Fort Lewis Army Museum Tank Park Pictures

[Aktungbby]

Don't know what this is, but I want one.

That looks a lot like a FAV fast attack vehicle used by SEALs and could carry a tow missile... I want one too! As one who grew up on the RAT Patrol show:

The original tests used commercial dune buggies modified to carry weapons such as TOW missiles and recoilless rifles. The recoilless rifles still had enough recoil to flip the lightweight dune buggies and were abandoned. The TOW missiles had much greater success, but they violated existing Army TOW doctrine. The Army had determined that a TOW needed a 3-man team to operate it. The DPVs could only carry a two-man crew and they seemed perfectly capable of operating the TOW, but this would have meant revising Army doctrine and possibly changing TOW deployment throughout the Army. Fort Benning decided to offer a "superior" DPV design that allowed a third crewman. This design was rejected by the HTLD team and was never produced.
The basic weapons on a DPV consist of a heavy .50 caliberM2 Browning machine gun, two lighter 7.62×51mmM60 machine guns, and two M136 AT4 anti-armor weapons. In some cases, the driver's M60 or the gunner's M2 is replaced with a 40 mmMk 19 grenade launcher. Other light machine guns such as the M240 machine gun or 5.56×45mmM249 SAW can also be mounted.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

That looks a lot like a FAV fast attack vehicle used by SEALs and could carry a tow missile... I want one too! As one who grew up on the RAT Patrol show:

I think this one was the XR 311 Experimental High Mobility Vehicle or something like that. I know it had an "X" in it.

Probably did better service as a recruiting tool than as a recon vehicle.

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

I think this one was the XR 311 Experimental High Mobility Vehicle or something like that. I know it had an "X" in it.

Probably did better service as a recruiting tool than as a recon vehicle.

'XR 311' still brings up my link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Patrol_Vehicle Catfish is right on! It was based on the VW Kübelwagon rear-wheel drive: Recruiting tool? NOPE! The first U.S. forces to enter Kuwait City were United States Navy SEALs in DPVs. I'd need an ice pack 'Kabooti' seat for my Kübelwagon'd cahones bouncing around in that !

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

'XR 311' still brings up my link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Patrol_Vehicle Catfish is right on! It was based on the VW Kübelwagon rear-wheel drive: The first U.S. forces to enter Kuwait City were United States Navy SEALs in DPVs. I'd need an ice pack 'Kabooti' seat for my Kübelwagon'd cahones bouncing around in that !

I'll go with that then.

Speaking of Iraq, they have Saddam's Head on display inside the museum if anyone wants to speak to him.

[Eichhörnchen]

Do you mind if I use that 'Sherman' photo as a reference for a painting sometime?

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

Do you mind if I use that 'Sherman' photo as a reference for a painting sometime?

No problem. I don't think the US Army would mind either.

Here's a few additional pictures if you need more visual reference. Just try to leave out the rust and the bent bits.

[Aktungbby]

MY favorite comic book character < 'Jeb Stuart' was based on this!

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

MY favorite comic book character < 'Jeb Stuart' was based on this!

The Stuart always struck me as a funky, almost toy-like looking tank. All those square angles and shot traps. It was good to see an actual living example, though.

[Rockstar]

But did you have one of these!

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

But did you have one of these!

NOPE! Still got mine:

[Rockstar]

I went to high school in the Panama Canal Zone and back then the U.S. Army would once a year come to school and give us rides in M113 APCs. Things could haul butt, fly over hills and land ever so soft.




Then these would land in the football field and take on passengers for a trip across the bay and up the Chagres River high speed low level.




They probabaly dont do stuff like that anymore.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

But did you have one of these!

Haha. I did actually have one of those as a kid until I broke the thermos throwing it as a demo charge.

Hey, they did have the GI Joe-Bob Hope Action Figure on museum display. I don't know if Kung-Fu grip was included.