That photo brings back memories-- and some things I missed in my list-- periscopes, slave cable, adjustment spanners, and of course operators manual/TM and logbook. I'm sure there are more. That was a good suggestion regarding model RR tools--Bachman "G' scale trains used to offer a trackside set that had all sorts of wrenches, jacks, hand tolls and other stuff. It would be perfect for a layout. VR, Russ

Russ, I started as a 551 driver out of AIT, stayed around for slick M1s. I think your right The H&T gauge came with the gun. I used to wear it on my web gear to keep it handy as an M1 TC. I stayed mostly focused on armor and have started to get back into planes and ships.

As to a BII layout, i believe someone made photo etched wrenches. Looking into car after market accessories might have something. Jerry cans and rammer staffs can be scratch built, then there is the bell rammer, bore brush, little joe wrench and tankers bar. Pioneer tools should be easy, to throw another curve, out tools in the 11th ACR had to be natural wood and steel.

Tom

Mike great picture, in the Army we didn't dismount the gunners or TCs sights. CVCs were issued to the crewmen and not part of the tank equipment. Slave cables were not issued to tanks in my unit maintenance carried them. It is a good idea though.

Tom

I'm working on this layout finally and needing to identify a few of the items I don't recognize.

I know I can scratch a lot of the items and scavenge many others. Not sure yet where to find track joiners and and a few other pieces.

The items I can't positively identify from the pic are lettered.

A -
B -
C -
D -

Any ideas or direction would be great!

A is the bore brush and spare bristles.
C are spare end connectors and wedge bolts.
B a couple of items may be flashlights and batteries.
D ?

B are flashlights and batteries. They look like the grey straight handle with cones used for signaling and ground guiding.

Part of "D" looks like a Bino Case. Or cleaning kits for the M-16s to the right?

Ah ha! I knew you guys would know.

I thought those flashlights looked like some sort of drive shaft with universal joints, makes a lot more sense now!

I just need to dig trhough my old stash and hope I can find some track jacks and stuff. I hoping maybe an old m88 Kit might have something like that in it.

A- 105mm bore brush/spare brush and 2 asbestos mittens.

B- Flash lights with batteries removed.

C- Canvas Straps rolled up.

D- Canvas Pamphlet bag, Rubberized cover for M85 barrel, M85 & M60E2 COAX cleaning rod bags, folded up canvas antenna bag, ect, ect.

Mike sends . . .

Absolutely right about the headspace and timing on the M85. You never worried about that. You always worried about the tension on the feed causing a jam. Also, the pulley for the charging chain on the M60A2 was really nice. As the Fort Knox instructor said, "Even you can now charge the Fifty with one arm."

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned the existence of two tool bags. During an inspection by the S3, a PFC driver remarked, "These are not our real tools, sir. They are in the gunner's car."

Why two tool bags? The 9/16-in wrench. It would always end up under the pack. Each of my tanks must have had 10 of them. One in the driver's pocket, 4 in the tool bags and 5 under pack.

When I was the driver and signed for the BII and tank I also had a spare set of tools kept hidden from inspections.

Tom