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Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:20 am Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Maybe Roy can ID likely attachment points in this closeup of Littlefield's:

Roy_A_Lingle · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:56 am Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

- Doug_Kibbey

Maybe Roy can ID likely attachment points in this closeup of Littlefield's:

Thanks for the photo Doug, let me see if I can do something with it. Smile

What we really need to see is not showing up very well. I was looking at a Tamiya Sheridan before I came to work and the detail is almost totally missing from that kit. I will have to check the newer Academy kit when I get home and check it.

Anyway, start with the 'D' handle that is next to the lifting ring. Between that handle and the lift ring is a line running up the hull. That is the gap between the fixed part of the hull where the ring is and rear engine deck which is removeable. I think you can almost make out some of the bolt heads that run up the right side of that line. The front legs of the rack used the top bolt along the side for that engine deck. If I remember right the rear legs used the outside edge bolt of a line of bolts that ran along the bottom of the engine plate.

Another point on how wide the racks where. Go back and look at Doug's photos of G39 and the one where the tanker is refueling the vehicle. Look at the underside of that rack. You can see a cross brace set in from the outside edge some. That brace is what the legs where welded to. I have no idea how high the rack was off the hull. I just remember it was high enough to remove the shovel from it's storage rack.

The type of rack I have been talking about is, AFAIK, a 11th ACR rack only. I have not seen any photos or saw any Sheridans from other units in the RVN with this type of rack.

Also a note about the exhuast pipe that is seen in the refueling photo. That is a powder bag tube from 155 mm ammo. Very easy to get from the Squadron howitzer batteries. Without that extendion, the diesel fumes would get all over the water cans, C-rations boxs, and the personel 20 mm ammo cans.

Note about the 20mm cans.
I call them 20mm because they were build to hold ammo for the 20mm Vulcan auto cannons. In Vietnam, the Army packed two 750 round belts of 7.62 mm machine gun ammo into those cans along with a lot of card board for issue to helicopter units that used miniguns. We would order that size for our M-60 machine guns. Standard ammo for a M-60 m.g. comes in a 200 round can with two 100 round belts. We use way to much 7.62 to be messing around with only 200 rounds per can. My crew would take the two 750 round belts out along with all the card board. We would break the belts down into 100 rounds each and then lay them back into the cans. With out the card board, we could get 2,000 rounds back in those cans. A lot of other crews did that, but not everyone. There was no requirment to.

Hope you find something helpful with all this.

Sgt, Scouts Out!

cfbush2000 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Feb 13, 2006 Posts: 6

Thanks Doug and Roy,
Every time I check back here I get a clearer picture of what I need to do.
I've already got the extension on the exhaust.
I'll keep watching this thread and probably do the rack tomorrow night.
Great stuff here.
Chuck

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

- Roy_A_Lingle

Note about the 20mm cans.
I call them 20mm because they were build to hold ammo for the 20mm Vulcan auto cannons. In Vietnam, the Army packed two 750 round belts of 7.62 mm machine gun ammo into those cans along with a lot of card board for issue to helicopter units that used miniguns.

Sgt, Scouts Out!

Those cardboards (sturdy stuff. like pressboard, really) didn't get wasted in my Air Cav Sqdn. (I still have my "portrait" mounted as described):
From the VHPAmuseum website (Caution, "John Wayne" alert!)

a mere 20(!) year old scout in Delta (ground) troop of 2/17th at Camp Eagle in '71. A scout pilot with the "Banshees" (B Troop), WO1 Andy Campbell says he did over a hundred of these for guys in the squadron. Printed 'em in his hooch, stained with coffee, and mounted them on the cardboard ammo dividers he retrieved from spent minigun ammo cans. He'd been a pro photographer prior to flight school and it shows.

> www.vhpamuseum.org/17t...ntqxxx.jpg

Jens_O_Mehner · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Oh Senor Doug,

you're sooo macho... Wink

As a matter fo fact, I have all the Viet Nam Sheridan pics courtesy of you, I was referring to the Ft Knox M551, that particular one hadn't surfaced before, if memory serves- Sheridans are a joy to look at in every possible environment.

Cheers,

Jens O.

Dontos · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Jens

Do you mean this one?

"The smiling TC" Mr. Green

Jens_O_Mehner · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:28 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Ahh Don,

you lucky dog, I wish the Panzermuseum wasn't so far away from me, otherwise I'd volunteer there- not Aberdeen or Ft Knox, but still better than nothing, and I wouldn't have to be as envious of you guys.

Actually I was referring to El Macho Kibbey's school-mount, but yours is very nice as well, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Jens O.

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

- Jens_O_Mehner

Ahh Don,

you lucky dog, I wish the Panzermuseum wasn't so far away from me, otherwise I'd volunteer there- not Aberdeen or Ft Knox, but still better than nothing, and I wouldn't have to be as envious of you guys.

Actually I was referring to El Macho Kibbey's school-mount, but yours is very nice as well, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Jens O.

Jens,
Here ya' go...these are ones I have posted elsehwere. Have a few more like that, but not "up". Same place, same day as the one you refer to.
(Pic is dynamic, move over box at lower right to enlarge)
www.vhpamuseum.org/wea...1tngxx.jpg

Jens_O_Mehner · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Muchas gracias Senor,

I hadn't seen the two bottom ones before, nice moody shots (note to self: must spend a few more hours at vhpamuseum.org).

Cheers,

Jens O.

SFC_Jeff_Button · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 4:43 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Don, I envy you!!!

Jinx · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:55 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

- Doug_Kibbey

(Caution, "John Wayne" alert!)

Where was the Partial Nudity Alert?????

C_Sherman · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 590

- Jinx

- Doug_Kibbey

(Caution, "John Wayne" alert!)

Where was the Partial Nudity Alert?????

Be honest...would YOU have looked if he had posted that warning?

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:39 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

- C_Sherman

- Jinx

- Doug_Kibbey

(Caution, "John Wayne" alert!)

Where was the Partial Nudity Alert?????

Be honest...would YOU have looked if he had posted that warning?

Don't answer that, Jinx! It's a trick question (and I'm not sure I want to know....).

Laughing

Jinx · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Ummmm..........errrr..........gleep?????

Roy_A_Lingle · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:12 am Post subject: Re: M551 Vietnam Question

Hi Chuck! Hi Folks!

I had a chance to look my Academy Sheridan kit today. The bolts running along the sides of the rear engine deck panel are there. The row along the bottom of the deck is under the swim screen. I would say use the four corner bolts on the kit as the position for the legs of the rack.

Good luck with your project. Smile

Sgt, Scouts Out!

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