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Hi Folks!

Found this photo over at the U.S. Army PI site in the Image section. First time there has been a photo of tracked vehicles in a few weeks.

For those who's PS's can handle large photos, go to the large version and click on the enlarge button to make it as large as possible.

I noticed two items in that photo.
1. A pair of Bradleys with some type of three legged hoops on top the turrets. Both are in the back ground and you need the enlarged photo to see them. Anyone have any idea what those hoops are for?

2. A pair of Iraqi tanks. Check out the sides of the turrets. A large metal box on the side and lots of bustle racks. The first tank is easy to pick up, the second is in the far background at the center of the photo. I wonder if those bustle racks were added as a form of bar armor?

Link to the medium photo: www4.army.mil/OCPA/upl...090545.jpg



Link to the large photo without the caption: www4.army.mil/OCPA/upl...090545.jpg



Interesting Spot Report!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

As far as the Bradley go, my bet is that they are antenna's pulled over and secured down. It the urban enviroment, and esspecially in Iraq, low wires and improperly insulated wires can and will wreack havoc on your commo system. Another anvantage to pulling over the antenna's, you can drap a poncho over them for shade or protection from the elements.
Many Iraqi tanks are being rebuilt by US forces, so the Iraqi's can eventually take over with some of their own armor. I would bet that those racks are "yankee ingenuity" to help carry items and maybe as a "poor-mans" armor cage, akin to the stand-off grating seen most commonly on Strykers.
Just my guess's but I'd bet the Bradley assesment is correct.

I wonder if part of the advantage of the 'hoops' or pulled over antenna is that it would make contact with a wire strung across a road before the head of someone in the turret. The advantage of that arrangement over the post with a hook or notch in it is that it provides some protection no matter which way the turrtet is facing

Other than that I agree with the opinions of the tank mods.

Hi everyone,
1. The hoops are a kit installed, are actually insulated from the turret. Power lines can be a problem, especially in some areas. A lot of unconventional wiring. Bradley always sat way too high for my liking.
2. The racks are just that, storage racks. They are quite capable when it comes to welding brackets and boxes. They just are not very uniform in their application.

Joe D

- Joe_D

Hi everyone,
1. The hoops are a kit installed, are actually insulated from the turret. Power lines can be a problem, especially in some areas. A lot of unconventional wiring. Bradley always sat way too high for my liking.
2. The racks are just that, storage racks. They are quite capable when it comes to welding brackets and boxes. They just are not very uniform in their application.

Joe D

Those are Type 69's with the Boom Shield armor. They may make good storage racks, but that was not the original intent. These aren't something thrown together in an Iraqi shop.

- tanker2010

Those are Type 69's with the Boom Shield armor. They may make good storage racks, but that was not the original intent. These aren't something thrown together in an Iraqi shop.

Are you sure about them being Type 69's? Neither of them have the headlights on the front fenders which is characteristic of 69's. The one in the background has only one set on the glacis like a T-54/55.

Hi Joe! Hi Folks!

- Joe_D

The hoops are a kit installed, are actually insulated from the turret. Power lines can be a problem

A kit? Are the hoops used to support something like a poucho liner to provide shade when the vehicle is holding a position?

Counting those two Bradleys, that make three I have seen with that system. While they are not that clear, I think I do see radio antenna standing up behind the hoops.

Anyone notice that the left Bradley has ERA? Not sure about the one on the right. I cann't see enough of it to be sure or not.
Sgt, Scouts Out!

- toadmanstankpictures

- tanker2010

Those are Type 69's with the Boom Shield armor. They may make good storage racks, but that was not the original intent. These aren't something thrown together in an Iraqi shop.

Are you sure about them being Type 69's? Neither of them have the headlights on the front fenders which is characteristic of 69's. The one in the background has only one set on the glacis like a T-54/55.

The one in back could very well be a T-55. It doesn't have the turret basket/Boom Shield that the tank in the foreground does. I wouldn't be at all suprised if they used both tanks (not to mention T-54s and Type-59s) mixed up in the same units.

- Hellfish6

- toadmanstankpictures

Are you sure about them being Type 69's? Neither of them have the headlights on the front fenders which is characteristic of 69's. The one in the background has only one set on the glacis like a T-54/55.

The one in back could very well be a T-55. It doesn't have the turret basket/Boom Shield that the tank in the foreground does. I wouldn't be at all suprised if they used both tanks (not to mention T-54s and Type-59s) mixed up in the same units.

I also think that those are T55s, not Type 69s. Neither has the fender mounted headlights. From what I've seen over the last couple of years, the Iraqi's are using the best of what they have, whether it is a T55 or Type 69. So you do see both types.

There does appear to be some effort to standardize, particularly the bar armor/baskets around the turret. There is some variation, but the basic layout is more or less standard. Stowage boxes like that on the near tank in the picture seem to be catch-as-catch-can, so there is a lot of variation in which of the "standard" types of T55/Type69 stowage boxes are mounted.

They's smoky buggers, though! That big Russian-engineered diesel throws a lot of smoke, no matter which tank you are looking at. Pics of them always seem to include a gray-black cloud around the rear deck!

C