M-38A1 DUNK TANK

[Joe Gopan]

One of the interesting topics in mechanics school was tuning up M-38A1 and M-37 engines in a tank and then getting to fill the tank with water while the running engine was submerged and observing the work you had just done to make the engine water tight.
I always wondered what the Jeep horn sounded like under water. The instructor said he would set one up just for laughs in a future class.

[w30bob]

So Ben.......how good were you? How many engines were NOT waterproof after you guys worked on them?
If one got waterlogged did the guy who assembled it have to rebuild it (again)?
Just wondering.

Thanks,
Bob

[Joe Gopan]

I was very good, and have plenty of practice. The idea is to teach the student to do the job correctly. The instructors were excellent and there to teach success, not failure.
And I am grateful to the US Army for training and allowing me to work on all those exciting combat vehicles.

[Joe Gopan]

The engines used were all prepared by the Training Aids Unit. The upper tanks of the radiators all got BRASSO treatment by the proud instructors.

[Joe Gopan]

I felt bad for these engines as they never really got up to operating temperature during the underwater demonstration.