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Armor/AFV: Modern - USA
Modern Armor, AFVs, and Support vehicles.
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American Gepard
salt6
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: February 17, 2002
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Posted: Monday, September 16, 2002 - 06:52 AM UTC
What would you guys do to Americanize the Gepard turret?

stavka2000
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: February 22, 2002
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Posted: Monday, September 16, 2002 - 07:23 AM UTC
Steve,

Are the US buying these? If not, if I wanted to make a model and Americanize it, I would put a LOT of MREs and personal belongings on them! We had a standing joke in our army that Americans were real masters when it came to making their tank look like a supply truck!



Dubanka
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Alabama, United States
Joined: June 29, 2002
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Posted: Monday, September 16, 2002 - 07:44 AM UTC

Quoted Text

We had a standing joke in our army that Americans were real masters when it came to making their tank look like a supply truck!





You should see the things that they want us to carry!!
My last rotation to JRTC (Ft Polk, LA) They made us carry 30 foot extension ladders strapped to the bustle rack.

John
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
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Posted: Monday, September 16, 2002 - 07:49 AM UTC
First things I'd do:
1. Add an M2HB .50 caliber machine gun cupola, maybe from an M113 vehicle for close in ground support or use the type from an M1 tank if you mount the turret on an M1 hull.
2. Add US style grenade launchers and grenade stowage boxes like the ones found on M60A1/A3 or M1 series tanks.
3. Add a road wheel and a couple of track block mounting spots.
4. Make some camouflage net bags and pole bags and store them on top somewhere.
5. Velcro strips to simulate where the MILES gear would hang on the turret.
6. The IIF panels that hang on the sides of modern equipment (those louvered ID panels).

These are some of the things I'm planning to do to the Sgt. York turret that I'm adding to the M1 hull.
stavka2000
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: February 22, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 10:57 AM UTC
Sabot,

You said you're adding a Sgt York turret to an M1 hull. Is that just a hybrid "fun" project or are they really considering doing that?

Was SGT York ever in operational use? I saw some dioramas in the verlinden way volume IV. Looks pretty cool to me.

Thanks,
Linz
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Australia
Joined: March 18, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 06:15 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Was SGT York ever in operational use? I saw some dioramas in the verlinden way volume IV. Looks pretty cool to me.


First production vehicles were delivered in 1983 with major problems, the worst being the radar's inability to track low flying targets due to ground clutter. Other problems included:

- tracking the gun muzzles when at high angles (confusing the radar)
- inability to distinguish a hovering helicopter from a clump of trees
- a slow traverse, not allowing the tracking of crossing targets
- inability to keep up with the M1 and M2/3 units due to the old chassis used (M48)
- poor ECM suite

December 1986 saw the program terminated after about 50 had been built. None saw service as the problems were insurmountable.

Cheers,
Linz
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
Armorama: 9,071 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 - 10:00 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Sabot,

You said you're adding a Sgt York turret to an M1 hull. Is that just a hybrid "fun" project or are they really considering doing that?

Was SGT York ever in operational use? I saw some dioramas in the verlinden way volume IV. Looks pretty cool to me.

Thanks,
It's just for fun, a "what if" project. The Sgt. York only entered into what is called LRIP or Low Rate Initial Production. During this phase of a vehicle's development, a limited amount are produced and used for operational testing. Most of those completed were sent to ranges as hard targets.

The US Army decided to go with an ADA system based on the Bradley chassis. This is for two main reasons. First, the Bradley chassis has no problem keeping up with our heavy forces and second, the current vehicle does not "stand out" in a formation of tanks and IFVs. To the untrained eye, the current Bradley/Stinger Fighting Vehicle (BSFV) looks too much like an M2A3, M3A3 or M7A1 for the enemy to differentiate at any distance. This way they can't tell which Bradley is the troop carrier, ADA vehicle, scout vehicle or fire support vehicle. There is safety in anonymity. A Sgt. York type system would stand out in an M1/M2 formation and would be too easy to identify as a critical air defense system.

The BSFV is also referred to as the "Linebacker".
sgtreef
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: March 01, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2002 - 08:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Sabot,

You said you're adding a Sgt York turret to an M1 hull. Is that just a hybrid "fun" project or are they really considering doing that?

Was SGT York ever in operational use? I saw some dioramas in the verlinden way volume IV. Looks pretty cool to me.

Thanks,
It's just for fun, a "what if" project. The Sgt. York only entered into what is called LRIP or Low Rate Initial Production. During this phase of a vehicle's development, a limited amount are produced and used for operational testing. Most of those completed were sent to ranges as hard targets.

The US Army decided to go with an ADA system based on the Bradley chassis. This is for two main reasons. First, the Bradley chassis has no problem keeping up with our heavy forces and second, the current vehicle does not "stand out" in a formation of tanks and IFVs. To the untrained eye, the current Bradley/Stinger Fighting Vehicle (BSFV) looks too much like an M2A3, M3A3 or M7A1 for the enemy to differentiate at any distance. This way they can't tell which Bradley is the troop carrier, ADA vehicle, scout vehicle or fire support vehicle. There is safety in anonymity. A Sgt. York type system would stand out in an M1/M2 formation and would be too easy to identify as a critical air defense system.

The BSFV is also referred to as the "Linebacker".


Kind of a BIG TARGET hey Rob
salt6
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Oklahoma, United States
Joined: February 17, 2002
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Posted: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 - 12:24 PM UTC
Hey, thanks guys! Good ideas. Next question, what to name the beast?
Sabot
Joined: December 18, 2001
KitMaker: 12,596 posts
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Posted: Thursday, September 26, 2002 - 08:00 AM UTC
I was going to call my M1/Sgt. York combo the "Audie Murphy".
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