Museum Ordnance 1993-08 (Vol.3 No.5)

$3.00 September 1993

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Ordnance·,···.f\\~,~

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The Magazine for the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum Promoting the preservation and collection of information and artifacts of military ordnance from around the world.

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Dr. 'Jack' Atwater

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Museum Ordnance

The

Curator's Features Column

The editor of Museum Ordnance has just imposed upon me an impossible deadline to complete my column. Unfortunately, I am snowed under with administrative work right now as I am trying to get my desk cleared of work because I am off to Puerto Rico for two weeks shortly. Thus, this report shall be necessarily brief. We have run into some problems with our Handguns exhibit. Right now it looks as if it will be ready sometime in late August. The Army's historians and muse­ ums have just received a vote of confi­ dence from the Chief of Staff, General Sullivan. The Chief has pointed out that as the Army is "downsized" the need for a paradigm for the way ahead in only increased. General Sullivan has told his senior commanders that the last person he wants cut from their staffs are the historian and museum director. The Army has, for a genera­ tion, recognized the value of history. After Vietnam, the Army started the study of history in a big way. It paid off in the victory in the Desert. Thus , General Sullivan is a friend to the Army's museum system and his message could not have come at a more opportune time. The Army Museum Information System or AMIS is supposed to be on­ line this summer. This will mean noth­ ing to our public, but to the staff it means that the age of the computer has arrived in the Army Museum System. Everything, cataloging, registering, re­ porting, etc., etc., will be done on the computer. The only problem is, most of us can only turn a computer on and stare blankly into the screen. All of us will have to go back to school and

National Liberation Army By Jeff McKaughan

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Development of New Series German Tanks Up To End of March 1945 (Part 1) MajorR.E.Kaufman

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Salvadoren Patrol Vehicle By Jeff McKaughan Photos by Peter Kokalis

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Exploding a Few Myths About World War II Armor By Stephen 'Cookie' Sewell

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Light Armored Car M20 By Jean Morganthal

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Departments Curator's Column

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The Ordnance Museum Foundation

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Book Reviews DIEPPE THROUGH THE LENS of the German War Photographer Reviewed by Peter Brown GERMAN MACHINEGUNS

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Miniature Ordnance: Detailing a Tamiya 37mm Flak Gun By Steven Andreano

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Classified Ads

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(Continued on Page 20)

Museum Ordnance

Volume 3, Number 5

September 1993

Jeffrey D. McKaughan

Editor

September 1993

Museum Ordnance is published six -times per year by Darlington Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 5884, Darlington, MD 21034. (410) 457-5400. All rights are reserved . Copyright 1993. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher. This publication serves the interests and needs of the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD. A donation is made to the Museum for each copy of this magazine sold either by subscription or as a single copy. Subscriptions: One-year (six issues) is $ 13.50. All foreign subscriptions: $18.50 surface, $27.00 airmail. Payment must be in U.S. funds. Make aU checks or money orders payable to Museum Ordnance. Museum Ordnance is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or photos sent to the office. Material will be returned to the author only if accompanied by a self·addressed stamped envelope. The opinions and views expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum, the publisher or the editor..

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National Liberation Arl11.y

People's Mojahedin of Iran If one would have believed the rhetoric issued from Iran in the late 1970s, you would be surprised to find that not every Iranian was a hard-line follower of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. While there was little compassion for the rule of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, which had allowed western social and economic influences into Iran but not political dissent, the devo­ tion to the Islamic Fundamentalist movement was not complete and abso­ lute. One group, the People's Mojahedin of Iran, founded in 1965, had always opposed the rule of the Shah and al­ though they professed a desire for a democratic form of government. were basically anti-West as well. Seeing the Khomeini movement as a means to the end, they loosely allied themselves with the Fundamentalists as a way to re­ move the Shah from power. Their goal, strongly driven by nationalist pride, was to mold the government towards social, economic, and political reform for ail the peoples of Iran. Once the overthrow of the Shah was complete, the People's Mojahedin began the po­ litical struggle towards their democratic

desires. This was obviously not in line with the Khomeini government which the Mojahedin further alienated by not signing the Islamic Constitution. The political struggle between the two lasted from 1979 to 1981. On June 20, 1981 at a large dem­ onstration orchestrated by the Mojahedin, Iranian Revolutionary Guards open fire on a crowd estimated at about .5 million. The Mojahedin mark this day as the day the political struggle ended and the military struggle began. The Mojahedin has been led by Massoud Rajavi since his release from the Shah's prisons in 1979. He suc­ ceeds the founder, Mohammad Hanifnejad, who along with eight oth­ ers was executed. Rajavi was the sole survivor of the group's leadership. Af­ ter operating a semi-underground op­ eration within Iran for two years, Rajavi moved the group's headquarters to Paris and began to organize and mobilize for the confrontation that they saw as inevitable. Their efforts continued throughout the early years of the Iran­ Iraq War organizing strikes, work stop­ pages, civil disturbances, and small

Massoud and Maryam Rqjavi ride along the parade route before its start Brazilian made EE-9 Cascavel armored cars mounting a 90mm maingun. This particular vehicle type was sold to both Iran and Iraq during their GuIJWar.

attacks on isolated Iranian garrisons, power stations, police stations, etc., until realizing that this kind of action was getting no where fast. In 1986, as a result of political pressure from Iran, France began to restrict the activities and movements of Rajavi and the Mojahedin. Shortlyafter, the Mojahedin found an ally in Saddam Hussein of Iraq who offered them the freedom to pursue their goals from his country. Obviously any enemy ofIran is a friend of Iraq. A year later, in 1987 the Mojahedin formed the National Libera­ tion Army of Iran (NlA) to prepare for the fighting that would be necessary to gain control of Iran. Recently I had the opportunity to sit and talk with Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the People's Mojahedin in Washington, DC. I wanted to learn more about their struggle and the NLA. The National Liberation Army

On October 18, 1991, the NIA held a major display oj military might and an undeniable ar­ rogance towards Iran by holding afive-hour paradejust 60 miles inside the Iraq border with Iran at Ashraf Over 140 pieces oj armor, artillery, and assorted support equipment was

viewed by Massoud and Mary am Rcyavi 'along with a long list oJintematiDnaljoumalists, The T-55s made up the bulk oj the armor. They were painted in three distinct color schemes; all sand. drab and sand. and all drab. AU photos have been takenJrom NUl. Journal provided by the People's Mojahedin.

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The Mojahedin are openly proud of their military and its accomplishments to date. They consider themselves at war with Iraq and therefore were vague on some questions, mainly dealing with specific numbers of troops and eqUip­ ment. Even so it is possible to get a capsule look at what has to be the largest and best equipped army in exile today. Perhaps the most unique feature of the NLA, considering the ethnic and social characteristics of the region, is its day-to-day leader Maryam Rajavi: a woman and wife of Massoud Rajavt. The Middle East has never been on the cutting edge of equal rights for women, but within the NLA we find not only a woman in the forefront but also one that is molding the shape and organi-

Museum Ordnance

MaryamRqjavi is credited with a number ojmilitary inrwvations that evolved within the NU. This is an example oj a Soviet-made MT-ill that has had a (win 23mm anti-aircraJt gun mounted on a platJorm on the vehicle's back. This along with a number oj similar guns mounted on the back oj various Toyota Land Cruisers indicate a respectJor the IAF and the NLA's lack oj an airJorce,

zation ofthe army, When asked whether her role was that of a figurehead be­ cause ofher husband's pOSition a list of her accomplishments and the Mojahedin's philosophy on women's rights was explained, Women have an important role in the Mojahedin and within the NLA (fully one-third of the rank and file is female), which in fact has sent entire T-55 tank battalions into combatwith complete female crews. From its formation in June 1987, the NLA was quick into action. In 1988 they launched three major offenses against Iran. These campaigns were significant for three reasons. The first is that it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt the ability of Maryam Rajavi to lead the NLA, not just administratively

but also operationally. Secondly, it showed that there was a strong popu­ lar base ofsupport for their cause, both from the Iranian people and within the Iranian Army. As each assault would drive deeper into Iran, the Army would grow from volunteers and deserters. The later bringing cru cial military skills with them. Lastly, the amount ofmili­ tary hardware that was captured al­ lowed Mrs. Rajavi to transform the NLA from a purely infan try army to a mecha­ nized army. The first major attack was Opera­ tion "Shining Sun" followed by "Forty Stars" which was very successful in adding to the war inventory of the NLA. The offensive, directed at the Iranian garrison town of Mehran, captured an

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Three ZSU-23-4s lead an element oj British-made ChieJtain tanks . Several other ChieJtains were seen being transported on Faun tank transporters. The NLA also has an undisclosed number oj British Scorpion light tanks, but they were not present at the parade.

September 1993

estimated $2 billion in war materiel including; 34 Chieftains, nine Scorpi­ ons, 2 T-54s, 14 M-1l3s, 12 M-557, 12 BMPs, 21 155mm self-propelled howit­ zers and field guns, nine 122mm and 105mm field guns, 23 106mm recoilless rifles, three ZSU-23-4s, and a host of other small and crew served weapons. The third attack of the year was Operation "Eternal Light" and was di­ rected at the city of Kermansha. The city is located about 150km inside Iran and about 500km west of Tehran with a population of between 700,000­ 800,000_ As the NLA approached the city and its defense was still in doubt, all communications between the city and the rest ofIran was severed fearing a popular uprising in support of the NLA. Although the NLA failed to take control of Kermansha, they did seize and briefly hold the towns of Karand and Eslamabad. For its efforts the NLA claimed to have killed or wounded 40,000 Iranian troops while the Irani­ ans counterclaim that they "repulsed the attack" killing 4,500 Iraqis and "mercenaries" (note the Iranians do not mention that the group is itself an Iranian dissentant organization). Also of note is that during this operation, the Iranians did not deploy regular army units that were near the front to fight the NLA but instead airlifted in units of the Revolutionary Guards. Did Iran fear a wholesale defection over to the NLA from the regular army as the NLA claims? The Mojahedin are quick to take credit for the signing of the cease-fire between Iran and Iraq, claiming that these three offensive actions forced Iran to accept that there was a serious inter­ nal threat that they could not afford to have go unchecked and therefore caused Khomeini to "drink the poison chalice." The Mojahedin also note that the cease-fire did not include the NLA. There were no large-scale opera­ tions between 1989 and the summer of 1990. The NLA further established

A large number oj Toyota Land Cruisers are deployed by the NlA, here they are shown with communications equipment. Curiously, this group is led by two Israeli-bult Com­ mandcars. Israel denies selling the vehicles to anyone in the region. The NLA would likewise not comment on the source oj the trucks.

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their bases in Iran (of which there are five major and an undisclosed number of smaller ones). Training academies were developed to teach the opera­ tional skills in all aspects ofmilitaryop­ erations from logistics, artillery, com­ munications, and maintenance for ex­ ample. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent action by the Allied forces put a hold on offensive actions by the NLA. When asked oftheir position on the Gulf War and the treatment of Iraq since its defeat, the Mojahedin are quick to walk a narrow line. Their view is that of neutrality. Claiming actually that they are victims and have been accused of being pawns by both the West who see them 'a s "Iraqis" and by Iraqis who see them as having sympathies for the West. They see themselves as being focused on the goal of overthrowing the current Iranian government, all else is secondary and they try to stay out of other people's business unless it per­ tains to their goal. During Desert Shield the NLA claims to have moved its forces to within what turned out to be the No­ Fly Zone in Iraq. From here they went into their bunkers and waited out the war. According to Gobadi they suffered only a small amount of collateral dam­ age from allied air strikes and saw no ground action. The military situation changed in April 1991 when an estimated seven Republican Guards brigades pushed across the border. Aimed at catching the NLA asleep, the assault was stopped and forced to pull back across the border after brief but heavy fighting. The NLA termed the action Operation "Pearl" and claimed that only about 20% of their forces were needed to stop the assault. Since April 1993, the NLA has es­ tablished a Command Headquarters in Iran that is charged with coordinating a series of local small-scale military strikes against Iranian forces . The April operations, code-named "Naghdi," killed or wounded about 150 Iranian troops with the heaviest clashes at Gilan-Gharb on the Komku Heights (an all night operation that completely destroyed a communication base), Dehloran (destroylng,a base and killing

Not to be left out. the u.s. defense industry was represented in the NLA's parade. A signij"lCant nwnber of M577 command posts and M113 APCs, believed to be from the Iranian 16th Armored Division. supplemented the NLA's BMP-is and BTR- 60s as troop carriers.

The U.S. Anny Ordnartce Musewn has two Chinese-built Type 653 armored recovery vehicles as seen in this photo.

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Museum Ordnance

What is unusual in most wmies is the nonn within the NLA. as typifIEd by this Jemale· crewed T·SS.

or wounding 50 Guards). and an am­ bush along the Ahwaz-Khorramshahr Highway. Operation "Ghorbani" in May killed or wounded an estimated 250 Iranian troops and destroyed a reported 50 vehicles and several bases and in­ stallations. The Command HQ is also to begin laying the groundwork for Op­ eration "Overthrow" which is the planned major assault to drive all the way to Tehran. In reaction to the April increase in activity, the Iranian Air Force (IAF) struck the NLA's base at Ashraf with thirteen U.S.-built F-4 fighter-bomb­ ers. Anti-aircraft fire claims to have downed one capturing the crew. On May 25 a second series of raids on the camps at Ashraf (12 aircraft in two waves) and Jalula (single wave, 2 air­ craft) with F-4s and Sukhois. The raids caused little damage and all attacking aircraft are believed to have returned safely to their bases at Tabriz and Hamedan. The Soldiers and the Future

The NIA is made up totally of unpaid volunteers. The soldiers are taken care of, fed and housed but not paid. The army wears a standard uniform, and are troops within the various units are equipped the same, i.e., they all have the same uniform, helmet, and weapon. Since they consider themselves at war they do not disclose their actual

September 1993

Another variant ojthe MT· IE designed by the NLA. this time mounting a twelve· barrel 107mm rocket launcher.

numbers, in 1988 estimates quoted in Jane's Defense Weekly range between several hundred to 15,000, to as high as 40,000. Many of their soldiers were in exile, either from the Shah's era or because of the Fundamentalist rule and have returned to join in what they see as the liberation of their country. Many of these "exiles" are foreign edu­ cated and have the led the NIA to boast that theirs is one of the more educated military force in the world. Equally puzzling is the source of their funding that would allow an army of this size to exist. Even without paying salaries. the cos t of feeding, clothing, fuel, spare parts, ammuni­ tion is enormous. Does Iraq fund or supply them? Gobadi is quick to an-' swer no. Patriots of their cause from

within Iran and from successful Irani­ ans now living outside, along with "fund­ raising" have allowed them to exist and grow. The Mojahedin have publically stated that between 1989 and 1992 their supporters donated in excess of $45 million to their cause, plus an estimated $2 million in "pharmaceuti­ cals and supplies." No clear cut answer was given as to how supplies and fuel are available within in a country that Is suffering from a United Nations em­ bargo. It is clear after meeting with Mr. Gobadi that the People's Mojahedin is dedicated to ass uming power in Iran. It is equally clear that Iran sees the NIA as a military forces that is Significant and a potentially dangerous adversary on the battlefield. The Mojaedin's po­ litical goals are democratic and toler­ ant in mimyways that are inconsistent with traditional Middle Eastern ways. However, by judging their actions re­ garding the rights and equality afforded to women, it is difficult to doubt that they are committed to those ideals. Questions exist and will remain re­ garding their relationship with Iraq and what opportunities or threats would exist from a People's Mojahedin-Ied Iran to the region's stability and bal­ ance. Questions only the crystal ball can answer.

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Development of New Series German Tanks Up To End of March 1945

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This article is a reprint of Ordnance Target Report No. 251, date d 28 August 1945. The report is by Mqjor R.E. Kaufman, others members on the ordnance team were Mqj. L.B. Magrude r. Jr.• Capt. C .H. Drewry. and Mr. Tore Franzen. The report was sent to the Combined Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee. G-2 Divis ion, SHAEF.

1. INTRODUCTION

dimensions was prompted by. (1) the realization of the fact that the armor is a large percentage of the total vehicle weight; therefore. the size of the en­ closed space should be a minimum and. (2) the fact that there were limita­ tions in size for strategic mobility. To accomplish this maximum utilization of space in the fighting compartment and to increase the fighting ability of the vehicle. it was decided to do away with the torsion bar type suspension and eliminate the power train from the crew compartment. For this reason , we find developments of new outside-fit­ ted suspension systems. and the devel­ opment of a combined transmission. steering gear, and final drive into as small a space as possible for mounting in the rear of the engine.

During the original assessment of this target it was learned that the engineer­ ing staff ofAdler, under the direction of Dir. Jenschke, had been loaned to the HWA to design the E-100 tank. This vehicle was designed to offset Dr. Porsche's "Maus." The HWA knew that should Hitler ever decide to build very many super-heavy tanks they would have to supervise the construction and as a result wanted a design which could be most easily built. As a result, the engineering staff of Adler. working at Friedberg. started the design on 30 June 1943. Although Hitler is reported to have stopped work on super-heavy tanks in 1944. the E - I00 design was finished and the parts were assembled at Paderborn for construction of a pilot at which place the whole existence of the E-l 00 design was discovered . In an attempt to locate drawings of this ve­ hicle. it was learned that all drawings and data had been destroyed. Bydirec­ tion of the investigating team. Dir. Jenschke redrew the assembled ve­ hicle and some sub-assemblies. and prepared a report on the E-l 00 and the new vehicles contemplated as part of this series. A translation ofthis report is attached as Appendix A

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III. OBSERVATIONS It is quite apparent that the Germans

realized the relative importance offire­ power in the compromising of the vari­ ous characteristics in tank design. To render more effective the use of larger and more powerful weapons. they have shown a readiness to begin a new series of tanks in which every effort was being made to have (1) lowest obtainable pitch rate of vehicle. (2) elimination of sus­ pension parts and power train from crew compartment, and (3) develop­

D. Another reason given for the elimi­ nation of the torsion bar suspension was the deSire to install a floor escape hatch in tanks, heretofore impossible with the interleaved bogie wheel and

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G. Drawings ofassemblies ofthe E-I00 chassis are available at D.T.D. and Ordnance Department. U.S . Army.

the engine compartment at the rear of the engine was contemplated to con­ Siderably improve the accessibility in addition to saving weight and space. It is quite apparent that in the design of this new series of vehicles. the mainte­ nance factor was to playa much more important part than had been the case in previous models.

noted that the Germans were seeking to gain more room in the fighting com­ partment of tanks necessitated by the stowage reqUirements of large caliber ammunition without increasing the exterior dimensions appreciably. This unwillingness to increase the exterior

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F. The suspension designed by Dir. Jenschke for Ej50j75 (Appendix B) does not appear to be a very sound design. During the interrogation of Dr. Heinrich Kniepkamp. this design was discussed with the declaration by Dr. Kniepkamp that it was very unsound and impractical. A discussion of this suspension is included in another report.

c. The positioning of the power train in

A From this attached report it is to be

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E. It should be noted that the E-I00 was to have an exterior fitted suspen­ sion but was not contemplated as a reardrivevehicle. Dir. Jenschke stated that this vehicle as a tank was obsolete almost as soon as the drawings were finished due to the inability to load the weapon in a turret mount. Should the vehicle have been redeSigned as an S.P. mount. it is quite probable that a new power train forrear sprocket drive would be provided for.

B. In connection with the design of new suspension units. it is to be noted that a low spring rate was desirable to aid in reducing the pitch rate of the vehicle to as low as possible. The differe nt de­ signs are described in another report.

II. DISCUSSION

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torsion bar suspension.

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ment of stabilized fire control systems to achieve these objectives. It is true that they sought to simplity mainte­ nance wherever possible, and reduce manufacturing time and costs, but the prime objective was the increase offire power.

1. Description of the Individual Tank Types (a) E-IO was designed by Magirus, manufacturers of trucks, in Ulm. DeSigner-director, Hasselgruber. (b) E-25 was designed by the SOddeutschen ARGUS works , Karlsruhe, designer Dr. Klaus.

APPENDIX A

As Director Jenschke, Friedberg/ Hesse's design department. dealt only with heavy tanks, details on E-I0 and E-25 cannot be given. It was only planned to develop a rear driving gear for those two tanks, as we are planning for the heavy tank range. These prepa­ rations did not extend beyond the de­ signing stage. The designs, as well as other factory designs and technical material, had been destroyed by the allied troops at the occupation.

Development of the German Tanks (tracked vehicles) up to the End of March 1945 The present series of tanks which are being constructed in Germany were to be replaced by new tanks. The purpose is to achieve a larger and cheaper pro­ duction by standardization and simpli­ fication. Five different tracked vehicles were to be constructed: Trial Code Number E-I0 E-25 E-50 E-75 E-I00

Description small tank of 10-1 5 tons tank of about 25-30 tons medium tank of about 50 tons to replace the Panther heavy tank of about 75-80 tons to replace the Tiger super-heavy tanks of about 130-140 tons

Characteristic for all these tanks is the use of the rear drive, with the exception ofthe E-1 00, the replacing of the double guide tracks with only single guide tracks and single tooth drives. Fur­ thennore, the turning away from the torsion rod spring and the use of the Belleville washer suspension, which is fitted externally and doesn't in terfere with the interior of the tank.

September 1993

(c) E-50 and E-75: These two tanks can be discussed together because they were planned as so-called standard tanks. We meant to use here the same motors, the same rear dive gear, the same tracks, the same idler rollers and tightening cranks, and use the same ventilation system. Fuel tanks and other accessories were to be identical. The hull structures were to have the same appearance and dimensions. It was planned to keep the same outer dimensions for the two hulls and to give the E-50 the advantage ofan increased interior which would come about by the use of a thinner sheet steel for the lighter tank. This project en­ abled a uniform han­ dling of the two tanks , i.e., they could be worked on by the same tools . They could be constructed on the

same assembly line. (1) Motor: It was planned to use a new motor which was built to the prin­ ciple of the Maybach HL230. Its as­ sembly parts were strengthened, espe­ cially the crankshaft's bearing, and the connecting rod between piston and crankshaft were improved. The values were salt-cooled while the whole motor was cooled by a high boiling point liq­ uid as applied for aircraft motors. The rating of the motor which was almost the same displacement of the HL230 was increased by the following means, (1) the motor received a charging com­ pressor which was driven by a two­ cylinder motor that also serves as starter and (2) in place of the duplex down­ dra ught carburetor, the motor received a direct fuel injection system. A 900 hp forerunner of the final motor with a direct fuel injection sys­ tem, but without compressor charging, was ready. The charging motor was still in the trial stage and should give a nominal hp of 1100-1200. The motors were designed and approved after trial by the Maybach Motor Works, Fried­ richshafen, Lake of Constance, and by the auxiliary factory Wangen/Allgan. DeSigner: Herr Dr. Maybach, Wangen/ Allgan .

Part two ofthis article will appear in the November issue.

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The Ordnance Museum Foundation

P.O. Box 688 Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005

Executive Director's Corner

New Charter

Members

Fellow Members; Again, it's a pleasure to bring you this update about The Ordnance Museum Foundation's activities for the last two months. As usual, a lot has been happening and all of the Board members are very busy. It may seem to you that things take a long time, please remember that there are just a few of us and there is a lot of work to do. If any of you live near the museum, we can certainly use your help.

David A Kimbrell (spelling correction William Miley James Sommerhauser Michael Kea Ralph Martin

Mitchell Williams

Dennis Gaither John Jessup

David Kahn

William Broadley George Petronis

The latest member of the Board of Trustees is Mr. Armando Framar­ ini. Mr. Framarini recently retired from the museum as chief histo­ rian. He is now working with us to produce a gUide book which will cover all of the vehicles, artillery pieces, and rockets owned by the museum. This includes ''The Mile of Tanks," the artifacts located near the museum, artifacts which are "on loan" in other areas of the Proving Ground, exhibits which are not currently accessible to the public, and vehicles "on loan" to other facilities. His knowledge and expertise will be invaluable to us.

Foundation

Seeks Volunteers

Two of our latest projects involve art. We are commissioning a major ' water color painting by Tom Freeman. He is a well-known marine There are a number of projects

artist and will be painting one of the most important elements of the that the Foundation is working battle for Corregidor, the covering battle for the movement of General on regarding the Ordnance Mu­ MacArthur from the Philippines. The second, is a series of pen and seum, all related to raising money ink sketches by Todd Reinhart of various artifacts at the museum. for the expansion program. The His current projects are an M-24 Chaffee and an M-36. five-person Board ofTrustees has been organizing a list of potential At this time, we have contacted all of the political entities that we fund-raising opportunities and can. Local. state, and federal. and have received responses from with some are ready to move ahead each branch. Hopefully, they will be able to aid us in our fund drive. with the development and im­ The most probable near term support will be matching grants from plementation of those programs. the State of Maryland. We have also been working on our civilian To take that next step we fund raising efforts and have started to develop data bases offoun­ need to add members to our vol­ dations which may help us and corporations which may give us unteer list that can help with donations "in kind." some of these projects. Some of the meetings for these projects We have also contacted The Ordnance Corps Association with a take place during the evening at request that the Foundation be allowed to operate the gift shop in the museum and pay the Association rent equivalent to their current the museum or perhaps on the weekends. Ifyou have a few hours revenue. We feel that both groups would benefit substantially by a month that you could donate to such an agreement. The Association would reduce overhead costs, the Foundation, please drop us a while we are likely to receive matching grants from the state for our profits. We have also asked the Association to join with us in spon­ line (the address is shown at the soring our art projects. top of the page) and let us know. Our need for manpower will in­ Always, we welcome suggestions, memberships, and volunteers. crease slowly as we become in­ Please contact us with any questions or suggestions, and please volved with more activities. check the spelling of your name and address on your mailing label. The Foundation is also We want to make sure that you receive the recognition that you seeking a CPA in our general deserve. geographic area that might be able to handle the accounting and end-of-year reports gratis or 1.\pn Leliman at a reduced rate. I

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Museum Ordnance

Salvadorean

Patrol Vehicle

In the early 1980s, 27 stripped down chas­ sis and engines ofwhat were previously U.S. manufactured Ml14 armored personnel carriers (APC), were shipped to El Salvador. Since El Salvador was faced with an arms embargo, the vehicles were purchased as "agricultural tractors" by the Salvadorean Ministry of Agriculture from "civilian" sources. Once in El Salvador they were transferred to Maestranza- the central ord­ nance depot for the army. 23 of the chassis were ultimately rebuilt in various configura­ tions while the four remaining units were held out for spares. MajorOswaldo Marenco is credited with the modifications that turned these "tracked engines" back into armored fighting vehicles (AFVs). A number of variants were turned out including a 'boxy' M 113-100king APC (including a 'stretched' version), an airfield perimeter defense vehicle mounting the three-barrelled Yugoslav 20mm M-55 anti­ aircraft gun (basically the Swiss Hispano­ Suiza 630 system built under license), and a patrol and escort vehicle shown in the ac­ companying photographs. The Maestranza-built superstructure houses the driver on the left side with his own access door. On the top rear are two identical single-man turrets . Each electri­ cally operated turret is armed with a single .50 caliber M2 Browning machine gun. A muzzle brake has been fitted to the end of the barrel to compensate for the high rate of fire from the open mount. To add some additional firepower, a single (don't be de­ ceived by the photos) .50 cal. machine gun was placed in a fixed , forward firing bow position on the right side of the hull. The other machine gun is a dummy to raise the fear factor another notch when confronting the APC. Some of the vehicles had the V8 Chev­ rolet gasoline engine replaced with a diesel but this was not done on all examples. The GMC hydrostatiC transmission was not al­ tered.

By Jeff McKaughan Photos courtesy of Peter Kokalis/ Soldier of Fortune Magazine

September 1993

On July 7. The Ordnance Museum played host to a visiting tour organized from attendees of the World Expo '93 model and figure show held in Wash­ ington. DC. Cookie Sewell. technical advisor to The Ordnance Museum Foundation and frequent contributor to Musewn Ordnance. helped to organ­ ize and lead the group while at Aber­ deen. Despite blistering heat, the bus load of visitors took full advantage of the photo opportunities that Aberdeen offers. At least three resin model manufacturers had people using the facilty to research new projects; Com­ manders (USA). ADV / Azlmut (France). and Reslcast (Belgium). FY1: Cookie walked away with the ONLY Gold Medal awarded in the Ordnance category at the World Expo competition. Congratulations! The U.S. Army's newest close-in/air defence weapon. the Avenger, is cur­ rently being deployed without the M3P 12.7mm machine gun which supple­ mented the missile launcher. While the Army Missile Com­ mand cites the fact that the weapon. a development of the machine gun car­ ried in the Herstal Heavy Machine-Gun aircraft pod, passed through its trial and testing program, the Army Mate­ riel Command has yet to approve the weapon. Although a decision on the weapon Is expected soon. the Materiel Command noted concerns about the reliability and supportability of the machine gun. As 1994 approaches so too comes the 50 year anniversary of the D-Day Inva­ sion. Vantage Travel Service is another company that is arranging tours of London and the Normandy area. finally ending In Paris with stops at various battlefields and museums along the way. Tours start at $3295 from New York for the I5-day package. They are offering three tour dates. Call them at 1-800-322-6677 for more information or a brochure. A while ago Gregory Fetter wrote an article that discussed the continuing development and production of tanks around the world. One of the programs discussed was India's indigenous pro­ gram called the Arjun. It now appears unlikely that this program will be finished before the end of the decade. For the prototype.

12

almost 40% of the components were imported. it was hoped that for the production models this figure could be reduced to 20%. However. Import re­ strictions resulting from a poor human rights record have caused some coun­ tries to Impose restrictions of the ex­ porting of certain key elements to In­ dia. Among the most crucial is Ger­ many's reluctance to freely offer the MTU diesel engines that are to power the Arjun. There are also recently admit­ ted "manufactUring" problems that have plagued the tank's development. The Indian Army would like to acquire 126 AIjuns at about $2.1 million each. Albania, apparently nervous about the fighting in the nearby former Yugosla­ via, has recently pulled some armored fighting vehicles from tank storage tunnels nearTlrane. Photographs seem to show SU-lOO tank destroyers (with­ out the main gun) covered with tarps as they are being lined up outside the underground cavern. Old Shennans never die, they just sol­ dieron. Or something like that. Com­

bat Systems Test Activity (CSTA) is an organization that is responsible for much of the actual testing of equip­ ment when it is brought to Aberdeen for evalution. Here at CSTA's test facility in Churchville. MD is the new U.S. Army Oshkosh tank transporter with a ballast load on the trailer. The ballast load happens to be a World War II

Vintage Sherman M-4. Although its combat days are over. it still serves its country by sol­ diering on in the name of ordnance,

Musewn Ordnance recently received a copy of a publication entitled Tank MusewnNews from the Brussels Tank Museum. Published quarterly. my sample was 28 pages (including the cover- front in color). Professionally done. all of the photographs were well reproduced and some ofthe articles were complimented with sharp drawings, Articles covered a wide range of current and historic subjects. i.e., Pzw. 39. modem armor survey. Staghound. Challenger. active Suspension explanation. etc. The main language is French. Annual membership is 1000 Belgian Francs paid by International Post Money order in Belgian Francs. TANK MUSEUM. 3 Parc du inquante­ naire. 1040 Brussels. Belgium. Mem­ bers can request research assistance with projects from their library.

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Museum Ordnance

Exploding a Few Myths About

World War II Armor

Sitting at a table on behalf of The Ordnance Museum Foundation, Inc., here at Aberdeen Proving Ground on Armed Forces Day 1993, I noticed that a great number of people are believers in myths that surround the German Army of World War II. Many of the people who stopped by had a number of negative comments about the perceived "lack of interest" by the museum In their favorite German tanks and the reasons they were so significant. (It must be noted that the charter of the ordnance Museum Is to preserve the his tory of the developmen t ofAmerican ordnance and armored vehicles, and to include Significant foreign develop­ ments where possible.) I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who is credited with the quote, "It is easy to defeat a lie with the truth; It is much harder to kill a myth." Many of the comments that were made to us about the mythology surrounding the German armored vehicles, and in this short article I would like to comment on them from other points of view. Myth #1 The Greatest Tank of the Second World War was the Tiger I. Oh? Why? Maybe the best KNOWN overall, and the most notorious, but far from the greatest. This tank was de­ signed as a 30 ton tank (later upgraded to 45 tons) but still came in between 56

Stephen 'Cookie' Sewell

and 62; it was underpowered and poorly suited for any kind of mobility battle. Tanks are weapons of the offensive; this tank was not equipped for that type of warfare (remember Blitzkrieg?) nor was it well suited for "cornfield meets" at 500 meters or less. The Russians were very respectful of the Tiger, but they were also under no illusions as to its combat potential. Their tactics- charge until you are Inside the 500 meter range where theT­ 34's 76mm gun could penetrate the sides or rear of the Tiger- were born out of the desperation of having many more tanks than the enemy but with a less powerful cannon (until 1943) forced them to adopt. Once the T-34/85 and the IS series of tanks appeared, the Tiger was treated as the dinosaur that it was. Tanks like the Tiger were designed to combat tanks like the Soviet KV se­ ries- were it not for the KV, it is doubtful the Tiger as we know it would have ever developed. Myth #2 The Panther was the Best All Around Tank of the Second World War. Strike Two. The Panther only came about because the German leadership suffered a bout of "NIH" syndrome (Not Invented !::!ere) and ignored the pleas of commanders like Guderian ti simply reverse engineer and adapt theT-34 for German production. As a result it had a higher silhouette than any Soviet

tank, a gasoline engine, and a very weak running gear system that plagued the tank during its combat career. To give the Panther Its due, it car­ ried the hardest hitting 75mm gun of the Second World War; this weapon contributed heavily to French thinking after the war and was the basic weapon chosen to be developed into the 75mm autoloader cannon In the EBR 75 and AMX 13. Its armor was thicker than the T-34 and the Sherman, but it was not well designed; 0 and A models had a marvelous shot trap beneath the mantlet that was used to ricochet AP shells down into the thin roof where they would kill the driver and bow gunner. Reliability was poor- the vehicle was not noted for its ability to conduct long road marches, and the Soviets enjoyed the fact that they could not get captured models to make a simple 200 kilometer road march without break­ down. This was partially due to the poor suspension design (interleaved road wheels) and partially to the condi­ tions under which the tank was used. This tank was also over its targeted weight limit and to the Soviets was a joke- a medium tank that weighed only one ton less than their heavy tanks and did not have the mobility, reliabil­ ity, or overall useful firepower of the IS­ 2. Tanks excel based on balance: the Panther had superior firepower, good armor protection, and poor mobility. That's not balance. Myth #3 The Tiger II was the Most Influential Tank of the Second World War. On what and by who? The Tiger II was a desperate design of overkill that combined the design of the Panther with the concept ofthe Tiger and wound up with a 68 ton tank that had the worst deployability of any tank of the war (one has to keep things like bridges and roads in mind when designing tanks!!!) If the Tiger II was so influential, then what was its legacy? Surely no tanks were designed to copy its fea­ tures. It used the classic German balanced layout of transmission front­ engine rear which all other countries ditched for either cross drive or "guitar" transverse engine and transmission

September 1993

13

layouts. It used massive weight of armor for protection which only added to its troubles; being "Sherman-proof' from the front does you no good if you can't catch the little devils. The Tiger II was also a victim of the late war German economy. It had no real reliability due to the fact that its rubber-hubbed wheels tended to flex under load and, placing uneven strain on the tracks, tended to snap links at the hinges, Like the Tiger I before it, this is a desperation defensive weapon that did not give them advantages. Finally, even the Soviets had no fear of this tank. The first one they en­ countered in combat during 1944 was immediately knocked out by a T -341 85; the Soviets made capital over the fact that one of Porsche's sons was the commander of the vehicle and was killed instantly by the shell. (They felt at the time he was most responsible for the Tiger series; it was only after the war when the captured the Nibe­ lungenwerke that they found out Edward Anders of Henschel had more to do with heavy tanks design than Ferdinand Porsche.) A far more influential tank of the war was the IS-3; this inspired much more Cold War mythos of its own and was directly responsible for a number ofUS and foreign designs, as well as the US M 1 03 and British Conqueror pro­ grams to defeat it on postulated Euro­ pean battlefields.

Myth #4 Michel Wittmann was the GreatestTank Commander of the Second World War. This is a subject of even more specula­ tion. Wittmann was no doubt brave and skillful, and he is given credit for a great deal of prowess on the battlefield. His score is listed as 138 tanks and 132 antitank guns destroyed in a career stretching from June 1941 to August 1944. While awarded every major German combat award up to the Swords for the Knight's Cross (Germany's sec­ ond highest combat decoration), it should be pointed out that he was an unrepentant Nazi who had joined the Party in 1937 and was posted to SS units. Lacking good information on So­

14

viet tanks aces (which do not appear to be many due to a very short life in many units), my personal counterclaim to the title of greatest tanker of the war would be an American staff sergeant named Lafayette G . Pool who, while op­ erating a 76mm Sherman, managed to destroy 258 enemy vehicles between 27 June 1944 and 15 September 1944. This is a far greater achievement than Wittmann's , and given the relative merits of each man's case puts him in a better position to be the supreme "overachiever" of the war. To compare them, they have many things in common and many things that differentiate them. Both chose armor as a branch, Wittmann joining the SS Liebstandarte Adolph Hitler Division in 1939 and Pool the 40th Armored Regiment in 1941. Both men had taken punishment and it showed­ Wittmann a shell explosion that sliced up his face and body, and Pool a few "souvenirs" as a Golden Gloves champ in Texas, Both were skilled in tactics and use of their respective tanks, and both were excellent at small unit lead­ ership. Wittma nn is best associated as a company commander from the 2nd Company of SS Panzer Abteilung 501. Pool was only associated In combat with the 3rd Platoon, "I" Company, 3rd Battalion, 32ndArmoredRegiment, 3rd US Armored Division. Wittmann Is best known in his Tiger I number 805 from the 501st. Pool's tank (he went through three in his short career) was always named IN THE MOOD; it was a 76mm M4AI VVSS Sherman. Both men had a personal hold on their crew members and remained close where possible . Wittmann kept the same gunner, SSOberscharfuehrerBalthasar Woll, through the war. Pool also kept the same crew; CPL Wilbert "Red" Richards, driver; PFC Bert Close, as­ sistant driver Ibow gunner; CPL Willis Oller, gunner; and T/5 Del Boggs, loader. Both men fought their tanks to their best advantage. For Wittmann, this was using either ambush or a slow advance with the heavy firepower of the Tiger's 88mm gun and its massive fron­ tal armor limiting enemy responses. Pool, on the other hand, was noted for

moving right Into the enemy and mix­ Ing it up. When one considers that his favorite foe appears to have been the Panther- never a good choice to take on with any Sherman at any range­ the fact that he only lost three tanks in combat while racking up the score that he did seems all the more remarkable. However, the two men ended their combat careers in different ways, Wittmann with a whimper and Pool with a bang. Wittmann appears to have been killed in a series ofAllied air raids called Operation Totalize; he never had a chance to figh t back and his company and his tank were destroyed in the bombing. Pool found out the hard way that "three's the charm" and, while functioning as the "spearhead" of the Spearhead Division south of Aachen, Germany, tried to shoot it out with more Panthers. This time, Pool lost and the Sherman backed into a ditch and rolled over after two 75mm shells hit the tank. The four crew members survived with minor wounds, but Pool was blown out ofthe turret and wounded badly enough to require being medeva­ ced; he was sent home to convalesce and survived the war. Wittmann was undoubtedly the best that the Germans had, but his time in combat (as a tank commander) was something in excess of25 months. Pool was only In combat for 80 days (21 engagements), Based on time, equip­ ment. and accomplishment. Lafe Pool Is a better call for the best tanker of the war, Sources McLemore, Dwight C.; "The Career of SS-Obersturmfuehrer Michel Wittmann," AFV-G2 Vol. 2, No.5, January 1972. Spea rhead in the West: The 3rd Ar­ mored Division 1941-45; reprinted by Battery Press, 1980. Popov, N.S. (Editor); Konstruktor Boevvkh Mashin (Combat Vehicle Designer); Lenizdat, 1988. Ibragimov, D.S.; Protivoborstvo (The Opposition); DOSAAFPublishing, 1989. von Senger und Etterlin, F.M.; German TanksofWorldWarII; Stackpole Books, 1969. Zaloga, StevenJ. and Grandsen, James; Soviet Tanks and Combat Vehicles of World War Two; Arms and Armour Press, 1984.

Museum Ordnance

Museum Ordnance's Bookshelf Book Reviews

DIEPPE THROUGH THE LENS of the German War Photographer By Hugh G. Henry and Jean Paul Pallud 64 pp., photos Published by Battle of Britian Prints International, Ltd. London, England £15.40 (includes overseas surface post) Reviewed By Peter Brown From the publishers of After the Battle magazine and books comes a slightly different book. Hugh Henry's research for his Master of Arts dissertation in­ cluded interviews with surviving crews from the ill-fated Dieppe operation of 1942. To this has been added a series of photos extracted by Jean Pallud mostly from the extensive coverage given by the German propaganda machine, and others taken during training for

the action. What results Is the story of the actions and fate of the 14th Cana­ dian Army Tank Regiment (The Calgary Regiment (Tank)) during the action. The scene is set by a brief back­ ground of the planning and build-up to the raid, then each Churchill. Dingo. and Carrier and their r espective land­ ing craft is shown in one or more photos with accounts often in the words of the their crews. While Dieppe has been covered in many books in the past, this is the most detailed coverage of the part played by the armored vehicles. Such :

~~

.;;.fj

-,-MAg~~

GERMAN MACffiNEGUNS By Daniel Musgrave 586pp., 260 photos and illustrations Published by Ironside International Publishers Alexandria, VA Available from Paladin Press

i.

The first edition of this book appeared about 20 years ago and the 1992 edi­ tion builds upon the solid foundation that the earlier represents. Complete is about the best deSCription that anyone could give German Machlneguns. Not counting the index and an ap­ pendix the book is broken down into 20 chapters. Starting with the early devel­ opment and battlefield experiences (none actually by the Germans them­ selves) that led to their passion for the machine gun. The heavy influence on the German Army by Kaiser Wilhem in favor of the machine gun and the de­ tailed analysis of German observers during the Russo-Japanese War are noted as major turning pOints. Many ofthe chapters are dedicated to the machine guns developed by dif­ ferent manufacturers. A point to be made is that this book is not just about German machine guns during the wars but is a detailed look at the entire life. before. during. and after the wars. For example, Heckler & Koch G.m .b.H. was established in 1949 by former Mauser

September 1993

employees. Also as one would natu­ rally expect the MG 34 and 42 receive chapters of their own. Besides well-written text, the book's greatest attribute is it's illustrations. By combining photos that show the weapons in an historical context. they are also shown closeup and by them­ selves so that you can see the details and match them up with the explana­ tion of various operations and proce­ dures that are explained. There are also a number of drawings that are clear and well done that point out fur­ ther details and. in some cases, show things more clearly than the photos. These drawings and photos are not small, grainy re-runs of well-used photos. They are almost exclusively larger than average and of good to very good quality. The coverage also extends to vari­ ous 2cm flak guns, the MG 151, and other larger air defense weap ons. Another chapter deals with "Other German Machineguns," my favorite being the Krupp 10. 5cm machine can­ non.

things as the lack of knowledge of the beach itself, where expected pebbles turned out to be a deadly tank obstacle. great success and almost comic failure by individual tanks and the problems each encountered are presented in a gripping account. Where each vehicle landed, what it did and where it ended up, including annotated photos from air and land. all are fully described. The photos are excellent. printed large and clear and show how proper research can overcome the continued use of the few shots which have illus­ trated earlier books on the subject. For all this, the book covers only the Calgary Regiment itself. anyone wanting a wider view will have to look elsewhere. However from its chosen viewpoint there is little left to say. I would have preferred to see a few words about the vehicles themselves, while each is listed with full crew lists, mark­ ings and serial numbers you will need to look elsewhere for the differences between the four marks of tank used. One small error described the Oke flame- throwers as Mk. I. and the unique nature of these tanks is not mentioned. But this is not a book about either the tank or the battle, instead about the individual tanks and their part in that battle. As such it Is superb and sets the standard for any other such account.

If you ever wanted to know some­ thing about German machineguns, this is the book for you. A fascinating study that not only explains in rich. flowing text but also provides the kind ofvisu­ ally references that make the book worth its cover price.

COMPLETE YOUR MUSEUM ORDNANCE COLLECTION Back Issues Available September 1991 September 1992 November 1991 November 1992 January 1992 January 1993 March 1992 March 1993 May 1992 May 1993 July 1992 July 1993

Cost is $3.25 per issue U.S., $4.25 overseas. U.S. funds only.

Museum Ordnance P.O. Box 5884

Darlington, MD 21034

15

Light Armored Car

By Jean l'v1organthal

M20 Events at the beginning ofWorld War II shook the hierarchy of the U.S. Army with the mobility. and striking power with which Germany was using its tanks. Tanks. by this time were not new. but their employment in concen­ trated units and new tactics much associated with the phrase Blitzkrieg. caused more than a few late night meetings trying to come up with defen­ sive measures that could stop the onslaught. One obvious solution was the use ofthe tank itself in a defensive role. There was. however. a school ofthought that said the best vehicle to defeat a tank is a vehicle designed with specific characteristics deemed important to killing the tank and circumventing its tactical use. Thus was born the Tank Destroyer Force. Using a scatter gun approach at the beginning. a multitude ofvehicle designs were developed. each with a unique tactical situation in mind. One

Generally speaking the musewn's M20 is in good condition missing only its engine and some ojthe interiorfittings . And beJore you get too excited, yes we know that the .30 caliber water­ cooled Browning was notfitted to the M20. The museum is not even sure when that was done!

COMMA,NDERS TABLE GUNNER 'S SEAT

SEAT RELEASE CHAIN

TROOP SEAT

SEAT RELEASE CHAIN

such design was originally designated the T-22. a light tank destroyer. It was later to evolve into the MB Light Ar­ mored Car. armed with a 37mm gun in a small turret fitted to a six-wheeled chassis. Time passed by the T -22/MB in a role as a tank destroyer. but the vehicle found a Job as a reconnaissance vehicle. The Tank Destroyer Force also had a reqUirement for a vehicle in their security and headquarters sections. A further evolution of the MB came about by removing the turret and replacing it with an open ring mounted .50 caliber machine gun. This vehicle was first standardized as the Ml 0 Armored Util­ ity Car but confusion abounded with the MIO GMC and the designation was changed to M20. The vehicle went on to serve throughout the war. and was also is­ sued to Military Police forces in Europe. The vehicle could carry up to six crew. had a range of about 350 miles and a flat road speed of around 55 mph. The Hercules in-line "L" JXD 6 cylinder engine powered the M20 which weighed in at under 17.500 lb. The M2 .50 caliber machine gun was placed in an M49 open ring mount. later improved with the M66 mount. Additionally the M20 carried five .30 carbines (two on the walls of driver's compartment and 3 on right­

GUN MOUNT SUPPORT RING

16

Museum Ordnance

hand side of crew compartment along with 500 rounds of ammunition) and one 2.36 in. Bazooka (on the front wall of crew compartment with 10 rockets). plus 1.000 rounds for the .50 caliber machine gun. 3 mines. and 15 gre­ nades. ~

INSTRUMENT _ _,""",!-PANEL

~~i;:=---PRIMER

CLUTCH

Looking at the rear bulkhead Jrom the crew compartment. The stands Jor the .30 cal. carbines can be seen on the lower leJt as can the fire extinguisher hol.c/er.

TRANSFER CASE RATIO SELECTING lEVER

LEIT: It was not uncommon Jar the side skirts to be knocked off. To ease mainte· nance and repair notice how the skirts are hinged at the top. The hole Jor the missing antenna base can be seen in the bottom center oj the photo.

CARBURETOR AIR INTAKE TUBE

EXHAUST MANIFOLD

ABOVE: The drivers compartment oj the M20 was the same as in the M8 annored car. The drivers carbine can be seen mounted on the side wall to his leJt. The instrumentpanel is locatedJustunder the bottom lip oJtheJront hatch cover. The transJercase lever is in the down position (high gear} and theJront axle is also down (front axle disengaged). BELOW: A conventional layout designedJor ease oj repair and routine maintenance.

IGNITION FILTER ~. ' -.....,-=--r-''''''''''"''''''''' ~

_ _ _ OIL FILLER CAP CASE BREATHER

~""H----- OIL FILTER

.....

AIR CLEANER ----~+

-i------

AIR INTAKE PIPE FOR _?!.~ HYDROVAC CYLINDER

BATTERY

HOUSING

"J!!!!!.J- - - - - GENERATOR

CARBURETOR _---~r BRAKE HYDROV",-~CYLINDER

EXHAUST PIPE UPPER HOSE

CONNECTIONS

RADIATOR FILLER CAP

FAN SHROUDS

September 1993

17

CAL .50 MACJiINE GUN, HB, M'2

The open ling TTlDunt on the M20 and then .50 caliber M2 heavy machine gun. Ammunition stowageJor this piece was CarTied in ten boxes oj 100 rounds each.

SIDE DIRECT VISION SLOTS HATCH COVER

SIDE [) IRE(T VIS ION SLOl S HATCH COVER

+ A Jrontal look at the inside oj the driver and assistantdriver's hatches and vision devices. The hatch covers are .25 in.. armorplate while theJront is. 75 in.. armor plate. In two boxes at the assistantdriversJootare six spare pro· tectoscope prisms.

PROTECTOSC OP ES FRONT DIRECT VISION SLOT HATCH COVER

1··

This SCR·50B radio set consists oj a radio transmitter and two receivers and was the radio type TTlDst typicaUy Jound in the right sponson on the M20 although the SCR-694-C or the ANI GRC-9 were also us ecL This radio was also normally outfitted with an Interphone System bu t since there was little needJor such in the small, open armored car. iI: was never installed.

IS

Although this diagram isJrom the MB arTTJDred car, it shows the TTlDst common radio typeJound TTlDunted in the leJt sponson on the M20; an SCR-506. This set consists oj a transmitter and a receiver, plus a loudspeaker. The antenna lead cablesJor both radios run through the side boxes along the hull top. In the box itself they are supported on two smaU porcelain insulators.

Museum Ordnance

September 1993

19

Curator's

Column

(ContinuedJrompage 3)

become literate all over again. The future of the Army Mu­ seum System will be discussed with the senior curators, of which I am one, during the week of 30 August-3 Sep­ tember. The new chief curator of the Army, Jeb Bennett. is calling us all together to see what we can offer in the way ahead. This conference will also serve to give us "poor field hands" the latest news and views from the capitol and what is known in the Army as the "gossip around the flagpole." One of the items that is sure to come up is the lack of a museum conference in this calendar year. I am sure that lack of funding was the cause of the postpone­ ment. but we will find out all the ins and outs come the end of August. Come and see us!

Notice Regarding Museum Hours Effective immediately, the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum is open seven days per week. This is a change from when the museum was closed on Mondays. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. On certain federal holidays the museum will still be cloased. Caal ahead to be sure.

Armor Modeling and Preservation Society Dedicated to the hobby of military modeling and the historic preservation and study of armored fighting vehicles, artillery and other pieces of military equip­ ment, AMPS is an international organization of modelers. Boresight is the bi-monthly publication of AMPS and brings you in-depth articles and reviews ofkits, books, accessories, and tools. The first issue was published in July of this year. There are only a few back issues available.

Membership in AMPS is $20.00 per year (which includes six issues of Boresight) in the U.S. Foreign: $25.00 surface mail, $35.00 airmail. Payment must be in U.S. funds. Sorry no credit cards. Join now.

Armor Modeling and Preservation Society P.O. Box 331 Darlington, MD 21034

IOF 20mm anti-aircraft half track conversion. Over 35 parts and color xerox photos of actual vehicle. Kit #KI-82 $27.50 Soviet T-72M-2s 1992. Kit includes accurate turret with updated IR site, reactive armor for turret, glacisus, & side skirts, plus other details. Kit #KT-3 $27.50 Stug IIIISlg Infantry gun. Conversion kit, in­ cludes one piece hollow molded upper hull with separate engine decks and hatches. Kit#KG-17 $35.00

Resin, Scale Models Accuracy Authenticity, Affordability 30 Day Delivery I $4.50 Shipping 14413 E. 47th Ave., Denver, CO 80239 Ph: (303) 371-0587 Fx: (303) 373-9148

Merkava MK m"Blockthree" Complete kit. All new! Longer hull & turret. Uparmored loaders turret side, new surface details, Polyvinyl track and styrene bodies.#KI-101 $95.00

SMT accurate turret & details. Includes turret, snorkle, gun tube, NSVT brech and other details. $25.00 Kit #KT-54 LAV-25 "Desert Storm" details. Kit includes: tur­ ret & hull storage bins, antenna mounts & site covers. Kit #KA-34 $13.50

Iraqi uparmored BMP-1 conversion kit. Includes complete upper hull with interior details, turret, frontal hull plate & side skirts. Kit #KM-29$36.50

20

SFH-18 150mm towed gun with limber. Kit #KG-42 $85.00 LAV R~covery conversion exterior over 45 parts. Position able boom. Kit #KA-37 $37.50

Museum Ordnance

Miniature Ordnance

Detailing a Tamiya37mm Flak Gun The Germans issued their first 37mm flak guns in 1935. The 37mm Flak 18 had a maximum effective ceiling simi­ lar to the Flak 30 20mm gun but threw out a shell that weighed twice as much. Transported by two twin-wheeled car­ riages which were difficult to manufac­ ture. the Flak 18 was soon replaced by the Flak 36 with a simpler carriage. Later on a new mechanical sight for the Flakviser 37 was added and the new version referred to as the Flak 37. All three had the same barrel. perform­ ance and sometimes production or service figures do not differentiate be­ tween the types. All in all despite the fact that they were suppose to be re­ placed by the Flak 43. they stayed in service in large numbers right up to the war's end. The Germans used this series on several SP mounts. usually on half-tracks like the SdKfz 6 and 7. but also on 3 and 4.5t trucks. As near as I can tell. the Germans only used the better performing Flak 43 for their fully­ tracked 37mm AAA vehicles like the Mobilewagon or Ostwind. The Model

The Tamiya 37mm flak gun has been around for a couple ofyears now and is

Steven Andreano

September 1993

a nice basic kit and. like their 20mm gun. it can use some detailing. I worked on two Improvements that I think can present a more interesting model: the loaders seats and a superdetailed Flakviser 37. The loaders seats came from the 20mm Flakvierling included in the Tamiya Mobilewagon kit (remember. only the prototype had the Flakvlerling. all production vehicles had the 37mm Flak 43). The tubular supports are pieces of styrene rod with thin brass wire details. The pieces on the seat closest to the gunners pOSition is 23mm long and anchored into a hole drilled into a mounting bracket made from a block of Evergreen styrene. Shaping this piece to fit on Part E 33 and sup­ port the seat parallel to the ground was the most difficult part of the project and was accomplished by simple trial and error. The other piece is 14mm long and anchored into a similar block of Evergreen. I detailed both seats by drilling out the drainage and welght­ saving holes and covering the upper seat back with glue-soaked tissue. Detailing the gun sight (parts E 13 and 14) was done using various thick­ nesses of styrene rods to match the

photos in Die leichte und mittlere Flak. I used six pieces for the knobs. 2 for gauges. and one for the piece on the side of the telescopic sight. The ground Sight is a piece of styrene tube cut to length and reamed out with a new x­ acto blade to thin down the wall thick­ ness. The eyepiece is a section of plastic sliced from the end of a piece of stretched sprue at the point where it starts to thicken. The electrical wire is thread coated with bees wax to eliminate the "fuzzies." I added the eyepiece for the AAA sight by cutting one offofa Tamiya hand held range finder. I drilled out all of the sight parts that would have been lens and applied Krystal-Klear after the weath­ ering was complete. The last details that I added were a pair of styrene strip and wire hasps. with photo etched locks. to the stowage bins on the trailer. Painting and Weathering

All of the parts of the upper gun mount (parts in Steps 1-4: excluding the ac­ tual gun assembly parts E 11. 12. and 24) along with the sight, sight arm. and loaders platform were sprayed Tamiya DarkYellow. I inserted a wooden dowel into the front of the gun barrel so ! could hold on to it and sprayed it Tamiya Flat Black. When this dried. I rubbed the whole thing with ground up pencil lead using my fingertip as a 'high tech applicator.' I sprayed the trailer and gun base assembly (parts E9. etc.) a mixture ofblack and dark brown. The camouflage pattern on the trailer is the Tamlya German Red brown tank color sprayed on in random wavy lines. A mixture ofHumbrol Yellow and a white oil paint was then dry-brushed on then trailer and the carriage. For shading. I used the Tony Greenland ground up pastel technique. Using a mixture of black and earth tones for recesses and 'dirt." Finally. I brushed a little straight black pastel around the end of the barrel to simulate powder residue and rubbed the graphite on various areas like the diamond tread plate or the seats to simulate wear. I bought the base 'ready to go' at

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the local hobby shop. My ground work is a mixture of Cel-U-Clay with some very fine Mark I real dirt added. I almost always add burnt umber acrylic paint straight from the tube into my bowl when I'm mixing up the ground

cover. This way if you chip off some while dry-brushing the base it is an earth tone through and through. Ijust buy the largest and cheapest tube I can find and add what ever amount it takes to dye my mix to my liking. At the end

of the project when I am applying my pastels, after the dull coat, I always spread some ofthe pastel mixtures that I use for both shading and "dirtying up" the gun around my groundwork to tie the scene together. The brick wall is part of an old Tamiya diorama kit with some Kurton loose bricks added. I decided to add the wall and some extra Verlinden ammo cans at the last minute to provide more color and contrast. This seems to make a much more interesting and pleasing presentation.

Classified Ads

A free s e rvice to subscI1bers of Museum Ordnance. All subscribers are entttled to one free. thfrty word classified ad per issue. The Publisher reserves the right to approve and edit all classified ads prior topublfcation. All ads must include the date the ad 1s to be removed. For ads with more than thirty words or ads fornon ~ sub­ scribers. the rate !s ftflycenls (SOf) per word. Allpaymenls mus t be made In advance and tn U.S. funds. Copy should be typed or neaUy printed.

Museum Ordnance

P.O. Box 5884

Darlington, MD 21034

SALE/OFFERS

STEAM IS AUVE and well and living in Ihe U.S.A. One hour video of currently operating live steam: Carousel, sawmill, calliope, trac­ tors, trains. $20 postpaid. SPECTATOR. 80x 27126, Denver. CO 80227. Buill 1/35 armor ktts. Nicely done, some external detailing. Advise your particular needs/wants. Will consider requests. Currently 100+ finished. 8ill V!hitley, 311 Bundy Ave., Endicott, NY 13760. (607) 748-7922. HO 1187th scale models. WWII resin cast. Now: M3A 1 White scout car; Soon: M5A 1 Stuart. Send requests to Paul heiser Models, P.O. Box 6187, Lakewood. CA 90714-6187. SALE: R.P. Hunnicutt's book; SHERMAN: A History of the American Medium Tank. Best offer. John Robinson, 34 Central Tree Rd .. Rutland, MA 01543. tl94

WANTED Researcher seeks combat-oriented photographs of T·54155 MBTs for use in reference book. Philadelphia, PA 19t03.

Alan Geibel, P.O. Box 2179,

Back issues of AFV News wanted. Colin Knapp, 35 Meadow Field, Stokesley North Yorkshire. 759 5EL, England. Wanted : Photographsldataon pre-WWII Japanese AFVs for cross·relerenceproject. Willing to trade copies of materiaVphotos. Terry Stibal. P.O. Box 890385, Houston, TX 77289 (713) 286·0984 (evenings) 6/93 Wanted: Pershing' A Historv ollhe Medium Tank. R.P. Hunnicut; flailJlIm. John Batchelor and Ian Hogg. Don Geelan, P.O. Box 80005, San Diego, CA 92138 (619) 295-8263 6193 Researcher looking lor photos and information on the armor used by the Cambodian Army 1970-75. AF. P.O. Box 37. Forest Hill, MD 21034. 5193 Wanted: Sherman ' A Historv 01 the American Medium Tank. by Ri chard P. Hunnicutt. Contact Ric WI 54467 5193

Wa~ers.

P.O. Box 277, Plover,

Researcher seeks out·of-print issues of AFV-G2 magazine, also early Squadron Signal "In Action" series. Tom Laemlein. 61 Harvard St.. Rochester, NY 14607 1194. Wanted Data and inlormation on railway armor. Will exchange or buy. John Loop 12445 Pomerado PI .. San Diego, CA 92t 28. (6 t 9) 487·8698. 4193 Modeler seeks drawings/photos or data on Israeli RAM recon vehicle for scratchbuilding project. Will pay duplication and postage. Sean McAndrews, 706 Hillborn Ave .. SWMhmore, PA 19081. t/94

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Museum Ordnance

The M88 ImprovedRecovery Vehicle

The Battlefield Workhorse Bred for Heavy Duty

Operation Desert Storm underscored the Army's need for the Improved Recovery Vehicle (IRV) to recover the heavier M1 tank in combat. The M88 IRV, designed by BMY and selected by the Army, improves on the standard M88A1 configuration through

o a 40%increase in horsepower o a 56%increase in winching capability o a 40% increase in lifting capacity o a 23% increase in tractive effort o 30mm ballistic protection Backed by 17,000 test miles, the M88 IRV has proved its ability to recover and tow 70 tons under the most demanding conditions. Today, the M88 IRV is well on its way to production readiness. This means that when the need is there, the Battlefield Workhorse will still be found on the job - better and stronger than ever.

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LateinWorldWar2,theGermanscameupwithsomevery unorthodox weapons to try to turn the tide. One such vehicle was the massive super heavy tank known as the Maus. This 188 ton vehicle was only capable of20kph, but had a potent 12.8cm cannon with a coaxial 7.5cm gun mounted side-by-side. DML's 1/35 scale model of this huge tank is made up of 286 parts, has individual/sectional track links and detailed road wheel system. Only from DML!

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Two very exciting new figures are now available from Kirin. ~II:~ = ~ ~ 1.1 A very special figure of a Highland clansman at the Battle ~.' ~ ~ ~ ~ _ ~ _. of Culloden in 1746 pays homage to the military illustra­ tions of the late Richard Scollins, whose drawing was inspiration for this figure. The second release clearly demonstrates Kirin's innovative approach, using a knocked out Cromwell turret as the base for this portrait figure of panzer ace Michael Wittmann. Only from Kirin!

~ MARCO 21519

Highland Clansman. 1746 1/16( 120mm) Scale

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