Hello, I was wondering if anyone has any pictures showing how the Crouse-Hinds searchlight was mounted on the M48 and M41 tanks in Vietnam? I have seen pictures of them on ARVN M41s and the Marines M48s. Thanks, Wayne

Guess I should have asked about something older or more fashionable, sorry.

Or perhaps something that people could answer. It's not like there's this great reservoir of all conceivable knowledge sitting here, guarded by The Great Ones of websites, dealt out only to to the Right people asking the Right questions. Sometimes no one else knows the [auto-censored]ing answer either.

KL

Google images is your friend
The first link scroll down the page
http://www.modellismopiu.it/modules/newbb_plus/print.php?forum=108&topic_id=119672


http://images.dragonhobby.com/TWS/TWS0117-1.jpg

Yes but sometimes even a friend can't do much to help...Most of the pictured tanks in the said thread are M48A1's :



The mount for the Crouse-Hinds searchlight on the M48A3 mantlet is visibly different...



H.P.

My unscientific wild assed guess based on a close-up examination of the photo.

It's a little shelf with the cup mounts on the bottom to fit the searchlight ball mounts already on the mantlet.


Nichimo did a 1/30th scale M60 kit back in the early 1970's that had the mount and searchlight in it.

Thanks to those who posted pictures. I've been googling, but as noted most pictures don't really show the mount clearly. I have the Tankworshop light and the one from the Dragon M46, but the brackets don't look right. The search continues. Thanks again.

So I threw one image into Photoshop and played with it, including inverting it to see the shadowed detail.

It is a piece of angle iron welded to the top of the existing two searchlight mounts on the mantlet. Then existing brackets on the light are bolted to that assembly. Or the piece of angle iron was welded to the light and that bolted to drilled out searchlight mounts.

The standard mounts are there in one picture I roughly traced their outline. The angle iron is obvious (traced in blue) and the bracket and bolt are circled in yellow. This is well within the capability of most workshops or even crews. (when i was in it was a crew duty on M48's to mount the searchlight)

This is only a possible reconstruction. I doubt you'll find anyone who'll fault you on it unless an M48 searchlight mounting manual shows up. And that might not even have this mount as it could have been non-standard (as appear the mounts on the M48A1.) (The standard mount was for the square search light)


Maybe someone will show up with an ancient issue of a maintenance bulletin going over mods necessary for the alternate installation.

Thanks Steve appreciate your help. I also just ordered the Tamiya magazine that has an article on M48s to see how they did the mount on theirs. I'm guessing the M41 mount would be something similar, probably scratchbuilt. Again thanks and appreciate the help. Wayne

It think the mount on the Berlin Crisis M48A1s was unique to that unit. I've seen images of the smaller mount on M48A1s not stationed in Berlin.

Well, the little light in my brain finally came on and I dug out my copy of Oscar Gilbert's book " Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam." There on the cover and inside are pictures of a dozer tank with a fairly clear look at the light and mount. Although still not a close up, it does give a good idea of the general design of the bracket. It appears to be an L shaped arrangement with the back corners visible above the rear corners of the light. The search continues.

..and it's not over yet


















2 types of searchlights in the same picture :



from http://mcvthf.org

and http://www.usmcvta.org

From http://mccabe.org/gallery/ :













H.P.

Frenchy to the rescue as usual. If there is a pic out there, he will find it.




a delay is usually due to the post sliding down the page before someone who has the answer sees it. It has nothing to due with the subject matter or the poster. Giving it a little time and a gentle nudge back to the top usually does the trick.

I appreciate all the posts and did not mean to upset anyone. I am new to this and realise that my questions may have been raised before. Thank you to those that have tried to help. I appreciate the work you do to help us not yet there.

Thank you, Frenchy! I guess I should have just asked you first as I have seen that you are the go to person for pics! Appreciate your help.

You're welcome

I had forgotten this drawing I had that shows part of the mounting frame :



H.P.