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Old 01-11-22, 02:28
Mike Cecil Mike Cecil is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Cody, Wyoming, USA
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Default Review: From 6 Tropical Trials Unit to Vietnam - An APC for Australia

For those who don't know, 6TTU was raised to conduct a series of trials between the FMC C&R, a privately developed vehicle commonly known as the M113-1/2, the M114A1 (two provided under the ABCA agreement) and the then light reconnaissance vehicle (LRV), the Ferret Mk2, to find a possible LRV replacement for the Ferret. It was NOT to find an APC. That had been decided some time before, following trials of the M113 and FV432, when the M113A1(Aust) was chosen as the new APC. The M113A1(Aust) APC and other members of the M113A1 family of vehicles, entered service in 1965 (not 1964, as stated in this video).

The results of the 6TTU trials were that neither of the trialled vehicles satisfied the LRV requirement for the Australian Army, and neither entered service. As a consequence, the M113A1(Aust) already entering service was adapted to that role as well as being used as the APC.

So starting with the misleading title linking 6TTU to the APC acquisition, the DVD is an odd mixture of images (often repeated more than once) overlain by interviews with several participants of the 6TTU trials. Their recollections of the trials is the strength of this DVD, with some interesting and very personal memories. The rest is a 'hodge-podge' of references to both the earlier M113 v FV432 trails by 5TTU, and the LRV trials conducted by 6TTU, with little or no differentiation, culminating in a number of images of the M113A1(Aust) APC being used in South Vietnam (which even at a really long stretch, had very little to do with the 6TTU trials).

The video was produced by Ashley Starkey (www.starkey.net.au) and is available world-wide via that web address. The purchase price including postage to the USA was very, very reasonable. For those interested in the 6TTU trials, the M114A1 and the FMC C&R, there are some great images and personal recollections, but just be careful to differentiate between the mixing in of the 5TTU trials references and images.

Mike
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