Infantry Phones on US Tanks

[Kampfgruppe Cottrell]

I've read that in the Pacific the Marines fitted tanks with a phone to it's rear so that accompanying infantry could talk to the crew who were almost always buttoned due to Jap infantry assault. Does anyone have any pics of what these phones looked like and where they where on the vehicle? I can't seem to find any good pics of this kind of field upgrade.

Brian

[HAWKEYE]

I've seen them in Sands Of Iwo Jima and Halls of Montezuma....check them out.

[pdf27]

They're pretty common nowadays - I know for certain the Australian Abrams tanks they're just getting have been modified to get them, and I'm pretty sure the British and US tanks in Iraq have them at the moment.
As for placement, it tends to be behind the tank, usually behind one track or another - lets the person on it see forward but allows them to remain mostly in cover at the same time.

[Nickdfresh]

They're pretty common nowadays - I know for certain the Australian Abrams tanks they're just getting have been modified to get them, and I'm pretty sure the British and US tanks in Iraq have them at the moment.
As for placement, it tends to be behind the tank, usually behind one track or another - lets the person on it see forward but allows them to remain mostly in cover at the same time.


I think there is some complaint about the Abrams in relation to infantry support. The exhaust from the turbine engine is so hot it's kind of difficult to stand directly behind. I think they might have since modified it with a directional port though...

[overlord644]

i know they were used in the US 4th ID after D-Day i would assume other divisions had them as well

[Kimura]

In the army I serve with that tank shown in the pic. the left bin of the 2 attached on the rear is a telephone with direct access to the tanks intercom. I guess its a holdowver of the 60's tank doctrin as mentioned in a post above.
http://data.primeportal.net/apc/jussen/pz61/PZ-61%20(MJU)-06.jpg

[Churchill]

Nice example, and from this point of view, it looks like the tree in the background is coming out of the top hatch of the turret.

[Carl Schwamberger]

Its less of a holdover. In Iraq US soldiers found it would have been a usefll tool. Radios are not always available or as reliable for communicating with the tank crew.

[Rising Sun*]

Its less of a holdover. In Iraq US soldiers found it would have been a usefll tool. Radios are not always available or as reliable for communicating with the tank crew.

Radios can also suffer from other transmissions if they're on a net. Phone to tank is one to one.