I'm trying to find pics of tanks (mostly, but other AFVs are ok as well) piled with loads of gear. They could be both modern or WWII or anywhere between.
Were there any nations that were more likely to pile extra gear, equipment, spoils etc. on their tanks than others?

John

Some US examples :












H.P.

Thanks Frenchy, I knew I could count on you!
Mattresses, bikes, all kinds of weird stuff on tanks, that's exactly what I was thinking about.

John

Yes, some are more prone than others for this. I believe that you can always find one or two pictures to prove something that was actually quite rare, but generally this is what I understand about the subject.

Both the Russians and Japanese were not known for lots of external stowage on their vehicles.

Italians, I am not really sure about

And for the Germans, Americans, and British I really think it was all about the individual units, and the unit commanders. Some units had "by the book" officers that would not allow anything of the sort. And some unit commanders only cared about getting their orders completed, and didn't really care what the unit vehicles looked like. And lots of in between types. And typically (but not always) most crews would not stow anything that blocked weapons, or viewports/periscopes.

But in our hobby, it is generally accepted that Americans liked to pile anywhere from large to absolutely enormous amounts of external stowage on there vehicles. And the more men in the vehicle (like halftracks) the more "stuff" you would see.

I would suggest just looking at google, and some websites like those below. Just look around a bit, and decide what seems right for YOU.

http://jtrowbridge5.smugmug.com/#295681170_TF2vf

http://histomil.com/viewtopic.php?f=338&t=3918

http://www.ww2incolor.com/


HTH Gary

Two WW2 examples you probably know already





H.P.

In Allied armies it also had a tendency to depend upon the role of the unit. Recce units were generally out in front of not only their own troops, but also their supply lines, so had a tendency to carry a LOT of kit with them. Advancing troops also tended to get out in front of their supply plus there was the tendency of attacking troops to "liberate" anything useful along the way.

Look for photos of recce units or units during attacks and you'll more likely find heavily stowed vehicles.

Paul

Thanks for the input guys!
@Frenchy. Yeah I know those two. As Tony would say, "They're Great!!" I'm planning on doing both at some point.
I think tanks and AFV's look great when they've got that "lived in" look. Sure, parades are nice, but pile on some gear and some grime, and now you're cooking!

John

Not exactly what you're looking for, but I thought you would like this one (German troops evacuating Copenhagen in May 1945) :



H.P.

Frenchy,

Great suggestions!

—mike

It's all a question of space. A soldier has so much gear and there is so little room to put it all on the vehicle. The US Armor School put out technical bulletins listing everything and giving you a place to put it. There were also unit standard operating procedures (SOP) Where does the Co want it or what extra gear does he want us to have?

look for the pictures of crew posed in front of their vehicle with the full load out and try to imagine how the hell they fit all that stuff in that tank. Whatever doesn't fit gets piled on the back. Those blow-off hatches on an M1 are supposed to be kept clear but not if you're gonna carry all the camouflage nets and poles you're assigned. Put it on the side. Just wait till it sags and it pulls off the turret while it's rotating. I've seen tanks strip off and lose everything as the turret slowly turns.


And it just sucks having that big nice tarp covering everything and you realize the toilet paper is at the bottom of your A-bag at the bottom of that pile in the tarp. It's nice to be a gunner or driver, lots of holes to stow convenience stuff inside.


One last thing, there are things carried whose own weight will keep them in place unless you roll the tank. You can dump a spare road wheel or a few track blocks on a fender and unless the tank goes airborne it won't move.

That M60A3TTS is my tank. The tow cables on the front and back were the battalion commander's idea.

Anglo-American Mark VIII Heavy Tank :



Canadian Army Universal Carriers :





from http://perthregiment.org/rperth13.html

or in German service (with a 20mm AA gun) :



US M3 half-track :



M3A1 :



H.P.

I believe the old standard of the longer the supply line, the more stuff gets collected holds true. This holds especially true for vehicles on the march. That said, I also believe a vehicle going into a combat situation would lose anything that would impair the ability to fight.

Wow Frenchy, Lots of good stuff there!
Love the Copenhagen pic. I've been to the square where that pic was taken.

John

This is meant to represent a Sherman V of the Three Rivers Regiment, near Regalbuto on Sicily (Hope I got the markings right!). Still a WIP.





John

I love it too. First time I saw it was in an old French book about AFVs...According to one caption I've found the picture was taken during the Battle of the Bulge. Another one says it was taken in 1945 in Germany. I guess both are plausible as it belongs to the 5th Armored Division...

A larger version :



Here's another nicely overloaded half-track, used as a gun (3-inch AT gun ? ) tractor :



Germany, February 1945 :



and a M15 AA half-track (I think...)



H.P.

Here's from the Soviet-Afghan War.

No Fear, It is Copenhagen. I verified it with som Danish modellers in the Copenhagen area. The building on the right is the Town Hall. This is what it looks like now.



John

That last halftrack in Frency's post is the Multiple Gun Motor Carriage with 2 .50cals and a 40mm Bofor. Sorry, can't recall the nomenclature and my Hunnicutt's are out of reach.

Here's a good one. The original transmissions in T34's were so weak that many went into battle with a spare tranny strapped to the back until the end of 1941!

Matt.
It is a M15A1, armed with two .50 caliber MGs and a 37MM automatic cannon. It was known in North Africa as the Stuka Killer, the crews would engage with .50 to get the range and open up with the 37mm cannon. The Stuka pilots would stay just beyond the tracer burnout of the .50s not knowing that they were in the range of the 37mm. You can figure out the outcome after that...

John

I thought you were talking about the 5th AD M3 half-track called "Copenhagen"...and wondered about the square you mentioned in your post !

Here's a better view of the 37mm gun fitted to the M15A1 :



H.P.

Thanks for sharing, John.

I did not recognize the square at first sight.

One of the concord books has a T-34 on a ferry with a jeep strapped to the engine deck!

Paul

1/35th scale build :
http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2005/09/stuff_eng_turkalj_t34.htm

H.P.