View Full Version : WW II Jeep .50 Cal
Trip_Wire (RIP)
04-12-2006, 17:54
Type of Jeep used by UK's Popski's Army in WW II
http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/specfor/popski.htm
Attached below:
Well I figured out how to post an attachment of a digital picture but danged if I can figure out how to post a scanned picture of a 5th Group jeep with a .50 cal.
The suckers like 2,000 pix each way. Way over the 800 x 800.
When I work it out I'll post it here. Or maybe somebody else pull it and post it.
Pete
Roguish Lawyer
04-12-2006, 19:26
Well I figured out how to post an attachment of a digital picture but danged if I can figure out how to post a scanned picture of a 5th Group jeep with a .50 cal.
The suckers like 2,000 pix each way. Way over the 800 x 800.
When I work it out I'll post it here. Or maybe somebody else pull it and post it.
Pete
Send it to Kyobanim. He's great with geek stuff. :D
Team Sergeant
04-12-2006, 19:33
Well I figured out how to post an attachment of a digital picture but danged if I can figure out how to post a scanned picture of a 5th Group jeep with a .50 cal.
The suckers like 2,000 pix each way. Way over the 800 x 800.
When I work it out I'll post it here. Or maybe somebody else pull it and post it.
Pete
Send it here:
JD@professionalsoldiers.com
I'll fix it right up!:lifter
I'll fix it right up!:lifter
Sent, it's on the way. Taken about 1985, not much had changed over the years.
Pete
Gene Econ
04-12-2006, 21:21
Type of Jeep used by UK's Popski's Army in WW II http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/specfor/popski.htm Attached below:
TW:
Boy -- wouldn't want to be the gunner, driver, or Jeep. I had M-151's with M-60's on pintle mounts while a Scout PL many years ago and found out a couple of things.
1. The gunner isn't about to hit a damn thing while the Jeep is moving.
2. The gunner best have an acute sense of muzzle awareness when shooting the MG.
3. Even that little 7.62 rocked the M-151 if fired at 90 degrees from the vehicle.
Given the statements I made based on my experiences with this combination, I would not want to be the Jeep that has a M-2 barrel over the front of its hood when it fires many shots in succession. Overpressure is immense and this probably causes severe wear on the Jeep's hood, radiator, and other innards.
I was in the Infantry during the era of the 106 RR on the M-151 Jeep. I recall that doctrine for the 106 had it in the best firing positon when shooting at about a 25 degree angle from the center of the hood. I have a vivid picture in my head of six 106 jeeps that were firing, and the pools of antifreeze from the ruptured radiators combined with broken headlights and various pieces of things from the engines on the ground after the wreckers towed said Jeeps away.
He, he, he. Great times using antique weapons and vehicles. Thank Jimmy Carter for that picture.
Gene
1. The gunner isn't about to hit a damn thing while the Jeep is moving.
2. The gunner best have an acute sense of muzzle awareness when shooting the MG.
3. Even that little 7.62 rocked the M-151 if fired at 90 degrees from the vehicle.
Given the statements I made based on my experiences with this combination, I would not want to be the Jeep that has a M-2 barrel over the front of its hood when it fires many shots in succession. Overpressure is immense and this probably causes severe wear on the Jeep's hood, radiator, and other innards.
Gene
Our Jeep is/was set up for recon operations. We also realized Gene's three points.
Long range night movement to a hide site, spend and hour or so covering tracks and setting up cammy nets, hiding all glass and setting in for the day. Repeat until you got where you were going.
The jeeps had a beefed up suspension, better tires, roll bar, equipment racks, four point seat belts and a few other minor modifications. The .50s were used at a range but only with everybody well clear. Rat Patrol we were not. Even at slow speeds and all the heavy ammo etc, stored on the floor the jeep was real top heavy with the gun up there that high.
The jeeps were kept down at 5th Group forward's location at Ft Bliss, Tx. Battalions would rotate through there for 2 months of training about once a year. They sling load under a 47 real nice. Some people in 5th Group have made some real long cross country movements in those jeeps.
Depending on where we were going we would have to take two types of cammy nets. Wait until almost sun up, pick the best color and scurry like ants covering everything.
We had chewed over the fact of really firing the critter and decided that it would only be done if we were going like a bat out of hell the other way and the gunner was firing over the rear. Once again, with somebody standing the jeeps were really, really unstable.
A lot of teams got some good training on those jeeps for a number of years. A little vehicle like that could be found in just about any country, Land Rovers prefered, and the rest of the equipment was low tec and mostly organic.
Pete
The Reaper
04-13-2006, 08:34
Shades of B-500!
TR
Sometimes you don't need to reinvent the wheel.
5831 5832
Just modify it a little.
5833
Good info Mr. Econ, sf11b_p, those are some old school SAS jeeps. :munchin
In Quang Tri we did have a jeep patrol.. no mounted MG though.
We called it "Rat Patrol" after the TV show. One night when they stopped and got out of the jeep, a B40 (Rocket, 120MM? not the RPG) hit the jeep. Unfortunately one Marine was hurt.. But lucky no one was in it. We had mules with mounted 106s on them.
In Quang Tri we did have a jeep patrol.. no mounted MG though.
Come on HOLLiS, dig through that old truck ya got stashed somewhere. Sure to have a 60s era jeep picture in hiding.
The last jeeps I knew of that were still on active service in the Army were the A Team O/C's jeeps at JRTC in 1992. They were a ragged bunch but could still slip down the back trails pretty well. They were fading fast as the SOD got more Hummers to replace them.
Come on HOLLiS, dig through that old truck ya got stashed somewhere. Sure to have a 60s era jeep picture in hiding.
The last jeeps I knew of that were still on active service in the Army were the A Team O/C's jeeps at JRTC in 1992. They were a ragged bunch but could still slip down the back trails pretty well. They were fading fast as the SOD got more Hummers to replace them.
Probably if anyone has one, it is QRQ.... I moved one time and my photo album disappeared.... I think it developed feet..
Edit to add. The advantage of a Jeep over a hummer is size, if you get into mountainous areas or heavy forest smaller is better.
They would Oil the road in RVN, sure made a fun ride in a jeep. We also had mity mights.. a mini jeep.
Few more of the FAVs.
5842
5845
5846
5847
Gene Econ
04-14-2006, 21:18
We had mules with mounted 106s on them.
Lord Have Mercy
I do know that some Mules were outfitted with the 'coveted' 106. Althought it is hard for me to believe one of those things could haul around a weapon weighing around 1200 pounds. I imagine it wasn't effected by the front or back blast as those Mules were pretty small.
Since you appear to have some experience with the 106, I wonder how the hell the Ontos guys zeroed those six 106's. I also wonder who was the poor fellow who had to get out of that Ontos and load those six 106's. Must have been a PVT.
Gene
Easy question first. The loader either walked along side, or road the pig. He could also duck inside. There was a magazine just below the rear hatch, accessible only from the outside. I believe some rounds could be carried inside too.
The 106 were set on two banks, left and right. They were bore sighted, also.. there was two 50 cal spotting rifles, one for each bank. The bank had three 106s. After bore sighting, the 50's were aligned with the 106's. I hope my memory is serving me right. I will think some more on it, and see if anything else pops in my mind.
I am not sure what the pay loard for mules were, but they were designed for hauling a lot of stuff. Never got to play with one. When I arrived in-country, the Ontos was gone..
Lord Have Mercy
I do know that some Mules were outfitted with the 'coveted' 106. Althought it is hard for me to believe one of those things could haul around a weapon weighing around 1200 pounds. I imagine it wasn't effected by the front or back blast as those Mules were pretty small.
Since you appear to have some experience with the 106, I wonder how the hell the Ontos guys zeroed those six 106's. I also wonder who was the poor fellow who had to get out of that Ontos and load those six 106's. Must have been a PVT.
Gene