Alternative History Armoured Fighting Vehicles Part 3
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The Achzarit is an Israeli conversion of the T54/55, with a new engine squeezed over to the left to allow an access "tunnel" for troops at the rear of the vehicle. It makes me wonder what other modern MBTs, or even WW2 tanks could have similar modifications, to turn them into APCs.
Or perhaps have their engines moved to the front, in a similar manner to the Merkava/Nammer. After all, the Israelis did this with the Sherman.
Or perhaps have their engines moved to the front, in a similar manner to the Merkava/Nammer. After all, the Israelis did this with the Sherman.
Indeed! Not a terrible idea, just rather too low for an efficient design. I rather liked the first version with the boxier casement, a very reasonable design.
Driftless
Donor
What about tweaking the WW2 Lorraine 37L? It was mostly used as a supplies carrier, I believe, but.....
(from tanksencyclopedia.com)
I believe this machine was a tweaked 39L version. The earlier models had a lower deck.
The Germans converted them into SPG's and TD's.What about tweaking the WW2 Lorraine 37L? It was mostly used as a supplies carrier, I believe, but.....
(from tanksencyclopedia.com)
I believe this machine was a tweaked 39L version. The earlier models had a lower deck.
We've done a lot of these types of conversions with different types of AFV's. I've converted Pz.II's, IV's, M3 Grants and other tanks into APC's and IFV's.
They're mostly on the previous version of this thread, don't remember which pages though.
Progretto 66*
In the early 1960's there was voiced by many member of the Italian government and military for a home designed and built modern tank, Italian tanks in WWII had not made a positive impression and there were many who now wanted Italy to have a tank they could be proud of, there were several domestic tank designs developed in Italy for both medium and heavy tanks but none were seriously considered until a strong faction of both military an political figures joined forces to insist that Italy arm her army with a tank of it's own.
The government responded by putting out requests to various Italian companies to submit designs for a new tank, when the US learned of this they offered to sell the Italians surplus M48's and the West German government also offered to sell Italy license to built the Leopard1 but many voiced their opposition to buying or building a foreign design.
Several domestic designs were submitted by Italian companies some were for heavy tanks and some were mediums but the Army decided they wanted a Main Battle Tank a new term being used by many members of NATO. With a designated type of tank finalized the Army decided that none of the designs submitted were suitable, the Army then officially requested that the new tank be equipped with the Royal Ordnance L7 105mm gun which was the gun of choice for most members of NATO and that the tank also use a diesel engine.
The Italian government responded by acquiring license to build or buy the L7 gun and the Continental AV1790 diesel engine from the US. The Company of Conservio Iveco Oto Melaro (CIO) summitted a design for a medium weight tank that used the same suspension from the US M48 tank (the US disappointed by failure to sell M48's, accepted the deal to license out the M48's suspension), the US also sold the license to Italy to make the AV1790.
The hull of the new tank somewhat resembled West Germany's Leo-1 except for the engine deck and a sharper sloped armoured front hull. the turret was a mushroomed shaped hull similar to Soviet T-55 & T-62 series of tank but with a gun mantle similar to that of the M48.
The new tank was accepted by the Italian government in 1966 and was dubbed the Progretto 66, the new tank due to teething troubles would not fully enter service until 1968
and would serve the Italian military until the mid 1980's when it was replaced by the Ariete C1 also built by Conservio Iveco Oto Melaro .
A request by ThirdyLovesAH for a Cold War era MBT.
* The name of the Progretto 66 and engine are the only things my design has in common with the "World of Tanks" Progretto 66 .
I did look at that tank for inspiration but couldn't find any but while looking up cold war era tanks on Wikipedia for ideas I came across a bit about the Italians mounting a diesel engine and a 105 cannon in an M48 and things clicked from there on.
The design started out as an M47 with a Leo-1 turret and then slowly evolved.
EDIT: originally started with an M47, not the 48.
In the early 1960's there was voiced by many member of the Italian government and military for a home designed and built modern tank, Italian tanks in WWII had not made a positive impression and there were many who now wanted Italy to have a tank they could be proud of, there were several domestic tank designs developed in Italy for both medium and heavy tanks but none were seriously considered until a strong faction of both military an political figures joined forces to insist that Italy arm her army with a tank of it's own.
The government responded by putting out requests to various Italian companies to submit designs for a new tank, when the US learned of this they offered to sell the Italians surplus M48's and the West German government also offered to sell Italy license to built the Leopard1 but many voiced their opposition to buying or building a foreign design.
Several domestic designs were submitted by Italian companies some were for heavy tanks and some were mediums but the Army decided they wanted a Main Battle Tank a new term being used by many members of NATO. With a designated type of tank finalized the Army decided that none of the designs submitted were suitable, the Army then officially requested that the new tank be equipped with the Royal Ordnance L7 105mm gun which was the gun of choice for most members of NATO and that the tank also use a diesel engine.
The Italian government responded by acquiring license to build or buy the L7 gun and the Continental AV1790 diesel engine from the US. The Company of Conservio Iveco Oto Melaro (CIO) summitted a design for a medium weight tank that used the same suspension from the US M48 tank (the US disappointed by failure to sell M48's, accepted the deal to license out the M48's suspension), the US also sold the license to Italy to make the AV1790.
The hull of the new tank somewhat resembled West Germany's Leo-1 except for the engine deck and a sharper sloped armoured front hull. the turret was a mushroomed shaped hull similar to Soviet T-55 & T-62 series of tank but with a gun mantle similar to that of the M48.
The new tank was accepted by the Italian government in 1966 and was dubbed the Progretto 66, the new tank due to teething troubles would not fully enter service until 1968
and would serve the Italian military until the mid 1980's when it was replaced by the Ariete C1 also built by Conservio Iveco Oto Melaro .
A request by ThirdyLovesAH for a Cold War era MBT.
* The name of the Progretto 66 and engine are the only things my design has in common with the "World of Tanks" Progretto 66 .
I did look at that tank for inspiration but couldn't find any but while looking up cold war era tanks on Wikipedia for ideas I came across a bit about the Italians mounting a diesel engine and a 105 cannon in an M48 and things clicked from there on.
The design started out as an M47 with a Leo-1 turret and then slowly evolved.
EDIT: originally started with an M47, not the 48.
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Kind of reminds me of a Whiff I did a few years ago for one our thread‘s early followers…
Heavy SPAAG/APC
From an initial idea by RCTFI and a TL that sees an air heavy but armour light environment, circa late 1940s - early 50s...
The Heavy SPAAGs were a natural development of a concept first introduced with the 8 wheeled, quad-50 APC (see post 218) and soon replaced those vehicles in all armoured infantry units. Armed with twin 40mm Bofors guns, the M401 was based on a heavily modified M40 155mm SPG hull and was capable of carrying a full infantry squad.
The M401 proved to be highly successful and popular in its intended APC role and the twin 40s proved to be extremely effective against ground targets. However, by the 1950s the twin 40s were less effective against fast moving air targets and in the later stages of its life many M401s had their turrets removed and replaced with a radar assisted 30mm Vulcan rotary cannon mount.
The model depicts "Scorpion", the 15th vehicle, B Company, 35 Armoured Infantry of 4 Armoured Division and is made up of bits from a AFV Club M40, Tamiya M42 Duster, Tamiya M113, scratch build and spare parts.
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Wolverine
An alternate Valentine tank I made for the "Munich Shuffle: 1938-1942" TL by @Garrison
The premise of the TL is that Chamberlain realizes that war inevitable and gets Britain and the some of the other Dominions to start rearming earlier than OTL.
Canada decides to produce their own tanks and choose the Valentine as their main tank and also build a version with a short barreled 75mm gun for infantry support.
I used the M2/M3 howitzer, same gun was used on the M8 a variant of the M3 Stuart.
Here's a link to the TL if anyone is interested - https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/munich-shuffle-1938-1942.518000/
It's well written TL and I recommend it.
An alternate Valentine tank I made for the "Munich Shuffle: 1938-1942" TL by @Garrison
The premise of the TL is that Chamberlain realizes that war inevitable and gets Britain and the some of the other Dominions to start rearming earlier than OTL.
Canada decides to produce their own tanks and choose the Valentine as their main tank and also build a version with a short barreled 75mm gun for infantry support.
I used the M2/M3 howitzer, same gun was used on the M8 a variant of the M3 Stuart.
Here's a link to the TL if anyone is interested - https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/munich-shuffle-1938-1942.518000/
It's well written TL and I recommend it.
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marathag
Banned
Valentine Mk XI had a ring diameter of 1466mm (75mmL40)Wolverine
An alternate Valentine tank I made for the "Munich Shuffle: 1938-1942" TL by @Garrison
The premise of the TL is that Chamberlain realizes that war inevitable and gets Britain and the some of the other Dominions to start rearming earlier than OTL.
Canada decides to produce their own tanks and choose the Valentine as their main tank and also build a version with a short barreled 75mm gun for infantry support.
I used the M2/M3 howitzer, same gun was used on the M8 a variant of the M3 Stuart.
Here's a link to the TL if anyone is interested - https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/munich-shuffle-1938-1942.518000/
It's well written TL and I recommend it.
M8 GMC 1382mm ring (75mmL18) note: M3 Stuart has a 1188mm ring, it was enlarged for the M8
Now this Valentine has a slightly larger ring, with a smaller cannon. The M8 had the Assistant Diver also act as Loader, Valentine could have a proper 3 man turret as the 2pdr version had
while keeping the coax BESA
Interesting. I used a Mk.III Valentine, the pic I used didn't have a coax mg in the turret but I agree with you that it looks like there was plenty of room for one.
I might be able to an an MG from a pic of a Mk.XI I have.
It's more pure fiction from Wargaming. Postwar in Australia, a lot of the turrets had been scrapped, as hulls were kept around for utility/farm tasks. So when the time came that people wanted to display the tanks, any turrets available would be used to make the vehicles look like "tanks".
The actual Progetto 66 (if you can even call it that) was nothing more than an outline by an Italian military officer about a potential future tank. Sadly the original magazine article from the 1960s is long gone. Still cool though!
Interesting.
I like the name but not the WoW Progretto, I've played it about dozen times since I got it.
Garrison
Donor
And I can totally see that if the Japanese decide they need this in a hurry they just expect the crew to contort themselves into the vehicle regardless.
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