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- Joe_D

Neil,

SN 4494 (M48A5E1 Patton) Richardson Motor Pool Patton Museum Annex, Fort Knox, KY

This one retains her original SN, That's because she's a one off using an M60A2 hull with M48A5 turret.

SN 5934 (M48A5 hull with M60A2 turret) VFW Post 1181, Valley Station, KY

The SN for her is for an M48A1 hull, which is correct since that's what she is.

Well we have nicknamed the M48 with an M60A2 the 'Frankentank' so what do we call an M60A2 with an M48 turret??

And I think we have the key to the whole Frankentank story -

A 2LT got confused in the shop one morning and didn't listen to his sergeant
[A Friday morning the 2LT comes back form officers call where he has found out what was supposed to be a routine friday has suddenly changed]
2LT - Sergeant we need at least one of those two tanks put back together right away. The colonel has decided that he wants a platoon of tanks in the background for the press conference with the congressman who is coming to visit this afternoon

Sergeant - But sir the M48 hull is still being worked on and the M60A2 turret still has problems

2LT - So put the gun turret on the M60 hull and we'll park it in the back of the picture. No one will really notice.

Sergeant - But sir?!?!

2LT - Sergeant The Colonel thinks it's important and I'm not going to disappoint the Colonel. we'll fix it next week

1 PM - Advance man for congresscritter shows up to make sure site is ready for 4 PM press conference

Adv Man - We can't have 5 tanks in the background it isn't balanced. I need another tank to balance the picture here in an hour. Colonel you realize how important this photo op is for the Congressmans support of the Defense Budget? And that includes the approval of the new general Officers list.

Colonel - Lieutenant get another tank over here NOW

2 LT - But Sir ---

Col - No but's lieutenant get your section to put a deadline tank here if you have to but get one over here

2LT running to phone to call the shop - Sergeant get the M60A2 turret on the M48 Hull and get it over to the parade ground in the next hour.

Sergeant - But Sir ---

2 LT - No buts sergeant we only need it for a photo op this afternoon - The colonel thinks it's important and I won't let him down and I know you won't let me down [hangs up the phone]

an hour later a 'Frankentank' is delivered on a transporter and gently unloaded to make sure the turret doesn't move

Next Monday other priorities get in the way and the two monstrosities are left in the back row of the maintenance yard. A month later the sergeant retires. a week after that the lieutenant rotates to a staff assignment. No one else wants to take a chance on undoing what was obviously a secret test modification until they find the documentation.

The rest as they say is history Mr. Green

Neil_Baumgardner

- Joe_D

SN 5934 (M48A5 hull with M60A2 turret) VFW Post 1181, Valley Station, KY

The SN for her is for an M48A1 hull, which is correct since that's what she is.

Joe, actually I also have a rebuild SN 923B for this one?

Neil

Massimo_Foti

Well we have nicknamed the M48 with an M60A2 the 'Frankentank' so what do we call an M60A2 with an M48 turret??

Frankentank Junior Laughing

Massimo

Joe_D

Neil,

I checked out my pictures of her. SN 5934 is her original number that's stamped on the right front upper hull. Looking at all my pictures I see no other numbers, and I'm pretty sure if there were I would have recorded them. I seriously doubt she'd have a rebuild number since the hull has not been upgraded and is still pretty much a plain M48A1 model. The only mods I've seen were the Dozer kit attachments and the removal of the track tension idler, neither would get her a rebuild SN. Curious where you got that number.

Valley Station "Franken-Tank"

Serial Number

"Buford"

Bob,

Great story, I actually have a real one similar to that dealing with a training device in Korea. The dreaded "TWGSS" Mad

Neil_Baumgardner

According to my info, "SN identified by Don Moriarty (AFV News Discussion Board, 9/2007)." Wink

Neil

bsmart

- Joe_D

Bob,

Great story, I actually have a real one similar to that dealing with a training device in Korea. The dreaded "TWGSS"

Well I'll admit to making some guesses but I figured an armor maintenance shop can't be much different than a fighter maintenance unit.

And I've seen some strange things (including a baby blue non-flyable F-15 that disappeared from Langley AFB and wasn't even missed for several days Rolling Eyes

Dontos

Joe

I still have some of my photos, lost the full session images to a crashed hard drive. Cool

Guess I need to cruise down to Valley Station.... Confused

Regards
Don

the_shadock

new PDF published today :

http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Grizzlys.pdf

P-O

JimWeb

the_shadock

that's great, thanks !!

BTW, there was no Grizzly produced with a SN 3305..
The Shop No. range is from 1 to 188.

Pierre-Olivier

JimWeb

I suspect thats their tracking number - which probably gives a good idea just how much stuff is on their books.

Tichenor

P-O

Some remarks on the Grizzly list:

This one is in a private collection but its locationisn't Belgium but it's Luxembourg.

the one with the unknown location where you made the picture, did you make it at tanks in town two years back? If so the its from a private collection In Turnhout, Belgium ( the same owner as the M4(105) Joe Dope, the M4(105) previous at Poteau and the T-34/85 witch was last year at Tanks in Town.

Michel

the_shadock

- Tichenor

its from a private collection In Turnhout, Belgium ( the same owner as the M4(105) Joe Dope, the M4(105) previous at Poteau and the T-34/85 witch was last year at Tanks in Town.

Michel

Could we add all the list to the Belgium AFVs register?

P-O

the_shadock

you would not be surprised to find this :

http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Sherman_Dozers.pdf

Wink

P-O

the_shadock

Again, after our discussions about Churchills located in England, you would not be surprised to find this :

http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Churchills.pdf

Beware : it's a 10 MB file

Wink

P-O

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