Canadian artillery trials Iltis with M2 .50 HMG.

[Stuart Fedak]

Deleted as information is not current

[chris vickery]

Ma Deuce would shake the living crap out of an Iltis

[rob love]

The photo with the guy standing up and the MAG58 (C6) appears to be on one of the original VW vehicles, as indicated by the taillights in the bumperettes. The photo with 3 Iltis has that one in the middle, what looks more like a standard Bombardier in the front, and a bit of a mix on the back Iltis.

[chris vickery]

Standing up in a soft skin out in the open saying “look at me”. Great way to get picked off. A good example that not all ideas are good ones...

[rob love]

You can make out part of the license plate of the one: x641x.

[Ed Storey]

My research into the Iltis has established that there were actually 9 'pre-series' VW Iltis provided to the CF. I have attached a photograph of a VW Iltis Light Ambulance in Canadian Service that I photographed outside of Cobden, Ontario in 1987.

You will need the Iltis MG mount trials report document to establish the actual date of the trials although it would have had to have been conducted prior to 1988; as this is when the last of the 'pre-series' VW Iltis in the 46411 to 46414 CFR range were disposed of.

[James P]

What great pictures of the much maligned Iltis in tan paint and mounting an MGs. As much as folks love to hate on the Iltis it was a step out of the swap of rag tag, worn down, beat up, collection of "jeeps" the CF had back in that day.

[maple_leaf_eh]

The post GPMG mount on the right sidewall of the M38A1 is well known. I have one on mine. Back in the pre-dawn of history, I was on a Reserve recce patrol commander's course, and the one of the Regular staff officers had welded up his own FN C2 mount for an M38A1. It was a piece of 2" angle that had the right hinge pins and hasps to clip in place of the windshield. The C2 was fitted with a 12" pin on hose clamps around the barrel, and he could burn off mags of 7.62 blank at us pretending to be enemy force. The base had a clip for the butt, and the gun stored perpendicular to the road.

I can't remember mounts for anything on the M151A2s. The issue roll cage and tarp interfered. But I'm sure someone tried putting something on the passenger side like the M38A1s.

And now the meat in the sandwich. I recall reading about attempts to up-gun the LSVW for SOF. Canada having once upon a time been cheap letting Special Forces spending money told the hillbillies to try everything in the inventory first, before they would be allowed to buy HMMVWs. It seems stripped down LSVWs were tried a-la LRDG and other forms of gun jeep. No amount of wrenching, shade-tree engineering, NASCAR-inspired automotive tinkering or (limited) off the shelf componentry could make the sow's ear into a fighting platform.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

I can't remember mounts for anything on the M151A2s. The issue roll cage and tarp interfered. But I'm sure someone tried putting something on the passenger side like the M38A1s.

The GPMG mount was tried on the M161A2 but the metal was too thin. I think that was mentioned in the mod instruction for the M38A1. Seems to me there is a photo of an M151A2 at LETE with the mount being on trials in one of the mod instructions.

When I was in Gagetown in 80, I did a short stint with Cougar Support Sqn, and was issued an M151A2. It had the GPMG arm on it, contrary to orders.