Army: Any idea what did this?

[CasingBill]

I don't think it was a landmine. Only because if it were I think the point of impact would have been in the front part of the track where initial contact was made. Just my opinion.

[edweird]

the tank could of been preforming a turning movement with both tracks and could of easly hit a mine... also as with my airmunitions some have a delayed fuse to maximize effect.

[*captain_cox*37]

That tank got pretty screwed up. I dont think an RPG could have even done that. Maybe.

[HoppysMag]

Originally posted by *captain_cox*37
That tank got pretty screwed up. I dont think an RPG could have even done that. Maybe.

i think u horibly over setamating the power of an RPG...

[Orange Crush]

I'd like to see a few more pictures from other angles.

I feel pretty safe saying that it wasn't an anti-tank landmine, for a couple of reasons. 1, there are still road wheels relatively intact at the blast site, and 2, the ground under the track is concrete.

It could quite possibly be a HEAT round delivered by an Iraqi tank. Chances are very good, as several other people pointed out, that the crew survived. I met a crew that took not one, but two HEAT rounds in Desert Storm and still fired rounds in battle.

[Army]

Guys, it was hit from the rear with at least a 90mm recoilless rifle. There is minimum armor at the rear grills of an M1...or any other tank for that matter... and a heat round could easily penetrate to the rear fuel cells. The automatic fire extinguishing system is very good, but even it can't handle 300 gallons of fuel going up.

An anti-tank mine would have blown the track off, or at least broken it. Either would have resulted in the track being laid out behind the tank. As you can see, the track blocks are still around the idler and drive sprockets.

[Blennidae]

Army:
Most of the damage is on the front of the tank. The front being on the right hand side of the pic. You can see the cut out in the skirt by the drive sprocket.

[dfs]

a few days back i remember seeing a quick story on cnn about an a fight were we lost an abrams. they reported that a suicude "technical" filled with explosives managed to slam into the side of one our tanks. they said the crew was fine and made a few comments about how well built out tanks must be. they showed a picture of the tank and it looked similar to the one you posted but due to the fact that my memory is far from photographic and cnn is piped to my desktop at work in a postcard-size window (low-res) i cannot say for certain.


an explosive filled truck would tear up items like the treads, roadwheels, suspension components, optics, turret mgs, and anything else the tank was hauling on the turret. but it would not be able to focus any of its energy on to one spot to actually penetrate the armor like a lined-cavity anti-tank round.

[Army]

Originally posted by Blennidae
Army:
Most of the damage is on the front of the tank. The front being on the right hand side of the pic. You can see the cut out in the skirt by the drive sprocket.

Umm..no. The rear/Engine/aft/back-end of the tank is to the left in the pic. The drive sprocket is attached to the final drives, which are attached to the transmission, which is attached to the engine....all in the rear, with the cut-out skirt. The turret is facing forward at 10 O'clock.

I work on M1's nearly every day.

[Blennidae]

Army:
I'm sure you know a lot more than I do about the M1, but I think the pic is hard to read.

You can clearly see the cable "step" thing on the bottom of the skirt on the right side of the pic. This is on the front of the tank.

[Blennidae]

I adjusted the brightness so its easier to see. You can make out the teeth on the drive sprocket on the left of the pic.

[Army]

BAH! I meant left...(Army drops and does twenty)

The rear fuel tanks burned, taking the ammo bustle racks with it. There is little to no damage to the front slopes.

[Star_Base_CGI]

Originally posted by Army
Guys, it was hit from the rear with at least a 90mm recoilless rifle. There is minimum armor at the rear grills of an M1...or any other tank for that matter... and a heat round could easily penetrate to the rear fuel cells. The automatic fire extinguishing system is very good, but even it can't handle 300 gallons of fuel going up.

An anti-tank mine would have blown the track off, or at least broken it. Either would have resulted in the track being laid out behind the tank. As you can see, the track blocks are still around the idler and drive sprockets.

The rear is also susceptable to RPGs, which Russia sold to the Iraqis.


RPG = Rocket Propeled Grenade

[HoppysMag]

Originally posted by Star_Base_CGI


The rear is also susceptable to RPGs, which Russia sold to the Iraqis.


RPG = Rocket Propeled Grenade

im gunna have to argue that an RPG is WAY to weak to affect this tank.