Same. There's something about a diesel just sitting there chugging along. I used to have to work on diesel electric locomotives, and those things CHUG. Even running at speed, they still chug. Low revving but with immense torque.
I served in the 3/14th Cav from 1958 to 1061 on a M74 Recovery Vehicle. The chassis was a M4A2E8 with a Ford water cooled GAA 500 cu-in V-8. Yes, remove the turret and install 2 huge winches. As the M48A2 Tank weighed more than we did, we had to frequently replace the engine. One of our "new" (multiple rebuilds) replacement engines only lasted for 13 miles. If we got 1,500 to 2,000 miles out of an engine we had done something really good.
I remember a time on a long movement when the M-88 was rolling happily along, hot-mikeing the battalion command freak. Nobody could hear anything but the torque rumbling.
I nosed dived off an embankment into Cowhouse Creek at night in '82 . The M1 stayed vertical all night. You could step off the top of the embankment right onto the grill doors. Two 88's were required for recovery. One was hooked up to the rear and we dug the front slope out so the other '88 could ease it down into the creek. Broke a headlamp and the Pack failed and was replaced, in the field, the next day.
@@ditzydoo4378 I dont recall the name of the maintenance unit. I was an E2 in B Co. 1/66 AR 2nd AD. The 2nd AD Commander, MG Woodmansee (RIP), was enjoying the night attack, up in the loader's hatch, until we went off the embankment.
My Abrams was peeing FRH out of the sub turret for like 10 miles during a road march in 2008. EPA was trying to make us hand shovel and bag all 10 miles of spill....then one SFC jumped in his 88 and started back-blading the spill line....and ever 500 feet or so, would dig a hole and push it in...then keep goin. People think these 91's just fix our tracks....not even close! Those dudes are honorary Tankers...family. There are two people that Tankers will call "family"...our medic and our mechanics. We hate everybody else
That is what some people call "Coping" - With the fact that they produced a Special Vehicle for a Task that still needs such shenanigans to work! They are toast when they are under the slightest fire. And the time you need to tow a Tank increases so much that you take 10 RPG's in the meantime! They even could send a POV drone from 20KM away to stop that operation :) Not to mention Artillery zooming in! And the hefty price you pay for using such a loud engine must be compensated by it NEVER FAILING, even with 3 RPG's stuck in it! Even Japan has a better recovery vehicle!
I don't know which was at fault but during one of our trips to Graf a M88 and a M60 glanced off each other. The M60 lost several of it's road wheels on one side. Later saw the M60 in the motor pool, there was a guy sitting on the front hull with a drill. I asked what was up, he was running up the odo to get enough mileage on it to turn the tank in instead of fixing it, this was at the end of the 'Nam war and our maintenance budget was pretty much none existent. Imagine there was some creative writing happening with the logbook also.
Good job, Nick. Those guys deserve some recognition. Tanks have been getting stuck as long as their have been tanks and someone has to get them out. Usually they can help themselves - but when they can't - they really need someone who can. .
I had the pleasure to meet a retired member of the 11th ACR who was restoring a vehicle while I was visiting OP ALPHA in perhaps 2019. Massive respect for him and the regiment. Still lots of black horses adorning the point.
Damn I miss that sound and the smell that goes with it. While we didn't get paid in beer in the field, there were other perks like a case of fresh fruit, better chow, or down time. You learned who to prioritize pretty quick.
While at Fort Stewart, GA, I saw an 88 struggle to pull a 103 out of the muck. The 103 got itself stuck crossing a shallow river and it just sank in the red clay all the way to about 7"-8" below the deck. I know all about it because I was on that 103, which was the PSG's vehicle, driven by the regular driver! The TL;DR version is that the 103 and two 901's were supposed to go out in the woods and do some training for the day. We had 1 E5, one CPL, and about 8 E3's/E4's. You know we were just effing around, knocking down trees and tearing things up! The 103 got stuck mid-morning, and by the time we got back to the motor pool, it was well past 5 or 6...and the thing still needed to be washed! Ah, great times, but honestly, eff mech. "Light" infantry all the way.
@@mikemcginley6309 My PMOS was 11B1P but it somehow got messed up to 11H10 after OSUT but before jump school, so I couldn't attend RIP and had to go to FSGA as an 11H1E9 crew member for my DMOS. The company knew about the eff-up but bc the division was transitioning to the Bradley, they kept it quiet bc my MOS would've changed to 11M and then I'd never go to a Ranger or Airborne unit...which I would later on.
One of the great things about having to deploy your unit to the NTC to go through training exercises for a couple of weeks - is that inevitably some of your tanks are going to mechanically break down - simply driving a tank through the desert for a week will result in a breakdown. It gives your mechanics a chance to actually practice their trade - recovering a tank, getting it back to the maintenance point, fixing it and getting it back in service. If you don't deploy the tanks, the mechanics almost never have a chance to do that - As OPFOR in the late 1980s - we gave our mechanics plenty of practice at fixing our tanks - we used the old M551 Sheridan - some of the old engines we used I know had been re-built at least three times - those things would break down all the time - our mechanics were thoroughly prepared to recover and fix an armored vehicle -
Also consider simply getting the brigade from a post in the US - say, the old Ft Hood in Texas - to Ft Irwin in California - someone has to figure out how to load all the vehicles on a train, keep track of them during the journey - get them to a rail head in driving distance of Ft Irwin - marry them with their crews - and get them off the train and into the desert. There are staff officers who are responsible for doing that, and they need to practice their craft as well. It's the same job they would have if the unit had to deploy to Europe in the Cold War - get them off the boat in Antwerp - get the tanks on a train, get them into Germany - get them off and get them into action -
At Fort SIll, my unit went to the field and as a part of that set up we had the 50 ton Rach from the rail head to move loaded mill-vans around into position. The site on post was a secondary aircraft landing site, Oklahoma turf. They managed to turn too tightly and cut thru the turf layer and got the Rach stuck up to the axles... They had 2 x M88 ARVs come out to try and drag that thing out of the hole it work itself in. So two M88s dragging and pulling and also fueling trucks running around to keep them gassed up made a huge mess of the site. Range Control was super PO'd and banned us from ever using the site again. In future we had to set up the 47th Field Hospital on the Credit Union's big parking lot for our FTXs. Driving big steel spikes thru asphalt with sledge hammers to set up the tents for the hospital was quite a workout. Good Times.
Badass men with a badass machine doing a badass job. Thanks for the hard work you guys do to support the fighting element. A "crate" of beer is a small price to pay for getting a 70 ton tank unstuck!
Got to see them rebuilding the M88s at Anniston Army Depot (along with everything else that they do there). I was there doing some contract work. It was so cool!
My oldest godbrother was a tank commander in the early 60s and was stationed in Germany for 5years - on one of his leaves he told about how his tank got in an incident while making a patrol - it was raining and cold and the streets in the village they were passing thru - they were going down hill when they started to slide on the cobblestone road- the tank went sideways thru the front of a store on that street and fell thru down into the basement - they had to get 2 cranes to lift the tank out of the store and put the tank on the street - the Army had to rebuild the whole store and stock it with merchandise for the store owner -
When I was in the OKARNG MLRS we had a M88 blow its motor on a movement between firing points on Ft. Sill, and they brought out another M88 to recover it. Very impressive piece of equipment.
Nick, I would love to see more, in depth, recoveries, mind you I'm a "Funnies" guy. I love seeing how they go about their duties. Love your work! Thanks from England!
During a stint as a squadron maintenance officer in a divisional cav outfit in Germany in the '70s, we had two M88s but they were still gasoline powered. They would put out a really nice flame at night!
Surprised you missed the opportunity for a little M88 trivia. The M88 in the video is an M88A2 HERCULES -- HERCULES is an acronym for Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift & Evacuation System. Its RENK v12 AVDS-1790 air-cooled engine is a derivative of the original Continental AV-1790 series that goes back to the M47 Patton and T30 prototype heavy tank. There is an M88A3 in development that will replace the AVDS with a liquid-cooled Caterpillar engine.
Had that happen to my M88 during Marne Focus this year. We recovered 2 Bradleys, but then got stuck trying to leave. Heavy 'ol girl refused to budge to the point when we ended up breaking track, and had to spend all day trying to get unstuck. Fun times.......
You drive the M88A2 forward and coast to a stop. That relieves the tension in your tracks(not the kind of tension you want) so you can pump the track adjusting links full of grease which gives it the tension it needs. You'll hear the tracks creaking as the link pushes the compensating idler wheel forward, which is what you want to hear.
Road in an old 88 once (A1?). Talk about luxury. Once saw one trying to pull a 113 out of the mud at Graf (with the help of a VTR), and they could budge it an inch. Had to move on and don't know if they ever got it out.
Now do the FRS-H (Forward Repair System-Heavy). The Ordnance center or the Armor center did a study that showed M88s were spending ~75% of their time with the A frame in the air lifting packs for maintenance and not doing recovery operations. The FRS-H was designed in part to get the M88s back to recovering vehicles while the shop had a crane to do the maintenance. The FRS-H has a 10t crane with the rotating base for this purpose (and overcomes those A-frame limitations you mentioned). The FRS-H also has an enormous toolset, a generator, air compressor, plasma torch, and all kinds of great stuff that makes the whole toolset much more readily mobile. The whole thing mounts on a PLS (palletized load system) for mobility.
Every time I see an M88/A1/A2 I simply think "What could have been". In the 80's General Dynamic's took said M1 hull and made a brilliant ARV that would make any Recovery Tech swoon. But Congress in its infinite wisdom... yeah, I know, I get a chuckle too ^~^ said No! thou shalt not have such nice things. and thus the 88 series crawls on... emphases on the crawl. 0~o
Yep. Good 'ol Allison transmission only gets you up to 26 MPH max. Try keeping up in a convoy with M1A2 SEP v3s and AMPVs that accelerate way faster then you, only for them to be annoyed when you keep falling behind.
That camp work area looks familiar. "I Think" it's ft Irwin and Dist 37 had their B to V, or Barstow to Vegas races start there in the 80's? as "B" was no longer an option.
Awesome video, but a few nitpicks: > 2:10 It's not a good idea to pull out the main which under manpower instead of vehicle power, unless you really have no other anchor points, vehicles nor a working aux winch/3.5 ton snatch block. The recommended minimum load is 6 tons, under which you run the risk of birdnesting the winch drum as you payout. > 4:35 Technically, you are supposed to have that equipment on your M88A2 at all times, it's part of your Basic Issue Items(BII). Another thing is that the oxyacetylene torch is no longer part of your BII. All you get now is an exothermic cutter, which is a little simpler and faster to use.
Were you at the NTC as Chieftain, or as LTC Moran? I didn't see your rank, but they were calling you 'sir'. Also, once again, we see some of our best young Americans serving us all.
As Retired Army we’re still addressed by our rank we retired at mainly because we’re technically assigned to a Reserve unit when we retire. I have a copy of the orders assigning me to a Reserve unit that basically exists on paper only. We’re classified within 3 different classes to determine our priority for emergency recall if ever needed and it’s determined by age and disability ratings/issues. When we interact with any military we identify ourselves with name and rank as other Service members do. We don’t have authority over service members but we do respect military protocol. Hope this help. And wearing official rank is somewhat frowned upon, especially in a RUclips video.
There is a huge motor pool of equipment owned by NTC that can be lent to units on rotation. It apparently doesn't include combat vehicles, so you need to bring your own tanks and brads. Exact details as to what you need to bring and what you can draw is unclear to me. I would assume that if things go completely to hell that NTC will arrange for recovery assistance, but there will be more than a little further discussion about that afterward, both from NTC and your entire chain of command.
@@k53847 That's a change from when I went there 3 times in the early '90s. Combat vehicles (and common trucks like Deuce and 1/2s, Humvees, etc.) were pulled from NTC stocks but 'specialty' vehicles were brought in with the unit. I was in an electronic warfare unit and we railed our vehicles from Riley to NTC every time. The one exception I saw where a unit brought their own tanks was a battalion from the California NG who still had M60A3s.
@@jarink1 From Army Sustainment September 2016 "The prepositioned fleet is a store of rolling stock items, trailers, generators, forklifts, mine plows, and other ancillary equipment. The purpose of this equipment is to reduce the transportation costs associated with deploying a brigade to NTC. The pre-positioned fleet does not include items such as Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, Strykers, or Paladins. It does include a great deal of support equipment that is used by both light and heavy formations."
Out of curiosity, could a beehive round detonate the ERA blocks on a MBT. I saw a video where a Bradley was detonating all the ERA blocks on a Russian tank in Ukraine with it's Bushmaster, one after the other in rapid succession. If an older tank like say, and M60 or updated M48 with 105mm main guns had a beehive type round that was the equivalent of dozens of those bushmaster rounds clustered into a single shell, potentially it could detonate all the ERA blocks on either the front or one of the sides of a MBT at the exact same time. So instead of dozens of little explosions in rapid succession on the side or front of the tank you have a single massive explosion. By themselves when individual ERA blocks detonate they won't harm the tank or crew inside, but what about if it's all of them at the same time? If nothing else it would create a bit of a challenge for the active protection system as well, since it's meant to deal with a large single incoming projectile, not dozens of smaller ones all at once. Such a shell might be what older tanks like an M60 or Leo 1 would need if they ran into an Oh $hit situation with a T90.
Will there be any plans to used the Chassis of an M1 M1A1 or M1A2 and do the same thing with the Chassis of a M48 / M60 parts and create a M1 A1A2 ARV or has the Tank Corp already try one already to see how it would do ???
There has been some ideas to have a M1-based ARV. The project has been shot down by budget, and simply because the latest M88A3s do all the Army need to do - why fix something isn't broken?
Do the mechanics rotate more often than the combat arms guys? I can see these skills in demand more often than combat skills since incidents happen at all times not just in combat
The brigade support battalion goes with a BCT to NTC. So the forward support company (which has the mechanics etc) goes with the battalion. But it seems some roles get more than their fair share of CTC rotations.
The mechanics in a Forward Support Company/Troop are usually attached to a section called Services & Recovery. If they have enough personnel to rotate on and off the M88, they will do so. Forward Maintenance teams also have M88s but are typically attached to a Company/Troop of combat arms personnel, like engineers or tankers, but it's still the same principle.
Never understood why the M88 was never replaced, it may be able to pull but that A-frame "crane" is a joke as you have to move the whole tank to line it up properly. Much preferred our Leopard 1 based Bpz 2 and later the Bueffel on Leopard 2 chassis in the German Army, the maintenance unit I served in had an old M88 but we never used it. The only reason I can see why the Abrams never got an ARV version is the gas turbine, would prob burn the paint and any rubber parts off a towed tank. That is why you develop a tank family, way more a tank unit needs than an MBT. Kinda nuts to keep that old beast in service for what?? 50 years now?
The A frame can lift more than a rotating crane arm. Lift capacity was more important to the US than arm maneuverability. Towing with a turbine just requires an exhaust deflector.
Well, if other commenters are to be believed, it's because a retired lieutenant colonel is still a lieutenant colonel. That is, he still holds the rank, even if he isn't part of the chain of command for any serving personnel.
So the vis mod M1113 is supposed to be a BMP 1 but from this angle i had to do a double take cause for a second my gamer nerd eye though they were lifting a spartan with some kinda turret.
Fun fact, the M88 is so loud and heavy that our recovery guys ran over an IED in Iraq on a mission and didn't even realize it.
I should add that this was not a small IED, the 88 took pretty significant damage to the rear but it kept rolling.
Yeah uhu..
Yup
Hahaha
Driver over ICS: " I think I ran something over Sgt."
TC:🤷♂️ we still moving so whatever. Chow closes at 1900 we ain't gonna be late
Did the ied explode?
I love the idle of the M88. It's just laughing at whatever job it has to do.
It really sounds like a diesel locomotive! Wonder what revvin up be like... 😎
Same. There's something about a diesel just sitting there chugging along. I used to have to work on diesel electric locomotives, and those things CHUG. Even running at speed, they still chug. Low revving but with immense torque.
@@klasandersson7522 You need major hearing protection.
@@pithicus52 Haha, I won´t argue against that!
Honestly reminded me of a diesel locomotive. Amusingly a British Class 66.
As a REME man! This appeals to me! Love this vehicle
Chieftain reaching/exploring places that we don't necessarily consider.
We thank all the heavy recovery people, more unsung heros.
I served in the 3/14th Cav from 1958 to 1061 on a M74 Recovery Vehicle. The chassis was a M4A2E8 with a Ford water cooled GAA 500 cu-in V-8. Yes, remove the turret and install 2 huge winches. As the M48A2 Tank weighed more than we did, we had to frequently replace the engine. One of our "new" (multiple rebuilds) replacement engines only lasted for 13 miles. If we got 1,500 to 2,000 miles out of an engine we had done something really good.
I remember a time on a long movement when the M-88 was rolling happily along, hot-mikeing the battalion command freak. Nobody could hear anything but the torque rumbling.
Was commo in 1/10 cav ... that was a problem from time to time
I nosed dived off an embankment into Cowhouse Creek at night in '82 . The M1 stayed vertical all night. You could step off the top of the embankment right onto the grill doors. Two 88's were required for recovery. One was hooked up to the rear and we dug the front slope out so the other '88 could ease it down into the creek. Broke a headlamp and the Pack failed and was replaced, in the field, the next day.
Was the M88 recovery team part of 124th Maintenance Battalion, 2nd Armored Division?
@@ditzydoo4378 I dont recall the name of the maintenance unit. I was an E2 in B Co. 1/66 AR 2nd AD. The 2nd AD Commander, MG Woodmansee (RIP), was enjoying the night attack, up in the loader's hatch, until we went off the embankment.
@@chrisnewton5126 Yep! You are being in 1/66 AR 2nd AD. your recovery support would have been Bravo Co. (Heavy) 124th Maint. Bn, 2nd AD.
@@ditzydoo4378 I was in 124th Infantry, FL NG later in life so that's why "124th Maint." was hard to recall.
Those guys thought the beer question might be a trick.
Probably trying to avoid a bollocking from "upper management"!!🤣🤣
Can't be too careful.
yeah, a lt.col asking about beer... we know nuthin', nuthin'.
My Abrams was peeing FRH out of the sub turret for like 10 miles during a road march in 2008. EPA was trying to make us hand shovel and bag all 10 miles of spill....then one SFC jumped in his 88 and started back-blading the spill line....and ever 500 feet or so, would dig a hole and push it in...then keep goin. People think these 91's just fix our tracks....not even close! Those dudes are honorary Tankers...family. There are two people that Tankers will call "family"...our medic and our mechanics. We hate everybody else
They get to wear tanker boots.
You know the recovery vehicle isn't fucking around when the recovery cable has its own winch and cable 😂
That is what some people call "Coping" - With the fact that they produced a Special Vehicle for a Task that still needs such shenanigans to work! They are toast when they are under the slightest fire. And the time you need to tow a Tank increases so much that you take 10 RPG's in the meantime! They even could send a POV drone from 20KM away to stop that operation :) Not to mention Artillery zooming in! And the hefty price you pay for using such a loud engine must be compensated by it NEVER FAILING, even with 3 RPG's stuck in it! Even Japan has a better recovery vehicle!
I don't know which was at fault but during one of our trips to Graf a M88 and a M60 glanced off each other. The M60 lost several of it's road wheels on one side. Later saw the M60 in the motor pool, there was a guy sitting on the front hull with a drill. I asked what was up, he was running up the odo to get enough mileage on it to turn the tank in instead of fixing it, this was at the end of the 'Nam war and our maintenance budget was pretty much none existent. Imagine there was some creative writing happening with the logbook also.
Used an original 88 back in 1979. It lifted tank turrets and whole APCs. Also ran like a scalded dog.
Good job, Nick. Those guys deserve some recognition. Tanks have been getting stuck as long as their have been tanks and someone has to get them out. Usually they can help themselves - but when they can't - they really need someone who can.
.
Took two of them to get our M60 out of the mud at Ft. Stewart on AT.
Done the same thing in the same place. My first field trip at Stewart and sink in the mud I did.
I had the pleasure to meet a retired member of the 11th ACR who was restoring a vehicle while I was visiting OP ALPHA in perhaps 2019. Massive respect for him and the regiment. Still lots of black horses adorning the point.
I don't know who at Fort Irwin had the idea to nvite you out to make these videos, but I owe them some beer. These have been great!
Oddly enough most militaries understand the benefit of good PR. Even if they keep hands off on the direct editorial side of things.
It warms my heart a little to know that the true currency of the Army never changes.
I love these videos where you shine a light on some of the lesser-😊known specialties.
Damn I miss that sound and the smell that goes with it. While we didn't get paid in beer in the field, there were other perks like a case of fresh fruit, better chow, or down time. You learned who to prioritize pretty quick.
And when we got back we drank for free any time our tankers were in the same club.
These guys know their stuff and love what they do. You absolutely love to see it.
I just love ARV's. So much power and versatility. Hats off to the crews getting the stuff back on track when things went sideways.
While at Fort Stewart, GA, I saw an 88 struggle to pull a 103 out of the muck. The 103 got itself stuck crossing a shallow river and it just sank in the red clay all the way to about 7"-8" below the deck. I know all about it because I was on that 103, which was the PSG's vehicle, driven by the regular driver!
The TL;DR version is that the 103 and two 901's were supposed to go out in the woods and do some training for the day. We had 1 E5, one CPL, and about 8 E3's/E4's. You know we were just effing around, knocking down trees and tearing things up! The 103 got stuck mid-morning, and by the time we got back to the motor pool, it was well past 5 or 6...and the thing still needed to be washed!
Ah, great times, but honestly, eff mech. "Light" infantry all the way.
So were you Infantry or Armor? Maybe a Marine?
@@mikemcginley6309 My PMOS was 11B1P but it somehow got messed up to 11H10 after OSUT but before jump school, so I couldn't attend RIP and had to go to FSGA as an 11H1E9 crew member for my DMOS. The company knew about the eff-up but bc the division was transitioning to the Bradley, they kept it quiet bc my MOS would've changed to 11M and then I'd never go to a Ranger or Airborne unit...which I would later on.
Let me tell you, those guys have saved my ass many times!!! M88 is a GD BEAST.
In the late 80's, we often carried a wee bit of beer in our 1AD M1A1's (3-35AR/Bamberg).
Same here 11th ACR 86
One of the great things about having to deploy your unit to the NTC to go through training exercises for a couple of weeks - is that inevitably some of your tanks are going to mechanically break down - simply driving a tank through the desert for a week will result in a breakdown. It gives your mechanics a chance to actually practice their trade - recovering a tank, getting it back to the maintenance point, fixing it and getting it back in service. If you don't deploy the tanks, the mechanics almost never have a chance to do that -
As OPFOR in the late 1980s - we gave our mechanics plenty of practice at fixing our tanks - we used the old M551 Sheridan - some of the old engines we used I know had been re-built at least three times - those things would break down all the time - our mechanics were thoroughly prepared to recover and fix an armored vehicle -
Also consider simply getting the brigade from a post in the US - say, the old Ft Hood in Texas - to Ft Irwin in California - someone has to figure out how to load all the vehicles on a train, keep track of them during the journey - get them to a rail head in driving distance of Ft Irwin - marry them with their crews - and get them off the train and into the desert. There are staff officers who are responsible for doing that, and they need to practice their craft as well.
It's the same job they would have if the unit had to deploy to Europe in the Cold War - get them off the boat in Antwerp - get the tanks on a train, get them into Germany - get them off and get them into action -
At Fort SIll, my unit went to the field and as a part of that set up we had the 50 ton Rach from the rail head to move loaded mill-vans around into position.
The site on post was a secondary aircraft landing site, Oklahoma turf. They managed to turn too tightly and cut thru the turf layer and got the Rach stuck up to the axles...
They had 2 x M88 ARVs come out to try and drag that thing out of the hole it work itself in. So two M88s dragging and pulling and also fueling trucks running around to keep them gassed up made a huge mess of the site. Range Control was super PO'd and banned us from ever using the site again. In future we had to set up the 47th Field Hospital on the Credit Union's big parking lot for our FTXs. Driving big steel spikes thru asphalt with sledge hammers to set up the tents for the hospital was quite a workout. Good Times.
Badass men with a badass machine doing a badass job. Thanks for the hard work you guys do to support the fighting element. A "crate" of beer is a small price to pay for getting a 70 ton tank unstuck!
Spent 10 years on m88 loved it
jjeeeezzzzz!... that thing sounds like s steam locomotive!.. must have an absolutely huge diesel.
Got to see them rebuilding the M88s at Anniston Army Depot (along with everything else that they do there). I was there doing some contract work. It was so cool!
I'm so fond of the m88. I've slept in one numerous times and got towed by them numerous times 😂. 83-06 Armor!! Go Army
My oldest godbrother was a tank commander in the early 60s and was stationed in Germany for 5years - on one of his leaves he told about how his tank got in an incident while making a patrol - it was raining and cold and the streets in the village they were passing thru - they were going down hill when they started to slide on the cobblestone road- the tank went sideways thru the front of a store on that street and fell thru down into the basement - they had to get 2 cranes to lift the tank out of the store and put the tank on the street - the Army had to rebuild the whole store and stock it with merchandise for the store owner -
" ...without even revving the engine. " 🤣 That thing is a beast.
What a beast of a tank tow truck.
When I was in the OKARNG MLRS we had a M88 blow its motor on a movement between firing points on Ft. Sill, and they brought out another M88 to recover it. Very impressive piece of equipment.
Been asking for this video for years! Thank you
Nick, I would love to see more, in depth, recoveries, mind you I'm a "Funnies" guy. I love seeing how they go about their duties. Love your work! Thanks from England!
Slight correction, that's the M88 ARC, Armored Recovery Cadillac. AKA Ace Repair Kit (Spent years in recovery in Engineer Battalions) Awesome!!
During a stint as a squadron maintenance officer in a divisional cav outfit in Germany in the '70s, we had two M88s but they were still gasoline powered. They would put out a really nice flame at night!
M88A2 guy here...
That girl don't quit. Takes more than a tank to stop the mighty HERC.
Go Ordnance.
I've had M88's bail me out in sector many times. One time, we got a tank and an M88 stuck on a mission. Another M88 pulled out both of them.
Surprised you missed the opportunity for a little M88 trivia. The M88 in the video is an M88A2 HERCULES -- HERCULES is an acronym for Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift & Evacuation System. Its RENK v12 AVDS-1790 air-cooled engine is a derivative of the original Continental AV-1790 series that goes back to the M47 Patton and T30 prototype heavy tank. There is an M88A3 in development that will replace the AVDS with a liquid-cooled Caterpillar engine.
Cat won't handle it.
Army sure got more than its money worth funding Chieftain to do promo vids
I really liked this one!
One of these came to get our Bradley unstuck once at Fort Stewart. It got stuck too. Then the one they sent next also got stuck.
Then they weren't very good or well trained.
Had that happen to my M88 during Marne Focus this year. We recovered 2 Bradleys, but then got stuck trying to leave. Heavy 'ol girl refused to budge to the point when we ended up breaking track, and had to spend all day trying to get unstuck. Fun times.......
But how do you tension tracks on the M88A2? Great content - even without track tensioning!
You drive the M88A2 forward and coast to a stop. That relieves the tension in your tracks(not the kind of tension you want) so you can pump the track adjusting links full of grease which gives it the tension it needs. You'll hear the tracks creaking as the link pushes the compensating idler wheel forward, which is what you want to hear.
Road in an old 88 once (A1?). Talk about luxury. Once saw one trying to pull a 113 out of the mud at Graf (with the help of a VTR), and they could budge it an inch. Had to move on and don't know if they ever got it out.
🎖️🏆⭐🙏
Thank you for sharing this
Workhorse Chieftain, Allons
Now do the FRS-H (Forward Repair System-Heavy). The Ordnance center or the Armor center did a study that showed M88s were spending ~75% of their time with the A frame in the air lifting packs for maintenance and not doing recovery operations. The FRS-H was designed in part to get the M88s back to recovering vehicles while the shop had a crane to do the maintenance. The FRS-H has a 10t crane with the rotating base for this purpose (and overcomes those A-frame limitations you mentioned). The FRS-H also has an enormous toolset, a generator, air compressor, plasma torch, and all kinds of great stuff that makes the whole toolset much more readily mobile. The whole thing mounts on a PLS (palletized load system) for mobility.
Every time I see an M88/A1/A2 I simply think "What could have been". In the 80's General Dynamic's took said M1 hull and made a brilliant ARV that would make any Recovery Tech swoon. But Congress in its infinite wisdom... yeah, I know, I get a chuckle too ^~^ said No! thou shalt not have such nice things. and thus the 88 series crawls on... emphases on the crawl. 0~o
Yep. Good 'ol Allison transmission only gets you up to 26 MPH max. Try keeping up in a convoy with M1A2 SEP v3s and AMPVs that accelerate way faster then you, only for them to be annoyed when you keep falling behind.
@@NMJZ 26 MPH downhill with a good tail wind. ^~^ but it is the little engine that could. ~_^
That camp work area looks familiar. "I Think" it's ft Irwin and Dist 37 had their B to V, or Barstow to Vegas races start there in the 80's? as "B" was no longer an option.
Great show of force, Nick. Thank you, (and stop grinning so much.)
First one I saw was in Germany in 1977. Gas engine, great for heating c-rats.
Hotel Eight!!!!
You should come out to the Joint Multinational Training Center, AKA the best CTC.
I don't know much but I know that one guy looks like he only does it for the nookie...
Are they wired up during recoveries. Give them some "live fire" training and guard training where they can be disabled
Seeing people within the snap zone of those cables got me sweating lol
Awesome video, but a few nitpicks:
> 2:10 It's not a good idea to pull out the main which under manpower instead of vehicle power, unless you really have no other anchor points, vehicles nor a working aux winch/3.5 ton snatch block. The recommended minimum load is 6 tons, under which you run the risk of birdnesting the winch drum as you payout.
> 4:35 Technically, you are supposed to have that equipment on your M88A2 at all times, it's part of your Basic Issue Items(BII). Another thing is that the oxyacetylene torch is no longer part of your BII. All you get now is an exothermic cutter, which is a little simpler and faster to use.
Were you at the NTC as Chieftain, or as LTC Moran? I didn't see your rank, but they were calling you 'sir'. Also, once again, we see some of our best young Americans serving us all.
As Retired Army we’re still addressed by our rank we retired at mainly because we’re technically assigned to a Reserve unit when we retire. I have a copy of the orders assigning me to a Reserve unit that basically exists on paper only. We’re classified within 3 different classes to determine our priority for emergency recall if ever needed and it’s determined by age and disability ratings/issues. When we interact with any military we identify ourselves with name and rank as other Service members do. We don’t have authority over service members but we do respect military protocol. Hope this help. And wearing official rank is somewhat frowned upon, especially in a RUclips video.
SO that is like a military AAA
You missed the chance for the pun: ...to give us the Penny-a tour...
M88 can do bunch of other things, such as defueling M1's fuel cells if necessary.
funny. in the end he talks about a double pull(with snatch block) but they just showed a straight pull?
I want one, ill convert it into a camper van
When units go to NTC do they bring their own recovery people and equipment to do the based people service “both sides”?
There is a huge motor pool of equipment owned by NTC that can be lent to units on rotation. It apparently doesn't include combat vehicles, so you need to bring your own tanks and brads. Exact details as to what you need to bring and what you can draw is unclear to me. I would assume that if things go completely to hell that NTC will arrange for recovery assistance, but there will be more than a little further discussion about that afterward, both from NTC and your entire chain of command.
@@k53847 That's a change from when I went there 3 times in the early '90s. Combat vehicles (and common trucks like Deuce and 1/2s, Humvees, etc.) were pulled from NTC stocks but 'specialty' vehicles were brought in with the unit. I was in an electronic warfare unit and we railed our vehicles from Riley to NTC every time. The one exception I saw where a unit brought their own tanks was a battalion from the California NG who still had M60A3s.
@@jarink1 From Army Sustainment September 2016 "The prepositioned fleet is a store of rolling stock items, trailers, generators, forklifts, mine plows, and other ancillary equipment. The purpose of this equipment is to reduce the transportation costs associated with deploying a brigade to NTC. The pre-positioned fleet does not include items such as Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, Strykers, or Paladins. It does include a great deal of support equipment that is used by both light and heavy formations."
Out of curiosity, could a beehive round detonate the ERA blocks on a MBT. I saw a video where a Bradley was detonating all the ERA blocks on a Russian tank in Ukraine with it's Bushmaster, one after the other in rapid succession. If an older tank like say, and M60 or updated M48 with 105mm main guns had a beehive type round that was the equivalent of dozens of those bushmaster rounds clustered into a single shell, potentially it could detonate all the ERA blocks on either the front or one of the sides of a MBT at the exact same time. So instead of dozens of little explosions in rapid succession on the side or front of the tank you have a single massive explosion. By themselves when individual ERA blocks detonate they won't harm the tank or crew inside, but what about if it's all of them at the same time? If nothing else it would create a bit of a challenge for the active protection system as well, since it's meant to deal with a large single incoming projectile, not dozens of smaller ones all at once. Such a shell might be what older tanks like an M60 or Leo 1 would need if they ran into an Oh $hit situation with a T90.
Unauthorized head gear on that ssg
Hercules, Hercules!
Q: Wadda ya use that vice for?
A: Anything.
I think someone stole the cat out of it.
Will there be any plans to used the Chassis of an M1 M1A1 or M1A2 and do the same thing with the Chassis of a M48 / M60 parts and create a M1 A1A2 ARV or has the Tank Corp already try one already to see how it would do ???
I doubt it. The M88A3 is doubling down on the M88A2's design and improving upon it.
There has been some ideas to have a M1-based ARV.
The project has been shot down by budget, and simply because the latest M88A3s do all the Army need to do - why fix something isn't broken?
@@ulissedazante5748 Depends on how you define 'broken.' Having an ARV that shares parts with the M60 isn't as much of a selling point as it once was.
Do the mechanics rotate more often than the combat arms guys? I can see these skills in demand more often than combat skills since incidents happen at all times not just in combat
The brigade support battalion goes with a BCT to NTC. So the forward support company (which has the mechanics etc) goes with the battalion. But it seems some roles get more than their fair share of CTC rotations.
The mechanics in a Forward Support Company/Troop are usually attached to a section called Services & Recovery. If they have enough personnel to rotate on and off the M88, they will do so. Forward Maintenance teams also have M88s but are typically attached to a Company/Troop of combat arms personnel, like engineers or tankers, but it's still the same principle.
I'm kind of surprised you almost never see any of the M578 light recovery vehicles.
I always thought those were long since retired, here I am surprised they're actually still around.
The army's Berge Guntank
M88A3 will eliminate the need of second M88 as brake vehicle. It will be able to handle the M1A2 SEPv3 on its own.
Inside you are two winches...
What is the loud noise in the background? It sounds like a steam engine…
Amazing that the US Army are still using steam power...
Not military. M88 is a sexy beast
Never understood why the M88 was never replaced, it may be able to pull but that A-frame "crane" is a joke as you have to move the whole tank to line it up properly. Much preferred our Leopard 1 based Bpz 2 and later the Bueffel on Leopard 2 chassis in the German Army, the maintenance unit I served in had an old M88 but we never used it. The only reason I can see why the Abrams never got an ARV version is the gas turbine, would prob burn the paint and any rubber parts off a towed tank. That is why you develop a tank family, way more a tank unit needs than an MBT. Kinda nuts to keep that old beast in service for what?? 50 years now?
The A frame can lift more than a rotating crane arm. Lift capacity was more important to the US than arm maneuverability. Towing with a turbine just requires an exhaust deflector.
I will like to call them my big surf fishing rods at anytime get my ocean city maryland surf fishing rods
It's amusing to me that every soldier and officer speaking to him are acting like they are speaking to a serving officer.
Well, if other commenters are to be believed, it's because a retired lieutenant colonel is still a lieutenant colonel. That is, he still holds the rank, even if he isn't part of the chain of command for any serving personnel.
He isn’t retired though. He is a lieutenant colonel.
Has the Staff Sgt. got a “ball tickler” under his bottom lip? to what is the American Army becoming!
Damn sir, you spelled sergeant wrong😂
46th, 31 August 2024
I haven't watched the video yet, the title said M88 so I'm just gonna @sofilein here.
Mechanics are the most hardest and over worked soldiers US ARMY.
One thing it cannot do: Fly. 1984 driving using NODs in the Valley of death we went off a 40 foot cliff and sheered both final drives.
Damn!
So the vis mod M1113 is supposed to be a BMP 1 but from this angle i had to do a double take cause for a second my gamer nerd eye though they were lifting a spartan with some kinda turret.
And there I was thinking that it was just me.
Excellent blow by blow video🫡
Thanks for the lesson