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I was looking through some old issues of Wheels & Tracks recently when I noticed an article about an AFV collection near Vicksburg Mississippi at the Corps of Engineers Waterway Experimental Station. It showed some interesting vehicles such as M274 Mule, KID tractor, XM410E1, V3 Combat Test Vehicle, XM808, M116 Husky, M5A4 HST, M4 HST, M56 (T101) Scorpion, M114A1, M48 Patton, and others. It is issue 35 (1991), page 46, for those who also accumulate such things. I don't see this collection in the AFV Register, and am wondering if anyone out there happens to know the status of it? I looked for it on Google Maps, but, although the station is there, I cannot see any AFVs. The images of this location are not high enough resolution. Anyone?

Alf

I found their website and shot an email to the public affairs office.

M274 "Mule" interesting? That's the first time I've heard that said.

I've made contact with the WES PAO. They still have a few vehicles, but most were given to museums or used as targets. He is going to catalog what they still have (and possibly take pictures) and get back to me.

Thanks for doing the digital legwork on this Neil. I should have thought of the PAO angle myself. I await with interest to see what is left there. Judging from the pictures in W&T, they used to have a small but nice collection which included some rare vehicles.

Alf, thanks fot the heads up. Would you mind scanning that article and sending it to me? The PAO is interested to see it.

Thanks!

Bunch of AFVs in this area:
binged.it/LoDmNb


This looks like a gate guard:
binged.it/LoEalk


Wingy thingy:
binged.it/LoEL6z


Off topic, what do you guys think these things are?
binged.it/LoFAMI

And these?
binged.it/KDfws0

About the last link, aren't these Hawk missile domes to protect them against the weather?

nl.123rf.com/photo_100...rland.html

regards
Lesley

I don't think so. They look like they might be pressure vessels for building up large volumes of compressed air to allow it to be released for experimental purposes.

Remember the Corps of Engineers is responsible for flood control and navigation on the Mississippi and other inland waterways. That is a huge organization and with Vicksburg being along the Mississippi I think it is probably the primary purpose for most development at that site

They're not pressure vessels, definately an easily retractable cover for something.

- Dennis_Smith

Bunch of AFVs in this area:
binged.it/LoDmNb

Dennis,
Thanks - that is the display area from the article. It looks like the XM800W is still there for example.

Neil

Here are some current photos of the collection sent to me by the PAO.

According to the PAO most vehicles are in bad shape. Since 9-11 they don't do tours and the vehicles are no longer maintained. Many vehicles were surpluses and donated to museums.

First the "true" AFVs:

M48A1 Patton





M60A0





M113 "Hotrod" - "two Chrysler 440s yoked together that got 70+ mph, unofficial land speed record for tracked vehicle until M1 with no governors took the title"





M56 Scorpion



M116 Husky





XM800W ARSV chassis

Amphibious softskins - seems to me these would be a good fit at the Army Transportation Museum.

XM759 Marginal Terrain Vehicle - the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Mechanized Museum has one, another one is in storage at Quantico



Lockheed Terra Star





Marsh Screw



Mexa-Clark Truck



Riverine Utility Craft (assembled)



Riverine Utility Craft (disassembled)



"Candidate" PLS Truck



Unknown - Help?

"Missing" vehicles previously identified in the 1991 Wheels & Tracks article:

KID amphibious tractor
M4 High Speed Tractor
M5A4 High Speed Tractor
M37 truck
M114
M274 Mule
Nodwell RN10
Polecat personnel carrier
XM410 truck
XM808 Twister
V3 Combat Test Vehicle

Hi Neil.
Your unknown is the experimental COE version of the AMG Heavy Hummer, known as the Hummer Truck. This one appears to be in the low bed configuration. (source: Squadron/Signal Hummer/Humvee in action)
By the way, the PLS candidate above it, even with the GMC logo on the front, is basically a MAN.