does anyone know or have pictures of the M577 with external fuel cells. I thought I had seen a picture a few weeks back, but I can't remember where. any help is appreciated

I spent many a long dark cold night in one of these in the 70's. I'm wondering if there are any stock kits of it out there. Not conversions or $90+ ones.

Blaster,
Tamiya re-released there M577 kit. Eduard aslo re-released a new photo etch set for it.

Is the M577 with external tanks in use? I think even the ones in Iraq are the old style.

Leave it to Eduard to correct the M577 PE after all this time and of course I managed to get a hold of the old set a couple of years back..

If anyone is looking for interior images then let me know. I've got a full set of one at Camp Mabry in Austin. Maybe someone would crawl in the M106 there. Epi?

Paul

M577 does not mount external fuel tanks. Even the M577A3 with steering wheel verses laterals has the internal fuel tanks. Don't know why they are not fitted with external tanks, would be more survivable for the crew in the event of a fire or if hit.

If so... (but I thought that I have also seen them mounted.)

I think that it would have something to do with the center of gravity being thrown way out of whack with the externals mounted. Bad enough with the added weight of the raised troop compartment... add the added weight of full fuel tanks hanging off the arse end like that and you might have a tendancy to sink stern first on river etc crossings.

Perhaps the ones that I saw mounted were options available to those buyers that would not have to be too concerned with river/lake obstacles. Saudi, Egypt etc... I don't think that I would totally rule it out.

Well Im sure there are plenty of reference pics floating around of M577's in OIF on the net. If you cant find any though there Redaye, give me about 2-3 weeks and I may be able to take some pics of some down in the motor pool if I can get access.

My M577 definitely had the external cells, this was back in 1995. Also, it still had the tiller bars for steering, so it was not an A3. The fuel tanks did not effect the water x-ing ability either.

If you want to do it up Canadian, I can help you out. MLM makes a very nice set of resin tanks, AFV clube makes very nice vynil diehl tracks, and also plastic LTL tracks, Archer do up Cdn dry transfers.

I will qualify my answer then. In the 10 years that I have been on active duty, all of it in Heavy Divisions, I have never seen a US Army M577 with external fuel tanks. Some other country may use them or they may have been tested, but I still don't think they are used by active US Army units.

KKeefe, you may be right on the center of gravity theory, but maybe not, see Canadian version below..

Here is proof that Canada uses them with external tanks.


I even went to the United Defense, producer of M113 family of vehicles including M577. None of their packages show an external fuel tank option. May be a home-grown Canadian specification. Here is the United Defense website.

thanks guys for all the replies. the pic that heavyarty posted is more or less what i had seen, but the M577 was painted the sand color. i save every site that i come across that has military pics or model pic. just that now the list got so long that i was going through the sites 1 by 1 and i was online for over 3 hours before i decided to ask for assistance. thanks again guys for replying

Seems to me that the CP extension and frame might be effected by the presence of the external fuel cells. Just speculation, as having been hanging around the Army since 73, I haven't seen such a critter myself!

Jim Peterson

Paul,
Tomorrow will be my 4th week working at CSMS#2, Cam Mabry. I 've been so busy working on TOW and Dragon equipment, not to mention my Bradley going FUBR!!! The guys before me left the tarp off the turret and water got inside ECA (main brain of the turret). I havnt had a chance to walk arounfd the motor pool and see whats around. Once I settle in a little better and my work load lessens, I will take a walk and start snapping some picture. I still owe Matt some shots of a generator.

None of the M577's in the 1st AD in Europe had external tanks, and we never considered putting them on.

Scott