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Long time poster, first time photographer, we went to Camp Atterbury today for a 'project' and thought while I was there I'd take a few pic's!

I believe that is technically a T165 Ontos pilot vehicle (rather than a true M50), and apparently the only "vanilla" T165 Ontos (as opposed to a T165E1 or E2) in existance...

Jeff, did you get any other AFV pics there or can just confirm what they have on display? According to my info, they have:

M4A1E8 Sherman Easy Eight
M4A1E8 Sherman Easy Eight
M41 Walker Bulldog
M47 Patton
M48A5 Patton
M60A0?
M60A3 (several?)

All of these are presumably on outside display...

Neil

Hi Neil, yes I knew that about it being a prototype vehicle.

I did not photo much more while we were there, but yes there are 2 M4A1E8 Sherman's, 2 M47's, M41 & M42, an M60, alot of towed artillery and one s/p artillery piece.

Let me know if you would like to see or need a certain pic. The camp is only a few minutes south of us and would be no big deal to truck down there again.

Jeff

Jeff, many thanks for the info. Would appreciate some pics of the M60 (so we can identify the specific model) and the SP arty piece - wasnt aware of that one...

Thanks again!

Neil

Jeff,
Good pictures, love to see pictures of armor from various places. Keep on posting them! I spent from 1982 till 1992 with the Ohio National Guard. I spent many a week-end drill (MUTA 5's) at Camp Attabury. We would go there to conduct Live-Fire-Exercises (LFX) usually twice a year as this was the closest for us to travel to. Occasionally we'd go to Knox but most of the time it was Attabury. I never got to the museum, and the closest thing I saw to armor there was an M88 on a tank trail one time.
We fired lots of 1967-1975, 81mm mortar ammo there.
To the rest of this panel, what makes this a "special" Ontos as oppssed to aregular one, for those of us that don't know?

- SFC_Jeff_Button

Jeff,
To the rest of this panel, what makes this a "special" Ontos as oppssed to aregular one, for those of us that don't know?

I'll have to leave that to the resident expert

One item I think is different is that the hatch handle is on the right side, rather than the left on production models? I'm sure there's more substantial differences than that though...

Neil

The T165 at Camp Atterbury is a 1st Generation prototype.

I have been in contact with 'parties' that wish to correct the totally false plaque, amoung other things.

It mounts the initial 2-piece (bolt on/slide thru) 105mm Recoilless Rifles. These, I believe are the only surviving 105mm Recoilless Rifles from the developmental phase.

The vehicle itself is near complete and is the sole survivor of the T165 series. It has a number of very unique features.

I am way over due to visit this vehicle. I'm interested in any serial numbers stamped in the rear hull tow eyelets. Also I would love to get into it. The interior holds many secrets that I hope to discover.

Note: The doors of the prototypes were 'reversed' to facilitate the interior mounting of the ground mount. Prior to production models, the door were switched. (BTW the rear view port slides open. I have been provided with interior shots.)

Anyone been to the Ropkey Museum lately? I'd love some photos of the turret less, Tiger Striped Ontos that is on display there.....(hint,hint )

Thanks Jeff, the photos are awesome.
Don

Hi Don. While I'm getting those photos for Neil's M60 I'll check on the S/N's on the "T165" and catch a few more pics on other vehicles as well. I didn't look around too hard ... so they are on the rear hull tow eyelets, huh? I'll take another look!

Basically I want to model my Ontos kit EXACTLY like the vehicle there at the camp. Dunno why, just thought it would be neat to not build it out of the box and now it looks as though it'll be a prototype instead of a real Ontos.


Jeff