IDF Ground Forces - (Read first post)

[GrimReaper]

Kaplanr,
You know your stuff, it was exactly like that when I got it. Thanks for the reply. I still have the mount that was used for the .50 cal up front on the windscreen frame. After reading through this whole thread, you seemed like the most likely one to have this kind of knowledge. Any thoughts on who or how to ask the Israeli military or a government agency about this without getting a door slammed in my face?
John

As to the vehicle hull number, I can check with some contacts if I get a chance but I don't think that current ordinance data banks will have info on such an old vehicle. More likely that someone will need to physically go over ordinance corps archives to find it's history.
Try emailing Michael Mass, the curator of the Latroon armor museum. Maybe he can point you in the right direction.

[Kaplanr]

I'd love to help, but as I'm in Pittsburgh that would be tough to rally do. I think Grim Reaper's assessment is correct; that it won't be in any electronic database. I wouldn't even know where the old records would be stored today (if they exist at all.)

If the guy at the Armored Museum in Latrun can't help, there is a warehouse in Jaffa that has anything and everything related to the IDF that isn't already in a museum. Perhaps they have the records too. I still think your forst best start is to track its US origins and see where they lead.

[Captain Chaos]

GrimReaper,
Thanks for the contact. Please PM me if you ever do come up with something.

Kaplanr,
I will follow up with your info also. US records are not all that good on this type of documentation either.
The Latroon museum and Jaffa are more than I had yesterday. Thanks to both of you.
CC

[Ghelp]

No, AFAIK they have one Merkava 1 in the museum

Oh Ok!.They are lucky

[Ren987]

Next is a retrospective from the Yum kippur War

[Ren987]

[MoZo]

Really nice pics Ren987! Thank you.
IDF FTW!!

[IDF_TANKER]

Ren, these pictures are friggin' awesome! Thank you so much!

[Ren987]

Ren, these pictures are friggin' awesome! Thank you so much!

Frankly I don't deserve much credit if any for posting these pics ... Credits to IDF spokeperson, Pbase, Deviant, photolight, Flickr, Picasa and some more

BIG THANKS to them!

[Gomel]

Having some fun

[Ren987]

[tankee1981]

Isn't it the only Merkava outside Israel?

I don't think so...

[soutikghosh]

Does IDF always use private trucks as tank transporter ?

[IDF_TANKER]

Does IDF always use private trucks as tank transporter ?

Maybe only in emergency. This truck is military (note the black ID plates), they simply don't have the "tactical" painting.

[riveraglk34]

Per Request...