Hi guys what is the use of the gun travel lock?
Also my Tiger Mid is going to be finished in a week,it is much ootb except the JR barrel and Aber grill,i will post some pics after it is finished,would u guys like to post some of your Tiger Mid pics now so i can see them as some example?
Thanks

Howdy Tim,

The "Gun Travel Lock" is precisely that. A locking mechanism that 'locks' down the extended length of the barrel during lengthy travel excursion, like traveling from one engagement to another.
It's kind of like the old (how many people remember these?) record turntable arms that would have a small locking mechanism to simply control the arm itself both during shipment and during moving the turntable itself.
hth.

Tread.

As Tread says, it prevents damage to the trunions and elevation mechanisms while the vehicle is being transported. Most US tanks have a turret lock as well as a travel lock. The travel lock prevents the gun from going up and down while the vehicle is being transported.

The turret lock prevents the turret from traversing while in transport as well. Additionally, when a crewman enters or exits the drivers compartment through the turret, it provides a measure of safety to ensure that the turret is not moved while someone is between compartments.

If you remember the video of the stolen M60 running throught Sna Diego, you could see the gun in the locked position. (It always makes me laugh when I see this on one of those *est Chase programs as the voice over talks of the threat the guy posed with the main gun.

One of the things that we would always have a new tanker do was go and get the key to the travel lock for our tank. It let them know we loved them.

That question has got to rank on a scale somewhere ...reminds me of "what color was the old grey mare?"

To be fair...a lot of people think of tanks as nearly indestructible and don't realize that the simple act of driving down the road, and the resulting vibrations, can damage the elevation controls on the main gun as it slews up and down with the vehicles travel. Thus the need to lock it in place while travelling.

good point Phantom. I also thought that all that 'random' floating around of the barrel during a normal drive in the country has got to make the computer 'lock-on' mechanism just have FITS!

I really appreciate Sabot's point about the turret lock...never thought about that I suppose crawling from the hull up through the turret and having the turret traverse while you're doing that would peg your personal 'pucker' factor now, wouldn't it!

Tread.

This is the stabilization system and on modern tanks, the palm switches need to be depressed in order to unlock the main gun and turret from automatic movement. Basically, the commander or the gunner need to be squeezing the controls.

Also if the stab (pronounced "stabe") system is engaged, most people forget that as the business end of the gun tube goes up and down, that the breech block is going up and down in the opposite direction. Think of a see-saw on a child's playground.

It makes the loader nervous if that big breech block is bouncing up and down. If he happens to fall and land under the breech, he will be crushed against the turret floor as the gun elevates. If he falls on top of the breech, he will be crushed against the turret roof as the gun depresses. Most likely his leg or arm will get in the way and just be badly broken.

This is why the loader has control of the main gun arming lever and elevation uncouple control. On M1 series tanks, if the loader flips a switch, it unlocks the main gun from the sight. The gunner can continue to track and aim at targets, but the main gun remains at 0 elevation so he can load the gun without the breech block bouncing up and down. Once the loader is clear of the breech, disengages the EL uncouple and arms the main gun, it jumps to the proper elevation that the gunner and fire control system have computed. An average loader does this in a matter of 3-5 seconds.

Damn.. Learn somethign new everyday... Thanks fellas.. always wondered how they keep that big tube from sproinging all over hells half acre while travelling.,..

Dave