hi all
knows anyone more about the unit or this abrams tank?
much thanks for any info and help!
regards!
Peter

picture is posted on my private gallery...
cant post it here...sorry

This help Peter?

Dave

No idea what unit, but it is a USMC M1A1HC. Can tell this from the MCD mounted on the manhole cover. Probably 3rd Tank Bn, guessing this from the 3 vertical stripes on the front turret slopes. Do you have any other pics. Hard to tell from that one. Can't make out the name on the bore evac or the words under the MCD.

Hello Peter
Mike Mummey has identified this Abrams (on ML forum) as being a USMC one called "Nomad". The name rang a bell, and after some searching in my references, here are 2 more pics of this tank :


It looks like the bore fume evacuator has been changed after these pics were taken...

HTH
Frenchy

Hello All,
Just as an FYI that tank commander of that M1 is a good personal friend and a true Scottsman. He got tired of being in the RAF Infantry Regiment. That tank is from Charlie Company, Third Platoon, 1st Tank BN. Bumper Number 34.

Tanks
Andy

much thanks for posting this picture here
thanks for the help!
regards
peter

Howdy all. Andy is correct that there is a crazy Scottsman on that tank. The tank is C-34(pronounced charlie three four) a.k.a. "NOMAD". It is the platoon sergeants tank. The platoon was home stationed in 29 Palms, CA and deployed with the 15th MEU for OIF. They were attached to E Company, 2nd Bn ,1st Marines as part of BLT 2/1. You can ID "E 2/1" stecnciled in the open end of the "V" on the front skirts. They attacked into Um Qasr on 21 March, 2003 alongside our British cousins. This platoon of four tanks did not recieve CIPs and instead used reverse thermal tape(gunnery target material) for ID Friend/Foe. This is the gray/green stripes on the face of the turret. All four tanks were equipped with track retaining rings(a.k.a. training wheels)on the sprockets. These tanks also lacked the TI Phone box on the right rear hull and never did have the attachment hardware or the external fuel bladders mounted on the turret sides. The lettering below the manhole cover in front of the loaders station is the rank/name of the loader beneath the word "LOADER". All four tanks in this platoon had the crewmans position and rank/name stenciled near their crew station. You will also see a skull and cross bones(platoon logo) painted on the smoke grenade boxes on the turret sides. This was also stenciled on the top of the TCs hatches. The picture with the green bore evacuator was taken after crossing into Iraq. The original sand colored one was damaged in combat and replaced. The skull above the main gun on the mantlet is there because the Tank Commander is a die hard Iron Maiden fan. "Tanks' to Frenchy for posting the pictures. Out here.

Hello Mike,
Thanks for filling in the Gaps, I knew he was there as part of a MEU but not sure which one. I heard he's going out again in Jan 06??

Semper FI
Andy

Howdy Andy. I like filling in the gaps. Yes he is going back out soon. The "War of the Worlds" tank platoon is on the water now(McDuck's the PltSgt). Out here.

hallo#
thats informative....
can anyone tell me what is meant with....fuel bladders?
regards!

Hello Wolf,
The external fuel bladders mentioned are black tubular fuel tanks with a rubber type consistency mounted on the right and left side of the turrets. They were only used in OIF, I can't remember how much fuel they held but I would say 55 gallons each. Mike can fill in the gap here. They were an experimental item, some people liked them but would have to say most didn't. They were the Marine Corps answer to mounting fuel drums for extended range. To get the fuel out of them and into the tanks you would dismount them from the turret sides, lay them in front of the tank, run a hose to the fuel cell and then slowly drive over the bladder. The weight of the tank would force fuel out of the bladder and into the tank.

Tanks
Andy

Andy, are you sure that the fuel bladders were only used during OIF? I distinctly remember seeing a pic from ODS of an M551 Sheridan with one on the side. Can't remember where I saw the pic though.
Kyle

Hello Kyle,
Yes, I am sure I was on the development and testing team for those. The company that makes them was around for years. The way they came into the military, specifically the Marines. Someone from the company convinced his local congressional representative that this item had great military significance. So, this congressman adds tons (4 million) dollars into a bill strictly for the purchase of these fuel bladders. The Marine Corps was forced to buy them around 1999/2000 time frame and then did some testing with them. I got involved in the project when the Navy made the Marine Corps aware that the design of the fuel filler port wasn't compatible with their high pressure nozzles on ship. If we wanted to use them they wanted all sorts of modifications done to the ships and safety tests done which would have cost an arm and a leg. Anyway we got stuck with them so we used them. See how some bright idea from some company can have all sorts of cost ramifications.

Tanks
Andy

Just to illustrate your explainations :


HTH
Frenchy

Frenchy,
Thanks for the back up photos. :-)

Tanks
Andy

Andy, I stand corrected. Even better, I got it straight from the horse's mouth.
Kyle