
118: Member Screenshots
119: Photo Gallery
120: Photo Gallery
121: Community Forums
122: Home
123: Your Account
124: Home
125: Downloads
126: Member Screenshots
127: Photo Gallery
128: Community Forums
129: Home
130: Home
131: Community Forums
132: Photo Gallery
133: Home
134: Photo Gallery
135: Home
136: Photo Gallery
137: Home
138: Photo Gallery
139: Downloads
140: Home
141: Community Forums
142: Member Screenshots
143: Community Forums
144: Home
145: Home
146: Member Screenshots
147: Community Forums
148: Home
149: Community Forums
150: Home
151: Home
152: Photo Gallery
153: Photo Gallery
154: Home
155: Community Forums
156: Home
157: Home
158: Member Screenshots
159: Community Forums
160: Your Account
161: Home
162: Home
163: Community Forums
164: Downloads
165: Community Forums
166: Home
167: Home
168: Photo Gallery
169: Home
170: Community Forums
171: Community Forums
172: Home
173: Home
174: Community Forums
175: Member Screenshots
176: Home
177: Home
178: Downloads
179: Member Screenshots
180: Member Screenshots
181: Community Forums
182: Your Account
183: Community Forums
184: Home
185: Photo Gallery
186: Home
187: Home
188: Photo Gallery
189: Community Forums
190: Home
191: Photo Gallery
192: Community Forums
193: Community Forums
194: Home
195: Member Screenshots
196: Photo Gallery
197: Member Screenshots
198: Photo Gallery
199: Home
200: Home
201: Home
202: Home
203: Community Forums
204: Home
205: Community Forums
206: Home
207: Downloads
208: Downloads
209: Member Screenshots
210: Home
211: Member Screenshots
212: Photo Gallery
213: Home
214: Community Forums
215: Home
216: Photo Gallery
217: Photo Gallery
218: Home
219: Community Forums
220: Home
221: Photo Gallery
222: Home
223: Community Forums
224: Home
225: Downloads
226: Member Screenshots
227: Photo Gallery
228: Member Screenshots
229: Community Forums
230: Home
231: Home
232: Downloads
233: Member Screenshots
234: Community Forums
235: Member Screenshots
236: Home
237: Home
238: Member Screenshots
239: Community Forums
240: Downloads
241: Home
242: Home
243: Home
244: Home
245: Home
246: Home
247: Community Forums
248: Home
249: Home
250: Home
251: Home
252: Community Forums
253: Home
254: Home
255: Home
256: Home
257: Home
258: Community Forums
259: Home
260: Community Forums
261: Home
262: Home
263: Community Forums
264: Home
265: Home
266: Home
267: Member Screenshots
268: Home
269: Community Forums
270: Community Forums
271: Member Screenshots
272: Home
273: Member Screenshots
274: Home
275: Community Forums
276: Community Forums
277: News Archive
278: Community Forums
279: Community Forums
280: Home
281: Home
282: Community Forums
283: Home
284: Statistics
285: Downloads
286: Member Screenshots
287: Home
288: Downloads
289: Member Screenshots
290: Home
291: Community Forums
292: Photo Gallery
293: Home
294: Community Forums
295: Home
296: Community Forums
297: Photo Gallery
298: Home
299: Home
300: Home
301: Downloads
302: Home
303: Community Forums
304: Community Forums
305: Home
306: Home
307: Member Screenshots
308: Home
309: Home
310: Home
311: Home
312: Home
313: Home
314: Community Forums
315: Member Screenshots
316: Home
317: Home
318: Home
319: Photo Gallery
320: Home
321: Home
322: Community Forums
323: Home
324: Member Screenshots
325: Member Screenshots
326: Downloads
327: Home
328: Member Screenshots
329: Community Forums
330: Home
331: Photo Gallery
332: Community Forums
333: Photo Gallery
334: Home
335: Home
336: Photo Gallery
337: Home
338: Home
339: Downloads
340: Home

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
M48 Variant. Unknown.
The AFV ASSOCIATION was formed in 1964 to support the thoughts and research of all those interested in Armored Fighting Vehicles and related topics, such as AFV drawings. The emphasis has always been on sharing information and communicating with other members of similar interests; e.g. German armor, Japanese AFVs, or whatever.
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board

View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Rick_Eshleman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 26, 2011
Posts: 909
Location: Lewes, Delaware, USA
PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 11:30 pm
Post subject: M48 Variant. Unknown.

In 1986 I was escorted in the Restricted Area, "Behind the Fence" and allowed to photograph most items there. Does anyone have an idea what this M48 variant was intended for? Thanks. Rick
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail AIM Address Photo Gallery
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:09 am
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

What the heck????!!!

_________________
"TUMBLEWEED"
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Photo Gallery
Rick_Eshleman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 26, 2011
Posts: 909
Location: Lewes, Delaware, USA
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 12:17 am
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

Note the driver hatch, hydraulic part welded to it. Here's a few more views.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail AIM Address Photo Gallery
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 4:00 am
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

That is Bizarre!!

I'm clueless

Regards
Don
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 5:03 am
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

Well, going at it systematically...it has stabilizing feet attached to a rectangular box that is itself attached to a tank. It is meant to be lowered from the position we see it in now. It has numerous points of attachment to the top of the "box" and shielding for the crew (maybe just a driver) in the former turret ring area. Something nasty was to happen forward of the vehicle that would affect stability. What are we missing that mounts to that box? Missile launch?, charges?, crane? Maybe something to approach and fight oil well fires with explosives? Would be nice to know what the rest of the rig is supposed to be.
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Rick_Eshleman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 26, 2011
Posts: 909
Location: Lewes, Delaware, USA
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:32 am
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

I have yet to find what this one of a kind modification was. Robert Lessel was the PAO who escorted me through did not know. It appears to be some form of engineers test rig, and probably doesn't exist any longer.
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail AIM Address Photo Gallery
Joe_D
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: 2068
Location: Razorback Country
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 5:29 pm
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

Thanks Rick,

Now my head hurts.

For what it's worth, the tank chassis is an M48, the picture showing the shield with hydraulic ram and valves also gives you a good view of the drivers hatch, which is the small type indicative of that version.

Remote piloted vehicle looking at the lack of any crew member station visible either on top or by lack of any real access to the drivers position. The big box on the rear could be the actuator system for shift select/steering/accelerator control. Ideal location to access necessary linkage and looks very similar to ones used with mine test vehicles. Interesting that she uses a commercial type APU very similar to what welding rigs use, but doesn't have the generator associated with it. My guess to operate the hydraulic pump by means of a PTO shaft.

"Something nasty" is exactly what I was thinking Doug, but looking at the fittings and all the other accompanying items I don't think it would be blast related, since most of that stuff would get ripped off, especially the outrigger arms, unless they were just designed to keep the box stable when not attached to the tank and were removed when operated. That box, it's shape, and the material it's constructed with are what's intriguing. The steel looks to be at least 3 inches in thickness, which would make sense on the bottom for blast mitigation, but why all around? Looking at the raising/lowering mechanism and it's travel limits based on the hardware and fulcrum points, it looks like it was designed to be lowered below the level of the vehicle and the surface it's on. The other really interesting feature are those huge blocks under it with the channels and the similar curved ones on the sides. Weird. Box looks almost like some sort of sarcophagus. Thinking "Nuke" related from the 50's. Who knows? Just a really strange vehicle obviously designed for a very unique job. Nothing used on it is so out of the ordinary that a well equipped GS/DS shop couldn't acquire through off the shelf Military/Civilian stock and fabricate. Something Aberdeen had lot's of expertise in.

Looking at the mechanics involved, I would guess it was some sort of "delivery/recovery vehicle". Of what is the million dollar question. Had to be dangerous enough to do it remotely.

Thanks Rick for sharing something very, very different. Wow!

_________________
Joe_D
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
sapper141
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 09, 2006
Posts: 46

PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 7:53 pm
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

Ok this one has got me interested as well. Along with what the others have observed, I don't see an operator's position with sections plated
over the turret ring, or antenna mounts for a remote vehicle like the ROBAT or Panther. Now another question to throw in the mix what is with the generator up on the platform?
Seeya


Last edited by sapper141 on Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:27 pm; edited 1 time in total
Back to top
View user's profile
Rick_Eshleman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 26, 2011
Posts: 909
Location: Lewes, Delaware, USA
PostPosted: Tue Oct 23, 2012 9:05 pm
Post subject: Re: M48 Variant. Unknown.

I'm glad this has all of you interested! I had taken those photos years ago and forgot I had them. Somebody should have information on this! I also theorized about "Robotic Nuke Dispenser", "Explosives Disposal", etc. but have yet to find anything on this. By looks of it Early M48 chassis and probably 1950's era modification, it should be totally declassified by now. Any older Aberdeen Scientists or Engineers out there? Rick
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail AIM Address Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Reply to topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  AFV News Discussion Board
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours



Jump to:  


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum