The Us Xm-1 Program (History, Competition, Decision)

[Jim Warford]

Just to get things started...the GM version:

 

 

 

[Jim Warford]

Here's a very early XM-1 concept drawing:

 

[Archie Pellagio]

Looks like the bastard love-child of a Leo 1 and an M60...

[Corinthian]

Add Chieftain, for that "snout" on the turret front where the mantlet would be.

[JW Collins]

Is that a coaxial 25mm Bushmaster on that early (XM815?) concept drawing?

[Damian]

Yeah, some early cocnepts had a 25mm as coaxial weapon. In Hunnicutt book there are a lot of interesting drawings.

[JW Collins]

I hear Hunnicutt mentioned a lot, seems to be the ultimate Abrams reference. What is the specific name of that book? I may have to gift myself a copy one of these days.

[Damian]

R.P. Hunnicutt - Abrams A History Of The American Main Battle Tank Volume 2. There is also first part Patton A History Of The American Main Battle Tank Volume 1.

 

Hunnicutt wrote 10 books, it is recommended to read all of them.

[Mr King]

R.P. Hunnicutt - Abrams A History Of The American Main Battle Tank Volume 2. There is also first part Patton A History Of The American Main Battle Tank Volume 1.

 

Hunnicutt wrote 10 books, it is recommended to read all of them.

 

I hear they are quite pricy.

[Przezdzieblo]

This concept drawing looks like Chrysler`s early proposals (before validation phase variants), with Bushmaster as xoax and no special armour at all. Jim, do you know the source for that drawing?

[shep854]

King of the Killing Fields is another good read, written by a journalist (Orr Kelly) that gives a personal side to the process. Hunnicutt is big on the technical side, having been written with armor enthusiasts in mind.

----

ETA that I liked the GM entrant. Somehow it just looked more business-like.

Edited October 4, 2012 by shep854

[Max H]

Add Chieftain, for that "snout" on the turret front where the mantlet would be.

 

My first thought was conqueror when I saw the first pic

[Doug Kibbey]

I hear Hunnicutt mentioned a lot, seems to be the ultimate Abrams reference. What is the specific name of that book? I may have to gift myself a copy one of these days.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Abrams-History-American-Main-Battle/dp/089141388X

 

Ultimate reference selection on the development of American armored vehicles. Some of the later works less in demand are still available new for ~$95. Higher demands tomes out of print for some time are $200-400. A good copy of 'Sherman" or "Stuart" can be quite a bit more. Luck is often a factor at any given moment.

[GregShaw]

I hear Hunnicutt mentioned a lot, seems to be the ultimate Abrams reference. What is the specific name of that book? I may have to gift myself a copy one of these days.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Abrams-History-American-Main-Battle/dp/089141388X

 

Ultimate reference selection on the development of American armored vehicles. Some of the later works less in demand are still available new for ~$95. Higher demands tomes out of print for some time are $200-400. A good copy of 'Sherman" or "Stuart" can be quite a bit more. Luck is often a factor at any given moment.

 

My copy of "Sherman" is part of my retirement plan.

 

Greg Shaw

[Jim Warford]

This concept drawing looks like Chrysler`s early proposals (before validation phase variants), with Bushmaster as xoax and no special armour at all. Jim, do you know the source for that drawing?

 

Sorry, I don't know the source of the drawing...

Edited October 5, 2012 by Jim Warford

[Chris Werb]

I hear Hunnicutt mentioned a lot, seems to be the ultimate Abrams reference. What is the specific name of that book? I may have to gift myself a copy one of these days.

 

http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/089141388X

 

Ultimate reference selection on the development of American armored vehicles. Some of the later works less in demand are still available new for ~$95. Higher demands tomes out of print for some time are $200-400. A good copy of 'Sherman" or "Stuart" can be quite a bit more. Luck is often a factor at any given moment.

 

My copy of "Sherman" is part of my retirement plan.

 

Greg Shaw

 

Mine too. It's a 1990s reprint though. The problem is you can't tell if they'll reprint them tomorrow! I just wish I'd bought a stack of them at the time.

[Jim Warford]

Here are a few pics of the Chrysler variant:

 

 

 

[Simon Tan]

Are these before the Chobham?

[Corinthian]

I find it interesting that the GM prototype's turret looks more like the finished product especially in the third pic of the original post, versus the Chrysler version, at least for the front. Also find it interesting thing that both prototypes are more-or-less similar looking. I am used to seeing competing prototypes look vastly different from each other e.g. YF-16 vs YF-17, YF-22 vs YF-23, and the JSF competitors.

Edited October 8, 2012 by TomasCTT

[DKTanker]

Are these before the Chobham?

The Chrysler version depicted is pre-chobham I remember seeing an article in the Army Newspaper...guess it was mid-1978. It spoke of the Chrysler XM1 being accepted for further testing and included the top picture in post #17. One thing I took not of was the very narrow profile of the hull front. Imagine my surprise when two years later PR pictures of the M1s being fielded at Ft. Hood looked so different. Edited October 8, 2012 by DKTanker

[Jim Warford]

By the way, the Littlefield GM XM-1 prototype is in the process of being sold...don't know who's buying it.

 

[JWB]

Why is it being sold?

[Przezdzieblo]

Are these before the Chobham?

The Chrysler version depicted is pre-chobham I remember seeing an article in the Army Newspaper...guess it was mid-1978. It spoke of the Chrysler XM1 being accepted for further testing and included the top picture in post #17. One thing I took not of was the very narrow profile of the hull front. Imagine my surprise when two years later PR pictures of the M1s being fielded at Ft. Hood looked so different.

 

It is Chobham. Both contractors were given technical informations about Chobham (dimensions, weight, method of attachments of modules) in mid 1973. In early 1974 Chrysler and GM modified their designs to use British special armour. Vehicles tested in early 1976 were "Chobham-ready". Major change in Chrysler`s XM1 silhoutte in Autumn 1976 was not a result of introducing Chobham.

 

 

 

Re GM XM1 in MVTF - anyone got a good pics of it?

Edited October 8, 2012 by Przezdzieblo

[DKTanker]

It is Chobham. Both contractors were given technical informations about Chobham (dimensions, weight, method of attachments of modules) in mid 1973. In early 1974 Chrysler and GM modified their designs to use British special armour. Vehicles tested in early 1976 were "Chobham-ready". Major change in Chrysler`s XM1 silhoutte in Autumn 1976 was not a result of introducing Chobham.

So you're of the mind that there are no public pictures of the Chrysler XM1 pre-Chobham, and that these pictures show a first attempt at armoring the Chyrsler XM1 with Chobham? That may be correct and would explain the cast gun mantlet. However, since these pictures aren't dated nor specifically identified, we could also speculate that these are pictures of the Chrysler XM1 that is "Chobham ready". OTHO, if you have some other pictures of which we aren't currently aware.....I think we're left with we aren't sure exactly what we're looking at beyond what has publicly been acknowledged as being an XM1 prototype submitted by the Chrysler Corporation.

[Coldsteel]

Re GM XM1 in MVTF - anyone got a good pics of it?

 

There are a few here:

http://toadmanstankpictures.com/xm1.htm

and here:

http://svsm.org/gallery/XM-1Prototype