I currently building a M966 HMMWV TOW Weapon carrier that I commanded for 5 years while assigned to the TOW Platoon, 3 Bn. 17 Infantry Regt, 7 Inf. Div (Light). My goal is to create as detailed interior/ exterior as my skills allow. I'm using PE for much of the detail of the TOW 2 and the Hummer's interior and fabricating numerous details that are no provided.

Here's my problem, I know the VPC mounted under the radio mount goes to the AN/TAS-4 (nightsight). What I can remember is where does the power cable for the MGS's battery conditioner comes from? Is it the VPC under the Radio mount or from the battery box

Thanks

Edward Geer
[email protected]

11H302S (US Army retired)
2 AD and 4 Inf Div, Ft. Hood, TX
25 Inf Div, HI
7 Inf Div (L), Ft. Ord, CA
2 Inf Div, Camp Casey, Korea

The Army's own Ma Bell. Reach out and touch someone!"

Edward,
Right up my alley, as I am a 27E - TOW /Dragon Missile Repairman.

Your answer is, straight to the vehicle battery box. The VPC takes the vehicle battery power and converts its down to the required voltage for the NightSight. Where as the MGS battery comes straight from the vehicle battery to the MGS. If I can remember correctly, the vehicle battery is 24V and the NightSight requires 5V or 12V, its been awhile since I had to remember the voltages on the darn things. Know, I mostly work on the TOW system of the Bradley. Havnt worked on a Ground Mount in a long time.

Thanks for the help. Once I get done with the M966 I'll post it! HEck, I may just take a few in the works as well.

Hey Ed,
just curious as to what kit you are building. I bought Academys new shellback kit, (off the net) and I am not sure if it is a 966 or a 1036(hasn't gotten here yet). Check out the eduard and Aber PE sets (1036 and TOW/Dragon sets) the parts are AWESOME! Guage sets for the Hummey and the MGS looks great also. I have a few shots of my truck (well not mine, one of my companies, mine was buried in the Motor pool) that I could send you via email.

By the way, 11H no longer exists. 11M and 11H have been folded into 11B. All Hotels are now 11B with the B8 ASI.

SGT Brungard
10th Mountain (Too light to fight, too heavy to run) 11B
28 ID PAARNG 11BB8

Academy doesn't do a 1036, only a 966 or a 1025 (can't do a 1026 either). None of their four HMMWV kits come with a winch. Too bad that only their M998 comes with a brushguard, we put those things on just about any Hummer that counted.

I'm using the Acadeny M966 as my base for the hummer and the DML US Marine Tank Killer kit (3012) for the TOW 2.

For details I'm using Eduard PE#35 258 (M-1036 HmmV with TOW Launcher for the Italeri model). It does work well with the Academy model to. Only drawback is that if you use the missile rack and have the missiles in it the rear hatch will not close properly. It has to remain up. Which is my plan anyways.

Also, I am using the Aber PE kit for the TOW and Dragon set for all the details needed to detail the TOW 2 weapon system.

Check out the Rivet Review Board forum. I've uploaded some pics I took of the work in progress. Still need to get a descent photo of the launched missile though.

Rob,
Does that mean the individual units get a choice of "options" to add to the vehicles that are allocated to them? At what level is this decided/approved ? Platoon, company, Bn, .. ?
Are such things added in the factory before delivery or after delivery by a military unit ? Could you have hummers in the same unit with and without brushguards ?
I remember from our army days that the company got a number of vehicles and we had to take them as they came, even if they were very unproductive (like our trucks were not properly equiped for loading/unloading paletized ammo which was 90% of their designation).

Yes, unit personnel added the brushguard. Generally speaking, the M998/1038 series came with either a "pickup truck" mode (2-man cab) or "sedan mode" (4-man cab). Units added the rear canvas covers that made the 4-seater into the “station wagon mode” or added the “doghouse” to the 2-seater. Same deal with the brush guard. These items were ordered by maintenance personnel and installed at the unit level.

Again, who gets what is more or less decided by someone like the battalion maintenance officer or his warrant officer since they control the actual ordering of class 9 repair parts (which these add-on kits are considered). Their immediate bosses, like the battalion commander and executive officer, would definitely get a brush guard, as would the command sergeant major. The BMO and BMT would have one since they do the ordering. Availability of the kits in the supply system and the unit's class 9 budget also play into this. Can't get any if there aren't enough to go around or if the money is needed for vital repair parts.

So there could be a mix of vehicles with and without brush guards in the same battalion, company and even platoon. I bet if there were a limited number available to the scout platoon or anti-tank platoon, the platoon leader and platoon sergeant would get them first. More of a status symbol within a unit. BTW, there were several different types of brush guards that would come in through the supply system.