• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Name This Photo!!! - The AFV Recognition Thread

It looks like a movie prop.
The hull is likely a VISMOD M-48. I suspect the turret is as well.
 
The cannon looks more like something you would have seen hanging from a special edition tank buster Me109/FW190 with the extra gun pods under the wing (ie bigger than the Stuka ones).
 
Is it Swiss?-> Again, no.
movie prop?-> No, it´s real.
VISMOD M-48?-> No, as said it´s related to/part of the Leopard Family.

Regards,
ironduke57
 
I am stumped!  I think I tried every variant of Leo out there, even Gepard variants, and the french prototypes of the leo. 
 
The hull is clearly an early leopard prototype, and the gun as pointed out is an L7. At first I was thinking some kind of jagdpanzer or flakpanzer prototype. However, I can't see a way for the gun to elevate, and the suspension doesn't look modified to allow it kneel like an S-tank (hard to tell just by looking of course). The turret is odd too - flat topped with large hatches, and there looks to be reinforcing struts to the rear. My guess is that it isn't a vehicle prototype but rather is a weapon test platform, in this case for the L7 gun. The 30 mm might act as a spotting rifle for the gun similar to the 105mm recoilless rifle. Other than that, I have no clue as to what it would be for.
 
early leopard prototype? -> Yes and no.
test platform? -> Yes. But less for the weapons, more for the in large parts automated turret and the stabilisation system.

Regards,
ironduke57
 
I'm thinking it's a ball turret, a la B-17 belly turret...beyond that, I think it might be for AA, noting the AA gun in the background...

I don't recall it from Munster, but that was also 5 years ago..

NS
 
NavyShooter said:
I'm thinking it's a ball turret, a la B-17 belly turret...

http://www.cloudnet.com/~jfb/balldiagram.jpg
 
MarioM,

Flip that upside down and tell me there isn't some resemblance?

Look at how the top of the hull has been raised (from a normal Leo profile) to allow it to use the "ball".

I think it's a Prototype sort of experimentation platform as a pre-cursor to the Gepard.

NS
 
NavyShooter said:
MarioM,

Flip that upside down and tell me there isn't some resemblance?

Look at how the top of the hull has been raised (from a normal Leo profile) to allow it to use the "ball".

I think it's a Prototype sort of experimentation platform as a pre-cursor to the Gepard.

NS

Now that I look at it from that perspective, I think that you are right!
 
SPAAG?-> Nothing in its name or the information I have about it point in that direction.

Some info´s: Wider then normal Leo1, 1000PS, Producer probably Porsche at Stuttgart, stored at Erprobungsstelle 51 in Meppen and now at display at the BWB Wehrtechnische Studiensammlung at Koblenz, probably part of the "Improved Leopard" prototype series.

That is basically all I have on this one. If that isn´t enough you have to fly swim over here and look at its Information plate in Koblenz.  ;D

Regards,
ironduke57
 
Leopard Improved
At about the same time as the Kampfpanzer 70 design was undergoing testing in Germany and America this prototype of a ‘Leopard Improved’ was being built (its designation is Erprobungsträger mit 3-achs-stabilisiertem Turm). Its most significant feature was a new design of turret that was operated largely automatically and utilised many sophisticated technical features. The turret was fully stabilised and mounted a standard 105mm gun plus an automatic 30mm gun as secondary armament. The chassis was also modified, being wider and powered by a 1000hp engine.

http://preservedtanks.com/Types.aspx?TypeCategoryId=400&Select=1

Last one on the page.

NS
 
Back
Top