The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Sgt. Alvin C. York - Mar 1st, 2004

www.alvincyork.org ^ | Dr. Michael Birdwell

[snippy_about_it]

Snippy's Dog House

[Samwise]

And we all had a right smart time. And then I lit out for the old log cabin and the little old mother.

Lawdy, he even talks like grandpa. But you have to read it real slow and draw it out.

[Professional Engineer]

Say, that's right spiffy. Some curtains and a bit of wallpaper, and it'd be Home Sweet Home.

[Samwise]

[SAMWolf]

Good one, Samwise.

[snippy_about_it]

oooo, deep.

[Darksheare]

Wait.. how is that punishment?

[Johnny Gage]

Thanks for adding the great pictures, and history of the Sopwith Tri!

[SAMWolf]

It's always fun trying to fiond some artwork of the planes you profile. :-)

[Professional Engineer]

LOL I know what you mean, Sam. Same plane, a contemporary, or an adversary.

[Professional Engineer]

Who said anything about punishment?

[Darksheare]

Being in the doghouse implies punishment.

[GATOR NAVY]

[Darksheare]

That was one funny looking vehicle.
And it was supposed to be fast enough to keep up with the frontline tanks.
There was one version that had a gatling gun similar to the A-10's armament.
Neither version performed up to snuff.
Typical of stuff designed by committee and compromise.

[SAMWolf]

Hi Gator Navy. Boy! Did the Sgt. York turn out to be a boondoggle! IMHO puting it on the M48/M60 chassis was a big mistatke. Like Darksheare says it couldn't keep up with the MBT's coming online at the time. And the target aquisition system was great at taking out out houses. LOL!

[Darksheare]

"And the target aquisition system was great at taking out out houses."

You mean it was great for urban renewal and inferior decorating?
I want one!
If just to use for demolition work.

[GATOR NAVY]

M247 Sergeant York DIVAD

"With the first production vehicles being delivered in late 1983 many problems remained, the most serious being the radar's inability to track low flying targets due to excessive ground clutter. The radar could not distinguish between a hovering helicopter and a clump of trees. And when tracking high flying targets, the radar return from the gun barrel tips confused the fire control system. Turret traverse was also too slow to track a fast crossing target. The ECM (electronic counter-measures) suite could be defeated by only minor jamming. And the use of the 30 year old M48 chassis design meant the vehicle had trouble keeping pace with the newer M1 Abrams and M2/3 Bradley's, the very vehicles it was designed to protect.

"These problems proved insurmountable, and in December 1986 after about 50 vehicles had been produced the entire program was terminated."

[Darksheare]

But I still want one!

[SAMWolf]

Those 50 they built are probably in storage somewhere. Maybe you can get a bulk discount.

[Darksheare]

Group bulk discount?
Cool..