Author Topic: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration  (Read 34114 times)

Offline Weaver

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #25 on: July 28, 2013, 10:14:14 PM »

BTW, the 105mm howitzer turret Sheridan could be done if you can find the  resin LVTH-6 turret conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5 kit.  There are currently two resin conversions available and it is reported to be a complete LVTH-6 kit coming soon from AFV Club (Hobby Fan). 

CyberModeler Masterpiece Models LVTH-6 Conversion Product review
Aircraft Resource Center - Robin Model resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5
Philippine Defense Forum - LVTH-6 conversions for the AFV Club LVTP-5
Hobby Link Japan - Masterpiece Models resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 turret conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5
HobbyEasy - Robin Model resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5



Pocketbond in the UK are showing the AFV Club LVTH-6 as being a future release with artwork and a "2013" flag in the catalogue, so hopefully it should be out before too long. Doubtless it will be expensive, but I'm sure you could think of something to do with the hull once you've nicked the turret for a Sheridan (1/144th scale Moon Crawler: you know you want to.... ;) )

http://www.pocketbond.co.uk/Product.aspx?ID=3544
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #26 on: July 29, 2013, 01:29:48 AM »
BTW, the 105mm howitzer turret Sheridan could be done if you can find the  resin LVTH-6 turret conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5 kit.  There are currently two resin conversions available and it is reported to be a complete LVTH-6 kit coming soon from AFV Club (Hobby Fan). 

CyberModeler Masterpiece Models LVTH-6 Conversion Product review
Aircraft Resource Center - Robin Model resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5
Philippine Defense Forum - LVTH-6 conversions for the AFV Club LVTP-5
Hobby Link Japan - Masterpiece Models resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 turret conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5
HobbyEasy - Robin Model resin 1:35th scale LVTH-6 conversion for the AFV Club LVTP-5
Pocketbond in the UK are showing the AFV Club LVTH-6 as being a future release with artwork and a "2013" flag in the catalogue, so hopefully it should be out before too long. Doubtless it will be expensive, but I'm sure you could think of something to do with the hull once you've nicked the turret for a Sheridan (1/144th scale Moon Crawler: you know you want to.... ;) )

http://www.pocketbond.co.uk/Product.aspx?ID=3544
I was able to purchase 3X 1:35th scale Masterpiece Models resin LVTH-6 turrets from a vendor table at a model show last year.  Just the turret and gun tube.  A very solid little chunk of resin.  When AFV Club announced the LVTH-6 I knew I was going to be stuck with trying to find another way to use the individual turrets since I was never keen on the idea of hacking up the AFV Club LVTP-5 kit and try to turn it into an H-6.  Really looking forward to seeing that complete LVTH-6 kit on the shelf one of these days soon. 

Gun turret on a moon crawler?  Not sure I want to pursue something like that.  Maybe you can take up that challenge :)
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Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #27 on: January 06, 2016, 12:36:02 PM »
Hi, I'm a new member and while checking out the site, I came across this thread. The Sheridan is near and dear to me. I was with 3/73 armor battalion when the 82nd retired it. I can honestly claim to be one of the last people to drive one on active duty. I haven't built a tank since I was a kid but I have a couple of M551's in the stash just because I couldn't resist. After looking at some ideas, I can say I might be inspired to give armor...sorry,  armour, another shot. I think I already have an idea for my 72nd scale Sheridan.  :)
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #28 on: January 06, 2016, 02:04:03 PM »
Hi Craig, welcome to the forums. 

Since you were at Fort Bragg, do you happen to recall the image of a turretless M551 armed with a 25mm Bushmaster that was hanging in the Central Issue Facility?  First and only time I have ever seen a Sheridan without a turret being used for something other than its original purpose. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Kerick

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #29 on: January 07, 2016, 02:07:24 AM »
Hmmm......
M551 with a 25 mm gun? Now you have my brain cranking away again!
Let's say the M551s were sold off to a third world country with out the pos gun it started with. Then upgraded for infantry support in COIN type ops. Just my $0.02 worth!

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #30 on: January 07, 2016, 02:51:30 AM »
I plan to do one with a 90mm gun in service with some Sth American or African regime. I would imagine it would look somewhat similar to this real world one with a 76mm gun:



There was also these ones with a 105mm gun:


« Last Edit: May 21, 2020, 01:47:26 AM by GTX_Admin »
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #31 on: January 07, 2016, 09:32:12 AM »
Hmmm......
M551 with a 25 mm gun? Now you have my brain cranking away again!
Let's say the M551s were sold off to a third world country with out the pos gun it started with. Then upgraded for infantry support in COIN type ops. Just my $0.02 worth!

Central Issue Facility is one of the last places you see before leaving for another assignment and it was odd to see an image of this M551 sans turret armed with the 25mm Bushmaster.  It was a winter setting as there was snow on the ground and the troops were wearing winter/arctic camouflage.  I doubt the vehicle was operated at Fort Bragg so it may have been in Alaska at the winter warfare training center where the "In Action" image was taken.  Nonetheless, it was unique and one of those things I search for on-line every once in a while just to see if something pops up.  So far, no joy.
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Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #32 on: January 07, 2016, 11:02:22 AM »
Sorry Jeffry, I don't recall that picture in CIF. I was there from 95-97. Was it hanging in that time frame?
 I was thinking of doing an upgraded Sheridan with a 105, ERA and maybe an M1 style weapon station for the tc to replace the bolt on "chicken box". It would be insurance against the cancellation of the XM8 (which was in fact cancelled).
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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #33 on: January 07, 2016, 12:50:38 PM »
Sorry Jeffry, I don't recall that picture in CIF. I was there from 95-97. Was it hanging in that time frame?
 I was thinking of doing an upgraded Sheridan with a 105, ERA and maybe an M1 style weapon station for the tc to replace the bolt on "chicken box". It would be insurance against the cancellation of the XM8 (which was in fact cancelled).

Hi Craig, last time I saw that Sheridan sans turret image was in 1988 when I transferred with 5SFGA to Fort Campbell, KY.  From what I remember of the image it had been on the wall for a very long time. 

I have a love-hate relationship with the M551.  Always trying to come up with a better idea for the model as a what-if leaves me looking at the M41 Walker Bulldog being the better option ;)
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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #34 on: January 08, 2016, 02:47:55 AM »
How about a M551 with 30mm Rarden cannon or similar?

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Offline Volkodav

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #35 on: January 08, 2016, 11:50:28 AM »
An Australian Army version deployed in Vietnam using a Saladin turret, followed by an updated version with a Scorpion turret instead of the M-113 based FSV, later MRV and perhaps a LRV version with the Rarden as suggested above instead of the Cadillac Gage T-50.

Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #36 on: January 09, 2016, 01:09:10 PM »
Honestly, a lot of guys in 3/73 had a love-hate relationship with the Sheridan. You sign up to be a scout in the airborne and they put you on a 30 year old baby tank that was constantly breaking down. The 82nd was an infantry division first and our main mission was to give direct fire support, like assault guns. Oftentimes they used us for opfor training as well.
I saw a picture of an M-41 with an old Sheridan turret. A best/worst of both worlds? That could be an interesting kitbash.
Instead of the 30mm Rarden, maybe a 25mm Bushmaster. Or you could try to put a whole Bradley turret on a M551.
I might have to buy a Bradley and Bulldog then do some mix and matching. Although I'm guessing a Bradley turret would be too small to fit on either of the other vehicles.
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Offline elmayerle

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #37 on: January 09, 2016, 01:12:17 PM »
Instead of the 30mm Rarden, maybe a 25mm Bushmaster. Or you could try to put a whole Bradley turret on a M551.
I might have to buy a Bradley and Bulldog then do some mix and matching. Although I'm guessing a Bradley turret would be too small to fit on either of the other vehicles.
And that's where welded-on adapter rings come in.  Fitting a small turret to a larger ring is far easier than trying to fit a large turret to a smaller ring.

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #38 on: January 10, 2016, 04:26:27 AM »
Or you could try to put a whole Bradley turret on a M551.


Hmmm...a M551 with entire turret (incl TOW missiles) from M2 (see below) would look interesting.  Perhaps done as a update to keep the M551 in service in its original airborne role.



Oftentimes they used us for opfor training as well.

Speaking of which...

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Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #39 on: January 10, 2016, 10:59:25 AM »
When I mentioned a 105 and era, I sketched a mock up that looked a lot like that. After retirement, this is how most of our M551's ended up. D.co (my company) pulled the last active duty training mission with the Sheridan at JRTC, then turned them in to the post to be turned into vizmods (visually modified) and left at Ft. Polk.
 Usually when we did opfor at Ft. Bragg, the only visual changes would be to tape a red star on the turret.
 I bet with a lighter Bradley turret, the Sheridan would have been even more agile. It was already pretty nimble for an older generation vehicle. Plus, the smaller size might actually make it more effective at recon than the Bradley.
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Offline Kerick

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #40 on: January 10, 2016, 12:40:53 PM »
An OPFOR VisMod group build? Make something look like something else!

A Bradley turret or the turret from a Marine LAV.

Offline dy031101

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #41 on: January 18, 2016, 02:57:44 AM »
I kinda like the idea of that Sheridan-based "lightweight MBT".

The Sheridan turret doesn't strike me as lending itself too well to extra armours though.

Attachment: Sheridan with Stingray turret.
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Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #42 on: January 19, 2016, 07:46:49 AM »
I kinda like the idea of that Sheridan-based "lightweight MBT".

The Sheridan turret doesn't strike me as lending itself too well to extra armours though.

Attachment: Sheridan with Stingray turret.
The XM8 ags that was supposed to replace the Sheridan had modular armour packages, levels 1-3. Level 1 was the basic tank, Light enough to be transported and air dropped from a C-130. Level 2&3 could be applied on the drop zone or at a later time depending on the level of threat.
 It's interesting to note that almost 20 years after cancellation, the XM8 is being looked at again. As it turns out direct fire support is still needed in light units.
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Offline dy031101

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #43 on: March 23, 2016, 11:18:16 PM »
Does anyone have a top- or side-view diagram indicating the position of main gun breech and crew in a Sheridan tank turret?
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #44 on: March 24, 2016, 02:18:17 AM »
Does anyone have a top- or side-view diagram indicating the position of main gun breech and crew in a Sheridan tank turret?

I do.  They are not the best quality though and I will need to scan them.
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Offline Crbad

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #45 on: March 25, 2016, 06:39:57 AM »
Does anyone have a top- or side-view diagram indicating the position of main gun breech and crew in a Sheridan tank turret?
I have photographs taken inside the turret. Hmmm... I just need to find them.  :-[
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Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #46 on: June 11, 2017, 03:50:48 AM »
Random idea:  Wheeled M551
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Offline Kerick

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #47 on: June 11, 2017, 10:27:38 AM »
Random idea:  Wheeled M551

That would be interesting!!!!
Six wheels or eight?

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #48 on: June 11, 2017, 07:18:00 PM »
I'm thinking about 6
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Offline Volkodav

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Re: M551 Sheridan Ideas and Inspiration
« Reply #49 on: June 11, 2017, 07:20:13 PM »
Sounding very AMX 10RC like