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Mogman

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I was a young Inf LT with 9ID during the "High Technology Testbed Divison" days of the late 80s. A BUNCH of FAVs running around in the division when it was transitioning to Motorized MTOE. The Fast Attack Bns (2-1 and 2-2Inf as I recall) had a horde of the rigs. Mix of Mk19, M2 or TOW mounted. The CAB-L and CAB-H had them in Bn Scout Platoons.

FAVs had all the nifty bells/whistles but just totally unsuited to Big Green. Too "high strung". The Scout Platoons of the Mtx Bn had something like 8x FAVs in 1985-88 period. When we deployed to Yakima Firing Center for a typical 20+ day FTX the went thru an average of 2-3 engines per FAV over the course of the FTX. Cost a FORTUNE buying/rebuilding the things. Loaded for exercise it was as if took an Indy car (a real one from back when) and strapped a 500lb steamer trunk on each side. They just couldn't handle the loads. I always wondered whe BS the Seals were doing to keep some of the things operational. Perhaps they just abandoned when they broke.

I was the BN S-3Air for quite a while on a couple big airmovements with C-130, C-141, etc. LONG LONG ago but as I recall, scale weight (no crew) for aircraft load plan of our FAVs was over 4200lb. WAY to much stuff. But they were neat.
Leave it to a bunch of 18-20 year olds to tear up a machine prepped for a 600 mile race at pretty much WOT, the Navy Seals are more mature and value the limits of the vehicles that their lives depend on.
 

Crapgame

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Lawdog, what sort of engine is mounted in the DPV? Is it a later Type 4 "pancake"/Porsche style engine vs the Type 1 Type 2 Bus used in the FAV?
 

Crapgame

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I was a young Inf LT with 9ID during the "High Technology Testbed Divison" days of the late 80s. A BUNCH of FAVs running around in the division when it was transitioning to Motorized MTOE. The Fast Attack Bns (2-1 and 2-2Inf as I recall) had a horde of the rigs. Mix of Mk19, M2 or TOW mounted. The CAB-L and CAB-H had them in Bn Scout Platoons.

FAVs had all the nifty bells/whistles but just totally unsuited to Big Green. Too "high strung". The Scout Platoons of the Mtx Bn had something like 8x FAVs in 1985-88 period. When we deployed to Yakima Firing Center for a typical 20+ day FTX the went thru an average of 2-3 engines per FAV over the course of the FTX. Cost a FORTUNE buying/rebuilding the things. Loaded for exercise it was as if took an Indy car (a real one from back when) and strapped a 500lb steamer trunk on each side. They just couldn't handle the loads. I always wondered whe BS the Seals were doing to keep some of the things operational. Perhaps they just abandoned when they broke.

I was the BN S-3Air for quite a while on a couple big airmovements with C-130, C-141, etc. LONG LONG ago but as I recall, scale weight (no crew) for aircraft load plan of our FAVs was over 4200lb. WAY to much stuff. But they were neat.
NEIOWA did the Fast Attack BN S-3(Air) section have FAVs with the UHF/VHF "shark fin" antenna or would that have been the USAF Combat Controllers, now JTAC, assigned to each Infantry Division?
Shark Fin FAV.jpg
 

NEIOWA

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Not in Inf BN. The Inf Bn S-3Air is a grunt officer who just plans the air ops. Has no vehicles or equipment. We had no radios to talk to aircraft unless a AF team was present at the TAC/TOC.

The Air Force at Lewis had their own vehicles/equipment little fenced in compound/motorpool (was across the street from my BN). They didn't seem to do much but I recall their EMs setting up all kind of commo gear and antenna. They generally had wheeled vehicles that matched the equipment of the Bn/Bde a FAC team was assigned to support. I don't recall what in particular other than all was cherry/new condition (as you might suspect). They didn't do any ditch hopping/brush breaking. They would only show up for major exercises during the brief periods when AF was supplying fast movers/training aids. Then would head back to the cantonment area/local Hilton. 100% they would have had FAV when they were in use by 9ID though.
 
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