David Doyle's book on the M60 series
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2024 10:21 am
Recently purchased Doyle's book on the M60 series.
My greatest beef with this book is the author's repeated statement that, if the M60A2 gun had a bore evacuator, it was an M60A1E1or 2. This makes me cross-eyed. I drew a brand new platoon (5) of A2s in August of 1975 with A/1-32 Armor. Mine was the second company in USAREUR to draw A2s, our B Company being the first. In order to be deemed serviceable, ALL tanks of this model were required to have the CBSS ( Closed Breech Scavenger System). The bore evaluator had proven inadequate to clear the breech of residue, which could cause the subsequent round loaded to cook off prematurely. With the installation of the CBSS, those barrels with the bore evaluator had the vent holes welded shut and the bore evaluator was welded on. ALL those tanks with the bore evaluator thus treated were type-classified, along with those with new barrels manufactured WITHOUT the vent holes, as M60A2. NO M60A1E1s were issued in USAREUR. ALL tanks, both with and without the damned bore evacuators, issued in USAREUR were M60A2s. I can't speak to the battalion that got them at Fort Hood in '74. They may have had some early A1E1 test vehicles, but vehicles without the CBSS would not have been issued for regular service, because they were not safe.
My greatest beef with this book is the author's repeated statement that, if the M60A2 gun had a bore evacuator, it was an M60A1E1or 2. This makes me cross-eyed. I drew a brand new platoon (5) of A2s in August of 1975 with A/1-32 Armor. Mine was the second company in USAREUR to draw A2s, our B Company being the first. In order to be deemed serviceable, ALL tanks of this model were required to have the CBSS ( Closed Breech Scavenger System). The bore evaluator had proven inadequate to clear the breech of residue, which could cause the subsequent round loaded to cook off prematurely. With the installation of the CBSS, those barrels with the bore evaluator had the vent holes welded shut and the bore evaluator was welded on. ALL those tanks with the bore evaluator thus treated were type-classified, along with those with new barrels manufactured WITHOUT the vent holes, as M60A2. NO M60A1E1s were issued in USAREUR. ALL tanks, both with and without the damned bore evacuators, issued in USAREUR were M60A2s. I can't speak to the battalion that got them at Fort Hood in '74. They may have had some early A1E1 test vehicles, but vehicles without the CBSS would not have been issued for regular service, because they were not safe.