timk@watmath.waterloo.edu (Tim Kuehn) (08/31/89)
From: egvideo!timk@watmath.waterloo.edu (Tim Kuehn) Supposedly at one time there was a time when dune-buggy's were considered for use in combat. Mounted with a recoilless rifle or machine gun, they were fast enough to be hard to target and quick enough to get the drop on enemy forces/etc. Repair time was minimal also - 20 min to change an engine, which meant they could be back in action pretty quickly after being damaged. Is there any truth to this? What would be the implications of such non-armored, quick weapons platforms in a combat such as this? (Would anyone want to drive one in a firefight? :-) ) |Timothy D. Kuehn timk@xenitec | |TDK Consulting Services !watmath!xenitec!timk | |871 Victoria St. North, Suite 217A | |Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2B 3S4 (519)-741-3623 |
military@cbnews.att.com (Bill Thacker) (09/01/89)
From: military@cbnews.att.com (Bill Thacker) In article <27043@amdcad.AMD.COM> Timothy Kuehn writes: >Supposedly at one time there was a time when dune-buggy's were >considered for use in combat. Mounted with a recoilless rifle or >machine gun Sounds like the XR311 High Mobility Wheeled Vehicle, designed by FMC in 1970 as a private venture. Crew: 3 Weight loaded: 2767 kg Lenght: 4.343m Width: 1.93m Height: 1.6m less armament Turning Radius: 6.51m Road Speed: 80 mph level, 10 km/hr on 60 degree slope Acceleration: 0-60 in 12 seconds Range: 300 miles Fording: .75 m Engine: Chrylser OHV V-8, 187HP at 4000 rpm Yes, it looks like a dune buggy. It has a tubular steel frame with integral roll bar, sheet metal body, and removable windshield. It can mount a 5000-kg winch, and has a little cargo space behind the seats (3 mounted side-by-side), plus a load-bearing rear engine deck. A full-length skid pan is fitted. It is full-time 4-wheel drive, with three speeds forward, one reverse, power-assisted steering, 4-wheel disk brakes, and a sun-roof 8-) It can tow a trailer, is air-transportable, and can be air-dropped. The newest data I have is vintage 1976, so much may have changed. At that time, ten had been tested by the US Army; four with TOW missiles, 3 with .50-cal MG's, and 3 with 7.62mm MG's. The TOW variant was stated at the time to cost about $50,000. However, no US orders were placed, though apparently Israel bought an unspecified number. Various conversion kits are available: Crew compartment armor - hardened steel doors, side body panels, toe panel, firewall, bulletproof windshield and side windows. Armored radiator Armored fuel tank Top and door kit (waterproof fabric, plastic windows) Communications gear High-output alternator Litter-carrying kit Jump seat for 2 extra passengers Explosion-resistant foam-filled fuel tank Radial ply tires Bulletproof, foam-filled tires Extreme climate kits for desert or winter Tool kit and fire extinguisher Versions: Antitank: 106mm recoilless rifle with six rounds, or TOW launcher with ten missiles Recon: .50-cal ring mount, can also mount grenade launcher or 7.62mm MG. Security/Convoy escort: pintle mount for 7.62 mm MGs, 40mm grenade launcher, etc. Communications: ground-to-ground or ground-to-air radios Reference: C.F. Foss, _Jane's World Armored Fighting Vehicles_, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1976, ISBN 0-312-44047-2, pp 178-179. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker Moderator, sci.military military-request@att.att.com (614) 860-5294 Send submissions to military@att.att.com
smb@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com (Steven M. Bellovin) (09/01/89)
From: smb@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com (Steven M. Bellovin) During the recent fighting between Chad and Libya, the Chadian (is there a better word?) forces supposedly used pickup trucks with anti-tank weapons mounted in the back.
reid@gold.bacs.indiana.edu (09/01/89)
From: reid@gold.bacs.indiana.edu egvideo!timk@watmath.waterloo.edu (Tim Kuehn) writes: >Supposedly at one time there was a time when dune-buggy's were >considered for use in combat. I read several years ago (possibly in Aviation Week or Defense Electronics) that the military dune-buggy project was abandoned when field tests showed tanks could easily run them over, being as fast or faster and able to go over trees instead of around them. -- Frank reid@gold.bacs.indiana.edu
dl@ibiza.cs.miami.edu (David Lesher) (09/01/89)
From: dl@ibiza.cs.miami.edu (David Lesher)
Several years ago, when there was a large stink about the M1
price tag, and Chrysler was in deep $$ doodoo, Andy Rooney
suggested buying each and every grunt in West Germany
{his,her} own Lebaron.
Seems to me it was going to be cheaper, too.
[But I don't believe the LeBaron has much off-road capacity or
hard kill capacity, although it does get better mileage. :-) --CDR]
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