Com-Central.net

According to the KTZV news in Oregon, two people were killed at a firing range in an explosion involving an M18 Hellcat. The news report shows that the vehicle is named "Rachel." No names of the victims have been released. A google search lead me to a WSJ article about "Rachel", she is owned by a fellow in Oregon named Steve Preston. This is the second incident this year of someone being killed in an accident with a historic AFV. Very sad.

Edit: MVPA confirms that Steve Preston was killed in this accident.

Steve Preston was killed in the accident along with a friend of his.

Very sad. I knew there was at least one M18 that was capable of live fire (see You Tube) and had been used for various demonstrations.

Over at tanknet, Nicholas "The Chieftain" Moran from World of Tanks had some more details concerning the incident. He had been out there a week ago. www.tank-net.com/forum...&p=1202133

"They were conducting a live-fire shoot for a museum which wanted AP holes punched (or ricocheted against) armor plate. They were preparing the ammo during my visit. He was combining naval 3" AP projectiles with the M18's 76mm brass. When I asked him if he was going to use full charge or a reduced charge, he said he was most likely going to use reduced. (About 2/3) on the basis that the armor plate was at point blank range and there was no particular reason to go with the full pressure. There was going to be a cameraman present, so presumably that will aid the investigation.

I have no information as to the incident itself, I had no involvement with it."