Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: 6 recoiless on a track? Message-ID: <1991Feb12.015725.11138@cbnews.att.com> Date: 12 Feb 91 01:57:25 GMT References: <1991Feb11.051103.2941@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: The Boeing Co., MMST, Seattle, Wa. Lines: 46 Approved: military@att.att.com From: bcstec!shuksan!major@uunet.UU.NET (Mike Schmitt) > From: "Larry W. Jewell" > > I need some information on a weapon used in the 'Nam. It was > an armored, tracked vehicle with six recoiless rifles, (75mm > or 105mm, not sure which) three to a side. > > I'd like the designator of the vehicle, and which units used > it (I'm interested in the period from '70 -'71). I think this > unit also used the same rifle setup on a jeep. > > > [mod.note: It's the M50 Ontos. I'll leave it to someone else > to provide full details. - Bill ] Your talking about the Ontos - with 6 106mm Recoiless Rifles mounted on it. Used by the Marines as a direct support anti-tank weapon. It was mounted on a light tracked vehicle - the same platform as the old SPAT. (Self-propelled Light Anti-Tank Gun) [I think I saw some of these with the Marines on Okinawa (circa '63)]. I believe the Ontos was used in Vietnam, too (Danang?). The design flaw on the Ontos was kind of comical - 6x 106mm Rifles could put out some awesome firepower - and the vehicle gave some crew protection. But, someone had to get outside and reload each rifle!!! The 106mmRR jeep-mounted was the basic anti-tank weapon in the army for a long time. It was a very good weapon and accurate. I fired the 106 a few times at Ft Benning. The gun had a .50 spotting rifle with tracer rounds - coaxialy mounted with the main gun - the 'trigger' was actually the 'hub' of the elevation wheel on the side. The gunner sat on the left side - lay the sight crosshairs on the target - pull out to fire the spotter gun - when the tracer hit the target - push in to fire the main gun - if you were 'good' the whole sequence took less than one second = bam! BAM!!. And then get the hell out - the recoil(less) backblast produced a huge white blast of smoke - nice target. The 106's went away with the advent of the anti-tank guided missiles. Still, they were fun to fire. mike schmitt