M65 Atomic Annie | Armorama™

Darren Baker takes a look at a recent Tankograd release covering the M65 Atomic Annie.


This is partial text from the full article (usually with photos) at https://armorama.com/news/m65-atomic-annie
1 Like

Darren Baker says: “. I do wonder if they would have got troops to use it in that eventuality.”
I would rather fire this thing than the “Davy Crocket,” much greater range.

This looks like a really good book on an unusual weapon.
Ken

Reference and historical books such as these are fascinating as they not only inform us but show us material not often otherwise revealed such as the larger-caliber Soviet versions. While national pride probably had something to do with the larger gun size, the Soviet artillery pieces most likely simply reflected the fact that up till then the Soviets hadn’t perfected and fielded smaller atomic ordinances of the size that Atomic Annie used. That and an underlying desire to simply smash everything in their way if they chose to invade Europe. Overkill collateral damage didn’t figure highly as a consideration in Soviet Cold War thinking.

Hell, it got smaller than that. I was on a Green Light Team. My ERB even has SADM Course listed on it from 1983. Now THAT was danger close.

1 Like

I actually have a model of the Davy Crockett - unbuilt of course; it might be nice to build it and display alongside my M65 - yet the build of the latter will take some planning, not least for display. I haven’t yet purchased the Tankograd book but might have to now.

Cool. History that you were involved with. I was at National Defense College at the end of the 1980s working on my Dissertation on Nuclear Strategic policies within NATO and their impact on the West German Government of Helmut Schmidt (1979-1983). Got a chance to tag-along on a few “outings”. Interesting adrenaline rush and continuous exhaustion. Decided to stick with academia instead and went on to become an analyst. That’s me. Now I build models and relive history. Gee, I’m bored.

I’m interested to see how good the detail shots are. I’ve done a walk around of three of these guns including the one in Albuquerque with the tractors.