M60A2.  It fired the 152mm Shillelagh  guided missile.  It didn't last very long because of technical problems.  It was the same missile used by the M551 Sheridan

Same here.

You could fire on the move if you were on a flat, smooth road, had a good driver, had a good gunner, and had good luck.  The suspension was so stiff that it precluded firing on the move like the M1 series (which has true "fire on the move" capability with a very high probability of a first round hit).

Ah, yes, the M60.

This 'ol 11Bravo spent much time running around the F.R.G. and Fort Polk, LA with THOSE babies.

I can't remember who we rolled with in the 2nd BDE of the 5th ID, but our tanker outfits at Coleman
Kaserne were the 1st and 3rd BN, 33rd AR (2nd "Iron" BDE, 3rd AD). They transitioned to the M-1's
in 1985.

No, that's an M60A2.  You might be thinking of the CEV (M728).  I got to watch those dudes fire one year and it was awesome (!)  The round

is slow enough to see in the air and they were pounding all holy hell out of a bunch of old railroad tank cars.









 

Godzilla has only fought JGSDF type 61s, type 74s and later on type 90s. Sorry to be a nerd, but this IS a good excuse to show some tanks not normally talked about.







 

I went to Knox in march of '96. I recall seeing bout a hundred M60 all lined up in a maintenace pen.

Those are AWESOME man!



My TC for the first half of My time with the 7TH Cav' was a Korean guy (I know your vid's are Japanese).  SSG HUNG HA.  He was the fuckin' shit.  One day we were doing a BII layout and He kept asking me about "Wenges" (?)  I was like..."SGT Ha, what ARE you talking about?"  "What's a 'wenge'?"!??



He got himself ALL spun the fuck up because I couldn't understand him and finally said to me..."You know, WENGES, reh, gree, brue!" LOL!!!!



He was talking about the LENSES that we used on the M-105D (Red, Green, Blue and yellow).  When I finally figured out what the hell he was talking

about and said..."Do you mean LENSES?" he was like "YA!...wenges!"
 

Ref the CEV, this was just after the Cambodia excursion in 1970. We removed the blade and attached mine rollers then added two .50s and two m60s to the top. Used it for minesweeps and road security.

OH GOD YA! about crushed my hand a few times! and we were warned over and over and over.

hey we had those at knox for training!

 Or properly translated into French "We eat pussy"

There are about 50 of the M60s sitting in a fenced area on Eglin AFB,near one of the ranges. I wish there was a way that I could save one.

I guess I could've read the pic name - LOL!
I like the CEV and the HESH round, or what I've read about it.  Never got to see them live though.


I apologize, I was remiss before - Thank you for your service!

NIGHT FIRE

Greek M60A3 brake test.


One of dozens of U.S. Cold War surplus M48 and M60 tanks dumped off the coast of Florida to create another tourist attraction.





Sarcastically referred to as the "Starship" by its crews due to its complexity, the M60A2 was an
overall disappointment. During testing, numerous problems with the new turret arose, and production
did not commence until 1973, and actually ceased in 1975. Eventually the new turrets were scrapped.
Phase-out of the SHILLELAGH/M60A2 system from active Army units was completed in 1981.
The "A-deuce" was essentially a failure, but provided valuable technical research in preparation
for the M-1s.

The M60A3 with Tank Thermal Sight (TTS), incorporates hybrid solid-state ballistic computer, laser rangefinder,
and turret stabilization system. The tank combat full-tracked, 105mm gun M60A3 (TTS) is an improved version of
its predecessor, with the addition of an improved fire control system, thermal sight device, top loading air filters, and
a laser range finder. The tank combat full-tracked, 105mm gun (TTS), (M60A3), has the capability to engage the full
spectrum of enemy ground targets with a variety of accurate, point and area fire weapons, incorporated with a
shoot-on-the-move capability.

Sabra Main Battle Tank
In the mid-80’s, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) upgraded it’s M60 tank force. The early model M60, with the rounded
turret, received a series of much needed upgrades and was renamed the Magach-7 configuration. This upgrade included
thick slabs of passive armour added to the turret and hull front, armoured side skirts, new fire control and a thermal sleeve for
the 105mm. A key IMI export is an upgrade program for the US-built M60A3 main battle tank (MBT). It features a 120mm gun,
developed to fit the relatively small turret dimensions of older tanks. This upgrade is ideal: no machining or welding is necessary
on the turret to match the 120mm with the M60. The characteristics, including dimensions, recoil force and range, are almost identical
to those of the existing 105mm system. Within the turret, the only major changes are for ammunition racking and the fire control system.
IMI prototype has been tested and fired.

The Sabra Main Battle Tank is a modernised upgraded M60A3, orignally developed for a proposal
to Turkey by Israel Military Industries. The Sabra upgrade package is now being marketed elsewhere
internationally. The original 60s and 70s technology is replaced by new systems which will extend the
life of the M60 into the next century as an effective weapon system capable of defeating modern tanks.
The Sabra's main armament is a new 120mm Gun system which is interoperable with NATO weapon
systems and ammunition. Similar to the gun developed for the Merkava Mark 3 main battle tank, it is
mated with thermal imaging sights and the "Knight" fire control system and which provides a fire on
the move capability. The 120mm gun was developed to fit the relatively small turret dimensions of
older tanks. No machining or welding is necessary on the turret to match the 120mm with the M60.
characteristics, including dimensions, recoil force and range, are almost identical to those of the existing
105mm system. Within the turret, the only major changes are for ammunition racking and the fire control.
The enhanced turret and add-on ballistic protection improve survivability against shaped charge and kinetic
projectiles.

Great Thread Bro

Some awesome tank porn.

It is making my dick hard.

Thanks for posting & congrats on 10K.

And thanks for 30 years of service - I salute you.

The russians crewed 72s in DS?

The Israelis supposedly used that characteristic to great effect in the rolling terrain in the Golan Heights.  I think they still use M60s.

That sucks. I was always paranoid of working over the breech like that. I would always power down the tank completely and install the elevation lock when working over the breech. If I needed more room, I'd manually elevate the gun with the hand crank and traverse the turret so the gun was over the back deck where it couldn't go all the way down. I did get beaned in the cheek pretty good one time when I was checking out a bad MRS and the dipshits inside, not 30 sec after I told them to not fucking touch the palms, did so anyways without yelling "Clear!" and the gun jumped. Almost knocked me off the back deck.

Told the fuckers they can go qualify table 8 as-is because I wasn't touching their tank after that. It took a lot of willpower not to drag them out of the turret and beat their asses.

IIRC, they used heavily upgraded M4s into the 80s.



 

Damn thats a short barrel.

Awsome pictures and stories!   Congrats on 10K, and thank you for your service!

They really weren't all that different (at least the 'A5's) from the '60's.  The ONE thing I DO remember though were the seats.  They were

made of a steel mesh that, on a cold day, could freeze your ass through a set of BDU's, field pants AND a MOPP suit.....





 

Betther thermal sight then the M1 series and more room to sleep, plus the autobahn chair for the TC. Id rather fight an M1 with the M2 vs the M85 and the 240's vs the 219, but the M60A3 I crewed in 84-85 had its charms!

I can't wait to get out to one of these sites and dive them.

I've pulled Guard Duty around them often enough.  I was a Road Guard for the M16A1 & A2 versions at Fort Hood often enough.  At times I think I became  Paratrooper just to get away from Tread Heads.

 

I've taken a LOT of naps on Banana boxes....





 

Not sure about "firing" on the move, but when I was at Ft. Carson in the late 70s I was assigned to work with a bunch of GS civilians retrofitting the new stabilized sighting systems on M60s. I think they were A2s. After getting everything mounted we'd take it out on the test range and lock the gun on the Will Rogers Shrine or the doors of Cheyenne Mountain and drive around like lunatics trying to screw up the aim. It would never be perfect when we stopped but it was always awful damn close!

You need to check this guy out!

http://www.youtube.com/user/Gizmo4t#g/u

I'd have to agree the M60 looks like what a "tank" should be.

That Sabra is nice, but I always liked the M1-2000/120S modification, which put an Abrams turret on the M60 chassis.  Seemed like a good idea to me, probably because I don't know anything about program development, logistics or such like.

Crewed both the 60A3 and the M1. If I had to go into battle I would want the M1, but always liked the look of the 60. Yes we did fire on the move in the 60 and they were roomy compared to the M1. Loved the time spent as an armor crewman. Will always remember the looks we got from the infantry as we RODE by.

That, is cool as fuck.





 

Yeah, if it came down to a shootin' war I'd want to be back in an M1 (For all SORTS of reasons) but I'm also glad to have spent a lot of

My time on a tank that was "essentially" the last evolution of WW-II technology.



Like someone else said too, I always felt bad for the crunchies until we threw a track or a hub burned up....





 

That's because you were smart.  There was a young Marine from 2nd Tk Bn (loader, IIRC) a few years back that suffered serious brain injury when the main gun depressed and his head was caught between the breach block and the roof of the turret.  Last I heard his parents wouldn't allow his life support to be terminated, hoping that he'll recover.  Just awful.  

The ISherman.  It was up-gunned with a French 105mm main gun, among other upgrades.

hey cgrant26 you were a turret rat too?
45E/N here!

As a certified diver and an ex-19E (M60A3 armor crewman) I demand to know where these lie. I absolutely have to dive them!

Thank you for your service axl.  I can't even begin to imagine the sort of reception you guys got coming home compared to mine.



Most of My Drill SGT's back in '81 were vet's of Vietnam and they've been My hero's ever since.
 

 

Ahh yes, the ole '60!  Even though I was born well into the reign of the M1, theres just something about the M-60's...  Personally I like the way they look fitted with the ERA like the USMC used them.

On the subject of M-60's and APDS rounds...
Is it true that some M-60 crewed used to cram a few APDS rounds in the tank well after APFSDS became the standard?  I heard a while back that there were a few spaces in the tank where ONLY APDS rounds could fit!

Um...I don't know (?).  I crewed the '60 CONUS and I honestly don't remember us ever having fin-stabilized APDS on the menu.  That "Might've" been

an OCONUS thing  (?)  We DID fire a bunch of service HEP and HEAT just before we netted on the M1 and THAT was a lot of fun but even though We

had a few classes that included APFSDSDU for the M-68 I don't remember ever doing a TT-8 (On a '60) with that as choice.





 

Congrats!  A-1-1 @ Knox in '81 and then my first duty station was HHC 3/33 at The Rock in Germany.  A1's & 3's.

My brother crewed '60's while in the Army before moving to the M1. He claimed the best thing about the '60 vs the M1 was an escape hatch in the bottom that was often used as a relief hole. True, or was he BS'ing me?

Those hatches were a bitch to get back in place...also only the driver could really use it.  They ditched it on the M1 for that and because it seriously wekened the bottom armor against smaller mines.


BTW, our last M-60 gunnery before transitioning to M1s, we totally outscored the active unit that fired before us on their M-1IPs.  The M-60A3 had, IMHO better fire control systems than the early M1s and was easier to fight in.  Of course, armor and mobility wise, not so much...

tanker 72-80 sheradan-m60-m60a1.

You liked the M60?   Better than the M1.  Seriously?





I was on both and I strongly suspect that you are just waxing nostalgic.  We tend to forget the shit and remember the good.  



I like the smell of Diesel, but God, I hated running PT behind M60's.    I get flashbacks about it every-time I get too close to a truck.  

I was an M60 A1/A3 Mechanic (63N), I really loved the M60 as well. Easy to work on, and lots of room for everything.

Worked on CEV's and AVLB's as well.


Had an M88A1 for field problems.....wanna talk about lots of room inside?

1987- Morning coffee with SSG Haner, somewhere in Korea