http://www.gruntonline.com/US_Force...mor/armour9.htm

M-88 ARMORED RECOVERY VEHICLE (裝甲回收車)

Based on the suspension and running gear of the M48A2 tank, the M88 could be used for both medium and heavy recovery operations using an 'A' frame type hoisting boom.

The superstructure and crew compartment were composed of a single large armor casting and provided protection against most types of machine guns and artillery fragments.

Side view of M88

First accepted into the US Army’s inventory in 1959, over 1000 M88’s were produced by Bowen-McLaughin-York of Pennsylvania and powered by a Continental AVSI-1790-6A engine with an Allison XT-1400-2 transmission. The vehicle was rated at 980 horsepower. Modeled as it was on the M48A2, the M88 was fitted with a gasoline powered engine which made it a vulnerable target to NVA and VC antitank weapons such as the RPG and mines.
1959 年由美國陸軍開始接收超過 1000 輛的M-88, 配備大陸公司AVSI-1790-6A , 傳動系統是愛利森公司 XT-1400-2 . M-88 與 M48A2 一樣的有 980 匹馬力 . 由於汽油引擎之故 , 使得 M-88 容易被北越陸軍與越共的反坦克武器例如 RPG 與地雷所擊毀 .

M88 and crew on the move

The crew comprised of the vehicle commander, driver, mechanic and rigger. Both the driver and mechanic were located at the front of the crew compartment with the driver on the left side. The commander was in the center under the cupola with the rigger directly behind him. Each crew member had a hatch in the roof of the cab, the commander had his cupola and there was also a door in each side of the superstructure.

Normally armed with a single .50-caliber machine gun externally mounted on the vehicle commanders cupola.

M88 at work

The M88 was fitted with a front mounted blade which was hydraulically powered and controlled. This was used primarily to anchor the vehicle and support it when lifting loads with the boom.

However, it was also quite often used like a bulldozer for clearing vegetation and digging defensive positions – a task which it was not designed for and which was discouraged.

The US Army and USMC developed a bulldozer blade which could be retrofitted to an M48A3 tank (then designated M8A3). In this configuration the M48A3 Patton was used for busting trail through dense vegetation as well as digging out or even burying enemy defensive positions.

M-51 HEAVY RECOVERY VEHICLE

The heaviest armored vehicle used during the Vietnam War. Used almost exclusively by USMC with each Marine tank battalion having four of these vehicles, one per company. This massive vehicle, weighing some 60-tons, used the same suspension and track components as the M103 heavy tank.

M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle

The M51 first entered service with both the US Army and USMC in 1954 although the US Army used the M51 for only a short period before replacing it with the M88.

M51 Heavy Recovery Vehicle at work

The USMC did not use the M88, instead they made almost exclusive use of the enormous M51 as their prime recovery vehicle. Weighing a massive 60-tons and based on the chassis of the M103 heavy battle tank, the M51 was a gasoline powered vehicle that could produce 1000 horsepower.

Equipped with a 30-ton capacity crane (30 噸吊車), a 45-ton capacity winch (45 噸絞車) and a 5-ton capacity auxiliary winch (5 噸輔助絞車), the M51 was well suited to almost any recovery task. The hull was divided into three compartments and was made from welded rolled armor plate. The crew cab was housed on the front of the vehicle and accommodated the vehicle commander, driver, crane operator and rigger.
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1000 馬力汽油引擎 , 加滿油箱要多少錢 ?