gahooten@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Greg A. Hooten) (05/11/89)
From: gahooten@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Greg A. Hooten) In article <6380@cbnews.ATT.COM> eos!eugene@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Eugene Miya) writes: > >>On a different note, why have the 40mm guns been removed from the BBs? > >For the same reasons the Sgt. York was canceled: too short of a range, >too old, optically sighted, etc. etc. > >--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov I was under the impression that the Sgt York was cancelled for far more dramatic reasons than a lack of range and optical sights. As I recall, the Sgt York was to track and shoot down any approaching enemy aircraft in the Forward Edge of Battle giving a first line cover to a column. The project was cancelled because it was over budget, and under developed. They spent a tremendous amount of money to get it to track and shoot, and it still was unable to hit a stationary helicopter reliably. I saw test film of a helicopter fly by (remote) that had shells exploding all around it. No direct hits, and the shrapnel was unable to bring the helicopter down. They stopped the helicopter and the Sgt. York shot all around the target. It seemed that if the target would have moved, then it would have died, but no shell hit it. A rather funny demonstration. Shortly after, the project was canned. GAH! Greg Hooten
rslugg@med.unc.edu (Robert Slugg) (05/08/91)
From: rslugg@med.unc.edu (Robert Slugg) I went to Aberdeen last weekend and their Sgt. York is not yet on display but it is visible under a tarpaulin behind the museum building. I was really impressed by the hardware they had both inside and outside. I would recommend visiting the museum to anyone with an interest in military history. We only spent two hours there, but I could've used a whole day to really read the displays. Do not take along a spouse who does research in Public Health as she will constantly remind you how the money could've been spent on helping people rather than blowing them into tiny pieces. Bob Slugg