Tank Museum - M551A1 Sheridan

AMERICAN ARMOURED FOUNDATION

TANK MUSEUM

Tank & Ordnance Past Pages

M551A1 SHERIDAN    T54/55 IRAQI TANK    M41A3 WALKER BULLDOG
M42A1 DUSTER    M20 ARMOURED CAR    M5A1 STUART    DAIMLER DINGO
M110 SELF-PROPELLED HOWITZER    LVT    BRITISH FERRET    M4A3E8 SHERMAN
IRAQI T-72A TANK

M551A1 SHERIDAN
RECON \ AIRBORNE ASSAULT VEHICLE

Markings: 3rd Battalion 73 Regiment, Co. B, 2nd platoon, attached to the 82nd Airborne Division

Built in 1966 the Sheridan replaced the M41 and M56 tanks then in service. Widely used in Panama, Vietnam and Desert Storm, the Sheridan incorporated many novel design features. The vehicle used an aluminum hull, and yet a steel turret was fitted. The driver's hatch rotated around the driver on a vertical axis, while the commander's and loader's hatches were more conventional. The vehicle sides under the steel shell were filled with closed cell polystyrene foam, which allowed for buoyancy so that the vehicle could float across water obstacles. In the picture above you can see a canvas tube on the top edge of the vehicle hull, this was where the swim curtain would have been stored. You can also see where the four smoke grenade launchers were positioned on the front side of the turret. This Sheridan is known to be one of 56 that went to Desert Shield on August 2, 1990 and was deployed to protect the port of Al Jubayl.

CREW: 4 COMBAT WEIGHT: 33,600lbs. GROUND PRESSURE 6.9 psi

FUEL CAPACITY: 158 gallons MAX WATER SPEED: 3.6 mph

MIN TURNING DIAMETER: Pivot CRUISING RANGE: 350 road

MAX ROAD SPEED: 43 MPH

ARMAMENT: 152MM Gun Launcher: 20 rounds Shillelagh missiles; .50 cal M2HB M G, 1000 rounds & 7.62mm M240 M G, 3000 rounds

COST TO BUILD IN 1966: $294,930.00 each

A.A.F. Tank Museum
3401 U.S. Highway 29B
Danville, VA 24540
434-836-5323 Fax: 434-836-3532