OOB 024 -- US Army -- M1A2 Abrams

[thatguy96]

Marek_Tucan said:
There was Abrams recently hit in Iraq by "top attack" RKG-3M grenade. It hit the ammo compartment and ammo went off, two crew members (supposedly unbuttoned at the time) suffered 3rd degree burs.

Were the crew supposedly injured in the resulting ammo explosion? For this to happen in the M1, a crewman would have to have been in the process of retrieving a round from the magazine. Otherwise they should be protected by a blast door and the compartment is designed to divert the explosion upward away from the crew.

[Marcello]

I suspect that they simply had their heads exposed. The grenade landed on the ammo magazine, triggered the conflagration of the rounds stored, the panel popped as designed and the flames reached them.

[Marek_Tucan]

@Marcello: That's also my understanding of the incident.

It did not take long for the colonel to discover an important member of that family –Sgt. Shermander Jackson. Jackson, a 24-year-old Brundidge, Ala., resident was serving as a tank commander with 2nd Tank Battalion and was wounded in Fallujah, Iraq, Feb. 7. Jackson’s face, hands and arms were severely burned when a RKG-3 anti-tank grenade hit both of his tank’s 120mm ammunition magazines causing 34 rounds to ignite from the intense heat. The hooded balaclava he wore protected most of his head, leaving a perfect circle of second and third degree burns on his face.

http://www.marforres.usmc.mil/News/2...AMC_mag41.html

[thatguy96]

alright, that makes more sense.

[mr_clark]

thatguy96 said:
Were the crew supposedly injured in the resulting ammo explosion? For this to happen in the M1, a crewman would have to have been in the process of retrieving a round from the magazine. Otherwise they should be protected by a blast door and the compartment is designed to divert the explosion upward away from the crew.

Also take into account that for using the turret MGs the vehicle commander would need to open it's hatch. If there's enemy infantry nearby I guess it'Äs likely he would like to give additional firepower to the vehicle this way.
Now I'd say in the worst case the ammo cooking up through the release vents the fire could suffocate the whole crew by 'sucking up' the air from the turret compartment. (not to mention the serious internal burns from flaing air in the lungs...)

[Djuice]

Im pretty sure that the CR2 has ERA fitted to the lower front hull. Same with the CR1 during GW1.. Side Hull/Turret are Chobham Applique armour..