±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: cgsimpson
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6645

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 134
Total: 134
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Community Forums
03: Home
04: Home
05: Community Forums
06: Community Forums
07: Photo Gallery
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Member Screenshots
11: Community Forums
12: Community Forums
13: Photo Gallery
14: Community Forums
15: Community Forums
16: Home
17: Photo Gallery
18: Home
19: Community Forums
20: Home
21: Home
22: Community Forums
23: Community Forums
24: Home
25: Community Forums
26: Community Forums
27: Community Forums
28: Community Forums
29: Community Forums
30: Community Forums
31: Community Forums
32: Community Forums
33: Community Forums
34: Community Forums
35: Home
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Community Forums
39: Community Forums
40: Community Forums
41: Home
42: Home
43: Community Forums
44: Community Forums
45: Community Forums
46: Downloads
47: Photo Gallery
48: Community Forums
49: Community Forums
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Community Forums
54: Community Forums
55: Community Forums
56: Community Forums
57: Community Forums
58: Community Forums
59: Community Forums
60: Home
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Community Forums
64: Community Forums
65: Community Forums
66: Community Forums
67: Community Forums
68: Community Forums
69: Home
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Community Forums
74: Home
75: Community Forums
76: Community Forums
77: Community Forums
78: Member Screenshots
79: Home
80: Community Forums
81: Community Forums
82: Photo Gallery
83: Community Forums
84: Home
85: Home
86: Community Forums
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: Statistics
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Home
94: Community Forums
95: Community Forums
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: Home
100: Community Forums
101: Community Forums
102: Community Forums
103: Community Forums
104: Community Forums
105: Home
106: Community Forums
107: Community Forums
108: Community Forums
109: Community Forums
110: Community Forums
111: Community Forums
112: Community Forums
113: Community Forums
114: Community Forums
115: Community Forums
116: Community Forums
117: Community Forums
118: Community Forums
119: Home
120: Community Forums
121: Community Forums
122: Community Forums
123: Community Forums
124: CPGlang
125: Community Forums
126: Photo Gallery
127: Community Forums
128: Community Forums
129: Community Forums
130: Community Forums
131: Community Forums
132: Community Forums
133: Community Forums
134: Home

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
A few years ago.....
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
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2006 7:25 pm
Post subject: A few years ago.....

......in an M47. The first time I ever got in a tank. I may have posted this before but forgive me. I must be getting old!


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

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2006 7:32 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

My first 'armor' experience was in an M113 at an Armed Forces Day open-house in 1965, Ft Sill Oklahoma.

Hot, humid weather and smelled of gas and funk,.... I loved it!! Ain't been the same since.

I guess that stuck with me in my adult life.

Cool photo TW

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

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1439
Location: The back of beyond
PostPosted: Sat May 13, 2006 8:32 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

My first experience of armour was when, aged 3, My parents were living at the RE camp in Longmoor in the married quarters which surrounded the square on which all the Churchill engineer vehicl;es were parked. One day I wandered off and after it was noticed my parents and an entire armoured engineer squadron spent 14 hours scouring the countryside looking for me.. Eventually someone decided to close down the AFVs for the night and I was discovered quite happily playing commander in a Mk 7 AVRE.

Its still a mystery as to how I managed to get in there...

_________________
TTFN
Jim

If your not a member of JED then your
not serious about anything military..

***********************
www.jedsite.info
JED Military Equipment
***********************
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website ICQ Number
Joe_D
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: 2066
Location: Razorback Country
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 12:39 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

Howdy 'Weed, Jim, Dontos,
My first experience inside a tank was at Richardson Motor Pool at Fort Knox, age 21, M60A3. I was amazed Shocked how big the SOB was from the back. I knew then I had picked the right job in the Army Cool . Retirement will be a sad thing If I can't be involved with tanks anymore Crying or Very sad . Gotta get a job near a museum or get my own tank Wink .

Joe D
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Doug_Kibbey
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 4678
Location: The Great Satan
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 12:58 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

- Joe_D
My first experience inside a tank was at Richardson Motor Pool at Fort Knox, age 21, M60A3.
Joe D


Similar story here. Except for the age (20) and the model I trained on in AIT with D/4/1 (the number on this vehicle is just a coincidence).

Have you ever seen such big stars on a vehicle in your life?

Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Joe_D
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 29, 2006
Posts: 2066
Location: Razorback Country
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 1:18 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

Doug,
Looks like an M48A2C. Reminds me of when the Air Force Air Defense Command was still around with their unique squadron Art. Those F-106's sure looked cool. Only active duty tanks I ever saw painted up pretty was Fox 40 from Berlin. Our Squadron did a gunnery with them at Graf in '86. Shiney OD green with baby oil or wax on them. Was told by some of their guys they would grind off casting numbers and fill the rough marks with bondo. Don't know how true that was but it sure looked that way. BTW, I went through B/3/1 at Knox.

Joe D
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Dontos
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 3436
Location: Vine Grove, KY
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 1:44 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

- Joe_D
Howdy 'Weed, Jim, Dontos,
My first experience inside a tank was at Richardson Motor Pool at Fort Knox, age 21, M60A3. I was amazed Shocked how big the SOB was from the back. I knew then I had picked the right job in the Army Cool . Retirement will be a sad thing If I can't be involved with tanks anymore Crying or Very sad . Gotta get a job near a museum or get my own tank Wink .
Joe D


Joe

...and why do you think I retired here...?!? Wink Cool
perhaps the best of all worlds. Well, I guess I do need to get a job one of these days.... Mr. Green Been too busy for that lately....

Don


_________________
"Gonna hold my breath until Armor returns home..."
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger Photo Gallery
MarkHolloway
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Apr 08, 2006
Posts: 2054
Location: Beatty, Nevada
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 10:21 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

When I was about 6 years old we went to Armed Forces Day at Patrick AFB, Florida. I got to fire blanks through a .30 Cal air-cooled machine gun! I was hooked!

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

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1439
Location: The back of beyond
PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 10:52 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

- Joe_D
Only active duty tanks I ever saw painted up pretty was Fox 40 from Berlin. Our Squadron did a gunnery with them at Graf in '86. Shiney OD green with baby oil or wax on them. Was told by some of their guys they would grind off casting numbers and fill the rough marks with bondo. Don't know how true that was but it sure looked that way


Quite true - When I was in Berlin we had Centurions and they were exactly the same. The Tanks never really went anywhere except upto the Olympic Stadium one a month. They were the most perfectly painted vehicles you ever saw. When we got bored we used to take something off a vehicle like a bin - strip it back to the bare metal and then replace all the coats of paints finishing with the deep bronze green and a coat of laquer.

Changing a track was a major event in which practically the entire squadron participated...

We had several exchange visits with the Yanks though then they had M60s - unfortunately I was going through a polaroid phase about then and the images haven't survived the years very well.

Some images attached...

_________________
TTFN
Jim

If your not a member of JED then your
not serious about anything military..

***********************
www.jedsite.info
JED Military Equipment
***********************
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website ICQ Number
SHAWN
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 31, 2006
Posts: 484

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 5:24 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

my first armor contact was with an artillery piece. M4 is still there as a matter of fact. funny how time passes...
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
Maple_Leaf_Eh
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 517

PostPosted: Sun May 14, 2006 11:39 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

I got to ride in the co-driver's hatch of an M4A3E8 Sherman with my father. I was maybe 5. My two brothers were in the turret, and it was family day as the Militia unit.
Back to top
View user's profile
bsmart
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 23, 2006
Posts: 2523
Location: Central Maryland
PostPosted: Mon May 15, 2006 12:24 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

First contact with armor that I remember was back when I was about 7 years old or so. We were driving to visit some family friends North of Baltimore (about 30 -40 minutes from home). Dad pulled off of US-40 down an entrance road and through a gate. As I remember it there was this little thing in the Median. Then there was a Big metal thing with guns sticking out, then another, then another. One right after the other. Soon they atrated looking like ones in the American Heritage book on D-Day that my grandparents had. Then ones like I had seen on 'The Big Picture' on saturday morning.

We went a mile or so, then went out another gate and continued the trip.

That was my introduction to the 'Mile of Tanks' The original one that statrted with the WWI tanks. Later when they rebuilt the main gate everything before the M-5 Stuart was put in storage.

But even today I can remember that first time

_________________
Bob Smart ([email protected])
Back to top
View user's profile Send e-mail
SHAWN
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 31, 2006
Posts: 484

PostPosted: Mon May 15, 2006 1:38 am
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

ah yes, to be a kid again!!! looking back we were lucky. my parents took us to see alot and exposed us to everything. we traveled alot. saw alot of historical places/battlefields, museums, etc.
we went to ft knox, apg (my grandmother worked there-- to this day when i had gone to visit apg my mom wanted me to look up the house-- not happening)
my father being a modeler of armor and trains, we would stop to look at quite a bit, time permitting. we went to the airshows every summer too.
also pretty cool as a boy to hang out inside the cab of a diesel locomotive!
bob-- you mentioned seeing the 'mile of tanks', now you volunteer there correct?
the first air show i would have seen as a kid, funny, i since having "grown up", have served on that flight line...
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
C_Sherman
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 590

PostPosted: Sat May 20, 2006 11:42 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

Hi all,

I'm a latecomer to this, but here's my story.

My dad was an armor officer so I was probably around tanks most of my life, but my first real memory is of an Armed Forces Day (maybe?) unit display at Ft. Hood in the early 70's. The division? (brigade?) had examples of a lot of their stuff on static display at a post stadium (think high school to get an idea of the extent of the "stadium"). There was a formation for awards I suppose, but my chief memory is the opportunity to climb on several different sorts of tank. These happened every year of the three we were there, and one of those was when I got to climb all over ...and IN!...an M60A2.

Later in that tour I spent about 3 hours on a Saturday, climbing all over an M4 display outside the HQ of the Brigade my dad worked at.

One of my sister's favorite memories is of the time she sat on someone's lap at age about 9 or 10 and 'drove' an M60A1 around at another family day thing in Arizona. She never did anything more military than that, but she'll tell you how cool it was anytime you remind her of it.

C

_________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it
will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
-Herm Albright

Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc!
Back to top
View user's profile Photo Gallery
GaryKato
Power User

Offline Offline
Joined: Feb 07, 2006
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:45 pm
Post subject: Re: A few years ago.....

My first and only contact with a tank was at a state or county fair. I seem to recall the tank being either an M41 or M47 or maybe M48. This would have been sometime in the early to mid 60s. I loved climb all over that thing and even remember peeking into the cupola via the episcopes (periscopes?).

My next close encounter was an old M3A3 or M5 that a junkyard owner had displayed. I took pictures of it with my Pocket Instamatic. It was in Marine Corps livery. The guy actually got it running for the Bicentennial but painted it red, white, and blue like an american flag. I hope he removed that and took it back to its original Corps markings but I don't know.

One of these days, I have to get myself over to the Littlefield Collection and browse.
Back to top
View user's profile
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