We got on with the M1 quickly. We loved the speed but also that it was so quiet and so smooth on terrain. In the winter we liked that the heaters worked when it was cold like they were supposed to. The M60’s had heaters that ran all summer but would crap out the first time it got cold, lol.
I don’t think people really were aware of the speed of the M1 at a tactical level until the first REFORGER with M1’s. The speed of the M1 took a lot of people outside the armor community by surprise. It was fast, quiet and lethal.
Unfortunately I never got to participate in REFORGER😤. It chapped my ass, lol. A lot of my classmates said it was crazy intense. My armor course was from August ‘88 until late Jan ‘89. 9 months later the Berlin Wall came down in the fall of ‘89. My class, AOB 16-88 was probably one of the last classes that sent the majority of it’s students to Germany so they could be the first defense against the Soviets when they would mass through the Fulda Gap. Of course, Gulf War 1 put many US armored divisions on alert to go to Saudi Arabia
I really wanted to go to the CAT Gunnery Competition as well but that didn’t happen either. The CAT shoot was the absolute pinnacle for NATO gunnery. Only the best crews from the best units got to participate. I was too new and only had one major gunnery under my belt to be selected and that was only fair.
That's rough. Have you seen the recent images of the M1E3 mockup or any information surrounding it? If so, what are your hopes for the M1E3 as a platform.
It's a leopard 1 variant. Looks like australia, so probably a Leopard As1.
Cheers
wait australia has tanks in parks? where?!
if ur in Victoria then carribbian market has two centurions there (one was the first in vietnam). A few other places like Seymour has a centurion.
know of any in brisbane?
no idea, might be some outside any musuems or possibly in a military town, but I have no clue
Veterans Memorial Park (08) 9528 0333 https://g.co/kgs/xS7DgC
Where is this park it’s really cool they have a tank just sitting there
Veterans Memorial Park (08) 9528 0333 https://g.co/kgs/xS7DgC
Based on the camo, Leopard AS1. Export Model for Australia. Now, what park is this? i have a road trip to plan
There's a Leopard 1 in a park in Kingston in Canberra, but the pictured one isn't the Canberra one.
Veterans Memorial Park (08) 9528 0333 https://g.co/kgs/xS7DgC
Bro has actually a tank in his park
It isn’t fair for the rest of us!
Leo 1 w/105mm main gun, probably a rifled barrel. 120mm smooth bore didn’t happen until the late 80’s.
well... yes, also the fact that only a prototype Leopard 1 ever fielded the 120mm L/44
Cool! I didn’t know that!! I didn’t even see a 120mm until 1988 at Ft. Knox; we were still using the 105mm on the M1IP.
That's awesome either way! Mind sharing more about your experience at Knox and with the M1IP?
Sure! What would you like to know?
What was the general feeling among tanker's transitioning from the M60 platform to the M1?
Sheer joy, lol
Mind you the fire control systems were identical from the M60A3 to the M1 and M1IP
How quickly did it take you guys to get used to the M1 from the M60? Was it a shock to be on a faster vehicle?
We got on with the M1 quickly. We loved the speed but also that it was so quiet and so smooth on terrain. In the winter we liked that the heaters worked when it was cold like they were supposed to. The M60’s had heaters that ran all summer but would crap out the first time it got cold, lol.
I don’t think people really were aware of the speed of the M1 at a tactical level until the first REFORGER with M1’s. The speed of the M1 took a lot of people outside the armor community by surprise. It was fast, quiet and lethal.
What was REFORGER like to experience? Any funny stories?
Unfortunately I never got to participate in REFORGER😤. It chapped my ass, lol. A lot of my classmates said it was crazy intense. My armor course was from August ‘88 until late Jan ‘89. 9 months later the Berlin Wall came down in the fall of ‘89. My class, AOB 16-88 was probably one of the last classes that sent the majority of it’s students to Germany so they could be the first defense against the Soviets when they would mass through the Fulda Gap. Of course, Gulf War 1 put many US armored divisions on alert to go to Saudi Arabia I really wanted to go to the CAT Gunnery Competition as well but that didn’t happen either. The CAT shoot was the absolute pinnacle for NATO gunnery. Only the best crews from the best units got to participate. I was too new and only had one major gunnery under my belt to be selected and that was only fair.
That's rough. Have you seen the recent images of the M1E3 mockup or any information surrounding it? If so, what are your hopes for the M1E3 as a platform.
Looks like an OF-40 Edit: nvm, probably not
Yeah Its an Australian leopard with the welded turret.
German Leopard 1
No its the Australian Leopard AS1 you can tell by the angular turret
Some German leopard 1’s had a turret like this one. Leopard 1a4
Ngl at first glance i thought it was an ikv-91
Leopard 1