Technical Details
Australian Service History
M113 Restoration Project
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M113A1 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle/APC - A standard M113A1 with a Cadillac Gage T50 turret as used on the V100/V150 series of armoured cars, mounting two Browning machine guns, a .30 calibre and a M2 .50 calibre machine gun. While the standard armoured personnel carrier version in Australian service is also fitted with the T50 turret, it initially carried only twin .30 calibre machine guns. In later service, the LRV and APC versions both carried the 30/50 combination and the only difference between them was roles. LRVs, which carried a crew of 2 or 3 (crew commander, driver and sometimes operator/observer), were used in the sabre (recon) troops of the Cavalry regiment and the recon troop of the Armoured regiment. APCs carried a crew of 2 plus several dismounts, either infantry, assault troops, engineers or other troops. In practise, an LRV was also perfectly capable of carrying troops, though in perhaps somewhat more cramped conditions as LRVs often carried additional stores and ammunition and had seats removed and replaced with storage lockers. For a short period of time in Vietnam, the Aircraft Armaments Incorporated Model 74C Cupola/Command Station was used, but it was quickly replaced by the T50. Also used by the New Zealand Army until the M113 was replaced in 2005. The T50 turret was initially fitted with an optical sight, however in later years this was removed, and the guns were solely aimed using ranging bursts of 6-10 rounds (2 tracer). The diesel burning heater is removed from the M113A1 - though numerous diggers note that this is not the case with the Australian Army's M577s (command post vehicles).
The Museum's M113A1
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The M113 is an armoured personnel carrier in service developed in the United states of America and introduced into Australian Army service in 1964. It remained in service with the Australian Army for almost 50 years.
The Regiment received its first M113s in 1972, it was the unit’s primary armoured steed until withdrawn from service in 2005. The Regiment was not deployed in combat using the vehicles.
The M113A1 was first deployed in combat during the Vietnam war. Providing valuable support to the infantry and working in the reconnaissance role.
Its second deployment was to Rwanda as part of UNAMIR (United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda) with B Squadron 3/4 Cavalry Regiment and 5/7 RAR, 1994-96. Australian M113s were painted white with black United Nations insignia, the first time Australian armoured vehicles had been finished in this paint scheme.
The M113A1s third deployment was to East Timor from Oct 1999 to 2001 during Operation Warden, INTERFET (International Force for East Timor).
