±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: 0
Visitors: 229
Total: 229
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Community Forums
02: Home
03: Community Forums
04: Community Forums
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: Community Forums
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: Community Forums
12: Photo Gallery
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Community Forums
17: Community Forums
18: Community Forums
19: Photo Gallery
20: Home
21: Community Forums
22: Community Forums
23: Photo Gallery
24: Community Forums
25: Community Forums
26: Downloads
27: Photo Gallery
28: Community Forums
29: Your Account
30: Home
31: Photo Gallery
32: Member Screenshots
33: Member Screenshots
34: Photo Gallery
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Home
38: Member Screenshots
39: Community Forums
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Community Forums
43: Community Forums
44: Photo Gallery
45: Home
46: Community Forums
47: Community Forums
48: Member Screenshots
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Photo Gallery
52: Member Screenshots
53: Home
54: Community Forums
55: Home
56: Community Forums
57: Home
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Community Forums
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Home
64: Community Forums
65: Your Account
66: Home
67: Community Forums
68: Home
69: Community Forums
70: Community Forums
71: Photo Gallery
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Photo Gallery
75: Community Forums
76: Home
77: Community Forums
78: Community Forums
79: Community Forums
80: Community Forums
81: Community Forums
82: Home
83: Member Screenshots
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Home
87: Home
88: Home
89: Community Forums
90: Home
91: Downloads
92: Community Forums
93: Home
94: Community Forums
95: Community Forums
96: Photo Gallery
97: Community Forums
98: Downloads
99: Community Forums
100: Photo Gallery
101: News Archive
102: Home
103: Home
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Member Screenshots
110: Member Screenshots
111: Member Screenshots
112: Member Screenshots
113: Downloads
114: Home
115: Community Forums
116: Community Forums
117: Your Account
118: Home
119: Community Forums
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: Downloads
123: Community Forums
124: Member Screenshots
125: Community Forums
126: Community Forums
127: Community Forums
128: Home
129: Community Forums
130: Photo Gallery
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Downloads
134: Community Forums
135: Community Forums
136: Community Forums
137: Home
138: Community Forums
139: Home
140: Community Forums
141: Community Forums
142: Community Forums
143: Community Forums
144: Community Forums
145: Home
146: Community Forums
147: Community Forums
148: Member Screenshots
149: Photo Gallery
150: Community Forums
151: Community Forums
152: Community Forums
153: Home
154: Member Screenshots
155: Member Screenshots
156: Photo Gallery
157: Community Forums
158: Community Forums
159: Home
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Community Forums
163: Community Forums
164: Home
165: Home
166: Member Screenshots
167: Community Forums
168: Community Forums
169: Community Forums
170: News
171: Community Forums
172: Member Screenshots
173: Community Forums
174: Member Screenshots
175: Home
176: Community Forums
177: Photo Gallery
178: Community Forums
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Member Screenshots
182: Community Forums
183: Member Screenshots
184: News Archive
185: Home
186: Photo Gallery
187: Community Forums
188: Home
189: Community Forums
190: Community Forums
191: Home
192: Photo Gallery
193: Community Forums
194: News
195: Community Forums
196: Community Forums
197: Home
198: Member Screenshots
199: Community Forums
200: Community Forums
201: Home
202: Home
203: Member Screenshots
204: Community Forums
205: Home
206: Community Forums
207: Home
208: Home
209: Downloads
210: Community Forums
211: Community Forums
212: Home
213: Home
214: Home
215: Community Forums
216: Community Forums
217: News
218: Community Forums
219: Home
220: Community Forums
221: Community Forums
222: Community Forums
223: Community Forums
224: Home
225: Home
226: News Archive
227: Community Forums
228: Community Forums
229: Community Forums

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: 2067
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