I understand this was the respirator type during the early to say, mid-70s, used by AFV crews. My first question is would it have been used by Sheridan crews in Europe, and also would the M114 crew have used it?
Second question is, would it have been clipped on/otherwise secured to their personal equipment - M1956 (which I thought would have been unlikely as such personal equipment would not have been worn inside an AFV)? assuming crews had M1956 in some form; correct me if I’m wrong please.
Would they have taken it with them is, for whatever reason, they had to dismount? Secured to their equipment or just slung?
Lastly, any pics of the carrying bag (for want of a better term) would be welcome.
Thanks for this; I’m planning on a small dio whereby two AFV commanders have dismounted from their respective vehicles to RV. I just want to make sure they’re following SOP within the fraught days of the Cold War.
Thanks Frenchy, very helpful; I sort of need to know how it was worn about the person, when dismounted. I’m not sure I can work out what strap is what at the moment, but thanks anyway - great for colours, stenciling and the like.
It was actually used up until the early-mid '90s when it was replaced by the M42 mask. It would have been on all US armored vehicles and was used on the M114 and M557.
Yeah, it’s how it’s worn dismounted that is the problem; from the ultimate photo basically a fairly shapeless blob under the left arm (I think even I can sculpt that!)
Thanks too, for the confirmation that M114 used it; I had thought there might be the possibility that they wouldn’t and default to the “normal” one, just because I suppose, they were such a small recce vehicle and might undertake a lot of work dismounted.
There’s a supplementary question to all this I suppose: would the Commanders of both AFVs actually have the M1956 personal equipment? Or would they say, just sport a shoulder holster and that be more or less it?
For variation, if that is/might be the case, I was planning on equipping the M114 Commander with such, as I just imagine that in the recce role they might dismount a bit more whilst undertaking their job, and ergo, end Infantry-type personal gear.
'Grateful; as ever, for any responses - of the informed kind.
As an aside, I recall that when I first saw that rendition of Verlinden, it seemed to me that the sort of cape on the shoulders was portrayed as chain-mail(!) I mean, what the hell?
Yeah, their color is a little off. It should be a glossy green-grey color as it is a water proof vinyl-type fabric. It does look metallic on the Verlinden box top.
Sorry Folks, the questions keep growing; could I assume (always dangerous! (that once they leave their vehicles, even for a short distance, they would leave their crew helmet behind - in this case the T56-6 - and don a steel version - if they were keen and abided by SOPs?
I’m sure such a query is irritating but in modelling I need to know(!)
Speaking for myself as someone who spent a lot of time on M113’s and 577’s, the second those things were turned off that CVC came off, especially after a long road march
^^Ditto^^. I switched to a Kevlar helmet once I left the vehicle (M113, M577, M981 FIST-V, or M7 BFIST) as well. You usually put on your LBE/LCE/LBV and took your long rifle (M16, M4) as well once you were on the ground.
