Quote:
Originally Posted by natehale1971
Web... there is also a few other sources that you might be able to get retired weapons systems. Tanks, helicopters and the like.. American Legion posts, Veterans of Foreign Wars Chapters, DIsabled American Veterans Chapters and other faternal groups of Veterans. It just hit me that there is a UH-1 Heuy Gunship, a towed howitzer and a Sherman tank sitting in front of the local VFW Chapter. There is a towed heavy AA machinegun infront of the masons Lodge a few blocks away. There are also some field cannons in the park as well.
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With some exceptions, the AFV have gone forward to Europe, Korea, the Gulf, or they are in the hands of one of the combat formations still in CONUS. If you were to say that 40th ID in California (for example) should have some former AFV weapons on gun trucks, I'd readily agree. But folks trying to put together gun trucks without the benefit of access to one of the numbered divisions or brigades--or their equivalent in surviving USN or USAF formations--are going to have a much tougher time finding heavy weapons. Vehicles being used as monuments of some sort aren't typically left out with their weapons in a condition to be restored to service without substantial rebuilding. One might be able to salvage some parts from a howitzer in a park, but as a rule the system has been rendered inert to keep industrious ne'erdowells from gaining access to heavy firepower.