As requested in the "What Do You Like" thread:

Tanking is a fun, but difficult life. Lots of time spent in the field or at the gunnery ranges or motor pool. Not much garrison-type training and any time you want to train, you've got to go out into a training area with the tanks, even if for only a day/night. In the "olden days" we could just mount up and roll out the back gate and into a local training area.

Majority of the gear on the top of the turret was stuff you needed to live relatively comfortably for the time away. Some of the standard equipment would be duffle bags and rucksacks for 4 crewmen. (Depending on the duration, the crew may have 2 duffle bags, the "A" bag and "B" bag). This stuff is stuffed into the "bustle rack" on the back of the turret. (Called a bustle rack because the wire basket resembles the old-fashioned ladies' bustle that gave their dresses form). The tank's tarp is used to cover this gear to keep rain and dust off your stuff. The rucksacks would be kept on top of the duffle bags and contain items such as wet weather gear (rain coats/pants), clean underwear, socks, shaving kit and other essentials that you may want fairly close at hand. Also stuffed into this area are the helmets and "TA-50" (the suspenders/pistol belt/canteen/ammo pouch/1st aid pouch combo soldiers wear, also called LBE or LCE for Load Bearing (Carrying) Equipment). Rarely will a tanker wear that stuff inside the tank, just the shoulder holster and protective mask, although that may be stowed just inside the tank close at hand.

Other gear on the outside of the turret will be two sets of camouflage nets. A set consists of a bag containing poles and spreaders (looks like a big duffle bag) and a bag containing the actual camouflage netting (big green flat container with straps across it). These are usually strapped to the "grunt rails" along the sides of the turret. On an M1 series tank, you will rarely see anything placed over the turret blast panels, maybe a case of MREs, but nothing that would hinder the panels from blowing off if the turret ammo exploded. Even with no ammo during a training mission this space is clear. That way you get into the habit of not storing stuff there.

As far as spare parts, tools and such, the shovel, pick axe, axe, main gun cleaning rods, etc. were kept in the turret sponson boxes along with a tool bag that contained the wrenches, screw drivers, sockets, pliers, etc. Also kept in the sponson boxes were small cans of the various types of oils used on the tank. They are the same as a normal can of motor oil, just with an OD green or tan label. Antennas were stored in the turret boxes when the vehicles were in the motor pool.

The hull sponson box contained other large tools like the tanker's bar; sometimes the shovel and spare center guides (track teeth), end connectors (holds track blocks together), wedge bolts (holds end connectors onto the track pins) and track pads (if the track has replaceable pads). There is a lot of vibrating on tank tracks, so these parts come loose or off frequently and are constantly being replaced and tightened whenever the tank stops.

Other spare parts are track blocks and road wheels. Track blocks are attached at the junction of the rear bustle rack and the side turret “grunt rails”. This is done because the track blocks are heavy and they are hung where the most support is. Also because of weight and size, only a two-track block length is attached (3 makes it too heavy and it will hang up on the hull when the turret is traversed). Sometimes a road wheel will also be placed in this location. Both the road wheel and track blocks are hung using the center guides as mounting hardware. A road wheel is also mounted forward of the loader’s hatch. One of the four bolts is pulled out of the top of turret and replaced with one that is longer so the road wheel can be held down with it.

Crews create additional storage by bolting two 20mm ammo cans onto the back of the bustle rack. More petroleum products, small arms cleaning kits, wedge bolts and the like can be kept in them.

Water cans are kept in the turret racks and although a gas can could fit, water is more important than the benefit 5 gallons of fuel may bring. Plastic water cans are either black or tan. Tan are the newer ones, the black ones got too hot in the sun.

I hope this answers most stowage issues. You may have noticed that basically nothing is strapped to the hull and very little is kept in the hull sponson box. It’s just not as weather-proof as the turret boxes.

Rob, that was detailed and great! It's awesome to be able to hear from a voice of experience....even if you are Army! :-)

Rob - thanks! I echo the same as Tin-Can - your perspective is very helpful!

Gunnie

Ok now, lay off the Army jokes. LOL Where was the box of "grid squares" kept????? By the way Rob, a while back, I had a M1A1 displayed at my shop and it was modeled after a track in the armor unit in my battalion. A guy came in and supposadley he was a tanker (I think he was a newbie) and said that munting a road wheel in the front of the loaders hatch was against regulations. I tried to explain that all units where different and I didnt see any reg stating that. Am I correct to say so?

There are no regulations regarding stowage. Mainly local SOP set up by Battalion Commanders and Sergeants Major. With the road wheel stowed on top, two sets of track blocks could be carried, one on each side of the turret. After the Army went to M1A2s , stowing the road wheel forward of the loaders hatch would have hampered the field of view from the CITV.

BTW, don't forget to check the air in the road wheels, you'd hate to get a flat.

Rob
Thank´s for the lesson, very usefull!
BTW, where is located the grunts rail?

That's why we always made extra room for cans of Fix-A-Flat! Ever try to get a jack under one of those things?

Guess you gotta love tanker humor! :-)

The "grunt rails" are the horizontal railings along the sides of the turret. Originally designed for infantry troops (referred to a grunts) to hang onto while the tank was advancing. Even though the troops don't ride on tanks any more, they're still called grunt rails.

Rob, just wanted to give you a "great job" on the post. Thanks for taking the time to educate us on the subject.

No problem guys, just here to help.

Rob,
Very nice bit of info indeed. Thanks. I was thinking about going around the net to see if I could find some good stowage examples from different eras (past and present). Then I could put them together with your text and have an article for the tips section. If anyone knows of any good images send them my way.

Thanks,
Jim

Just going to make me dig for old phots, aren't you?

I must say this is one of the reasons I have made Armorama my home on the net...thanks Rob, Jim and al!!

Hey Jim,
Use some of the pictures I sent you of my dads Bradley and my vehicle. If you need some text just let me know.

Rob - Errr...if you mean you have personal photos that illustrate your very descriptive text....urrr....yes. Please start digging.

Pete - Yes I was just looking at those photos today again. Good examples there.

Thanks,
Jim

Jim,
In March, my Guard unit has a weekend FTX(Field Exercise). If I can get my work digital camera for that weekend, I'll take some more feild pictures of our vehicles loaded up. I would do it this month, but our unit grades our local JROTC compitition this time every year.

Folks--I am searching for a method to produce standard size tie-down points for 1/35 scale WW II tanks. I have the soft wire, I shape it by trial and error then attempt to fit it into a given spot on the vehicle. I read about peoples discarding the plastic clamps and tie downs, but I have not seen anyone tell us how they produce uniformity for the substituted part. Appreciate any help.
thanks
DJ

DJ - When not using a photoetched tie-down, I bend .010" brass wire, or whatever wire you like, over a length of plastic channel stock or solid styrene strip. Bend it over, and trim off the excess. This will keep your tie-downs uniform in size and shape. This method works well if you're going to insert the "legs" of the tie-down into pre-drilled holes on your model, rendering a little circle to simulate the weld bead around the tie-down point.

Gunnie

Gunnie--many thanks. Follow-on, how do you ensure that the fabricated device fits into the pre drilled holes in the model?
Thanks again
DJ :-)

Either measure the width of the jig and mark the model with a sharp pencil or needle to either side of the jig before you drill your holes - or (if you're feeling macho) go freehand and eyeball it.

If you're gonna drill and set your tie-down into the holes, cut a little length of styrene strip - .010" thick strip - and lay it under the tie-down that you're inserting into the model. This will keep you from pushing the tie-down too close to the surface of the model - and keeps them all the same height.

Gunnie

DJ, in the Shepard Paine book, Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles, there is a very good diagram on how to make the tie-downs out of both metal and out of sprue or styrene rod. I can scan and send you the page if it will help, a picture is worth a thousand words. I would also recommend this book to any military modeler, in fact, it was my first modeling book. Just to show you how long this book's been out & good this book is, the cover price of mine says $8.95 and the MSRP is $14.95, Squadron carries them for $13. First printing was 1982.

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=KA12058

Rob---I would appreciate the scanned article. I am so darn tired of searching the carpet for
ballistic tiedowns. Do you have my e mail address?
thanks again
DJ

DJ, yes in your profile. I'll shoot it out tonight. PM me so I don't forget.

Rob--can not get the PM system to accept a message for you. You asked that I remind you about the Paine article. Also, what are you doing at Hanscom? NG/RES time?
thanks
DJ