Re: [MV] dropping jeeps
Joe Baker (edc@tiac.net)
Mon, 10 Aug 1998 15:51:02 -0400
While I was assigned at Fort Bragg in 1969 prior to departure for
Vietnam, I did a detail at the rigger's loft shaking out parachutes. In
the back of the building was an M-151 that had been dropped but the
chute had not properly opened. It was about a foot shorter that
original mil specs. To be dropped it was secured to an aluminum
platform and had cardboard under the chassis to cushion the impact as I
remember.
I have seen film of 1/4 tons and other vehicles being dropped
successfully. The M551 Sheridan Armored Recon Vehicle (most folks call
it a tank but it is not, the armor is much thinner than that of a tank
even if it did have a 152mm main gun.) was designed for Airborne
insertion at very low levels. The chute was used to extract the vehicle
out of the plane at around 25 to 50 feet and was delivered on a skid,
with the chutes used to slow the vehicle down on impact. I never air
dropped my Sheridan although I serious reservations about the
survivability of the missile fire control systems from the impact. They
use to fail just from the shock of firing the main gun.
Joe Baker
Major, Infantry, USAR
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