We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:10:30 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification I kinda like this - a new form of military commission.Patrick Lasswell and 2000 Card Monte.And because everybody is sending it to me anyway...So, how do you take a mediocre tank like the AMX-13 and make it more mediocrerer [sic]?Put the turret on a Sherman chassis, of course.... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:53:43 -0600 I was the ID Honcho in my TOW Platoon in the '80s. It was my job to flash the troops ( figuratively speaking ) to keep them up to speed. I would have one Squad at a time in a class circle around a big easel and when I flipped the next picture they would all call out 'Friend' or 'Foe'.
The AMXs always got an enthusiastic 'Foe!'
I suppose I should have corrected them at the time but .......
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95804 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95804 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:14:11 -0600
BTW, I'm in Singapore and it's frickin' HOT. Temperature-wise. Thanksgiving sushi in Osaka...woo hoo!

AABTW, the polar bear ad was gross, but seeing as how their numbers are increasing, we figured we'd keep the largest land carnivore under control.
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95792 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95792 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:10:58 -0600 Singapore just got rid of their AMX-13's for Leo 2's The AMX-13 105 was good for them, being light and capable of using small jungle trails. It was a case of having a tank where the other guy couldn't. Also the direct threat was the malaysian Scorpion armed with a 90mm Cockeril gun, so evenly matched, the Singapore army got more training time than the Malay tankers (I hear last year they got 3 rds per gun) So it was likely a case of who got the first hit. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95790 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95790 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:42:27 -0600 need i remind you of the first rule of Armored Vehicle Identification flash cards? "if it looks goofy, it's French!"

I dunno, the earliest Australian Army Fire Support Vehicle, with the 76mm gun turret of an Alvis Saladin armored car mounted on an M113 hull was pretty much a similar kludge.

And then there was the thing the Yemeni Army had for air defense, with an Emerson-built Vulcan turret mounted on a Russian-made BTR-152 armored truck.

And who can forget the M901 ITV/FIST-V?
]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95781 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95781 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:52:35 -0600
It's a dumb design, the articulated turret.  One good hit along the edges... and yer turret, however otherwise serviceable, ain't articulated.

And dumping the turret on a VVSS Sherman chassis?  Good golly.  At least the HVSS hulls had *some* cross country performance.]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95772 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95772 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:26:34 -0600 quite so, but the amx-13 turret on an actual amx-13 sits on the rear of the hull, this one in the add is centered, more or less. Yes, I've actually crawled around on both, back in the day... though I will admit that placing an amx-13 turret on *any* hull is enough to makes ones eyes involuntarily cross... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95770 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95770 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:51:33 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95768 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95768 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:18:55 -0600 The tank in the add is actually austrian, the SK-105 Kürassier. And except for the butt-ugly turret that requires the two crewmen to be hobbits and pretty much non-existent armor the amx-13 could give a creditable performance in its day given capable hands. Remember, that cannon was based on the Panther's 75L70, no slouch in the armament department, coupled with an auto-loader. Except for a tendency to go winchester in a hurry, (only had about a dozen rounds available at a time, iirc). I'd say otherwise an even match for the M41 Bulldog and a serviceable light tank. I'll give you that the israeli M50 (using the same cannon as the amx-13) is way more visually appealing than the egyptian amx-13 turret transplant (definetly something from the island of Dr Armoreau) but ya gotta respect the mad skillzors of the egyptian ordnance wallahs. ;) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95767 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95767 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:44:05 -0600 This reminds me of a forgotten comedy classic, with (pre-pouty) Val Kilmer no less!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMNRo4ii2Pk&feature=related

Skeet Surfing!

Top Secret and Nick Rivers rules!


]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95765 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95765 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:19:37 -0600 and still they kicked ass! just to show that it's more than steel. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95758 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95758 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:07:37 -0600
Even so, that french/sherman hybrid is an abomination!  Ugh (though likey still better than a t55 in the sand)....]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95754 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95754 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:42:17 -0600 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95748 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95748 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:34:45 -0600 ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95745 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2009/11/stray_voltage_2.html#comment-95745 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:13:51 -0600