Back to U.S. Army-Desert Storm Art
"DESERT STORM"
M1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks in the Attack
by U.S. Army Combat Artist Frank M. Thomas (LTC)
Original 36"x 60" Acrylic/Canvas Painting
found in Collection of U.S. Army Center of Military History, Washington, D.C.
Background:
The M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank: "Whispering Death" is one of a number of nicknames given it by U.S. troops. Its quiet, powerful jet turbine engine allows it to approach to within a mile of its intended target without being heard.....by that time its 120mm gun could have long since taken out the enemy tank. Whatever name you use, the M1 Abrams is unquestionably the world's best main battle tank (MBT). To understand why, consider a couple of incidents out of Desert Storm. On one occasion, an M1 fired its 120mm gun at an Iraqi T-72 (Soviet built) tank. The 120mm Armor-Piercing (SABOT/uranium-depleted steel dart) round went right through the T-72 and into another one directly behind it, destroying both tanks.
Another more amazing M1 story happened during the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division's run to the Euphrates River. It was raining heavily, and one M1 managed to get stuck in a mud hole and could not be extracted. With the rest of their unit moving on, the crew of the stuck tank waited for recovery vehicles to pull them out.
Suddenly, as they were waiting, three Iraqi T-72 tanks came over a hill and charged the mud-bogged tank. One T-72 fired a High-Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT) round that hit the frontal turret armor of the M1, but did no damage. At this point, the crew of the M1, though still stuck, fired a 120mm SABOT round at the attacking tank. The round penetrated the T-72's turret, blowing it off into the air. By this time, the second T-72 also fired a HEAT round at the M1. That also hit the front of the turret, and did no damage. The M1 immediately destroyed this T-72 with another SABOT round. After that, the third and now last T-72 fired a 125mm Armor-Piercing round at the M1 from a range of 400 meters. This only grooved the front armor plate. At that point, realizing that continued action did not have much of a future, the crew of the last T-72 decided to run for cover. Spying a nearby sand berm, the Iraqis darted behind it, thinking they would be safe there. Back in the M1, the crew saw through their Thermal Imaging Sight (TIS) the hot plume of the T-72¹s engine exhaust spewing up from behind the berm. Aiming carefully through their TIS, the M1¹s crew fired a third 120mm SABOT round through the berm, into the tank, destroying it.
Help in the form of another M-1 equipped unit arrived shortly afterwards, and with their M88 tank-recovery vehicles began trying to extract the M1 from the mud hole. But the Abrams was really and truly stuck. Ordered to abandon the M1 Abrams, the other M1s began firing their own 120mm guns in an attempt to destroy it. When the first two SABOT rounds failed to penetrate, a third round finally penetrated the turret¹s outer skin, causing the stored ammunition to detonate. But rather than destroying the M1, the blast was vented upwards through a blowout panel, and the onboard fire suppression system snuffed out the fire before it could do any damage to the electronics systems in the crew compartment.
When finally pulled from the mud, the M1 was found to be still operational, with only the sights out of alignment from the blast of the ammunition cooking off. After its damaged turret was replaced, the tank was returned to action.
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Canvas Art Print Offerings:
16" x 24"" (signed by artist/rolled - ready to stretch)..........................$140.25
tube shipped.......................+$12.50
16" x 24" (signed by artist/stretched - ready to frame)......................$164.25
flat package shipped.............+$16.50
24" x 30"" (signed by artist/rolled - ready to stretch)..........................$264.00
tube shipped.......................+$13.50
(NOTE: The rolled print may be stretched in most frame shops before framing.
*Please note*: Artist Frank Thomas' studio lithographic art print and giclee' canvas art print sales have now been resumed as of November 1st, 2008. He and his wife, Patreecia, have completed an eighteen month mission in the Ohio-Cleveland Mission, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the Kirtland Historic Village Sites, Kirtland, Ohio. He was asked by LDS Church General Authorities to paint early Church history scenes of 1830's Kirtland.
He has now returned home to his art studio at 206 North 100 East, Holden, Utah 84636 and is producing LDS historical paintings and Old West paintings at that site. His art prints may be purchased online by credit card or by personal check.
Call Frank at his Studio" (435) 795-2206 or (435) 406-9526, or contact directly by email wildgoose@crystalpeaks.com.