M5A1, The Texan, B2
The texan is a M5A1 that came from Texas (of all places...). The poor thing was a basket case. It has not received a full restoration, or even a partial restoration. What we did was get the mechanical operation of the tank to a usable level. This tank is currently our only piece with steel track. No parades for this guy!!!
In the Texan's first outing to a tactical battle at Camp Atturbury it performed brilliantly. In a battle that was slightly overmatched we shined! From a high vantage point we dropped 5 rounds into the turret of the Tiger. Be your own judge of its condition after that. We also flanked and took out the German held town. After this heroic action the tank that was once called the Texas Turd was rechristened the TEXAN!
In the Texan's first outing to a tactical battle at Camp Atturbury it performed brilliantly. In a battle that was slightly overmatched we shined! From a high vantage point we dropped 5 rounds into the turret of the Tiger. Be your own judge of its condition after that. We also flanked and took out the German held town. After this heroic action the tank that was once called the Texas Turd was rechristened the TEXAN!
This is an oil filter assembly from the right engine. It was leaking at the lid and one of the hoses. Metal braid hoses are tough, but it can be hard to find leaks in then as the damage is often hidden under the braid. I applied some air pressure to the assembly and found the telltale oil coming out. When in the engine bay the fans blow oil droplets everywhere, making it difficult to know where to even start looking for leaks. |
Note the light pitting across the right side of the bracket. Where the two pieces were welded together rust had invaded. The rust was in between the two pieces and caused it to swell out which made the ammo can not fit! Imagine the bow gunner without a fresh supply of ammo... This is the repaired item. Mike was so fast to fix it I couldn't get a before picture. |
This picture shows the carburator on the left engine. The left engine wouldn't idle and lacked power. It ran fine when parked! Anyway, we went thru the ignition and replaced a leaking coil yet it still had problems. The carb. was removed and totally dissasembled, minor crud was removed, but nothing dramatic. The results were quickly evident, the tank started quickly and idles fine. The top of the photo is the bottom side of the radiator, its a tight fit! |
These parts were packaged in the 1940's. Amazing how good this stuff looks after all these years. Opening a package that has not seen the light of day for 70 years is an incredible experience. The stock of these parts is drying up. Enjoy while you can! |
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A good rack makes for a good paint job! Primed and painted, these parts will really look good back inside the tank. |
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