The FReeper Foxhole's TreadHead Tuesday - Stridsvagn 103 (Swedish S-Tank) - June 8th, 2004

http://afvinteriors.hobbyvista.com/stank/stank.html ^

[SAMWolf]

Cuz' we'd be all alone here.

:-(

[Iris7]

Everybody always says speed and mobility is most important, then gun, then armor. Guderian used to say this, back before the war. When the shooting starts the old lesson, from WW2, every Israeli war, Korea, is learned again. Armor first (they call it "good protection" these days), then gun, then mobility. The simple fact is that your crews will not perform unless the armor is good enough. People want a fighting chance, not a death sentence.

There is an old saying, "Armor makes courage." This was from the old days, pre-firearm. Still true. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[PhilDragoo]

Sans fording skirts. Note the clean lines.

Above and below from this site.

Tom Clancy chasing his ex-wife in between taping anti-Bush interviews for the telly.

Do not miss the other twelve S-Tank photos at this site.

35538 Strv 103 S-Tank

Slow-loading but worthwhile:

Swedish Armor

In event of time-out or hot-link block, pull emergency lever

103StankAmmoLoadMattiasBrehag.jpg

From this neat page.

By loading on a trailer ramp maximum declination is attained.

From Swedes at the RAAC Tank Museum

But despite the extremely minimal silhouette, nothing, repeat, nothing is as low as Jean-Fraud Kerry, Komrade du Komunistas:

That Monroe Doctrine thang was bypassed by the Communist Congress' 1982 Boland Amendment making Communism in the Western Hemisphere a protected endangered species.

Jean-Fraud Kerry, not just French, not just Communist, not just anti-American--

Jean-Fraud is the real Red deal: French anti-American Communist.

[Cue Howard Dean/Al Gore stereophonic schizophrenic screamphony in F Minor with Ted Kennedy on mooing, cowbell.
Deutchegrammefon 666]

[Iris7]

President Reagan used a good metaphor in Winston Churchill.

Churchill became Prime Minister on May 10th, the very same day the Nazis crossed the French border. The world watched the catastrophe in France with dread and amazement.

The Germans offered the English peace terms right after Dunkirk. (Folks mostly don't know this, was maximum secret at the time. Historian John Lukacs has written the definitive book.) Great Britain would keep control of the sea and the Empire, and a guarantee of no invasion. (If Hitler said he was not going to kill you, he meant not right this minute.)

Lots of British Big Dogs were hot for the peace treaty. Lukacs traces the details; Churchill kept them from going wobbly. Real pressure, too. Life sentences were promised, with daily beatings. Lukacs makes the convincing case that Churchill single handedly prevented disaster of an awesome magnitude.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

S-Tank

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!!!

[fdsa2]

Wow!

Getting a little misty-eyed over here in Sweden. As one of the last batch of pluton commanders on the 103C I have a special love/hate relationship to the tank.

One of it´s best features (a detail) but which no one has mentioned here but what saved our "bacon" in lots of situations was the ability for the tank commander to 1. take control of the tank and operate and fire from that position and 2. the ability to "ensa" (roughly slang for bringing together) which means that I could spot an enemy position or tank and lock on to it through my miniscule turret (complete with joystick operated 7.62 gun) while the shooter/driver finished engaging his target, then with a flick of a button the whole tank would swing into firing postion on my target.

That said the design was old and the tank certainly had it´s flaws but it sure as hell beat marching any day and on the jet engine exhaust next to my turret I could bring a brew up to cooking temperature in 2,5 seconds flat.

Or as our bumber sticker said "Infanterister på marsch uppskattar när man vinkar till dem" (Marching infantry appreciates when you wave to them).

IMHO Best VetsCoR thread ever - thank you!!!!

[Professional Engineer]

Sans fording skirts. Note the clean lines.

Oops. Looks akin to "forgot to put the gear down". LOL

[Professional Engineer]

and on the jet engine exhaust next to my turret I could bring a brew up to cooking temperature in 2,5 seconds flat.

LOL. A soldier's ingenuity is a wonderful thing.

[Johnny Gage]

Thanks for your posts. I love all the pictures and commentary you add to each days threads!

[Darksheare]

I got yelled at for not running down the Captain when he said "Stop" while I was on the sand.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. And if the student saw only movies he would think we were all beautiful!

[Darksheare]

Yes, I am short.
That's what makes people overlook me while I sneak into a good defensible position...
..unless I'm up against people the same height or shorter than I.
;-)

[SAMWolf]

Don't fret too much, the results in America would probably be worse. The teaching of our History is sorely lacking here.