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    Last Days of the Leopard


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    Not the last days of the Leopard at all! Peter

    I wasn't talking about anyone else, just us.

    "Hello Laurence. I am not sure about those two photos you posted. The top one is an altered version of the second picture. I assume you were making a joke which has been lost on me."

    With regards to the short barrel Leo, it would be a low velocity bunker/building buster. The Germans pioneered the idea back in the 40's when they encountered the need in the East. I'm not sure if Stalingrad was the catalyst, or earlier urban confrontations. The Stug was used in that capacity with great effect, and the myraid of hybrid self-propelled guns with large calibre ordnance.

    Regards;

    Johnsy

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    Hallo Gents, :cheers:

    I was just watching on the National Geographic Channel on tv a program about the M1 Abrahns being refurbished from old, knocked out M1 tanks (apparantly no new tanks have been made since 1993), the carcasses are stripped of the 1,200 parts, and up-graded, as you get to the part in the program where they marry the turret to the hull it was interesting to see little Kangaroo stenciled on the front of the turret, so these must be some the ones heading off to Australia.

    Kevin in Deva. :cheers:

    Yes, I saw the same program on the weekend. Had the black stencilled kangaroo on the hull and turret. You will note from the photos previously posted that the finished version has red kangaroos on a box/fitting on the forward section of the hull. Very interesting doco, I was very impressed with the method used for shot-peening the hull to remove paint and corrosion.

    Regards;

    Johnsy

    Edited by Tiger-pie
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    I don't think we will be deploying our Abrams overseas, at the time of writing this we do not have the shipping capability to do so. The army goes off and buys stuff without consulting the Senior Service on its requirements for carriage. :rolleyes:

    Johnsy,

    The Royal Australian Air Force has, or is about to, take delivery of a number of C-17 Globemasters which, I understand, have the ability to take the Abrams.

    Interestingly, though, when the tanks arrived in Melbourne, there was no rolling stock available to rail them to where they had to go....

    cheers,

    bj

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    Johnsy,

    The Royal Australian Air Force has, or is about to, take delivery of a number of C-17 Globemasters which, I understand, have the ability to take the Abrams.

    Interestingly, though, when the tanks arrived in Melbourne, there was no rolling stock available to rail them to where they had to go....

    cheers,

    bj

    Has already taken delivery of the Globemasters, they are now part of 36 Sqn. I watched them doing touch and goes from my office at Campbell Park when I was based in Canberra late last year. Very impressive seeing them flying toward you. Below is a photoshop image of one of the 36 Sqn. C-17's.

    With regards to the Abrams, there is no rolling stock to get them to Darwin, but this is a mute point at this time as they are doing their work-ups at Pucker, and will be moved to Darwin by sea.

    Regards;

    Johnsy

    Edited by Tiger-pie
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    • 2 weeks later...

    I have seen it done with a Leopard, and now with the Abrams. These are the sea trials to check for the feasability of transfering the Abrams from one platform to another, and to check that they didn't fall through the deck... :speechless1:

    From the wharf onto an LPA.

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    I to saw a show on cable showing how they rebuild the M1Abrams.

    Of interest was the gas turbines that suffer greatly from dust and have to constantly be rebuilt.

    Not a problem when you have billions of dollars in you defence budget and can set up a special factory to rebuild the engines and have plenty of spares on the shelf, but for Australia I think it will be a problem.

    If the engines start to wear out fast, as they will, our army will only be able to drive them on the road or on a rainy day when there is no dust around.

    The M1 is a very good tank but expensive to run and in my way of thinking Australia would probably have been better off staying with the Leopard with its diesel engine.

    Regards

    Peter C

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    I to saw a show on cable showing how they rebuild the M1Abrams.

    Of interest was the gas turbines that suffer greatly from dust and have to constantly be rebuilt.

    Not a problem when you have billions of dollars in you defence budget and can set up a special factory to rebuild the engines and have plenty of spares on the shelf, but for Australia I think it will be a problem.

    If the engines start to wear out fast, as they will, our army will only be able to drive them on the road or on a rainy day when there is no dust around.

    The M1 is a very good tank but expensive to run and in my way of thinking Australia would probably have been better off staying with the Leopard with its diesel engine.

    Regards

    Peter C

    Your missing the big picture Peter, see post #17

    Regards;

    Johnsy

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    Hi Johnsy

    You may be right.

    Any way time will tell and if need be with a bit of Ausi inginuity we could always make MTU diesel power packs to fit the Abrams.

    Regards

    Peter

    Your missing the big picture Peter, see post #17

    Regards;

    Johnsy

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    Hi Johnsy

    You may be right.

    Any way time will tell and if need be with a bit of Ausi inginuity we could always make MTU diesel power packs to fit the Abrams.

    Regards

    Peter

    Gawd, I hope not, I worked around those over-engineered pieces of shoite when I was on patrol boats!! :shame:

    And of course I'm right. :cheeky: We don't have the capability to carry these anywhere at the moment in any number, with support units, and won't have until the new Canberra Class amphibs come online in 2012.

    Regards;

    Johnsy

    Edited by Tiger-pie
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    • 3 weeks later...

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