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