Com-Central.net

We’ve posted a gallery of photos from the Don F Pratt Museum, Fort Campbell, KY/TN – Museum of the 101st Airborne Division.

afvagabond.smugmug.com...3584_HRVtc

The gallery is a mix of photos from inside and outside the museum. It’s a terrific museum full of fascinating artifacts and information.

Yes, there are photos of flying things - including one of the AH-56 Cheyenne prototypes.

Some AFV teasers:

M551


M48


EE-11 Urutu


Also posted a few shots of the M60, M110, and the M5 displayed inside the museum.

Enjoy!

Vagabond,

Nice pics. I'm especially interested in the AH-1G (I think it's really an "H", trying to masquerade as a VN "G"...the nose isn't right). I looked at the "very large" version of the right side pic and it appears to have 2/17th Air Cav crossed sabres on the "doghouse" (highest portion of the engine/transmission housing...and it looks like they've been tampered with). As there is no black, red, white or blue band on the tailboom, they are probably trying to be "generic" to the squadron* in the display (2nd Squadron HQ section had an HHT flight platoon, but these had black bands on the tailboom, and HHT did not operate Cobra's anyway, only the line troops did). Would you consider sharing the original images with me via email for my personal use? I served in "D" troop (the aerorifle troop) of 2/17th during this timeframe. I was in the 101st (obviously) but have never been to Ft. Campbell ironically.

Thx,
D.

afvagabond.smugmug.com...9610_J8SNh

(Those 7 and 19 shot rocket pods are hung cockeyed...they should be essentially on parallel axes...reflex sight wouldn't be able to accomadate that kind of boresight).

Here's a B Troop Snake of 2/17th I took at Camp Eagle in '71

www.vhpamuseum.org/17t.../bbird.jpg

*2/17th was and is the "eyes and the ears" of the 101st Abn.

Doug,

PM me your email and I'll be glad to send you copies.

VB

- vagabond

Doug,

PM me your email and I'll be glad to send you copies.

VB

Done....

Thx!

VB,
Were you able to make it out to the Range Control Building, the Air Force Detachment or the Museum storage site?



Neil

Neil,

You're killing me! Never satisfied!!! LOL!

Dude - I was lucky to make it to the museum!

So... in other words I didn't make it to any of the other sites on the base. Sorry!
I didn't get serial numbers from the AFVs either!

We took some nice photos and had a fun time, though.

VB,
No worries - many thanks as always! Much appreciated!

Neil

AH-56 Cheyenne! That's very cool. Thanks for sharing

Massimo

The M48 is an M48A5.

Thanks Mark!

I'll label her as such on the smugmug site.

This Cobra ended its career as a TH-1S (registration 70-16090 and serial 21034).

Regards,
Lesley

hello,

that's a bit off-topic, but I was glad to see a second City road sign from Bastogne.

Here is the first one, displayed at the Memorial in Bastogne :



Second one, displayed at Don F. Pratt Museum :



Pierre-Olivier

VB,
Actually, it looks like you did visit the museum storage area - looks like its right next to the 101st Memorial Park, on the other side of the fence?

You have the M48A5, M60A3, M110A2 and M551A1 - any sign of an M113 or M114A1? The latter was formerly located at a VFW in Clarksville, TN.

Neil

I guess we DID!

I remember that the area was next to the museum and we weren't sure if we were supposed to be out there or not. That's why we don't have full walk-arounds of the AFVs - we were kinda hurrying!

There was no sign of an M113 or M114, but there was another fenced off - and locked - area near the storage yard that had a few jeeps inside. There were also a couple of buildings in the storage area that might have had something inside.

- vagabond

I guess we DID!

I remember that the area was next to the museum and we weren't sure if we were supposed to be out there or not. That's why we don't have full walk-arounds of the AFVs - we were kinda hurrying!

First rule of AFV spotting in questionable areas: Look friendly, innocent and confused (the last two are easy for me) and act like you're supposed to be there until someone challenges you. Then get that "I didn't know!" look on your face and point at the old stuff pleadingly.

I managed to get into some restoration areas at a few places when ropes were down to facilitate staff movements...and never knew I wasn't supposed to be there until they put them up again after I wandered out once I got my pictures. I'm sure I was being watched the whole time, but keeping your hands in your pockets when not taking pictures can go a long way.