for '56, unit 3-32 armor, tank M47? removing the track tensioning arm/road wheel just below the drive sprocket. saw some pix w/out and some with
If you have photographic evidence, why not go for it?
Or do some more research til you find the statement that confirms the modification or production change.
I think you may be thinking of an M48A2C. It was an improved M48A2 that changed the gasoline engine to diesel and deleted the idler wheel. Also, the M47 had limited use in the US Army adn was replaced by the M48 series in 1955.
M48A2C
nope, not the M48 series. pix here w/out tensioner: http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/exhibits/tankpark/M47.aspx http://gallery.kitmaker.net/data/20522/m471.jpg http://www.battletanks.com/images/M47_Patton-2.jpg granted there aren’t many, and all on display somewhere
The track tensioner was kept on U.S. M47’s. The ones without it were rebuilt by OTO-Melara(sp?) of Italy and they removed it during the rebuild process. Most of the M47’s on display in the U.S. were NATO returns during the 80’s and early 90’s.
The A2/A2C weren’t diesels. They used a fuel injected engine as opposed to the carburetors used in the M48A0/A1. The A3 is the first type with the diesel. Plus, the one in the pic is mis-captioned. It is an A1 with the tensioning wheel removed and a G305 riser added to the commander’s cupola.
3-32 armor wasn’t active during '56:
i’ll be d@mmed if i can find the site again, but i do recall reading that 3rd armored div replaced an infantry unit in or near the fulda gap in '55 and that the 32nd was there and i figure there’d be a 3rd btln
3-32 AR’s page is a little incomplete. It covers mainly their existence in 3AD and touches on their Desert Storm service. I served there from 91-92 when we were redesignated as 1-12 Cav in Dec 92.
found what i was looking for.
excerpt:
**
OK, what does that tell you? All it says is that 3rd Armored Div went to Germany in '56. It says nothing about what type of tanks they used of if 3-32 AR Bn was part of the DIV or part of the deployment at that time, etc.
tell me? dunno, but just tryin to be as close as i can for a “what if” type thing
As I said, it doesn’t tell me anything. If it is a “what-if” project, just build it. What-ifs don’t need evidence of existance, thats the point of them.