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silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

I have been flying around Fort Knox and Fort Benning on the Google Earth flight sim looking for vehicles on ranges, display, etc and I came across the Armor School at Fort Benning.

Vagabonds recent post of arieal pictures of Eglin AFB has gotten me interested in analyzing "aerial reconnaissance"

I save some images of what I found and then highlighted and labeled what I knew on paint.

Fair warning: I know almost NOTHING about Eastern block APCs, tanks etc. If you showed me a T-54, T-55, and T-62 I could not tell the difference. I can sort of distgiush a T-72 from the crowd but that is it. US stuff is more of my specialty and Google's 3D imaging does make it somewhat easier.

Starting off is this image. Don't worry, almost everything will be covered in other images from the front row. What do you think of my conclusions? I have no idea about the APC next to the BMP in the second row. All I know is it does not appear to be of NATO origin.

Fort Benning 1 Edited by Silvio Iacuone, on Flickr

I do not know what the vehicle is in between T-34 and presumed PT-76. Chinese MBT?

The light green text is "T43/M103s?", I know see that the text is yard to read. They seem to be American, now that I think about it, the left tank could be a T29/T30/T34 heavy tank.

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Photo Number 2.

QM-41 was the target tug based on the M41 Walker Bulldog that came from Fort Knox. It appears to be a M41 chassis and the rust color/pattern also appear to be the same as when it was photographed by Vagabond right before the move.

The M59 if I recall was on display right in front of the Patton Museum prior to being shipped to the musuem. It also appears to have the sun faded brown paint that most of the vehicles on display in front of the musuem had.

The vehicle on the End I believe to be a 2S1 Gvosdika SPG but I can not confirm do to a tarp over the rear of the vehicle where the turret normally would be.

There appear to be 2 M75 APCs in this picture. On the right of the M59 is a M75 APC. On the left is what I believe to be another M75 APC but the vehicle being partially tarped makes it difficult to confirm.

I came to my conclusions about the 2 hulks as being Soviet MBTs because of the low profile, round turrets on a "soviet looking" hull. Maybe I am wrong this?

M47 patton although partially tarped does appear to show white starts on the side of the turret and the infamous long turret bustle of the M47.

Anyone disagree on my conclusions of this picture?

Fort Benning 2 Edited by Silvio Iacuone, on Flickr

Garry_Redmon

On photo 1, that is a JS-III next to the T-34/76. I will have to look at my photos of the restoration shop compound and see if I can identify the others. Accuracy will depend on when the satellite photo was taken compared to what I have. It may take awhile.

Garry

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Thanks Gary, yes that makes sense.

Rick_Eshleman · Last edited by Rick_Eshleman on Sat Jul 09, 2016 2:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

Silvio, The APC next to the BMP looks like a Soviet MTLB. You can just barely see the tracks on it, and small MG turret. My guess anyway. Thanks for sharing the photos, I look forward to seeing some more. Rick

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Alright thanks guys. I will put some more up tonight

Garry_Redmon

You did pretty good. These photos were taken early when they first moved the vehicles to their present location. First photo starting right to left, T30, M103, across the road is M578, PT-76, JS-III, T-34/76, T-34/85, T-54, T-55, T-72. Behind that is BMP and MTLB.

Second photo. QM-41, M75, M59, M75, T23, T23, could be the Gvosdika. It is parked there now nose in, but this doesn't quite look right. I don't know. The vehicle by itself looks like an M47.

Things have changed and some vehicles have been traded or sent to other museums.

Garry

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Thanks Gary, that is interesting. Was the M47 a range recovery? I also take it the T23s are ex-Aberdeen?

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

While flying around I found something interesting. I noticed this lone M59 APC on Marne Rd by a motorpool. The vehicle does not appear to be on a concrete pad yet, but it is possible it could be a future gate guard in that area?

Unexpected Edited by Silvio Iacuone, on Flickr

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Alright back to the Armor School MP. I am calling this ARV Row. I am 90% sure that the second vehicle is a M74 but I could be wrong.

Do any of the NACM musuem volunteers know the address of any other yards?

Fort Benning 3 EDITED by Silvio Iacuone, on Flickr

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Alright, so here is what is behind the shop. There appears to be 2 Casemate SPGs. I believe one to be a T95 without the outer tracks, and the other to be a SU100?

Not sure about the Soviet wheeled APCs, maybe a view BTR70/80s?

I have another picture that shows the tank on the ramp is most likely the S tank.

Wasn't completely sure on the HET. It is a M747 or M1000 HET trailer with either a M920, M911, or M1070. It has to be either of those 3 tractors as they all have a winch on the back, a rear drop axle, and 4 axles total.

Fort Benning 4 EDITED by Silvio Iacuone, on Flickr

Garry_Redmon

Right to left at the bottom. West German Lynx, BTR, Chinese Type 69, BRDM, BTR, BRDM, SU-100. Not sure of the HET, still looking. As for others - looks like S-Tank and looks like MBT-70. Not sure of the other. Things have changed since this was taken.

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

Thanks Gary, how did I do on the picture before it with the ARV/TRVs?

Garry_Redmon

You did real good. Right to left - M51 ARV, M578, M74 ARV and M88 ARV. Since then they have moved the M31 and M32B1 into that area.

Garry

silviop15 · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Oct 03, 2015 Posts: 415

I would think they would just use the M88 Herc you tow stuff around, but do they use the other ARVs too? Especially curious about the M51,

So there are 2 M578s in the NACM collection? In the first picture was a tan M578, then there is this one. Does one of them run and are they used around the yard? I know for a fact that the M578 is very handy for repairs like pulling out engines, assistant in replacing track, etc.

Thanks

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