Tank crew small arms

[Richard Simmons]

Anyone know if our tanks carry small arms for the crew if they have to dismount? In the movie Fury, Brad Pitt keeps an STG-44 stashed inside their tank in addition to his personal M1917 revolver and as I recall another crew member had an M1A1 Thompson. I seem to recall reading that the M3A1 grease gun was used into the 1960's or perhaps the 70's on our tanks as crew weapons.

That being said i've never seen a diagram showing storage inside any tank for these firearms be it an old Sherman or the current Abraham's tank. Just curious if they did or do and if so what they carry? I've never been inside a tank but it seems like space would be at a premium. TIA

[dfariswheel]

As I recall the M3A1 Grease Gun was used into the 90's if in fact, even later.

Today, I understand tankers are issued M9 Beretta pistols and the M4 Carbine.

[Richard Simmons]

I did find some interior diagrams of British tanks that showed two Sten guns mounted on the interior of the tank turret. An article about the movie Fury stated that two M3's would have been part of the inventory on a Sherman. Was just curious as to how many they carried, how many mags, etc?

[Schuetzenman]

Good questions, I have no idea.

[ltorlo64]

My Grandfather was a WWII tanker and he told me he had a 1911 and a Thompson that he carried. There were other guns in the tank but that was just what he kept for when they were out of the tank. I had an older friend when I was a teenager whose father served in tanks in Korea. Those tanks, I was told, carried M1 Garands that were shortened and called Tankers. Here is a link with some more information on them (http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/m1-tanker-garand/). I have no idea what they carry now but based on what we have in inventory Dfariswheel is probably pretty close to correct.

[shorthair]

I have had my hands on a couple mint tankers.

[Richard Simmons]

My Grandfather was a WWII tanker and he told me he had a 1911 and a Thompson that he carried. There were other guns in the tank but that was just what he kept for when they were out of the tank. I had an older friend when I was a teenager whose father served in tanks in Korea. Those tanks, I was told, carried M1 Garands that were shortened and called Tankers. Here is a link with some more information on them (http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/m1-tanker-garand/). I have no idea what they carry now but based on what we have in inventory Dfariswheel is probably pretty close to correct.

Per the article the "Tanker" Garand never got past the experimental stage. I've seen a few locally in both 30.06 and .308 but never bought or shot one. Even being 6" shorter the "Tanker" wouldn't be nearly as compact as a subgun.

[ltorlo64]

Per the article the "Tanker" Garand never got past the experimental stage. I've seen a few locally in both 30.06 and .308 but never bought or shot one. Even being 6" shorter the "Tanker" wouldn't be nearly as compact as a subgun.

I saw that in the article as well, but I remember my friend teling me his Dad had one in his tank. Never met his Dad so I only have his word to go on and I have lost track of him so I can't verify if I am remembering it right.

[Schuetzenman]

Per the article the "Tanker" Garand never got past the experimental stage. I've seen a few locally in both 30.06 and .308 but never bought or shot one. Even being 6" shorter the "Tanker" wouldn't be nearly as compact as a subgun.

This is what my research says as well. Tanker's were never beyond a full prototypes made up. They were rejected just because the ammo powder is designed for the full lenght barrel, the muzzle blast and flash signature was over the top huge.

Only weapons I'm familiar with them carrying are; 1911 pistols, M1 and possibly M2 Carbines, Thompsons and M3A1 Grease Guns. What I don't know is if there was any official small arms issue to tank crews or if there was any official dedicated storage point inside the tanks.

[Richard Simmons]

Perhaps daemon734 will chime in? He wasn't a tanker as I recall but I believe he was originally in a Stryker battalion or brigade and while not a tank he might know something about any small arms kept on various armored vehicles.

[dfariswheel]

From my reading, during most of WWII a TANK was issued with small arms, and it was up to the commander to decide who got what.
Typically there would be two .45 pistols, a Carbine and one Thompson or M3.
The "dismount" who was the bow machine gunner usually was given a SMG or the Carbine since he was most likely to be involved in a shooting scrape.

When we sent new American tanks to Russia, the orders were to send them complete tanks, ready to use.
Some fool took that literally, so they included brand new Thompson guns which were standard equipment.
Since the Russians didn't use them the Thompson's were pulled out and stored.
A few years ago a large wave of Thompson parts kits were imported from Russian, where they'd been in storage since the war.
The point is, the Thompson guns were issued with the tank.

Of course, any tanker in his right mind would "acquire" a pistol from wherever.
If you noticed in the movie "Fury" the driver was wearing a small German pistol of some sort.