ARMORED WARFARE: The Q-Truck in Iraq

Strategypage.com ^ | December 2, 2003 | Harold C. Hutchison

[SAMWolf]

The troops in the field can usually come up with really effective "field modifications" that get the job done.

[MarkL]

While I've never served, I'm a strong believer in "Peace through Superior Firepower."

Mark

[MarkL]

IIRC, Dillon Precision has a movie called "Machinegun Magic," where they show fun with full auto weapons. It includes a truck mounted .223 minigun, as well as one of those 4xM2 mounts!

And the coolest part was the night shooting with tracers at RC airplanes! And how the barrels on the M2's turned cherry red.

Mark

[Ben Hecks]

Thanks for the ping.

Most of the gun trucks in Vietnam were built by transportation truck companies who had no armored vehicles for convoy security. The unit that had the best "scrounger" came up with the best weapons to mount as armament - everything was either stolen or cannibalized from damaged combat vehicles and/or aircraft. Looks like we could recognize the need for this equipment and have a TO&E augmentation package that would provide a standardized "gun truck" when support units are deployed in situations such as those in Iraq.

[Eagle Eye]

Happiness is a pair of machine gun platforms in front of you and behind you.

[Chewbacca]

The Quad .50 is cool, but replace those four M2 guns with four .50 mini guns and I would be REALLY impressed.

[The Shrew]

I wanted to thank you for including me in the FR Treadhead ping list! I have been pinged to some great stuff as a result. Thank you!

Semper Fi,

TS

[Redleg Duke]

I have...and you are absolutely right!

[SLB]

http://www.mystae.com/reflections/vietnam/duster.html

This is probably one of the better links to ADA in Vietnam. As I have mentioned in several other threads here on FR, I worked on both quads and Dusters. One of the little tidbits I forgot about was the problem with tailgates getting shot up. The limiter switches would be bypassed and then the guns would fire no matter what the depression/elevation. Sure was rough on the tailgates when the truck was up high and the gooks were down low. Put lots of big holes in them rapidly.

[SAMWolf]

That'd be a real hamburger maker!

[R. Scott]

Yep!

[SAMWolf]

A "Q" -Ship was a vessel that flew the flag (colours) of a neutral Country and posed as a trader. This was a disguise to fool the enemy into believing that that the vessel was an innocent vessel. Due to the fact the German submarines only carried a limited amount of torpedo, they would come to the surface fire warning shots with deck guns to make the vessel stop. Once the vessel had stopped they let the crew go into the life boots. The Germans would quite often take the Merchant Captain prisoner and any gunners (later in the War, quite a number of large merchant vessels carried deck guns) as well. The usual plan was to board the ship and place bombs on board and open sea cocks. If the vessel was a small fishing vessel or an old wooden or steel sailing ship, a few shells fired into the water line would do the job of sinking it.

In a classic Q-Ship action, the Submarine fired a number of warning shots from its deck guns. The vessel stopped and a panic crew left the vessel in a life boat giving the impression that the vessel was then unmanned. The remaining Royal Naval personnel aboard laid low out of sight, waiting for the submarine to circle it to get detail of tonnage etc. The submarine would continue to circle and would also be firing on the vessel while making sure that it is safe to get closer. Once the crew of the submarine were sure the the way was safe to get closer, they would put some shells into the waterline to effect the sinking, the "Q"-Ship's crew would take to the guns (that would be hidden out of site in collapsible deck houses etc.). The white ensign of Great Britain would be run up the mast and the fight would be on.


During December of 1914 the idea of Decoy ships that would be known as "Q-Ships" was hatched and over time the Admiralty took up a total of at least 220 merchant steamers, trawlers, fishing smacks, Barquentine and Topsail schooners and armed them with 12 pound guns , Lewis Guns, maxim guns, depth charges and various other armaments. Later they were armed with heavier guns and torpedo tubes. These vessels were different to the armed trawlers that were operating at the time of the Lusitania in that they flew neutral colours and this included painting the country of origin on the hull of the vessel to imitate neutral vessels. This was perfectly legitimate under international law, provided that before opening fire on the enemy the neutral colours were lowered and the White Ensign was hoisted.


There were many exciting engagements in the time Q-Ships were active and even though Q-Ships only disposed of about a dozen U-Boats, they made the Germans very weary and saved many thousands of tons of valuable cargoes and lives.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

The Power of the Ping List

Together we are smarter than the sum total of our individual IQ's

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Army soldiers in Iraq are modifying their vehicles to carry additional weapons, usually the M2 .50-caliber machine gun (first used prior to World War II), the M249 SAW (a 5.56-millimeter machine gun), and the Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher (firing 40-milimeter grenade rounds). The crew-served weapons are mostly going on the Humvees...some are also being placed on the M872 Heavy Equipment Trailers...

 

The major objective in this case is to get the guerillas attacking the supply lines to go for what they thought was a supply truck. Once pulled in, they get more than they bargained for...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BOOM!!

[colorado tanker]

If this thing works, it would be priceless to see the look on the Saddamites' faces when the weapons come out and the bodies start falling.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

RN Q-ships

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Do y'all have a twin 240 mount?

[jjm2111]

If I were a commander in Iraq, I'd have full-blown Q-convoys. Convert some 7 tons into death traps.

[Travis McGee]

BTTT

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Armored Trucker Infantry