The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - M3 Lee Medium Tank - May 4th, 2004

afvdb.50megs.com/usa/ ^

[PhilDragoo]

This vehicle was the largest AFV of American design in WWII. It was almost 15’ wide, 36’ long and weighed 190,000 lb. (95 tons). Because of its huge size and weight, it was equipped with 4 sets of tracks, two on each side of 19-1/2” width each. This most unusual arrangement was needed to lower the ground pressure to 11.7 lbs./sq.in. Each track assembly was made up of two complete horizontal volute suspension systems (HVSS). In order to reduce width and weight, the outermost tracks could be removed when the tank was being transported. To assist in this Herculean task, the tank carried two hydraulically assisted winchs mounted at the rear of the tank. Each track assembly weighed almost 25 tons, and two could be linked together side by side to form a unit which could be towed behind a prime mover or the tank itself! It took a crew almost 3hrs. to make this change. The running gear included a total of 64 20-1/2” wheels with rubber backed steel tracks 19-1/2” wide and rear drive with support rollers and front idler.

[snippy_about_it]

I like the way they look like they just kept stacking turrets up.

They do look like that. You can certainly see the liability of being high profile.

[SAMWolf]

I have no idea but, I can imagine it's thick and reinforced.

[SAMWolf]

LOL!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the vote of confidence partner.

Anytime partner. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Evening Phil Dragoo.

Standing next to the T-28 really gives makes you feel really tiny. Hard to believe we even bothered to buiuld such a monstrosity.

[PhilDragoo]

Saw Zappa and the Mothers of Invention while Jacques Frog was massacring Vietnamese mothers holding babies.

Zappa was fully as fast as Hendrix, but would change the band's considerable momentum by raising a pinkie.

He was a Democrat donor whose widow said he and traitorrapist42 were "brothers under the skin", being so much alike.

Okay, so why can't they both be dead of prostate cancer?

She gave a bundle to Gore2000 and then asked, "Can't we buy him some clothes now? He looks like a policeman."

[SAMWolf]

Okay, so why can't they both be dead of prostate cancer?

We should have been so lucky.

[PhilDragoo]

If they are talking about the first purple heart it was from a mortar Kerry set off himself.

And he's defended by Max Cleland, failed hand grenade juggler.

And Ted Kneivel stunt drunk.

What a team--we need that expertise in charge of the American war machine. Or not.

[SAMWolf]

And Ted Kneivel stunt drunk

LOL! I heard him today talking about how illegal aliens need more protection because they live in fear of being deported. What an idiot!

[snippy_about_it]

Or not.

:-)

[PhilDragoo]

The M3 "General Lee" in the USSR

M3 Lee Medium Tank - Shop Number 3714

Sam's Outbuilding VI

Chrysler Multibank (5)

The last of William's photographs illustrates that nightmare of all Sherman tank engines again, the Chrysler A57 (Same engine as M3A4). After all the complaining by tank crews and mechanics about the complications of the original design, Chrysler did simplify some of the components. For instance, the revised engines reduced the water pump set-up from five (one on each engine) to only one central pump. This is one of these later versions, not only with a single water pump but also with the relocated water pump inlet pipe that you see traversing across the rear of the engine (distributor end) in front of the new single water pump. Notice that the water inlet pipe originates up forward at the bottom of the tall radiator, which is located on the front end of the engine. You can see the spark plugs and wires of the No.4 engine on the bottom of this left side, right below the exhaust pipe. No.5 engine is above it and you can see its spark plugs also, although they are a bit hidden.

GM 6046 (Two GM 6-71, same on M3A5 and M4A2)

And sure enough, here is a photograph (from the same collection) of the GM power plant. Remember that this was actually a combination of two diesel truck engines hooked together, and the resulting high torque at low speed gave the M4A2 very good cross-country performance that was much appreciated by the crews. The use of diesel engines also gave improved range by reducing fuel consumption, the cruising range increasing to about 150 miles, quite a bit more than the 100 miles of the gasoline powered Shermans. The US Army was not interested in diesel engined/fueled tanks and attempted to accept only gasoline fueled vehicles into their inventory. This was for logistics sakes, and since they only had gasoline engines in their transport and support vehicles, they had gasoline engines in their tanks. But this didn't stop the US Marine Corps from accepting the diesel powered M4A2, as their ships/boats also used diesel fuel, so the Marines are often seen using M4A2 Shermans in the Pacific Theatre.

Photos from US M4 Sherman Factory Photos, Part 3,

~~~

The Ministry of Propaganda reminds citizens that three (3) and only three (3) fotografs are to be used to illustrate the Vietnam War:

1) Naked girl napalmed running on road;
2) Police chief shooting Viet Cong in head;
3) Scarf girl kneels at Kent corpse.

No mention of the torture of U.S. POWs is to be made, nor of the tens of thousands killed in re-education camps, the two million massacred under Pol Pot, the frantic fleeing of thousands of boat people, nor the honorable sacrifice of two and a half million real Americans.

The proper focus of the true believer is Band-Aid Boy--yes, Band-Aid Boy who came to Vietnam only after his European classes were nixed by his draft board;

Band-Aid Boy who enlisted to avoid the draft into the Army and real danger--

Only to find the Navy would send him where unspeakable metal splinters up to two centimeters in length lurked in the dense foilage, ready to spring.

Not once, not twice, but three times did these vicious splinters strike--magically freeing Band-Aid Boy to return to the world and the arms of Hanoi Dances-With-VC and the Shining Path of the Fifth Column.

Wotta flock that followed Crankcase who wept when they whacked JFK yet lied that we'd lost Tet--

Surely such a sheeple would weep for Four Dead In Oh-High-Oh--

I'll tell you what a work of art it was for Richard Daley to handle Mark Rudd's SDS Days of Rage October 8-11 1969.

Kerry the schmuck and his mentor Teddy the drunken killer of Mary Jo were of the same party as the slayer of the SDS--if only it could have been arranged for Daley to take out the VVAW--

Rudd recruited 270 to assemble in Lincoln Park. As they set their fires of broken police barricades, dozens of off-duty cops (25-35 in khakis) arrived in a fleet of cars, punching their hands in glee.

Huddles of trenchcoated detectives around walkie-talkies surrounded the surplus-store clothed mob which was getting up its courage with a bullhorn.

Platoons of pigeon-egg blue helmeted police with batons at the ready were arrayed as some WBTS set piece.

Up drove the Chicago Tactical Police bus, black with meshed windows, spewing a large squad of leather boys with plexishields and long sticks.

The city was crisscrossed by four-car convoys, three Chevy four-doors in black, white, navy, medium blue or bronze followed by a black wagon.

And they're off--with a smash of plate glass the SDS runs down streets creating work for the 24-hour boardup service utility pickups with their plywood and corded saws.

All rounded up from "sanctuary" in seven churches that night.

Odd but Mike Royko's Daley bio Boss was required reading for Governor Clinton's staff.

"Do you know who I am?"

Why, you're Band-Aid Boy, who was buried in a landslide in 2004--despite all the bitter inkstained wretches of the Ministry of Propaganda--

And, Dude, you're pathetic.

[SAMWolf]

The Ministry of Propaganda reminds citizens that three (3) and only three (3) fotografs are to be used to illustrate the Vietnam War:

1) Naked girl napalmed running on road;
2) Police chief shooting Viet Cong in head;
3) Scarf girl kneels at Kent corpse.

The beginning of an excellent commentary and it got better from there.

All those engines should peak PE's interest, even if they aren't round.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

The Ministry of Propaganda reminds citizens that three (3) and only three (3) fotografs are to be used to illustrate the Vietnam War:

Good thing you're keeping us in line, I'd hate to make a Fox Paw.

[Professional Engineer]

All those engines should peak PE's interest, even if they aren't round.

Hum-una!

[SAMWolf]

I'd hate to make a Fox Paw.

GROOOOOOOAN

[colorado tanker]

Nice rant, Phil. I also noticed Ketchup Boy has been referring to Vietnam as "Nixon's War," even though it was started by the first JFK and KB got his first splinter owie Purple Heart while Johnson was in office. Whatta POS.