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Gotta love reporters


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End of last week the local news ran a story about the police having military vehicles. I tuned in just in time to see the reporter standing next to a later variant of the Cadillac/Gage Commando car. He said it was called a duck and was wondering why the police needed such a heavily armored vehicle.

I'm surprised he didn't call it a tank. Most reporters call anything a tank if it looks like it's military, even a armored Hummer. The name Duck came from the 70s. We called our XM-706s Pigs, Ducks, or Rubber Ducks after the song "Rubber Duckie" because they had large tires and could float. If kept in good condition with all its plugs intact.

As far as being heavily armored, a M-113 had thicker armor then the Commando. Its advantage was that it was made up of light weight alloys and had sloping plates. They told us that it could take a M-60 hit at point-blank range with no deflection and it would stop the bullet. Yeah. One of our vehicles took a hit just below the driver's viewport and it grazed the armor. They later determined that it had been hit by an M-1 carbine. That would fill you with confidence. Shrapnel, no problem, but bullets...it could get a little iffy.

There are at least a couple of these newer versions around here. One is operated by the Highway Patrol and looks good in its tan and black F.H.P. paint job while another not far from here is darker and has subdued markings on top of a second metal shell bolted a few inches out from the main hull. A friend of mine has two completely equipped V-100 types, minus the twin M-60s in the turrets, sitting in his back yard. Must be nice.

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Handy looking vehicle whatever you call it. (looks kinda tanky to me ;) :D ) I reckon one of these in the local supermarket car park would be just the goods to sort out the drongos that populate it this time of year. With the M60s of course. :)

Steve.

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