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#1: Commando V-150 Author: Jack_Smigh, Location: Whidbey Island, Washington

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:41 pm
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Hey Dontos

thanks for the welcome.

Here are some pics of Oak Harbors V150

Neil, this is a correction, ( it's not a v100)

Dontos, Did you take that picture of the Bradley? and why did they bring it up to the Seaplane base?

#2: Re: Commando V-150 Author: JimWeb, Location: The back of beyond

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:22 pm
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- Jack_Smigh

Here are some pics of Oak Harbors V150

That appears to have originally been the LFV-MEWS prototype. Its missing a few things now though.

Cool

#3: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Jack_Smigh, Location: Whidbey Island, Washington

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 11:38 pm
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Jim,

anymore info on LFV-MEWS prototype?

I don't know if you can make it out on the data plate

but it looks like manf date of 12/93

customer USN

#4: Re: Commando V-150 Author: SFC_Jeff_Button, Location: Ft Hood, TX

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:08 am
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I noticed on the Data Plate of the V150, that it said "Cadillac Gage". Did they make this V100 as well that at Ft Hood? I also found that same label inside the "Slick 60". What is Cadillac's history with the military?

#5: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Dontos, Location: Vine Grove, KY

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:08 am
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- Jack_Smigh

Hey Dontos

thanks for the welcome.

Dontos, Did you take that picture of the Bradley? and why did they bring it up to the Seaplane base?

I was the Army Recruiter in Oak Harbor. I made a request for an Abrams & Bradley, and a Hett. They were transported up to Seaplane Base on 2 Army Reserve 'Mike' Boats and an LCU. They were brought up for the annual Sea & Sky fest.

Washington Highway Dept refused to authorize movement over Deception Pass Bridge, so I made a 'contact' thru an Army Reserve 'Boat' unit in Tacoma. All the vehicles sailed up the Puget sound to Oak Harbor.

BTW Nice photos of the OHPD Commando. I don't believe they had that when I was there, I know exactly where that photo is taken.

I'll see if I can dig out more photos of the Hetts, LCU,'Mike' boats, and Bradley.

Don

#6: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 3:15 pm
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- SFC_Jeff_Button

I noticed on the Data Plate of the V150, that it said "Cadillac Gage". Did they make this V100 as well that at Ft Hood? I also found that same label inside the "Slick 60". What is Cadillac's history with the military?

Jeff,

IIRC, Cadillac Gage (long time contractor to the military for power controls and stuff, like the turret hydraulics you've seen) designed and built the V100 family of vehicles on speculation (no requirement then existed) for the Army and Air Force, who actually grudgingly found uses for it along with (or maybe after) some foreign sales, like to the ARVN, among others). It expanded into the V150 an other families after acquisition. You can see some of the history here:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-150

My own feeling is the vehicle had a lot to offer and that the services were remiss in not embracing it sooner and with more enthusiasm ("not invented here") for the roles for which it was appropriate. The fact that it is now being fielded in the guise of, I believe, the M1117 in Iraq (four decades later) might tell you something.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ty_Vehicle

I'm wildly oversimplifying a long and complex history, of course, and probably somebody with access to something like Hunnicutt's "Armored Car" can tell it much better.

#7: Re: Commando V-150 Author: bsmart, Location: Central Maryland

Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 10:08 pm
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The Air Force had some at Langley AFB when I was there (76-85) They stopped or at least cut back their use after they had a rollover that killed one of the crew members

#8: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Jack_Smigh, Location: Whidbey Island, Washington

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:42 pm
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Bob,

The vehicle I took pic's of is rumored to have rolled over and killed 2 crew out at the Yakima Range

#9: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:49 pm
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Not for nothing did they put "ROPS" in later versions of the M151A2 Jeeps. Never underestimate the capacity of crews to exceed the safe speed of any vehicle...and an armored vehicle has lots of pointy bits inside that can be bad for you, not to mention stuff that may be unsecured flying around in there.

#10: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Dontos, Location: Vine Grove, KY

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:37 pm
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- Doug_Kibbey

Not for nothing did they put "ROPS" in later versions of the M151A2 Jeeps. Never underestimate the capacity of crews to exceed the safe speed of any vehicle...and an armored vehicle has lots of pointy bits inside that can be bad for you, not to mention stuff that may be unsecured flying around in there.

ROPS were a myth in my circles. I drove an M151A2 for 3 years. (Ft Hood & Germany) Never saw the ROPS first hand while the jeep was in common (mass) use.

I rolled my jeep twice, both times in a field environment.

My first M151A2 (1985-86: Ft Hood)

My second (1986-88: Germany)

Don

#11: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Doug_Kibbey, Location: The Great Satan

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:02 am
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- Dontos

- Doug_Kibbey

Not for nothing did they put "ROPS" in later versions of the M151A2 Jeeps. Never underestimate the capacity of crews to exceed the safe speed of any vehicle...and an armored vehicle has lots of pointy bits inside that can be bad for you, not to mention stuff that may be unsecured flying around in there.

ROPS were a myth in my circles. I drove an M151A2 for 3 years. (Ft Hood & Germany) Never saw the ROPS first hand while the jeep was in common (mass) use.

I rolled my jeep twice, both times in a field environment.

My first M151A2 (1985-86: Ft Hood)

Don

Don,
When I was "shopping" for an M151 a coupla' of years back, several of the ones I came across were ROPS equipped, which ruled 'em out for my purposes...(I was lookin' to for a VN gunjeep setup..the best one got away because I was in Brasil when it came available and a retired LTC snagged it before I could get home Sad

) I think the ones around here (California) were ex-Marine, which is hardly surprizing.

#12: Re: Commando V-150 Author: Roy_A_Lingle, Location: El Paso & Ft Bliss, Texas

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:38 am
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Hi Folks!

- Doug_Kibbey

- Dontos

- Doug_Kibbey

Not for nothing did they put "ROPS" in later versions of the M151A2 Jeeps. Never underestimate the capacity of crews to exceed the safe speed of any vehicle.

ROPS were a myth in my circles. I drove an M151A2 for 3 years. (Ft Hood & Germany) Never saw the ROPS first hand while the jeep was in common (mass) use.
Don

Don,
When I was "shopping" for an M151 a coupla' of years back, several of the ones I came across were ROPS equipped, which ruled 'em out for my purposes...(I was lookin' to for a VN gunjeep setup..the best one got away because I was in Brasil when it came available and a retired LTC snagged it before I could get home ) I think the ones around here (California) were ex-Marine, which is hardly surprizing.

I too must say that during my career, I never saw a ROPS equipped M151. I remember seeing a driver's training film that showed tests of the M151 being tested with a roll bar and it was found that it didn't help. That was why one was never installed and it was left up to the driver to understand how easy it was to filp a M151. It was up to the driver to insure they didn't over drive the system. During the few times I drove the M151, never flipped one, but came very close a couple of times during darkness when the ground wasn't as flat as I though it was.

When I retired in 1987 and returned to the El Paso/Ft. BLiss area, I was very surpised to see all the M151s around here had that system installed. Both Active and National Guard units had them. A lot troops were hurt and killed because the Army refuzed to put a roll cage on that vehicle. The only reason the rear end got changed on the A2 model was because of Ralph Nader and his raiders took the Army to court and won.

Sgt, Scouts Out!

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