Tank gunnery training aid.

[Frank L.]

The same setup was used on Canadian Shermans/ Centurians using .22 cal bullets before the age of laser pointers. Circa mid 50s to late 60s.

The crews would literally fire at small models, both static and moving. This was to practice their engagement/ crew drills in an IMR (Indoor Miniature Range).

Similar pictures are found in The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps:
An Illustrated History

http://www.rcaca.org/En/indexLM.asp?ID=8

I haven't seen pictures of larger caliber add ons before. Interesting.

Regards

[Roddy de Normann]

Hi to all -

I remember the laser pointer well...Capt Aqualina's idea around the late 1970s, early 1980s. It was a large yellow box bolted onto the normal Chieftain main armament trainer. There was also some sort of slide show to give terrain features. This was on some sort of brushed steel laminate screen to prevent parallax through the sights.

The whole thing was about as realistic as a Mars Bar ! And about as thrilling. But then those were the days we had a fuel ban, with only a pint of diesel per vehicle per week, just enough to turn the engine. Of course all the engine seals dried out and failed when the ban was lifted - cost them twice as much repairing the vehs than the fuel costs saved.

Roddy