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The German Wiesel Is a Cute Mini-Tank
War is Boring ^ | January 25, 2017 | Robert Beckhusen

Posted on 01/25/2017 7:22:14 AM PST by C19fan

In 1972, the German military embarked on a program to replace its lightweight and air-dropped Kraka quadbikes used to move paratroopers after they hit the ground. The result of this effort was the Wiesel, a cute, unusual tracked armored vehicle and a modern equivalent of the tankette, a type of tank which largely went out of fashion during World War II.

(Excerpt) Read more at warisboring.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: armored; germany; tanks
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To: SJSAMPLE

“Embarrassment?
The Krauts were INNOVATORS, if nothing else.”

Absolutely. And size doesn’t tell all. 88MM sounded pretty small at the time.


21 posted on 01/25/2017 8:02:13 AM PST by CrazyIvan (Fidel and Che are together again, and it ain't on a t-shirt.)
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To: C19fan

Fun and games until someone brings a .50 to the party.


22 posted on 01/25/2017 8:10:43 AM PST by Snickering Hound
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To: GreyFriar

“Everything is air-droppable at least once.” Maxim 11 of the 70 Maxims of Maximally Effective Mercenaries. Schlock Mercenary, for those who are unaware.... ;-)


23 posted on 01/25/2017 8:23:46 AM PST by tarawa
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To: C19fan

Everybody likes light and fast.

Until the shooting starts.

Then, they’re out trying to superglue sandbags to their vehicles.

My Infantry Soldiers thought their M113s were invulnerable until I took them down range to look at the M113 targets.

“Here’s where the fifty cal bullet came in and here’s where it went out. It went right through the vehicle.”

Mighty quiet ride home that day.

Poor armor protection is dangerous because the Soldiers think they can do more with the vehicle than they can actually do.


24 posted on 01/25/2017 8:57:30 AM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: PAR35

Smaller, more expendable vehicles.

So make them remotely operated with vertical launch missiles ATGMs and MANPADs. Maybe another version with an automatic mortar, and another with an autocannon and automatic grenade launcher. And finally, some carriers for ammo and equipment.

Use them in numbers. Maybe one RPGV per platoon, or one of each type per company? That way you can have really heavy firepower with airborne or airmobile forces.


25 posted on 01/25/2017 8:58:06 AM PST by Little Ray (Freedom Before Security!)
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To: PapaBear3625

Funny how similar that armored personell carrier looks like the famous German ww2 half track.


26 posted on 01/25/2017 9:08:01 AM PST by Professional
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To: freedomlover

I am imagining the boys from “American Picker” going berserk over that bike.


27 posted on 01/25/2017 9:48:47 AM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: PapaBear3625

For a medic, this is like looking at a pic with a supermodel and your wife both in. OF COURSE, I see you back there, honey! Love you so much! You give my life meaning ( meingot, thatingiszexy).


28 posted on 01/25/2017 10:06:02 AM PST by clbiel (Islamophobia: The irrational fear of being decapitated)
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To: Insigne123

I remember the 106mm recoilless rifles mounted on a jeep in the local Army National Guard Armory when my 8th grade basketball team went there to practice during the winter of 1960-61. I thought it was “neat.” 15 years later I’m in Germany as TC of an M-60A2 with a 152mm gun/launcher.


29 posted on 01/25/2017 10:12:15 AM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: clbiel
For a medic, this is like looking at a pic with a supermodel and your wife both in.

The other vehicle is the ambulance version of the German Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicle (which I guess is their answer to the Stryker). Do an image search for Boxer AMB.

Enjoy:

The base vehicle can be fitted with multiple kinds of "mission modules"


30 posted on 01/25/2017 10:28:14 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big government is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
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