Alternative History Armoured Fighting Vehicles Part 3

[CaptainCalvert]

Is it bad that my evolving reaction to the, "Make SPAA more relevant" discussion is the following?

If SPAA didn't help as much as desired in the assigned role, what do you do with similar armaments, even if you have to expand/accept other base models?

If we're discussing alternate timelines, why not consider an ATL where a connected mathematician speaks up in time to shift a change in hull production orders?

From there, say we get hit-and-fade heavy tankettes with a Bofors 40mm & a .50cal in the turret, plus another MG in the bow. Crew of four: driver, radio operator/bow gunner, loader/gunner, & commander gunner. You could & should mix in another type with a higher caliber/low velocity round instead of the Bofors.

The theory would be hit and fade disruption. Something produced because certain lessons were learned in the wrong order, made it to operations in the field, and it'd be up to the author to see how such an idea would play out.

TL;DR, Something that could plausibly happen but not necessarily be successful, only noteworthy.

Sounds reasonable. After all, multi turret tanks were based on a reasonable premise that happened to be flawed [1].
It sounds like your system is more along the lines of a deliberate DP system right from the start rather than " let's try pointing this at ground targets since there's no aircraft around" and finding it works. This then develops into anti ground roles with little or no thought to AA function. Just needs a goodcexperience or two at a critical moment.

[1] see also tank destroyers, for a good idea that wasn't often useful as intended, but was still much better than a towed AT gun.

 

[ric350]

A big reach here, but how about modifying the M50 Ontos chassis? Replace the recoilless tentacles with something else?

Go to the bottom of page 267 in this thread.👍

ric350

 

[Claymore]

FV431 Excalibur Update:

...and a little bit more. Starting to look like an actual vehicle... well, maybe... sort of...

 

[Bougnas]

Hi everyone!
I have finished uploading my findings of the Vincennes archives to a google photos, so here's the link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NtDxrFn1oysb8TDZ6

Enjoy! I will discuss some findings here later.

 

[GrahamB]

Starting to look like an actual vehicle... well, maybe... sort of...

Oh, the uses that could be found for a heavy flat-bed! Call it a FV430?

 

[Claymore]

Hi everyone!
I have finished uploading my findings of the Vincennes archives to a google photos, so here's the link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/NtDxrFn1oysb8TDZ6

Enjoy! I will discuss some findings here later.

Wow! That‘s a lot of information! 👍

 

[Cryhavoc101]

This popped up on my You tube feed earlier today which I thought might be interesting to share

An early demonstration of Chobham armour vs standard steel plate taking hits from L11 120mm and 5" Shaped charge

 

[alspug]

This popped up on my You tube feed earlier today which I thought might be interesting to share

An early demonstration of Chobham armour vs standard steel plate taking hits from L11 120mm and 5" Shaped charge

anything that can take a hit from the Chieftan and still function is pretty darn good.

 

[Claymore]

Hi im new to this thread
Does anyone have any idea what a US ( and maybe Russian/Soviet) vehicle similar to the Wiesel in form and size would look like? perhaps give some ideas as to its armament and dimensions? thanks (pictures/drawings are much appreciated)

Hi and welcome to all things AH AFV - questions, suggestions, models, illustrations, thoughts, idea and storylines all have a home here.
Great comments above and I will add the US M114 - a bit longer than the Ontos but not quite so wide. Nobody in the modern era did anything quite as small as the Wiesel. Will post some images when I get the time. 👍

Sorry for the delay, but I hope these George Bradford produced images will help...

 

[Millsy]

maybe its just because i had an Action Man Scorpion - but ive always thought it was a fantastic vehicle / family of vehicles

although at time never knew the 76mm gun produced toxic fumes !

 

[Claymore]

maybe its just because i had an Action Man Scorpion - but ive always thought it was a fantastic vehicle / family of vehicles

although at time never knew the 76mm gun produced toxic fumes !

Yup, the 76mm (Mr Stinky) was not particularly crew-friendly and was the primary reason we (RAF Regt) and British Army stopped using it.

 

[Driftless]

Should the US have bought, or license built, the FV101 Scorpion and kin? It could have filled that more easily transportable niche for the US military in the 80s - 90s. Especially in like of the on/off/on/off/on/off dithering with light tanks by the US Army

 

[Bougnas]

Should the US have bought, or license built, the FV101 Scorpion and kin? It could have filled that more easily transportable niche for the US military in the 80s - 90s. Especially in like of the on/off/on/off/on/off dithering with light tanks by the US Army

Not really, it didn't provide the necessary firepower and was not very suited to the transport aircrafts the US was using: either they could only carry something lighter, or they could carry something substantially heavier and larger like the LAV.

 

[Claymore]

FV431 Excalibur Update:

So, here we are with the build essentially complete - may add a supporting figure and a couple of bits of ancillary equipment for dismounted crew ops...

...and on to the bit I really like - the undercoat spray - which helps to pull everything together. The FV431 Excalibur in travelling and firing configurations:

Paint job next! 👍

 

[Hammerbolt]

Very cool model. And are those Redtop missiles?

 

[Claymore]

Very cool model. And are those Redtop missiles?

Thanks mate and they most certainly are! Big ol’ beasts for a relatively short range heat seeker - mind you, they are fast and carry a large warhead. 👍

Full backstory to follow in due course… 😉

 

[Hammerbolt]

Thanks mate and they most certainly are! Big ol’ beasts for a relatively short range heat seeker - mind you, they are fast and carry a large warhead. 👍

Full backstory to follow in due course… 😉

Yeah, I remember them way back then, the "british sidewinder", only faster and longer ranged (at that time). You going to keep the IR for fire-n-forget?

 

[Claymore]

Yeah, I remember them way back then, the "british sidewinder", only faster and longer ranged (at that time). You going to keep the IR for fire-n-forget?

Yup, keeping it IR but with radar cueing (akin to the air-to-air version) in order to aid/improve/speed up IR lock-on thus improving engagement ranges. I will also be changing the Red Top’s Linnet II rocket motor to the Mk III with an integral booster (much like the later Rapier missile) to aid its ground-launched performance. This will result in a slightly reduced top speed and range but will prevent the missile grounding when being fired.

 

[Hammerbolt]

Yup, keeping it IR but with radar cueing (akin to the air-to-air version) in order to aid/improve/speed up IR lock-on thus improving engagement ranges.

Very cool. I was thinking of the tiny radar used in the tracked Rapier.

Nice work with these models. Mine were all w40k-based, so I could mess up at will.

 

[La Rouge Beret]

That's a good looking alt armoured vehicle, how would the inclusion of the Excalibur change doctrine within the British Army or RAF Regiment?