QUOTE: Originally posted by shannonstoddard
there was a german co. that made it in vacform in the 80's but i havn't seen them lately. i'm glad you got a good ride in one those things, but back in my day, they were one of the most despised vehicles in the army. at least that's what the guys who worked on them said.
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As one of those "guys who worked on 'em", it was a piece of junk.
Crews constantly forgot to uncouple (or re-couple) the articulation joint between the units & it broke, so they ran around with it locked down. Brake lines, U-joints, etc, were all part-numbered items & did not match the Tech Manual. I spent two days underneath one of them with a flashlight, notebook, and TM until I had documented everything so we had a reasonable chance of ordering the right part. Even if working, their mobility wasn't that great, and it was just too easy to break.
The Gama Goat was in service about the same time as the other nightmare, the Goer.
And, oh yes, staff duty officers hated the Gamma Goat -- the duty drivers would wheel up in one of them just to screw up our starch climbing in & out of 'em <grin> !!!!
John, who suffered them in FRG, 3rd Bde, 3AD 1973-1974