New developments in weapons and equipments

Title

Language

English

Year

1953

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

.. NEW DEV~PMENTS { \ I IN WEAPO · AND EQUIPMENT ] c ARMY'S NEW MODEL JEEP TO BE MORE POWERFUL Design of an improved and more powerful model of theujeep has been approved by the army ordnance corps. The new jeep is five inches longer and two inches wider than existing models. Power is pr.ovided by the new 72 horsepower F-head engine in place of the present 60 horsepower L-head engine. The .__...,ore powerful engine and improved fuel economy, coupled with a larger gas tank, will increase the jeep's crusing range from 180 to 300 miles without refueling. Ordnance designed kits supplied with each jeep adapt it to artie, desert or water use. Snorkel (intake) and snorter (exhaust) tubes allow the engine to "breathe" 'while submerge1i'. The tubes can be installed in less than 15 minutes. Jeeps were used in water during World Wfll' II, but only after hours of making the!T' waterproof. Now the driver puts on the snvrkel and snorter tubes, waterproofs the battery terminals, pulls a lever on the dash to close the oil breather and the vehicle is ready for use in water in a matter of minutes. Safety features of the new truck include improved brakes for faster stopping, flanged fenders which keep mud New powerful jeep adapted to artie, desert oT water use. 58 from splashing the windshield and obstructing the driver's view, and a new machine gun mount opposite the driver's ' side of the front seat whlch gives added protection to the crew. The portable teletypewriter which can brinf!' printed messages much closer to the battle· front than previous printers. (USA Photo)_ PORTABLE TELETYPEWRITER It is now possible to bring printed messages much closer to the battlefront than during World War II,. as a result of the development of a portable teletypewriter by the U. S. Army signal corps. The equipment will open a vast new field of teletypewriter employment in military operations. Known to the Armed Services as the AN/PGC-1 (), the equipment is in pro· ducti.on and deliveries have been made to the field, including Korea, where the sets were enthusiastically received by using troops. The equipment is the forerunner of other radically new, lightweight, high·-.~ speed teletypewriter equipment now un- .7. , . . • WE}ONS ANI) EQUIPMENT 59 _ der de~elopmen \n cooperation __ with ~h quartermaster 'J The AN/PGC-10 constitutes an over- corps reseatch and_ en?' ee~·ing _cr.mmand, all assembly consisting of~ page printer, with two main obJect! es 1TI mmd: (1) -'the TT-4/TG, a power u- it, and a case body p:rotection agair t the most powerof accessories. This a-sse bly weighs 116 ful toxic agents known today, and (2) pounds. It replaces equipment weighing enough comfort and convenience to allov:, over 400 pounds. the wearer to carry on his normal duties Two men can carry the new equip- with comparative efficiency. ment; it required seven men to handle Impermeable protective clothing was the old. ' first used during WWI and has been stan· The page printer TT-4/TG alone dard Army issue ·for mUty years. The weighs 45 pounds and replaces equipment new suit, however, contains many im(page printer TG-7) weighing 225 provements over the old types, especially pounds. ) in its resistance to the most recently disAll units of the new equipment are covered war gases. waterproof and, if used in amphibious The protective suit can be worn in conoperations, could be floated onto a beach. nection with the standard Army field The new portable teletypwriter can be clothing and equipment. Worn with other ./ operated on both radio and wire circuits. items of protective clothing, including It c·an transmit and receive messages at any of th,e newer types of gas masks, the 100 words per minute, 66 per cent faster suit provides complete protection from than -the equipment it is replacing. This the skin out. In addition to a one-piece I not only means faster messages, but in impermeable suit, the new clothing ineffect an incrE!ased message-capacity of ·eludes an air-tight hood, a three-piece the circuits. cooling suit, protective gloves > and boot The new printer is stronger than the covers. Rubber boots and protective socks 6lder equipment and has 300 fewer parts, and underwear are already available. consequently requiring much less mainte-• I nance. -Ext~nsive field tests of the new equipment have shown: 1. The whole assembly can be removed from carrying chests, installed, and placed in operation in !the field by one ' man in less than 10 minutes. '2. Being lighter and more compact than World War II equipment: the new teletypewriter is more suitable for vehi• cular installation and lends itself more readily to air transport. Paratroops can jump with the new equipment; they could not with t:te old. 3. The new equipment will operate on less line current, permitting use over longer field wire circuits than the equipme~t it is reJ?lacing. NEW GAS PROOF . UNIFORM DEVELOPED BY ARMY The Army's newest - and probably its weirdest - army uniform is an airtight, water-cooled suit designed to protect <American) soldiers against poison gas and biological agents in the event this type of warfare is used in a future ·"War. · Develope~ hl' 1he U. S. Army c\emical eorps reseat'ch and engi~eering co~and, _) I . ; The new US Army airtight water cooled suit, designed to protect a soldier against both • poison gas and biological warfare. {USA; Photo')

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