cash@convex.com (Peter Cash) (02/05/91)
From: cash@convex.com (Peter Cash)
Several months ago, I noticed some news footage of M1 tanks towing
trailers, and I posted a query to this group about the purpose of these
trailers. (No one seemed to know.) According to an article in my Sunday
newspaper, these trailers launch projectiles ahead of the tank that are
supposed to detonate land mines. No details about functioning were given.
I assume that the trailer is detached before the tank engages in battle.
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| Die Welt ist alles, was Zerfall ist. |
Peter Cash | (apologies to Ludwig Wittgenstein) |cash@convex.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Allan Bourdius) (02/07/91)
From: Allan Bourdius <ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu> >From: cash@convex.com (Peter Cash) >Several months ago, I noticed some news footage of M1 tanks towing >trailers, and I posted a query to this group about the purpose of these >trailers. (No one seemed to know.) According to an article in my Sunday >newspaper, these trailers launch projectiles ahead of the tank that are >supposed to detonate land mines. No details about functioning were given. >I assume that the trailer is detached before the tank engages in battle. The M1 and the M1A1 cannot tow the mine-clearing line charge. The exhaust gases from the turbine engine are so hot that there would be a significant danger of detonating the line charge while it was still in the trailer. The trailers you saw must have been something else. Allan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Allan Bourdius [MIDN 3/C (Marine Option)/Brother, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity] ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu or Box 4719, 5125 Margaret Morrison St., Pgh., PA 15213
dl3a+@andrew.cmu.edu (Daniel Christopher Ladd) (02/07/91)
From: Daniel Christopher Ladd <dl3a+@andrew.cmu.edu> -From: cash@convex.com (Peter Cash) -Several months ago, I noticed some news footage of M1 tanks towing -trailers, and I posted a query to this group about the purpose of these -trailers. (No one seemed to know.) According to an article in my Sunday -newspaper, these trailers launch projectiles ahead of the tank that are -supposed to detonate land mines. No details about functioning were given. -I assume that the trailer is detached before the tank engages in battle. Well, it depends if those trailers were MICLCs (MIne Clearing Line Charges)... which is a tube or hose of explosive with a rocket attached. The tank tows the trailer to the start of the minefield (actually back a hundred or so meters) and fires it. It clears a lane 3 meters wide through the minefield. One problem, though... the M1's exhaust gasses are too hot, and set it off early! Therefore, only a M60 or M48 tank (or variant, such as a CEV) would tow one. Daniel Ladd U.S. Army ROTC Carnegie Mellon University / University of Pittsburgh