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geazergoaler · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 16, 2008 Posts: 15

Hello! And sorry to be away for so long -

I am planning an article on the M901 ITV vehicle and want to find some help from troopers with first hand experience.

First a few questions:

Hull by FMC in La Jolla California - seems correct but can anyone nail that down? I think that was the primary manufacturing facility in the late 1970s and then 1980s for the M113 progam but certainly welcome to further info.

Power Turret was lifted from the M114A2 - anyone know if these were remanufactured - refurbished or just stripped out and dropped in??

Hammer head launcher assembly - Emerson Electric - anyone know where these sub assemblies were built up??

Also greatly welcoming any further info as to the industrial process that created this interesting if somewhat less than capable vehicle. Smile

Thanks Bob

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Well this is quite "unexpected". We actually own 2 M901A1s, 1 in sand, 1 in 3 color. I have done a small article in Military Vehicles Magazine on our Camo vehicle. I was doing research on the M901 but I filed it away to work on the M113 Lynx project.

Here's what I know.

The hull was made bu FMC, I have the dataplates to confirm that. I do not believe it has where it was made but I will look.

Lingle has confirmed to me that M114A2 turrets were used. I attempted to Contact Emerson Electric about it (Now "Emerson") with no luck. They now nothing about the vehicle.

I have been trying to break the ice with BAE so hopefully they will eventually send me M901 or Lynx photos. Slow process so far.

I am going to be a a military show in NJ with 1 of the TOWs till Sunday so I can only be reached at night. It is better if you email me directly at towm901a1 @ icloud.com

Thanks. I hope I can help you.

geazergoaler · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 16, 2008 Posts: 15

Hi!

Spent some time researching the California connection for FMC and the M901 - it appears as though the factory for all M113 variants was at Santa Clara - although occasionally articles say San Jose - the two towns abut so I think that is where the location confusion comes from. When FMC sold the business off, manufacturing ended and the factory was eventually razed and the land redeveloped as the soccer stadium.

Rick_Eshleman · Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: M901 ITV Article

Bob and Silvio, Just a note that FMC Corp also built M113s at the South Charleston, WV plant from 1961-?. In an article "FMC, East Plant update" December 1998 this is noted. I don't know if M901 was assembled at this plant, but they did make M113s there. The plant has been torn down, and produced hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals prior to shut down. Prior to FMC buying this plant it was called South Charleston Ordnance plant. Rick