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View Full Version : Something felled an M1A1 Abrams tank in Iraq – but what?


Hukatus
12-05-2005, 06:49 PM
http://www.armytimes.com/print.php?f=1-292236-2336437.php

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank01.jpg
An M1A1 Abrams tank with the 1st Armored Division was hit by enemy fire in Baghdad at 5:20 a.m. on Aug. 28. The paper in the photo covers the hole.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank02.jpg
The hole in the M1A1 Abrams tank is marked by a circle in the above photo, showing the damage behind the skirt.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank03.jpg
A close-up of the mysterious round’s point of entry.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank04.jpg
The round penetrated the turret well to reach the inside of the tank.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank05.jpg
The round passed through a nuclear, biological, chemical hose inside the tank behind the gunner’s seat and bent the basket

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank06.jpg
The projectile then tore a hole in the gunner’s seat.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank07.jpg
The round pierced the left kidney area of the gunner’s flak jacket. According to the damage report, “The gunner said it felt like someone hit him in the back with a hammer.”

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank08.jpg
The round then crossed “under the breech and hit the safety guard,” the report said. The photo shows the entry side of the safety guard.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank09.jpg
The round then exited the safety guard.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank10.jpg
Next, the projectile slammed into the turret networks box.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank11.jpg
The round then pierced the breaker panel on the tank.

http://www.armytimes.com/content/editorial/editart/102303tank12.jpg
The mysterious projectile finally buried itself in the hull of the M1A1 Abrams tank on the opposite side from where it entered. The hole is 1½ to 2 inches deep.

//old but i couldn't find the article and images in search.
so what was it? romanian buit rpg7 modification is what i heard.
Argyll
12-05-2005, 06:53 PM
Sounds more like a shape charge IED

And this topic's been done before too mate ;)
and it ended up in a pissing contest about who had the best MBT's
BadKarma26
12-05-2005, 07:08 PM
the round then exited the other side of the tank and flew 2,000 miles to Willshire blvd. in Los Angeles where it had a cup of coffee at a seedy upscale cafe. after a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve itself, the round then went to LAX where it took a flight to Chicago via an American Airlines 737 to watch the Bull/Sonics game that night.




*rolls eyes*
JoaMei
12-05-2005, 07:19 PM
This is years old.... some say it was an "Armbrust"-Rocket some say it was a simple RPG.
3rdMillhouse
12-05-2005, 07:19 PM
the round then exited the other side of the tank and flew 2,000 miles to Willshire blvd. in Los Angeles where it had a cup of coffee at a seedy upscale cafe. after a quick trip to the bathroom to relieve itself, the round then went to LAX where it took a flight to Chicago via an American Airlines 737 to watch the Bull/Sonics game that night.




*rolls eyes*

AUEHUHAEUHAEUHUAEHUHAEUHAEUHUAEHUHAEUAHEUhAEUhuAEHuhae oh my God!!! Iraqis with rail guns!!!!! :rolleyes:
MEGR
12-05-2005, 07:42 PM
Sounds more like a shape charge IED

And this topic's been done before too mate ;)
and it ended up in a pissing contest about who had the best MBT's

I believe it had the same title also.

You are bringing back good memories Argyll.
Michael RVR
12-05-2005, 07:43 PM
It was a simple RPG with a dash of luck to hit a weak spot of the tank.

;)
Hellfish
12-05-2005, 07:49 PM
It was a simple RPG with a dash of luck to hit a weak spot of the tank.

;)

Ditto. RPG-7VL IIRC. Just a lucky shot. Hundreds, if not thousands, of identical rounds have bounced off M1A1/M1A2s before and since then.
attackong
12-05-2005, 09:10 PM
This was so discussed that we came to know even the serial number of the rpg that hit that tank
JoaMei
12-05-2005, 09:24 PM
This was so discussed that we came to know even the serial number of the rpg that hit that tank

No, it was not entirely clear if it really was an RPG or one of the few german 67mm "Armbrust"-LAWs that were delivered to Iraq.
chemlightbattery
12-05-2005, 10:40 PM
it was a AT RPG this is really old. i talked to acouple of buddies of mine 19K40 types, let me know the skinny.

DEATH TO HAJI.

CLB out.
Son_Of_Suvorov
12-06-2005, 01:11 AM
Ditto. RPG-7VL IIRC. Just a lucky shot. Hundreds, if not thousands, of identical rounds have bounced off M1A1/M1A2s before and since then.

The Iraqi army didn't field the PG-7VL. The side skirts of the M1A1 are vulnereable to the PG-7V, which the Iraqi army did have and what seems to be most often used by the insurgents. See for example the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:M1_road_wheel_replacement.JPG
http://btvt.narod.ru.nyud.net:8090/spec/antitank/destroy.htm

The obvious explanation of why so many of these rounds have simply "bounced off" M1A1s is that the insurgents don't know how to use them - in most photos and videos (the ones I've seen anyway) they never fire from prepared positions and frequently hold the launcher wrong. There have been reports that some even fired anti-personnel rockets at tanks. It's obvious that if they make mistakes like that they for the most part wouldn't even know how to aim the weapon (it's not simple by any means - see the manual linked to below).

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/rpg-7.pdf
TURKİSH_COMMANDO
12-07-2005, 11:52 AM
How many tanks lost USA in ıraq.
ARE m1 abrams usefull
and can RPG7 and others anti tank rocket(RPG-21-LAW)destroy the M-1 tanks.
I will wait your answer thanks for all
RomanS
12-07-2005, 12:14 PM
(RPG-21-LAW)destroy the M-1 tanks.


what the hell is an RPG-21-LAW ???
TURKİSH_COMMANDO
12-07-2005, 12:57 PM
we can say rpg-21 russian made law.
ohhh please dont say me you dont know what does mean LAW.
LAW made by american.it is ligth anti tank rocket.for jeep and apc.or other light vehicle.
can you answer the qestions now
gbos
12-10-2005, 08:30 PM
How many tanks lost USA in ıraq.
ARE m1 abrams usefull
and can RPG7 and others anti tank rocket(RPG-21-LAW)destroy the M-1 tanks.
I will wait your answer thanks for all

According to a 'USA today' article


In the all-out battles of the 1991 Gulf War, only 18 Abrams tanks were lost and no soldiers in them killed. But since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, with tanks in daily combat against the unexpectedly fierce insurgency, the Army says 80 of the 69-ton behemoths have been damaged so badly they had to be shipped back to the United States.

At least five soldiers have been killed inside the tanks when they hit roadside bombs, according to figures from the Army?s Armor Center at Fort Knox, Ky. At least 10 more have died while riding partially exposed from open hatches.
rgu
08-10-2006, 06:15 AM
well, what i do know is that the americans knocked on RUAGs door after this incident.

my 2cts. it was a marketing/research gig for either a russian or swiss new tandem warhead on a rpg7, coming through bulgaria.

but that's old news, really
Hellfish
08-10-2006, 08:34 AM
well, what i do know is that the americans knocked on RUAGs door after this incident.

my 2cts. it was a marketing/research gig for either a russian or swiss new tandem warhead on a rpg7, coming through bulgaria.

but that's old news, really

Yeah it is - hence an 8 month old topic. The US figured out what caused the penetration (a good old RPG-7V) so any speculation is irrelevant.