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Anyone recognize the landscape...??? (Unbelievably easy for a certain someone) (Circa May 1994)


'Significant Activity' participation.... (circa 1993)


"Life is good" Field Motor Pool. But is that anything unique here??? (Circa 1993)
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Finding some 'old' field photos

First one's gotta' be NTC, I'm thinking. Maybe the third as well.

Where is number two?

I will make a few educated guesses, since I think I'm the someone you are referring to.
Photo 1- That would be the "FlagPole" which is at the far eastern edge (east gate) of the central corridor of the NTC battlefield. The vehicles appear to be traveling south, possibly having just exited the northern corridor as they were being chased by the dreaded OPFOR, haha. That pole, (telephone pole) is still there, but a "town" of buildings and mobile conexs has sprung up all around it now, to replicate a Middle-East town.
Photo 2- This looks to be the far west edge of Fort Hood. That fence is probably the boundry fence. Copperas Cove, (the town) should be in the far distance as the crow flies. MILES contact teams would meet in this area to work on our MILES equipment. If I'm correct about this road, I have towed another M1064 down this road that was broken down. I also believe that back in 1998-99 time period, that a Howitzer battery fired 8-12 rounds of the post and they landed on the other side of this road, onto a farmers property, damaging his home, outbuildings, and tree's. It was a night fire, and one Paladin was facing 180 degree's different from everyone else. Hard to believe but it happened, heads rolled! Oh, and it was 1st Cav by the way.
Photo 3- This one was tougher. I'll guess NTC, (there seems to be a mountain slightly visible over top of the tank on the left). Everything is peculiar to me about tankers (haha) but the large white boxes on the rear of the turrets seems out of place. Possibly early tracking equipment for the Star-Wars building here at NTC?
OK, those are my takes, am I right and if so, what do I win?

- SFC_Jeff_Button

Photo 2- This looks to be the far west edge of Fort Hood. That fence is probably the boundry fence. Copperas Cove, (the town) should be in the far distance as the crow flies. MILES contact teams would meet in this area to work on our MILES equipment. If I'm correct about this road, I have towed another M1064 down this road that was broken down. I also believe that back in 1998-99 time period, that a Howitzer battery fired 8-12 rounds of the post and they landed on the other side of this road, onto a farmers property, damaging his home, outbuildings, and tree's. It was a night fire, and one Paladin was facing 180 degree's different from everyone else. Hard to believe but it happened, heads rolled! Oh, and it was 1st Cav by the way.

OK, those are my takes, am I right and if so, what do I win?

Jeff

You nail the trail. Its about 1000m south of Georgetown Road and near Antelope Mound.

But you only got one of three so no big prize.

Hint:

Roy should recognize the terrain in #1.....

# 2 & #3 are at Ft Hood, Tx

As for the unusual 'stuff' mounted on the turrets of the tanks....

(more to follow) : )

Damn, I was pretty sure about pictures 1 and 3, esspecially #1. Are the white boxes part of the early FBCB2 that was fielded in the mid-late 90's?

Jeff

My Platoon (pictured) & Company, participated in the M1A2 IOTE back in 1993 at Ft Hood. One of the Companies in the Battalion (B Co, 3/8 CAV), was the first M1A2 company in the Army. Unfortunately 'we' had to play OPFOR for the M1A2's.

Actually there are VCR's mounted in the boxes. They were used to record 'thru sight' video, 'over the gun' video, and internal and external communitions.

On the turret 'blow out panels' you can see a bunch of components (instrumentation). These tanks (M1A1 HC) were instrumented for OPFOR as T80U's. The instrumentation enabled us to fire 'fictional' 125mm main gun or engage with AT 10's.

The hit/kill sensors & instrumentation was a bit more 'hi tech' than MILES. the dual purpose Main gun/missle transmitter mounted over the gun. It was all controlled and monitored with a mobile 'StarWars' style system.

It was a 'fun' 4plus month, field test.

The first photo was taken during 'Operation Rolling Sands 94' up at McGregor Range Complex, in New Mexico.

We RDF'd (3 Plts - 1 Tank & 2 Bradley) into Ft Bliss, Hett'ed up to the Range 41(?) complex, then from TAA's did a modified Tank Table XII.

The terrain is to brushy for NTC, I figured the sand, tumbleweeds, & open terrain was a sure giveaway.

I guess Roy missed this one? Figured he 'nail it'.

I've rediscovered a shot of the M1A1 model inwhich I tried to fabricate the additional equipment from the IOTE test.

Please forgive the 'amaturish' nature of my modelling abilities. One of the skills I seem to lack is a high caliber of model building. Especially when compared to most of the examples that 'ya'll' demonstrate.

It does a decent job of displaying how my tank looked thru out that exhaustive test period.

Looks fine to me, I haven't done a model in ages except for some cars with my son, and they were all 69 Chargers, (he loves that car). I don't have the patience or time to do a good model. Of course, it seems that I use that excuse alot being in the military.