Remember the M-47 Tanks, in the 1965 Movie the Battle of the Bulge?

[Hobe Sound AK]

I have a Photo of them in Formation from the Movie, in my Photo Gallery on the Site here, but I am still unable to post Photos here. We all know they used M-47 Tanks in the Movie pretending to be Panther's and Tiger1 and Tiger 2 Tanks. Plus the scene in the End which most likely was filmed at Ft. Irwin, in CA. Plus the M-3 Halftrack was used, Sure was nice to see a Real Tiger 1 in Fury. My question is, as The M-47 was replaced in 1956, the Year I was born, Where did they get all of the M47's? Most were sold to Italy, and Arnold used one in the Austrian Army in 1967. By 1965 the M-60-A1 was coming out. I wonder where they got all the Working M-47s. I recall once at Ft. Carson in 1978 seeing a M-47 at the Building 8000 Repair Site, It was still Green, but had No Good Wrote on the side of the Tank. I was told by one of the Civilians that worked there, they were coming from the Red River Arsenal where ever that is? By the way, if someone can take my Photo out of my Gallery, and post it here I would appreciate it. While not a great Tank, It still had a Manual Transmission, and was the last of the 5 Man Crew, with Bow Machine Gun, It was also the first U.S. Tank to have a Range Finder. Anyone have info. on the Movie Please post.

[Full Otto]

[number6]

google is your friend.......


Red River Army Depot
The Red River Army Depot is an 15,835-acre facility located 18 miles west of Texarkana, Texas in Bowie County.

The facility has over 3,000,000 square feet of storage capacity. RRAD was activated in 1941 to create an ammunition storage facility. The depot was supposed to be deactivated after the findings of the 1995 Base Realignment and Closure Commission. However, the depot remained open after the commission changed its mind. The depot was once again slated for closure upon recommendation from the 2005 BRAC commission, but has remained open to provide maintenance support for the army.

The depot's primary mission is the maintenance and repair of all Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, which includes repairing MRAPs and HUMVEEs. Letterkenny Army Depot took over some of RRAD's missile systems.

[Hobe Sound AK]

Thank you Otto for posting the Photo. Also the Info. Thank you 6 on the Depot. I forgot where it is, but there is also a large Storage area of just Tank's and A.P.C.'s The Battle of the Bulge is still one of my favorite War Movies. Paul.

[Schuetzenman]

I have a 1903 Rock Island Springfield rifle rebuilt in WWII that was done at RRAD. It is stamped on the buttstock, so evidently they rebuilt small arms at one time as well as larger vehicles.

[tank_monkey]

Anyone have info. on the Movie Please post.

They filmed the outdoor scenes of the Battle of the Bulge in Spain. As you probably noticed they started filming in winter, but an early spring melted off ALL the snow so there is a noticeable change in 'weather' during the film. Towards the end it looks like summer time, which it was. hahahahaha. I love how the characters are talking about 'no aircraft can fly because there is no visibility due to weather' and then in the next shot it's spotless blue sky and sunshine..... They didn't have CG back then, but CGI today, they would have added snow and fog in post production to all the outdoor shots

Since they filmed in Spain, they used all of the M47 Patton tanks of the Spanish Army. Also the M24 Chaffees were also Spanish Army hence the funky camo paint scheme. All the armored vehicles were surplus US WW2 stuff sold to Spain, including all the Halftracks posing as German Halftracks. It was the LARGEST compilation of real armored vehicles for any movie (in the West, I think some foreign films such as Russian movies of the period had more).

[Hobe Sound AK]

Hey Thank you Tank Monkey, I did not know Spain had them too. I recall seeing a M-24 at Ray Barracks, in 1983. It was for the 1/32 Armor Battalion. The Tank could run as well. I recall looking in it and all the Gauges and signs in the Tank were in Italian. Funny how so many of them were running so long after WW2.

[tank_monkey]

Hey Thank you Tank Monkey, I did not know Spain had them too. I recall seeing a M-24 at Ray Barracks, in 1983. It was for the 1/32 Armor Battalion. The Tank could run as well. I recall looking in it and all the Gauges and signs in the Tank were in Italian. Funny how so many of them were running so long after WW2.

At the time of filming it was only 20 years. Heck, we use some armored vehicles now that first appeared in 1995. There are still Humvees (though many were up armored) and Upgraded M1 Abrahms and Bradley IFVs that were around in the 90s IN the 60s there are still tons of WW2 armor being used by other countries. Israel still used upgunned M4 Shermans into the 1970s

[Phil125]

At the time of filming it was only 20 years. Heck, we use some armored vehicles now that first appeared in 1995. There are still Humvees (though many were up armored) and Upgraded M1 Abrahms and Bradley IFVs that were around in the 90s IN the 60s there are still tons of WW2 armor being used by other countries. Israel still used upgunned M4 Shermans into the 1970s

There are some old vehicles in the military, but that is nothing compared to some of the planes still in service. Some of the B-52's are 50 years old.

[Hobe Sound AK]

I know! You would think the Air Force would have come up with a replacement for that 1958 Bomber by now! The B-58, the B-70, the B-1, all came and went. The B-2 can only be used for so much. I think the B-1A may still be in service? I do recall seeing in a 1977 S.O.F. Magazine Pictures of the Israeli Army's Super Sherman which was still in service, along with the Centurion into early 1980?

[tank_monkey]

I know! You would think the Air Force would have come up with a replacement for that 1958 Bomber by now!

Why? Why mess with a good thing .... and if it ain't broke lol

Our m4 is an M16 variant that's been going strong since 1964. And the 7.62x54 Rimmed cartridge is still in service I know aircraft are usually replaced at a much higher rate than small arms, but all our Current B52s have strengthened airframes, advanced avionics, upgraded electronic warfare measures, upgraded targeting and global positioning equipment. It's a great plane and I love the fact that we still use it

[tank_monkey]

All that American armor in funky color schemes ain't the worst.

Remember the 1970 movie Patton? Gotta love those M-48 tanks as Panzers in the North Africa Sequence .....

[Hobe Sound AK]

Yea, if Hitler had the M-48-A3 instead of the Tiger 2 He would have Won the War. That was most likely Ft. Irwin, CA. for that scene. I recall a scene that must have been done very carefully, the M-48 hits one of the Soldiers, and he falls under the middle of the Tank. Looks real, the might have sped up the Tank for the scene.

[tank_monkey]

That was most likely Ft. Irwin, CA. for that scene.

Sorry nope, that scene in Patton was filmed in Andalucía, Spain . I think you're still stuck on the concept that the U.S. Army actually HELPS movies and lets them use their equipment. lol They don't. Only in rare cases (like the comedy "Stripes" where they filmed at Fort Knox) does the Army allow film crews to go on active military bases and use their equipment ... and usually the project must be approved by the Dept of the Army AND must promote a 'pro Army" message.

Again, back in the 1960s, SPAIN was more than willing to 'rent out' their armor for movie making, something the U.S. Military will never do. Also Spain has tons of wide open expanses of wilderness that are well suited for filming. It's easy to 'buy off' the locals to keep them from griping. And they don't have the environmental protesters who will picket any WAR movie that films on BLM or national park land.

Trivia note: 99% of the Soldiers who stormed the beaches in Saving Private Ryan were members of the Irish army. Any man who could speak with a decent 'American accent' was given lines to say. hahaha

And you probably know that all of the Helicopters in "Apocalypse Now" were Philippine Air Force aircraft.

U.S. Army bases were VERY accommodating to the public when Ronald Reagan was Commander in Chief. They became VERY uncooperative and closed off a lot of resources to the public under orders from Bill Clinton. Now post 9/11 they don't care about Public Relations anymore.

[Hobe Sound AK]

I see, Ft. Irwin always came to mind, as it is nothing but a Desert. Thanks for the info. Paul