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I've seen several "tanker" versions of otherwise normal firearms.
Not a single one, so far, has actually been issued to tank crews.
The primary tanker small arm is a pistol.
In my short few years as a tanker that was an M1911A1 and an M9 (with a sidetrack to Glock 17).
The tank might also have some extra guns too, but they're not special versions.
I learned how to shoot the M3A1 "greasegun" on the off chance I was assigned to a unit that still had M60's because that tank was issued a couple for the crew.
The loader was assigned an M16 in the Abrams. Trained on the M16A1 in OSUT and issued an M16A2 in Germany.
Lots of photos of M48A3's in Vietnam show greaseguns and M16's laying on top of the turret near the hatches.
I am not sure if Thompsons were issued to tank crews in WW2, but the grease gun was issued both there and Korea.
But all of the weapons you find with tankers from WW2 on have been something issue and nothing created special for armored crew use.
Combat Engineers in the 90's at least were still using the M-60 hulls (CEV/AVLB modified to fire MCLC because the bridge wouldn't hold the M-1's) were issued the M3A1 "Grease Guns"... We also "found" a few extra when we deployed and used them in our line Squads. But as Engineers were still using a lot of WW II issue gear I suspect we would have been among the last to update... Never understood the "Tanker" Garands for instance. Not like that was going to be any better or more able to be effectively used in a tank than a standard Garand, but I'm just an Engineer, what would I know...
ReplyDeleteThe engineering unit at Panzer Kaserne when I was there had Grease Guns. So did our M88 crews. So did 1/4 Cav's M60A3 crews (they were overjoyed at being transferred to us from being 19E to 19K when 1/4 Cav changed to M3 Bradleys).
DeleteThere are now "Tank Commander" 1911's now. Which just seem to be Commander style 1911's in parkerization instead of bluing made by Tisas.
I think "tanker" is just marketing to justify charging more money for less gun, possibly inspired by the British No. 5 "jungle carbine" which was a genuine item for a specific use.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Thompson SMGs, I believe M1s were issued to tank crews before the M3 was available.
Father in Law (British tanker circa 1950's) was telling me that when they shipped out (Korea? Somewhere hot) that he insisted on having a rifle or carbine. All of his Higher toled him NO, because in case his tank got hit that he'd rather have a pistol to end things faster.
ReplyDeleteOne of my Drill Sergeants told us, when we were qualifying with the 1911's, was, "If you find yourself using your pistol, the first thing you need to ask yourself is, 'where'd the tank go?'"
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