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Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:41 pm Post subject: Friday in Richardson MP

Hey all

Well today I spent 5 hours in RMP. Todays special are a list of 'new' vehicles that were moved from different location onpost and now 'reside' in the friendly confines of RMP.

I was able to gain access & fully photograph the interiors of the following vehicles:

XM8000T Prototype ASRV
T29 Heavy Tank
T29E3 Heavy Tank
T30 Heavy tank

Additionally I attempted to get into the XM803 however wasn't able to get thru some difficult hatch welds, so I'll try additional efforts in the future.

With over 400 photos taken today, it'll take me a little while to sort thru them and get them posted. Patience.... Mr. Green

Stay tuned....
Regards
Don

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

Smashy · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Aug 05, 2010 Posts: 112

- Dontos

Additionally I attempted to get into the XM803 however wasn't able to get thru some difficult hatch welds, so I'll try additional efforts in the future.

There is a solution Smile

Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

Actually I used a combination crow bar, hammer, chisel, and a battery powered saw. The batteries wore out before making a dent in the XM803, but they will be fully recharged on my next visit.

Soooooo, here is the first vehicle accessed this morning.

The XM800 T:

Drivers Compartment:

Gunner / Turret info plates:

There are hand written notes thru out the interior turret area, that appear to have been left over by the test/evaluation teams.

Sadly no vehicle data plate, and there appears to be a 55 gallon drum that is in the engine compartment, so I assume there is no pac.

Most of the components missing as is the gun. The barrel is welded in place.

More to follow, next come the Heavy Tanks....
Regards
Don

Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

Next is the T29 Heavy Tank:

Rear of the Turret / TCs Position:

Drivers Seat (Notice no data plate on the left hull wall:

A lot of the components are gone but there were some interesting items to photograph. Especially when you compare the other Heavy Tanks that are VERY similiar,.....those are to follow.

Regards
Don

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:39 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

The breech needs more grease. Laughing

Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 9:46 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

Next is the T29E3:

Right loaders Hatch, after being cut open, had to be blocked as it refused to open all the way. Also the right sight door opened.

Plate located above the gunner sight area:

Gun tube/breech stampings:

The range finder / main sight was missing, this is the interior of the right side sight door:

Drivers Seat. Notice the lower data plate is present.

I didn't want to crawl thru the filth on the turret floor to creep into the drivers seat to get a close up. I'll save that for another day.

Next, lets move on to the T30 Heavy Tank & its 155 mm main gun !!

Regards
Don

Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:29 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

This is the T30 Heavy Tank:

I initially opened the ammo door on the right side of the turret:

Then cut open the right side loaders hatch:

In the hatch, looking left to the rear area & the TCs position. Note the breech is dismounted and sitting in the TCs area:

Gunners Panel on the right side turret wall:

The ammo hoist blocks the left side loaders hatch. I guess the 155mm ammo was a bit heavy.... (!?)

The gun & chamber had been packed with grease. There is a large pile of it on the turret floor, which I initially thought was a huge pile of S*** !?

Doug is that enough grease for you...???

Regards
Don

Dontos · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

It dawned on me that I may be one of the only people alive to have climbed into the T28, T29, T29E3, T30, T34, T43, as well as the M103A1 & M103A2. I guess you could say I've been fortunate to have been in almost all variants of the American Heavy Tank Program.

Wow, I feel sooo special.....ha ha ha.

Hope I have covered each of the above sufficiently. I plan on 'turret diving' these tanks again to get some additional photos 'for the record', prior to being shipped off to Ft Benning.

I still need to get into the XM 803 and the MBT 70 'PIGG' once it is moved to RMP.

Regards
Don

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 1:13 am Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

- Dontos

It dawned on me that I may be one of the only people alive to have climbed into the T28, T29, T29E3, T30, T34, T43, as well as the M103A1 & M103A2. I guess you could say I've been fortunate to have been in almost all variants of the American Heavy Tank Program.

Wow, I feel sooo special.....ha ha ha.

Regards
Don

You worked for, and earned, the privilege. Wink

Dontos · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

I noticed that the T29 & T30 seem to be the same. Of course except for the Gun Tube size.....

A few ID features did stand out,....

Turrets appear to be the same on the left side

T29:

T30:

The rear and the back decks are slightly different. Obvious difference is the mufflers.

Vehicle Rear Comparison
T29:

T30:

Vehicle Rear Deck Comparison
T29:

T30:

Reagrds
Don

JeffStringer · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 637

Good photos and side-by-side comparisons too.

- Jeff

Kurt_Laughlin · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 577

Do the turrets have the same P/N cast into them?

KL

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

Those are some serious honkin' gun travel locks. Looks like steel bridge architecture.

Doug_Kibbey · Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2010 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: Friday in Richardson MP

- Dontos

Actually I used a combination crow bar, hammer, chisel, and a battery powered saw. The batteries wore out before making a dent in the XM803, but they will be fully recharged on my next visit.

Soooooo, here is the first vehicle accessed this morning.

The XM800 T:

Don

As there are separate driver's and fighting compartment hatches, I wonder what the primary purpose was in having the side access door...might it have been something intended as useful during test phase only and not to be included on production vehicles? Most other vehicles do their ammo loading through the top hatches, and this was just what, 20mm?

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