Tank Killer

[Chukpike]

Do we have anyone who can identify this machine?

 

[Jim Baker]

M56 Scorpion. 1950's era.

 

To provide AB Divisions with some protection against tanks. That's a 90mm gun.

[Tom Dinackus]

Actually, it entered service in the late 1950s and was mostly withdrawn from service by the early 1960s. It served in both airborne and "leg" infantry units. The 173rd Airborne Brigade had one company of them (Co D, 16th Armor) and took them to Vietnam, but they were mothballed pretty quickly.

[gwb123]

One of the drawbacks was the crew was exposed to small arms fire.

[Cobrahistorian]

If anyone wants better pics, the Field Artillery Museum has one on exhibit in the FA park.

[Tom Dinackus]

The M56 also lacked any sort of secondary weapon (machine gun), and the loader had to be standing on the ground behind the vehicle to load the 90mm.

[El Bibliotecario]

An old soldier told me the chief advantage of this weapon was that the individual storage cells for 90mm rounds were the perfect size to accept a fifth of liquor.