This short video appeared on youtube today. It claims to show a Russian T-90 tank on fire after being destroyed by ISIS. However, nothing regarding this footage has at yet been verified as far as we can tell.
Statement from the National Armor and Cavalry Museum on the T28 accident
January 23, 2017 by Leave a Comment
As a follow-up to our Photo of the Day from yesterday about the T28 heavy tank that slide off a HET during transit, here is a statement from the facebook page of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum regarding the event.
Friends of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum,
Last Thursday we were very excited to show off the T28 leaving the yard. It was on its way to begin the first part of a clean-up, re-paint, and partial restoration. Unfortunately things do not always go as planned. During the journey across post to where it was to be painted, the contracted Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) was traveling down a hill when it suffered an unexpected and massive brake failure. In order to keep the HET on the road, the contractor crew was forced to make an extremely sharp turn. This forcefully shifted the T28 (currently weighing about the same as an M1A2 Abrams as it is without its outer track set or engine installed) around the trailer. Despite the large amounts of chain used, the T28 broke completely free. In hindsight, this probably prevented a worse accident since the T28 was not left partially chained, which could have caused the tank to roll over and off. Instead the T28 slid off the trailer and hit the ground with both tracks. It then rolled rear first, into a ditch before stopping.
First and foremost, we are extremely thankful no one was injured in the incident. As for the accident itself, the appropriate departments are conducting their investigations. As for the T28, we are very lucky that it was built very tough! Considering the U.S. Super Heavy was definitely not designed to fly short distances, it landed in the best manner imaginable. The impact of the landing and subsequent stop in the ditch did cause some damage to the suspension, specifically two bogie stations. The good news is everything is repairable and will be incorporated into the painting and cleanup. While she spent a night in the ditch, she was recovered the next day with no issues by two M88A1 Hercules Recovery Vehicles. During this time, we did not put out information until all chains of command could be informed and a proper damage assessment could be completed. While this is an unfortunate setback, it is minor in the long run and the T28 will be back. In closing we’d like to thank everyone for their support during this process and hope you continue to follow our work in preserving and restoring the U.S. Army’s armor collection. Thank you!
Sincerly,
The NACM Staff and Volunteers
Photo of the Day: T28 Accident
January 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment
These photos were reportedly posted on the facebook page WRECKED N RECOVERED TANKS AND BATTLEFIELD RELICS earlier today. The photo shows the T28 prototype heavy tank after it fell off a transporter this weekend. Apparently, the brakes on the HETT which was moving the T28 suffered a failure, resulting in the tank coming loose. Fortunately, no one was hurt although the tank reportedly suffered some damage to a few bogies. The tank was being transported to a restoration center, so whatever damage was incurred in this incident will be repaired as part of the restoration of the vehicle. To see images of the vehicle loaded on the HETT, check out this facebook post from the National Armor and Cavalry Museum.
From the Vault: The Orion Engine
January 22, 2017 by Leave a Comment
We recently were given a copy of the 1975 book Some Unusual Engines by LJK Seltright. This is a long out of print and somewhat hard to find book, with used copies going for $125.00 or more on Amazon. Several tank engines are featured in this book, including the well known A57 Chrysler Multibank and the Mitsubishi 10 ZF ten cylinder engine. One tank engine mentioned in the book that we were not familiar with at all was the Orion engine designed by General Motors. This unusual engine never made it past the prototype stage. Like the Soviet 5TD of the T-64 and the British Leyland L-60 of the Chieftain tank, the Orion utilized an opposed piston, two stroke design. However, it was a much more unusual design than either of those two engines. Rather than having the cylinders arraigned in a row, the Orion engine features six cylinders in two rows of three each on top of each other. Even more unusual was that engine was combined with a turbine and the turbine actually generated the shaft power. Below is the description from the book as well as an illustration:
We did our best to find out any other information on this rather interesting engine. The only thing we found was a brief description in the document Engine Transmission Power Packs for Tactical Vehicles 1967. Interestingly, this report gives more detail on the Orion project, as well as the name “Rigel” for the 600HP version of the engine intended for tanks. This document also gives a date for the project, noting that the program was cancelled in 1955. Oddly, it credits the engine concept to General Electric, rather than General Motors. Below are the pages from the report pertaining to the Orion program. Unfortunately, the PDF these images came from is not of very high image quality.
AFV News from around the Net
January 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Here are a handful of articles from the world wide web related to armored vehicles. Click on the headline to read the full piece.
Heraldnet.com – American-made M48 ‘Patton’ tank back home from Jordan
The Flying Heritage Collection’s new M48A1 Patton tank has taken the long way around to its final destination. The tank was built in the United States and then sold to the Kingdom of Jordan in Western Asia. Jordan, an ally of the US, UK, and France, received 197 M48 and 200 M48A1 tanks beginning in the mid-1960s. Many Jordanian tanks saw combat during the Six Day War with Israel in 1967. It is unknown where this particular tank was assigned at the time. When newer tanks like the M60 became available, Jordan retired many of its M48s. This tank was a gift to the Flying Heritage Collection from the Royal Tank Museum in Aqaba, Jordan.
The Diplomat – Cold Start: India to Deploy Massive Tank Army Along Border With Pakistan
The Indian Army is set to deploy over 460 new T-90SM main battle tanks (MBTs) along India’s border with Pakistan, senior Indian defense officials told IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly on January 19. The new T-90SM MBT (other designations T-90AM or T-90MS) is the latest and most modern version of the T-90 (which in turn is a modernized variant of the T-72 MBT), and has specifically been designed for export by Russia. According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, the newly ordered MBTs will supplement 850-900 license-built T-90S Bhishma tanks, divided into 18 regiments, and currently deployed in the Indian states of Rajasthan and Punjab.
The Telegraph – Army tests sending tanks through Channel Tunnel in case of Eastern Europe crisis
The Army has sent a tank and armoured vehicles through the Channel Tunnel for the first time as it looks at ways to dispatch heavy armour quickly to eastern Europe in the event of a crisis with Russia. Five armoured vehicles loaded on wagons were sent through to France soon after midnight on Wednesday as part of the logistics exercise. They completed the 40 minute return journey a few hours later. The drill came as the Army looks for new ways to deploy armour from the UK once it closes its bases in Germany. When the bases are closed at the end of the decade, the Army will have to deploy armoured vehicles from the UK if they are needed by Nato’s rapid reaction force to bolster defences in eastern Europe.
IHS Jane’s 360 – Turkey’s Altay MBT project hit by engine technology transfer issues
Turkey’s plans to build its Altay main battle tank (MBT) have hit a snag after Tümosan, the planned engine provider, cancelled a key technical support contract with Austria’s AVL List GmbH. The cancellation comes after Austria’s parliament unanimously adopted a non-binding motion that imposed an arms embargo against Turkey in November 2016. As a result conditions were placed on the transfer of technology to Turkey. Austria made the move in response to Turkey’s increasing violation of human rights since the failed military coup attempt in July 2016.
TASS – Russia’s new active protection system to shield T-72, T-90 tanks from US TOW missiles
MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. Russia’s new active protection system Arena-M for T-72 and T-90 tanks is capable of protecting armored vehicles from US Tube-launched Optically-tracked Wire-guided (TOW) missiles, Chief Designer of the Machine-Building Design Bureau Valery Kashin told TASS. “According to the information we have on these missiles, the Arena-M will undoubtedly be able to protect a tank from a TOW,” the chief designer said.
Video: World of Tanks – Karl-Gerät Mortar
January 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
World of Tanks have certainly been busy posting videos the last few days! Here is another one on the German World War II Karl-Gerät mortar.
Inside the Chieftain’s Hatch: M4A1 Sherman Part 1
January 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
The latest episode of “Inside the Chieftain’s Hatch” takes a look at the M4A1 tank. In this first part, Nicholas “The Chieftain” Moran will talk about the exterior features of the famous Sherman tank and it’s Continental Motors radial engine.
Document of the Day: Tigers in Syria
January 20, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Instead of a Photo of the day, today we present a Document of the day. This one is chosen more for entertainment value than anything else. Over at the Sturgeon’s House forum, regular contributor Priory_of_Sion found this browsing through the online content at the CIA.gov reading room website. This unusual memo from 1950 states that the Syrian government had ordered 50 Tiger Tanks and 20-30 Panther tanks from France. It also notes that “some Tiger tanks were observed being driven in the streets of Damascus.” We guess the trend of identifying Panzer IV tanks as “Tigers” didn’t end with WWII! (the only former German tanks operated by Syria following WWII were relatively small numbers of Panzer IV and Stug III.)
Video: World of Tanks – Tiger 131 in 360
January 19, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Wargaming Europe presents this video featuring World of Tanks Richard “The Challenger” Cutland giving a quick tour of Tiger 131. This video is a special format that allows the viewer to move the camera around, a rather handy feature for looking around the interior of the vehicle.
Video: World of Tanks – Tsar Tank
January 19, 2017 by Leave a Comment
From the youtube channel of World of Tanks comes this video on one of the strangest armored vehicles ever built, the Russian “Tsar Tank.”
Tank and AFV News 