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This has M2 and M85 MG. How common was this?

Looks like a concept evaluation about to take place. Tank ("Big Bad John") is pristine for the local conditions, a lot of folks that don't look like crew milling about, and a buttload of ammo cans on the ground (much, though not all, looks like .50 cans to me).

Is that the gun travel lock still upright? So they've probably been pretty still and maybe just turned the turret for a photo op prior to the festivities (which probably doesn't include firing over live ammo, fire extinguisher or not).

Big Bad John (second guy from left) apparently wears his insulation under his clothes.

Mark,

If you look close at the cupola, the armored cover for the M85 is open. The tank is either a late M60 or has been through the rebuild at least once, since she's got shocks/friction snubbers. Early M60's came without them. She also has been upgraded to the VSS-1 searchlight capability based on the newer stowage mount, although the cupola hasn't been upgraded with IR sights and retains the old (IIRC) M28 daylight periscope. Kinda looks like Wildflicken to me. Based on the ammo cans I'd bet it's a comparison shoot between the M2 and M85. I doubt they are doing any serious stuff since no antennas are mounted to talk to the tower. Hopefully they didn't get the ammo mixed

Is it me, or does this smell of a 'dog & pony' live fire prep?

It looks to me there are 12 cans of .50cal and 16+ cans of 7.62mm (or .30cal?)

No main gun,.....but

'SHE SURE IS PURRTY'

and don't forget the 3 cases of 'C-rats'!!!

Don

Worse yet,

Some dil-weed politician or muckyty-muck big shot is showing up and wants to "Play Soldier"

Hated this stuff, especially when I could never get enough 7.62 for my crews to train with properly with CO-AX. Stupid TWGGSS.

A wise SGM (NOT CSM!!) once said to me: "We need to do this stuff so these Yokels will hopefully remember us fondly when voting on budgets"

When did aluminum road wheels come on line?

I loved doing them, especially when the VIP warranted secret service agents. Yeah, they really blended .

They were the ONLY guys in trench coats & suits carrying Briefcase Uzi's, while 'we' did 105 or 120 mm 'fam fire' from our tanks. HAHAHA SUITS on a Tank Gunnery range!!

Did a few SecDef & SecArmy demos. Congressional visitations usually ended with the VIPs being allowed to 'pop a cap'. The expression on the faces, when they fired was always priceless. It had a way of 'lowering' the 'power elite' to the crew level, and instilled a true since of just what the heck it took to be a 'salad suiter' (or 'green suiter' for you older guys... )

JMHO
Don

Use of aluminum was the big thing with the M60 (1959 Pilot,1960 Production)

First MBT in the U.S. to use road wheels, support rollers, hubs, fenders and most turret components with this material. Road wheels shared the same dimensions as the steel ones on the M48 with one significant difference, the mounting surface was wider on the aluminum wheel, preventing it from being mounted safely on an M48 steel hub, but the steel wheel would fit on the wider aluminum hub of the M60, which in the end, became/is the standard for the M60 series (AVLB) still in use. Some AVLB's still in service have been converted to steel hubs which they share with the M88 series (what's old is new again). In the long run weight was less important than reliability, availability and cost.

You da' man, Joe.

Check yer PM's, BTW...