***I like em both!!
does it take muscles to pilot one of them??
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Not necessarily to drive one, the station that gets the most workout during firing (for the M1) is the loader - they get to lug a 45-50 lb. round from the ammo storage bin (back of the turret) to the breech of the main gun, get out if the way of the recoil, flip off the safety, and announce “UP!” - after the main gun goes BOOM, gets to repeat as needed. In the older M48-M60 series of tanks, he also gets to dance around in the turret to avoid the empty casings rolling around. In the M1A1 the casing is self-consuming, so only the aft end cap comes out of the breech.
M1A1 loader (minute video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC2ePKRvo9k
In the Bradley, the guys in the back do the heavy lifting during the TOW missile reloads. IIRC, the TOW missile weighs about 50 lbs. To reload, the gunner had to erect the TOW launcher and elevate it while one of the scouts in the back partially popped open the troop hatch and replaced the missiles.
A non-tactical reload at about 2:20
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VBgauqDeYA
Up until recently, there were no women in the Armor/Cavalry branches. that has changed in the past few years.
thanks, Chop!!
we’re glad you’re here!