M60A1 Battle Tank on Ebay

[Rainman]

A little newer than the ones I'm familiar with, but I spent 2 plus years in a motorpool across from 1/9th Cav that worked on these things more than 30 hrs a week to keep them running. We affectionately called the tankers "tread heads", but compared to us, they really busted their humps on a regular basis. Nice little video showing what wealthy tread heads now do in their spare time. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1984-M60 ... 1d92#v4-40
Rainman

[WC Matt]

I saw that. It's not the first time that 60's been on ebay guess with a price tag like that, it's going to take a special someone to buy it. What pegs my curiosity is that it appears to be in pristine condition and in private hands. No demil? Also wonder about the reactive armor.
Matt

[Motorcityman]

Would be fun to take up to the dairy queen for some ice cream!

[WC Matt]

Would be fun to take up to the dairy queen for some ice cream!

Think it was a VFW in South Dakota (could have been another Western State, though) was given an M60A3 to use as a monument by the Gov't. "Problem" was that it was still operational (driveable). Every Wednesday after a round of car crushing, they'd drive it into town (the tank, not the car) to their favorite local restaurant for lunch. Eventually, someone got wise and called it in. The Gov't (Military?) finally made them render the tank inoperable.

Matt

[rickf]

I swa that. It's not the first time that 60's been on ebay guess with a price tag like that, it's going to take a special someone to buy it. What pegs my curiosity is that it appears to be in pristine condition and in private hands. No demil? Also wonder about the reactive armor.
Matt

The gun is demilled. The armor is probably just steel plate. I love the video, what moron would take ANY heavy track vehicle and neutral steer it. what did he think it was? a skid steer! That is just asking to throw a track. Once that right track started to spin he was real lucky to be able to back out. The left had just enough bite to slide it back. Would not want to pay the permits for moving that thing.

Rick

[WC Matt]

I saw that. It's not the first time that 60's been on ebay guess with a price tag like that, it's going to take a special someone to buy it. What pegs my curiosity is that it appears to be in pristine condition and in private hands. No demil? Also wonder about the reactive armor.
Matt

The gun is demilled. The armor is probably just steel plate. I love the video, what moron would take ANY heavy track vehicle and neutral steer it. what did he think it was? a skid steer! That is just asking to throw a track. Once that right track started to spin he was real lucky to be able to back out. The left had just enough bite to slide it back. Would not want to pay the permits for moving that thing.

Rick

Rick I used to own an M59APC I can tell you that the demil on armor is pretty extensive. In order for that thing to be released, it would have to be literally cut into separate peices in such a way as to negate it ever being reassembled. If it was something that was surplused out in early 1950s it might have gotten out with a couple of torch cuts but been otherwise intact (hull wise). That M60 has a DoD of 1984 which would mean a complete reduction to scrap. Yeah I also assumed that the reactive armor blocks are dummies as well. Seeing how the real ones are explosives. Think if I owned that, I'd probably remove the blocks as I sort of like the plain Jane look.

I'm not insinuating that the seller is doing/ has done something illegal just wondering how a peice of late American armor found it's way into private hands. If I was the buyer, 'think I'd need to see the paper trail that details how that tank got to where it is.

Matt

[rickf]

People with that kind of money to spend on toys know where to go to "Acquire" the paperwork that is required.

[toptiger]

That story about the M60 reminds me of a Huey UH-1D that was given to a VFW chapter in Minnesota. There was a ceremony planned and some of the guys from my squadron attended. The VFW had built a concrete plinth and arranged for a local contractor to provide a crane to lift the helicopter from the flatbed and place it on the plinth.
So on the day the flatbed arrived there were 30 or so people gathered around for the ceremony but the contractor at the last minute was unable to provide the crane, and the flatbed driver announced that if he had to wait more than one hour he would have to charge for his time or return the helicopter to the government.
After some deliberation it turns out that in the gathered crowd there were several other Vietnam era helicopter pilots, all of whom had not flown since the war. So after checking the remaining quantity of fuel, all fluid levels, and noting only the missing battery my friend announced that ”Hey, this thing can still fly, I'll Bet”!
The problem was that all of the other old pilots had more brains than my friend and declined. So my friend said, " Well, I'll do it, let's Hook 2 12 V batteries together and see if it starts"
So they hooked up some batteries, and my buddy jumped into the cockpit, yelled, 'Clear!" It started up! and came right up to flight idle with all the gauges in the green!
They had already put some weights in the copilot seat for CG reasons, and then removed the two 12 volt batteries.
He came up to speed, the rotors tracked well, all gauges remained in the green, so he lifted off the trailer bed, hovered over to the plinth, then set it down and shut down the chopper.
He had not been in a helicopter in 35 years!
Turns out the only demil the US Army did was remove the battery and the log book.
When I learned of the story, I called him to verify and he confirmed it. I told him if it were me I would have flown around a bit then put it up on the mounting. What could the FAA do to him? Send him back to Vietnam?
True story!
BTW his name is Stan 'Butch' Christian, SF Lt Col ret'd. He received the Distinguished Service Cross during a SF operation in VN [actually across the border} before he went to flight school with a direct commission to 1st Lieutenant. He then joined me in the 68th Assault Helicopter Company 'Top Tigers' for a year.

[rickf]

Damn right, Get it done, NOW! Or in the immortal words of Larry the cable guy, GIT_R_DONE!!!!!

I hope the crane operator felt like a real ass for not helping out a bunch of Vets! Better yet I hope his company got the negative press.

Rick

[m151dave]

The ebay posting is gone.