marmon Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Spotted this in Greece last summer it seemed to be resonably complete less engine. Cheers, Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Adrian Barrell Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 M24 Chaffee. Engines actually as it would have had two Cadillac V8s originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 eddy8men Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 nice find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted March 20, 2010 Share Posted March 20, 2010 Possibly one of the classic U.S. AFVs M24s were used almost everywhere in the west and U.S. MADP states, U.S. and British use in WW2, almost universal in NATO, service in Vietnam ,Cambodia and Tailand, Pakistani Army in 1965 and 1971 and Iran upto the Iraq-Iran war. Would make a fantastic practical collectors tank- this one was snapped in the 1990s at Donnington park, don't know if it still in the U.K. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 marmon Posted March 20, 2010 Author Share Posted March 20, 2010 Possibly one of the classic U.S. AFVs M24s were used almost everywhere in the west and U.S. MADP states, U.S. and British use in WW2, almost universal in NATO, service in Vietnam ,Cambodia and Tailand, Pakistani Army in 1965 and 1971 and Iran upto the Iraq-Iran war. Would make a fantastic practical collectors tank- this one was snapped in the 1990s at Donnington park, don't know if it still in the U.K. Steve If anyone is seriously interested I will gladly pass on the location and contact details of a Coast Gaurd Captain I became friends with while there, he may be able to sort permission to allow removal, It would be an easy load onto a barge at a deep water dock very close by, I would require a drive though when completed... Quentin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 The problem with recovery of this tank is its status, unless it is classed as struck off as a range target, it may have to undergo MADP deacivation -normally this requires the turret and hull armour being extensively cut, which can be very brutal, many ex MADP M48 in Greece were reduced to scrap iron -possibly because an M48 was still a viable MBT, but some vehicles turned up in civilian scrap yards un-cut, however I don't think any of the highly desireable M18 TDs have been seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tony B Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Was this the beast fitted with the Shelaighly (Irish thumping sticK) weapons system? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 antarmike Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 (edited) Was this the beast fitted with the Shelaighly (Irish thumping sticK) weapons system? Shillelelagh was the weapon fitted to the M553 Light Tank (Sheridan) M24 carried a long 75mm (M6) and co-axial .30 Machine gun, with another facing forward in the hull. Cadillac Motor Car Division of GMC built 3,300 M24's but Massey-Harris also built 770 of them. Edited March 21, 2010 by antarmike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tony B Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 Thamks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted March 21, 2010 Share Posted March 21, 2010 The 75mm gun M6 was originally the AN-M9 aka M5 gun as mounted in B25H medium bombers, the only thing M24 and M551 Sheridan had in common was service in Vietnam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 marmon Posted March 21, 2010 Author Share Posted March 21, 2010 My memory is not that great and I might be completely wrong but I seem to remember only a single central bell housing in the engine bay? Unfortunately I did not take any pictures. It seemed like the tank was blocked in as a gun placement overlooking the Coast Guard dock, maybe in the late 60's during the Greek Cypriot war? I was a bit disappointed when I saw the engine/'s missing as it looked like a potential runner as I approached, I was almost off for some tools, battery's and fuel... I will write to my acquaintance out there and see if there is any possibility of acquiring it. seems a shame to just leave it there, although with the climate it seems to be holding together well. Thanks for all the information. Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 marmon My memory is not that great and I might be completely wrong but I seem to remember only a single central bell housing in the engine bay? Unfortunately I did not take any pictures. What you saw was the back end of the transfer (collector) box. The M24 had two Cadillac V8 as said by Adrian Barrell, because of the extemely long life of the M24 various reconfigurations of the power train were carried out -for example Norway replaced the twin unit with a single Detroit Desiel 6V-53T but this was not offered to Greece. The twin Cadillac motors run into a common transfer unit which collects the output from the two separate transmissions, taking power via a single propellor shaft to the controlled differential in the bow of the tank (beneath the bolt on front cover characteristic of all M24 series). The earlier M5 series was different having twin propellor shafts being combined in a transfer box in the bow of the tank imediately behind the controled differential. Photos from TM manuals via Hunnicutt book The tank if positioned as a strong point (very possible) could have been positioned anytime as the Greeks maintaned defence lines throughout their territory to counter perceived enemy attack, there are also strong point lines on the Macedonian (northern mainland) border in addition to defence lines to secure Greek territory from attack by Turkey (also a NATO ally) -Greece was suspended from NATO after the Colonels regime coup in mid 1960s. The Northern border line may be of interest assuming it can be safely accessed, but like much in Greece it can be politically and militarily sensitive. I'm sure people will be in touch with you regarding your find, M24 are a very attractive tank- for me this kind of thing is way beyond my pay grade. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 marmon Posted March 22, 2010 Author Share Posted March 22, 2010 Hi Steve, Thank you for the detailed info and pictures. I've surfed a few forums in my day, (first I have posted on) there are some extremely knowledgeable people on here yourself included, do you all work for museums or just a lifetime of work and study? very impressive! I'm a little annoyed at myself for not taking dozens of pictures, after all with digital it is silly not to... might have been something to do with Mademoiselle and lunch and why have you dragged me down this rocky hill in 6" heels to look at an old tank! :nut: Only reason I think it was put there relatively recently was because, well, it just looked like it, the dry climate is probably throwing me off, but if asked to guess I would say less than twenty years, allowing for the desert conditions 40 max. I remember from my California days you could find vehicles that apart from sun damage looked like they had been parked a couple of years and had in fact been there 30 without even a weed growing under them! Just made me think of going home and cutting down waist high weeds after six months... Way out of my financial and time budget as well Sir, but I have a knack for getting things organised... +working in the marine industry I may be able to sort it back to France reasonably enough (not sure about the 75mm that still looked fully active, maybe I can ship it seperately as pipe, just kidding... ) I'm looking into scrap purchase or just removal, love to see it go to someone who would show it regularly as a Greek marked MV it would help negotiations as well. All the best, Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Hi Quentin Just a brief need to know, France has a bad rep for confiscating AFVs in particular they don't like tanks, so if you seriously consider going for it, find some-one who is qualified and cognisant in French law. regards Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 marmon Posted March 25, 2010 Author Share Posted March 25, 2010 Thanks Steve, I think the French are a little more relaxed with their Laws in general but I'm looking into it all, meanwhile I pulled this from the www: Out of interest if you want to own a tank and take it target shooting these are in category 2 and there are firing ranges around for these but not in Brittany! When not going to the range the firing mechanism must be handed into the Gendarmerie for safe keeping. Quite a thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 diver99 Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Not sure abut the idea that French laws are more relaxed. Recent heresay from French tank museum is that any vehicle, if it has some sort of military link will be a target for euro(french) uber-bureaucracy. Get it out of France and apparently they cease to care. As which has happened to a couple of FT 17's which were part of the Maginot Line (recently-this year). The Greek chaffee's are placed at strategic plces on islands in case the Turks invade. If you remember the group of english plane spotters who were arrested for spying and banged-up. Part of the evidence was the photos they had taken at Messolonghi. This is a small group of aircraft and AFV's which appear dumped but form some sort of museum, but were cited as gathering information on Greek Defences. I had an acquaintance at University who is a Greek barrister. He just rolls his eyes when trying to explain Greek law. As an aside, there was an interesting link web blog by somebody who was trying to get a greek driving licence. I think he was american of greek descent. And this simple process beings kafkaiesque. So god knows what would involve military eqpt.:nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 AlienFTM Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Shillelelagh was the weapon fitted to the M551 Light Tank (Sheridan) Corrected that for you. It was also fitted to the M60A1E2 (redesignated M60A2 in 1971). Google is your friend. Look for M60A1E2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 steveo578 Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 And at least two advanced experimental AFV projects -one of the T95 series and the MBT70 project. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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marmon
Spotted this in Greece last summer it seemed to be resonably complete less engine.
Cheers,
Q
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