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**Viktor** · 03-09-2009, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by MaxxBrunn1938 View Post

Notice how lower she is compared to the M60 in the background

Living the dream Genosse

, now of course you could also wear the right Scale of Issue as well....

**MaxxBrunn1938** · 03-09-2009, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by jkeegen View Post

Ok, Max, I've got to ask: Can you give us your personal comparision of the T54 to the M-60?

Well there are quite a few differances that are both good and bad but the best ones were the T54 was alot faster on the road and open ground (except it was alot bumpier) Since she sits lower to the ground you can dig in quicker and hide alot better. With a DAM Good Gunnery crew she could come pretty close to out shooting a M60 our only problem was she wasn't 100% fixs. We had to hand turn the turret since we could never get the motor running for long. Mind you it was 6 young guys working on her on thier off time and half the monies were out of our pockets. The major stuff came from Aberdeen from some friends I knew ie new transmission and engine which we swapped out. and some other things that other surrounding units helped out with without them knowing about it

When it came to war gaming we won close to 94% of them. The best was when we took out a fellow platoon of M60s on a bridge crossing. The Lt didn't follow SOP on crossing and put his whole Plt on it and we took out the 1st and last leaving the rest like fish in a barrel. We radioed for a

which was turned down and wound up blowing the bridge with everyone on it. They never knew where we were

till we pulled out from the ground.

**jkeegen** · 03-09-2009, 05:21 PM

Thanks Maxx. I know how impressive the Abrams is, but I've always wondered how the M-60 would have performed in a conflict - - I'm personally partial to the Centurian.

I had once heard that the self-loader on the T-72 had a nasty reputation for catching on loose pieces of uniform and attempting to load arms along with shells.

I think it is a clear case of imperialist propaganda aimed at demoralizing the heroic conscripts serving in our armored divisions . . . Viktor, perhaps you can phrase that in the appropiate lingo.

**MaxxBrunn1938** · 03-09-2009, 06:27 PM

Originally posted by Viktor View Post

Living the dream Genosse

, now of course you could also wear the right Scale of Issue as well....

Viktor would you belive our uniforms were OD coveralls dyed Black with Marine Corp side caps with a Red Star I wore a Sam Brown belt and the others wore regular leather belts. This was 1984 so we didn't have the Correct Issue..

**Kartofelpreußer** · 03-09-2009, 10:13 PM

Originally posted by MaxxBrunn1938 View Post

Viktor would you belive our uniforms were OD coveralls dyed Black with Marine Corp side caps with a Red Star I wore a Sam Brown belt and the others wore regular leather belts. This was 1984 so we didn't have the Correct Issue..

Still beats the heck out of the German scale of issue in such redoubtables as "Patton"

or "Von Ryan's Express"

**RedBaran11** · 03-09-2009, 10:54 PM

Originally posted by Kartofelpreußer View Post

Still beats the heck out of the German scale of issue in such redoubtables as "Patton"

or "Von Ryan's Express"

I wouldn't shut up in the latest Indiana Jones movie about the incorrect Soviet uniforms...

**Viktor** · 03-10-2009, 01:45 AM

Originally posted by RedBaran11 View Post

I wouldn't shut up in the latest Indiana Jones movie about the incorrect Soviet uniforms...

Da!, Moscow Centre has a file almost as large as Genosse iannima's own in regard to this... it will not go unanswered....

**Dag** · 03-10-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by RedBaran11 View Post

Hi Dag,

One more quick one though- After you were promoted to Unteroffizier as a commander, when were you then promoted to Unterfeldwebel?

Thank you!

I was promoted to Unterfeldwebel in April 87 and to Feldwebel in Oktober 88. we were three guys who joined the company as commanders. I was promoted first, the second one in Oktober 87 and the third became Unterfeldwebel in March 88.

Dag

**Dag** · 03-10-2009, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by jkeegen View Post

I had once heard that the self-loader on the T-72 had a nasty reputation for catching on loose pieces of uniform and attempting to load arms along with shells.

Rest assured, it is an urban legend, spread by those who had never seen one in action. Neither loose pieces of uniform nor arms or legs were normally in the way of the loading mechanism.
Neither commander nor gunner (or their uniform) could actually get caught by the loader. It is more likely that the commander smashes his left knee on the coax MG or that the gunner gets his left foot between the turret and hull then getting an arm broken by the loader.

Dag

PS: Same applies to the T-64 auto-loader, which is of a different design.

**Mike G.** · 03-10-2009, 01:35 PM

On the other hand, it was possible for a loader on an M60-A1 to get his right arm broken.

If during a multiple target firing engagement involving the Coax machinegun and Main Gun, the Gunner were to get a brain cramp and attempt to clear the Coax while the Commander was depressing the Main Gun for target acquisition and alignment, it was very likely the gunner's right arm was going to be broken.

Inside the Turret of any Tank, crew members had to always have their wits about them and be on guard. There were all kinds of objects and obstacles by which one could be injured.

**Dag** · 03-10-2009, 01:47 PM

Hi Michael,

To push this further (and I know we are getting OT): I am surprised that tanks are still produced in todays health-and-safety conscious environment, not forgetting the idea to sue everyone possible for own mistakes/stupidity.

As you rightly say - you always had to be aware where you and your limbs were in relation to other parts of the equipment in the turret and what was ongoing inside the tank. Then you were safe and would only end up with maybe some skin coming off your hand or similar. If you didn't you might have ended up loosing things.

Dag

**MaxxBrunn1938** · 03-10-2009, 05:34 PM

They only 3 injuries I ever got while in a M60 were a blackeye from the gunners sight when we hit a major hole while I was looking thru it, lost of hearing in my left ear due to the main gun and a Major Headache when the drivers hatch slide back on my head after the latch broke (lucky for the helmet)

**Mike G.** · 03-10-2009, 06:33 PM

Hi Dag,

GI translates to Government Issue. In other words, a soldier can't file suit against the US Military because it is the US Government, and so is the soldier. It is a "Catch 22" situation.

You are most correct about one thing you mentioned Dag, Tankers were bruised and skinned up - all of the time. It went with the job. There were many occasions where in the summer time I was embarrassed to go to the beach wearing shorts and no top because I was black and blue on my hips, and knees. You get used to it and actually don't feel it after a time. But then an occasion comes up where you're out in public, and suddenly there you are, all different colors in places you should not normally be. I'm sure MaxxBrunn1938 can relate also.

**MaxxBrunn1938** · 03-10-2009, 07:59 PM

Originally posted by Michael D. Gallagher View Post

Hi Dag,

GI translates to Government Issue. In other words, a soldier can't file suit against the US Military because it is the US Government, and so is the soldier. It is a "Catch 22" situation.

You are most correct about one thing you mentioned Dag, Tankers were bruised and skinned up - all of the time. It went with the job. There were many occasions where in the summer time I was embarrassed to go to the beach wearing shorts and no top because I was black and blue on my hips, and knees. You get used to it and actually don't feel it after a time. But then an occasion comes up where you're out in public, and suddenly there you are, all different colors in places you should not normally be. I'm sure MaxxBrunn1938 can relate also.

100% as Stated

**Dag** · 03-23-2009, 02:59 PM

Originally posted by MaxxBrunn1938 View Post

Well there are quite a few differances that are both good and bad but the best ones were the T54 was alot faster on the road and open ground (except it was alot bumpier) Since she sits lower to the ground you can dig in quicker and hide alot better. With a DAM Good Gunnery crew she could come pretty close to out shooting a M60 our only problem was she wasn't 100% fixs.....

Hi Max, you have a PM with questions from a 72-commander

dag

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Some questions for Genosse Dag (Or others of course!)

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