Com-Central.net

Hi Folks!

Found this guy the last time I did an area recon of the base for old vehicles. Serial Number is 832. I think it is a M2A1 or maybe a M2A0.


This vehicle is now on display in front of the old 3rd ACR HQs building which how has the HQs for the 5th BCT, 1st AD in it.

Neil! I have sent you two PMs to update changes for Ver 3.0

Spot Report!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Thanks Roy!

832? That's odd... Should be like 2A or 3A and then three numbers... Did you get it from the same location, near the tow lug, as identified on the SN guide?

Neil

Hi Neil! Hi Folks!

- Neil_Baumgardner

832? That's odd... Should be like 2A or 3A and then three numbers... Did you get it from the same location, near the tow lug, as identified on the SN guide?

I used the guide to find it which says check the front left LIFTING point! There are no numbers around the front towing lugs that I could find.

The number is very easy to read. Vehicle looks like it only has two layers of paint on the most of the hull.

Spot Report!
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Right, lifting point, sorry... I couldnt think of the right words... Well, its odd, but I guess thats it...

Neil

Does the 2A or 3A specify M2 or M3 Bradley? Maybe with the low number it was built before someone decided that the designator should be part of the serial number to reduce confusion? Also is it always only 3 numbers after the 2A/3A? I would think there were more Bradleys around than that. I wouldn't be surprised if it could be three or four numbers (at least) behind the 2A/3A

Yes. Actually its 2AA and 3AA - for M2 and M3 respectively - and then _five_ numbers actually... Here's one Jeff found...



Oddly enough, MLRS SNs are 4AA... I guess since they are Bradley-based...

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Yes. Actually its 2AA and 3AA - for M2 and M3 respectively - and then _five_ numbers actually... Here's one Jeff found...

Oddly enough, MLRS SNs are 4AA... I guess since they are Bradley-based...

Neil

Neil,

Right ... 2AA = M2 (basic), 3AA = M3 (basic), 4AA = M993 (basic).

2AD = M2A2, 3AD = M3A2.

2AB = M2A1. Since all A1s were (theoretically) converted to A2s, if there are any out there, they would be few and far between.

2AC = M2A1(-). There weren't very many of these to start with, and they were all later converted to full-up A1s (and theoretically later to A2s).

2ADR = an M2A2 converted or reconditioned at Red River Army Depot. There may be some Brads out there with a "M" in the S/N - this would be a vehicle that was converted from A1 to A2 at Mainz Army Depot.

I don't know if the M993A1 changed S/N prefix, but it might be 4AC.

There were also some onesy-twosy Brads produced with oddball S/Ns, like 3MM00001 - this was an M3A1 produced for Martin-Marietta in June 1986. There may still be some of these oddball vehicles stashed around somewhere.

Geoff Walden

Geoff, can you explain the apparent three-digit SN above?

Neil

Neil,

No, I can't - never saw a S/N on a Bradley like that. If it was the 832nd Bradley built, that would put it in the 2nd or 3rd year buy (I think), so it certainly wasn't an early or experimental model.

Geoff

Something I've always wondered-Why would this vehicle have been taken out of service?

I Mark! Hi Folks!

- MarkHolloway

Something I've always wondered-Why would this vehicle have been taken out of service?

My guess would be NOT ENOUGH MONEY to upgrade all of the older vehicles to A2 configurtion or convert it into something else like the medevac/treatment vehicles that were being developed.

My 2 cents,
Sgt, Scouts Out!

Who knows... For a while, the FCS office at Aberdeen Proving Ground had a Stryker on a concrete pad. It was only there for a few months, so I guess they realized they needed it afterall

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Who knows... For a while, the FCS office at Aberdeen Proving Ground had a Stryker on a concrete pad. It was only there for a few months, so I guess they realized they needed it afterall

Neil

I've always thought it odd that they'd make a museum piece out of something that was still in the inventory. Maybe this is cheaper than warehousing it

Early F-15s were being turned into training hulks before the first production run was finished. Sometimes there are details in the fitting out that make it difficult to incorporate early production items in with true production line examples.

It is also possible that it is advantagous to declare some early production items as not worth upgrading so that congress will fund continued production of new items. That helps keep voters employed in certain districts and larg eemployers in those districts happy also

Then there are the pieces of equipment that have been abused in various test programs and it has been decided that it isn't worth (or the abuse is so great that it can't) bringing the unit back to FMC (fully mission capable) status

And there are the items like the M48C and early M60 tanks that had flaws in the armor and could be used for training but couldn't be trusted for operational use. With the draw down at the end of the cold war there would be less reason to keep marginal equipment in the inventory. It could be used for monuments and the duties it previously filled could be done by excess FMC equipment.

Oh and that Stryker at Aberdeen was later seen sitting beside the museum. If I ever get up there again I'll have to ask but I think it may be stashed away somewhere

- bsmart

Oh and that Stryker at Aberdeen was later seen sitting beside the museum. If I ever get up there again I'll have to ask but I think it may be stashed away somewhere

OK, that sounds truly ominous.