- Reaction score
- 4,166
- Points
- 1,120
Ok,
Here goes:
Not Russian.
NS
Here goes:
Not Russian.
NS
Prototype design from Landsverk. In 1933-34, ultra-light tanks weighing less than 5 tons drew attention. The Landsverk L-100 was designed in 1934, it weighed 4.5tons and was armed with single MG. Possessed a maximum speed of 55km/h. Never used by the Swedish army. The Landsverk L-101 which actually preceded the L-100 was a proposal of an ultra-light tank destroyer armed with a 20mm automatic cannon. However this project was dropped after the first drawing-board studies.
St. Chamond Model 1921-Chenillette St Chamond modèle 1921, build for export, Finland purchased one for tests.geo said:here is a "funny" any guesses?
Hale said:...
I've got a photo that i think could even stump Irondukes. Its a little complicated tho. The vehicle itself isnt too hard to sus out, its the history of this certain vehicle that i'm keen to see if he knows. Its a fairly famous car.
Anyone mind if i jump in at some stage ...)?
Trooper Ian Bates.
Ian declined to be interviewed. The following short account of his service and fortitude is drawn from various sources, particularly When the Scorpion Stings- History of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Vietnam, 1965-72 by Paul Anderson.
Ian Bates drove an APC for his Troop Leader, Second Lieutenant Roger Tingley during the battle of Baria, a fair sized town situated south of the Australian Task Force Base and about a third of the way to Vung Tau.
On the way to Baria, Bates recalls that the Viet Cong attempted to ambush the Troop with its infantry company aboard with puffs of dust rising from bullet strikes on the road and its verges. An RPG round was fired at the Troop, but it missed.
Bates’s carrier, call sign 30A (Three Zero Alpha) was tasked with a section to protect the Baria Sector HQ. RPG teams were reported in the area and five rounds were fired at 30A. They missed, even from such short ranges as 20 metres. After more confused action, more RPG rounds were fired at Bates’s carrier and one struck it on the front right hand side.
Now, this type of weapon relies on a ‘jet stream’ to do its damage, that is, when the explosive charge is ignited, it uses the physics of shaped charges to form a narrow but extremely high temperature stream of matter to penetrate its target. This ‘jet stream’ penetrated the vehicle and the force of it slewed the vehicle to the right, causing it to crash into a building and rendering Bates unconscious.
The round also blew the back off Bates’s drivers seat and wounded him severely in his back, at the same time smashing the radio set-up and dazing the radio operator. This action also blew 2nd Lieutenant Tingley out of the vehicle. Bates regained consciousness in time for him to see his Troop Leader screaming at him to reverse away from the smashed building wall.
In spite of his wounds and in great pain, Bates did so and continued to drive the vehicle, albeit the thing was by now operating on only three cylinders. Keeping the wounded M113 going until it reached the main cross roads in Baria and with the other APCs in a defensive position, Bates finally collapsed from his wounds and was evacuated to 36 Evacuation Hospital at Vung Tau. Even here his troubles were not over, as the enemy decided to mortar the Australian logistics base which included the Australian Field Hospital. As the mortar strike came in, Bates and his fellow Cavalry wounded were told to get under their beds. Bates, still semi-conscious, had to be lifted down from his bed and covered with a pile of mattresses.
Through his actions, Ian Bates displayed the basic character of Armoured soldiers, courage, fortitude and willingness to keep going despite wounds and adversity.