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This M113A1 has been modified to ACAV standard. Originally conceived by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, ACAVs had two 7.62mm machine guns on either side of the cargo hatch in addition to the .50cal MG at the commander's station, and these vehicles were used as light tanks instead of armored personnel carriers. Gun shields were provided to protect the gunners from return fire. Four hundred seventy-six standardized armor kits were ordered from FMC Corp., and these were shipped in July 1966 to Vietnam. The machine guns could be replaced by 40mm grenade launchers or recoilless rifles.
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The boxy shape of the M113 is immediately obvious when viewing this vehicle. This M113A2 lacks the rear-mounted external fuel tanks, but it has been fitted with smoke grenade launchers. The launchers themselves are absent on this model, but the mounting brackets remain, below each headlight cluster. The large trim vane is in the stowed position on the hull upper front; this would swing out when swimming to prevent water from coming over the hull front and swamping the vehicle. The actuating handle for the trim vane is just to the right of the driver's station on the hull front. The driver's cupola is on the left of the hull, and the commander's cupola with the mount for the .50cal M2HB machine gun is centered behind the driver. The four mounting brackets on the left front of the hull are for extra track blocks. The tracks on this vehicle are the single-pin T130E1 type. (Picture courtesy Armor Foto.)
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This M113A2 has been outfitted to look like a Vietnam-era ACAV vehicle, but its raised idler wheel gives it away. Smoke grenade launchers are not fitted to this vehicle.
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At the left rear corner of the hull is the rear bilge pump outlet. A lifting eye is just to the right of the pump outlet, and below these are the right tail light and the telephone connector.
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The driver's position can be seen to the right of this image, and the vehicle commander was placed directly ahead of the camera. The mesh grille just to the driver's right is for engine air intake. An exhaust grille was placed to the right of the air intake grille.
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The two bench seats for passengers are placed along the hull sides, and a single jump seat is directly behind the vehicle commander's position. The roof hatch is open on this vehicle. The dark green device in the front right corner of the passenger compartment is the personnel heater, and the radio is stowed on the shelf opposite the heater.
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A closer look at the interior is provided here. The radio and intercom installation is on the left side of the vehicle, and just ahead of this is a fire extinguisher bottle. The driver's adjustable seat post is at the front of the vehicle, and the steering levers, instruments, and accelerator pedal are all visible. The black-knobbed lever placed high to the driver's right is the transmission shift lever, and just below this is the ramp actuating lever.
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The external fuel tanks are mounted on this M113A3. The door in the left side of the rear ramp can also be seen. This vehicle was awaiting deployment at Hunter Army Airfield.(Picture taken 28 Feb 2001 by Donald Teft; available from the Defense Visual Information Center.)
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© Copyright 2001-07 Chris Conners