Trying to find references and pics of the old school, Fort Knox era of the instructor's chair that was mounted on the turret just behind the loaders hatch.

I know Isrealies had a similar set up, but seeking the domestic version.

I used to have a book (can't find it now) that had a pic of the instructor riding on the turret in what looked like an office chair - could have also been a seat from an M151. I recall from the pic in my memory that the instructor had a PRC-25 or similar radio with the backpack frame strapped to the chair as well.

Driving me nuts I can't find the old book let alone any pictures on the Google! My old reference books that I studied each picture and memorized them is haunting me without more references. I'm not getting any younger so those old memories are getting fuzzier the more brain cells I kill with each beer!

Any Dino tankers know any details about this odd rumble seat set up?

Bruce,
I spent a year at Armor School at Fort Knox in 1976 for M60A1 and M60A2 training, followed by three years in the 11th ACR. I can't recall ever seeing a chair like you are referring as a standard or type classified practice. Perhaps it was before my time in the M60A1, or a one-off in a specific unit. When we had an observer on the turret for training purposes, they usually rode on the rear of the turret with their feet in the bustle rack, with an AN/PRC 25/77 slung on the back of the commander's open hatch. They also rode in the loaders position so they could sight the barrel (As in the old SCOPES training). That doesn't mean someone didn't come up with one though-- I'd love to see a photo of one. VR, Russ

I guess this thread should help with the seat ID (at least for the M60A3 seat...)

http://www.network54.com/Forum/47209/thread/1055783543/M60+turret+top+seats



H.P.

That's what I was talking about!

On Network54 they said it was a seat from an M151 but now that I think about it I remember in the pics it had arms, almost more looked like an office chair.

I wonder if there's any more sources of pictures... I've tired every combo of Google search words I could come up with. Thank god Frenchy at least validated my foggy memory and I as the just dreaming it up.

By the way, what would typical bumper codes be for a tank being used in armor school?

Bruce,
Those chairs AKA Tank Crew Instructor (TCI) seats were fabricated locally at Ft Knox out of steel plate for the mount, angle iron for the seat bases and rod as well as plywood for the arm rests and seat back. I want to say that the M35 seat cushions were used for the seat and M151 cushions for the seat back. We used them during gunnery training for our TCIs when I was with the M60A3 Tank Commander's Certification Course in 1986-88 at Ft Knox.

Bumper Numbers for the Armor school units started with ACX (Armor School), then the unit on the left side, then the company/platoon/vehicle on the right. I was in A/5-12 Cav, so it was ACX 5-12 CAV A21. Unfortunately, I do not remember how 1st Armor Training Brigade (OSUT) marked their vehicles but I do have a picture series of one of their old M60A3s that I took in 2002 at the Patton Museum's storage yard.

In the late 80's everyone on Knox was using a three color MERDC tropical scheme of light green, forest green and black alkyd paint except for new systems (M1A1s, HEMMTs, etc) that came with the factory NATO-flage. We did the painting ourselves until one of the other tank troops started paining one of their M1s with CARC Green with no protective precautions...

HTH

John

Awesome ... Okay I'm onto my next build! Great info.

Question - you mentioned the training M60s being summer/tropical MERDC. You mentioned forest green light green and of course the black accents. Did they leave off the light/sand accents like they sometimes did in some units or was it the true four color proper pattern?

Bruce,
The line in my previous post above covers it: Forest Green, Light Green and Black, nothing else... There were some other modified MERDC schemes being used at Ft Knox at the time such as in the 194th Armored Brigade. My tank in D Troop, 10th Cavalry (M60A3, D41) was painted Dark/Forest Green, Field Drab and Black. The Brigade had a role for planning in potential operations in the Middle East, which might have influenced the colors.

JC

OK, I don't know if you got the answer you were looking for, but the Verlinden book on the M60A3 has several photos of the seats mounted on tanks at Ft Knox. Also, Legend makes the Israeli version of the seat, if you don't want to scratchbuild it. Its in kit number LF1109. Hope this helps!
Ken.