M41 Walker Bulldog on Ft Hood...

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

Jeffrey and I found this M41 in front of the 1st Brigade Combat team Building on 76th St. I couldn't find markings in the usual places but there was an old plate on the rear with 2988 barely visible in the upper right portion. I don't know much about these tanks except that they were to replace the M24 Chaffee light tanks after WWII, and that they served in Korea and Vietnam. Looks like a manuverable tank that could move quickly though. As you can see, there is no engine anymore. Anyone know much about these? Tomorrow I plan to post an M105 How, M26, M24, and an M4, that are all part of the 1st Cav in Korea display.

[Roy_A_Lingle]

Hi Jeff ! Hi Folks!

- SFC_Jeff_Button

I don't know much about these tanks except that they were to replace the M24 Chaffee light tanks after WWII, and that they served in Korea and Vietnam.

Your are half right on that. The Walker Bulldog replaced the the Chaffees after Korea. The M41 came out near the end of the shooting and AFAIK, never served with any US Army units in combat. We sold/give a number of them to the ARVN armored force and from what little I saw and read, the M41 worked very well for them.

They were used by the cavalry platoons (three per platoon) of the cavalry troops (three platoons for nine plus two command vehicles for 11) in the division and ACR squadrons from the mid 1950s until sometime around the early to mid 1960s. Someone though the 76mm gun was big enough and had them replaced by the M-60 tank. In time the M-60 was replaced by the Sheridan M-551, which in time was replaced by the M-60 again. Then the Army when to the Division 86 TOE and tanks were dropped from the divisions cavalry units until some time after Desert Storm went the M-1A1 was issued. The ACRs were lucky and their M-60s were replaced by M-1s, later upgraded to M-1A1s. The 3rd ACR, the last active heavy regiment, was later upgraded to M-1A2Seps.


I am not sure, but I think that vehicle is a M-41A1 or possible a A2 (Update, after digging out Hunnicutt's Sheridan book, that hull should be a A1 or A3 depending on the type of engine it last had). The angled front fenders and the muffler for the aux engine on the front of the vehicle just to the right of the pioneer tool rack.

I think that vehicle was the best looking tank the US ever designed.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

[Doug_Kibbey]

- Roy_A_Lingle

I think that vehicle was the best looking tank the US ever designed.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Hear, Hear! Register my vote for "best looking" as the same as Roy's. A more graceful and beautifully proportioned tank I've never seen.

Another nickmame for these in ARVN service (where a number of them were constantly on "palace guard") was "voting machines", because their presence in Saigon was instrumental in the outcome of several elections.

[Dirk]

The Squadron Signal 'M41 Walker Bulldog In Action' book have some interesting pics of ARVN Walker Bulldogs during Lam Son 719.

These pics shows extra MG ammo piled on the exterior during the Lam Son ops. The MG ammo was stacked on the front of the tank .

Thanks again for the super pics !

Dirk

[oldtop]

They had the slickist flat "pancake" 6 cylinder supercharged fuel injected engine you ever saw, (you see sometimes they do get it right..a diesel version would have been nice) the M41 has alway been one of my favorits, sadly the Marines missed the boat when it came to getting it. This vehicle begged for upgrading main gun, some countrys did a high/low pressure 90mm up grade...boy would I have liked to have seen it in Marine service in place of that @#$#@ Ontos.

[bsmart]

- oldtop

boy would I have liked to have seen it in Marine service in place of that @#$#@ Ontos.

Dontos - you going to take that from him?

[Doug_Kibbey]

- oldtop

This vehicle begged for upgrading main gun, some countrys did a high/low pressure 90mm up grade....

...and with that, it's time to dredge up one on my M41C "Caxias" pics from the 5º Regimento Cavalaria-Carros de Combate - Rio Negro, Brasil. 90mm gun, upgrade to Scania diesel engines (note extended deck), interesting cross-pattern grenade launchers, stowage boxes, etc. M41D's may still be found in Taiwan. Me likey this vehicle (no longer in service).

[Roy_A_Lingle]

Hi Jeff! Hi Folks!

- SFC_Jeff_Button

I couldn't find markings in the usual places but there was an old plate on the rear with 2988 barely visible in the upper right portion.

If I remember someone's else post, that plate (on the M41 and M42s) starts with the serial number and any following numbers are for modifications done to the vehicle during it's service life.

At 2988, that vehicle started out as a T-41E2 which was standardized as a M-41A1 on May 29, 1953.

Driver's hatch should have a mount for the M19 IR infrared periscope.
Driver's hatch should be opened and closed by a cam actuated lever.

That muffler I was talking about was moved to that location starting with vehicle 2,290.
The angle cut fenders started with vehicle 2,593.

If you should have time for another look, check the area under the fenders for something that would look like 'track skids'. Those were added starting with vehicle number 2,908 (only 80 vehicles before this one). They were added to reduce damage to the fenders cause by track slap.

Some time line dates:
September 27, 1946 Study designated the T37 light tank project and ordered three pilot vehicles. Later reduced to two pilots.
May 30, 1949 first pilot vehicle shipped to APGs for testing.
Testing completed in August of 1950, vehicle returned to Detroit Arsenal for production studies.
The T37 was build with a phase I design using a T94 76mm gun
Three T37s were build with a phase II design using a T91 76mm gun. These T37s were redesignated as T41s
After incorporate needed changes found during testing, the T41s were redesignated as T41E1s.
January 1950 Cadillac received a contract to build 100 T41E1 test production vehicles. The first two were to be completed before the rest were started so production could be confirmed.
Do to the start of the Korean War, order was changed from 100 test vehicles to 1,000 production vehicles.
T-41E1 production started in mid 1950 at the Cleveland Tank Plant by Cadillac Motor Car Division. (No wonder I like that vehicle, it's a Cadillac!). Production ended in 1954 after 3,729 vehicles were built.
November 1951, Army Field Forces changed requirements effecting the movement of the turret and main gun. The system in the T-41E1 didn't not meet the new requirements.
Vehicles with the new system were designated T41E2. Serial numbers were 1466, 1474, 1528, 1532, 1533, 1537, 1550, 1553 and full production starting with 1803.
416 T41E1 were converted to T41E2 configurion before changes with the turret and gun movement system finely met Army Field Forces requirements.
The testing of the first production vehicles was not completed until March 1952 after more than 900 vehicles were completed. Just like the first batch of M48s and the T-23E2 medium tanks, they were no good. I guess that is why they never made it to Korea before the shooting stopped.
May 29, 1953 T41E1 standardized as 76mm gun tank M41
T41E2 standardized as 76mm gun tank M41A1

Was originally referred to as the Little Bulldog.

First 260 vehicles didn't have IR headlights. At 261, the IR system was added.

Auxiliary Generator
Vehicles 1-1367 had no muffler
Vehicles 1368 to 2289 muffler was mounted on top of the right engine muffler.
Vehicles 2290 and later had the muffler mounted up on the front.

Engines:
The T-37, M-41, and M-41A1 started out with the AOS-895-1 gasoline engine using carburetors and a supercharger. The cabruetors were replaced with a fuel injection system and the engine was renamed AOSI-895-5.
With the engine changes the vehicles were redesignated. The M41s (which started out as T-41E1s) became M41A2. The M41A1s (which started out as T-41E2s) became M41A3.

The following is something that surpised me as I was reading all of Hunnicutt's info on the M41 program which is were all these details are from. Pages 9-42 with detail data lists on pages 300-303.

"Although they did not fully satisfy the requirements of the Army Field Forces, they remained in service as an interim vehicle pending the development of an improved light tank. Page 37.

INTERIM?

Hope this fills in some details for those who are new to the Walker Bulldog.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

[SFC_Jeff_Button]

I'm going to assume that this M41 belongs on 1st Cav museums books. I haven't had a chance to meet with the director but I have contacted him via e-mail and he knows my interest in research and was eager for my assist. Roy, thats the kind of info I'm looking for to take to the museums. Believe me, I don't take credit for the info myself, I credit AFV. I try to get the museum directors to check the site. I even made it a "favorite" on Neil Morrisons desk computer in the 11th ACR museum office, but he didn't seem interested and neither did the 4th ID director. Oh well, their loss!