What is the most unique or exciting piece of Military equipment that you have ever operated or fired?

CW4 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:02:07 -0400

If you have photos please share.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2015 11:06 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:06:44 -0400

Hands down the Chinook...but I am very partial!

Response by SGT Eric Dziekan made Jul 25 at 2015 11:15 AM

SGT Eric Dziekan — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:15:14 -0400

The most unique for me would have to be the 90mm recoiless rifle using Korean War surplus ammo in Garmany in the late 80's. I don't know if they still have them in inventory anymore.

Response by SSG Ricardo Marcial made Jul 25 at 2015 11:24 AM

SSG Ricardo Marcial — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:24:00 -0400

Boy and their toys.....lots of fun
Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle in Afghanistan.
Mark 19 when they arrived at NWS Charleston back in I would say '84 or '85, while I served in the Marines.

Response by COL Jon Thompson made Jul 25 at 2015 11:33 AM

COL Jon Thompson — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 11:33:56 -0400

On my last range as an Infantry Bradley Company Commander, I fired a live TOW missile off my vehicle. Looking back, it was probably selfish for me to do that shortly before I left command but I wasn't really thinking about that at the time.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 25 at 2015 1:59 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 13:59:34 -0400

As a qualified underway helmsman, I "drove" my ships on countless occasions. "Driving" the USS MIDWAY, a ship about as big as the Empire State Building is tall, was a tremendous challenge and frightening opportunity for a nineteenth-year-old lad from the Midwest who'd never even seen an ocean before. But to also do the "driving" during UNREPS was a task of such immense responsibility that words completely fail me.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 26 at 2015 1:45 AM

COL Charles Williams — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 01:45:07 -0400

Well I flew in a B2, and a B52.... but that was nothing compared to the first time I ever fired, or experience the firing of the Main Gun on a M1 Abrams. In Spring of 85 I was at Armor Officer Basic... and were on the main gun range... learning how to bore sight, and getting ready to fire main gun for the first time. We had boresighted, so I was sitting atop of my tank, with my butt against the Commanders hatch looking cool... but, had not actually fired yet... Just then, the tank to my right fired... I almost shit myself and fell to the ground (like 10 feet), as the ground shook, and I could fell the heat from the muzzle blast. It doesn't get any better than that... if you like guns.

Response by Cpl Lance Feider made Jul 26 at 2015 1:58 AM

Cpl Lance Feider — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 01:58:20 -0400

AT-4. Super fun. Loud. Fast. Oh, and FUN!

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2015 11:58 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 11:58:32 -0400

The VMMD Husky. Being cramped in that awesome machine wasn't a big issue. What an amazing vehicle.

Response by SSG John Jensen made Jul 27 at 2015 12:30 PM

SSG John Jensen — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:30:10 -0400

driving a jeep ambulance, jumping out of a C-7 Caribou
favorite jump Huey "Sit! In the Door!"

Response by SFC Dave Wynn made Nov 16 at 2015 1:55 PM

SFC Dave Wynn — Mon, 16 Nov 2015 13:55:48 -0500

The M551 Sheridan 152MM main gun on the 30 ton chassis. When fired it would raise three road wheels of the ground.

Response by CPT Jim Schwebach made Mar 28 at 2016 9:24 PM

CPT Jim Schwebach — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 21:24:59 -0400

Spent some time working with a Swift Boat squadron a long while back. They had a breech loading 81 MM mortar on the fan tail that was a wonderment. But the most unique was the AP-2H flown by VAH-21 (Project TRIM). Flying trail interdiction at night at tree top level in an armed and armored P2 was an experience! Chasing barges was fun too.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2016 8:20 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 08:20:52 -0400

Last unit was infantry. Got to go out with recon and sniper teams and mortars. The snipers let me fire a few rifles. The mortars let me drop a few rounds. Loud as hell but awesome to do and see

Response by PO1 Jack Howell made Mar 30 at 2016 3:11 PM

PO1 Jack Howell — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 15:11:45 -0400

While I was at IA training in South Carolina, there were four weapons that we fired after we had finished qualifying on either the M-16, M-9, or both. Those weapons were the M-240, M-249, M-2 .50 cal, and MK-19 grenade launcher. I enjoyed firing the last two.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Mar 31 at 2016 3:17 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 03:17:38 -0400

OV-10 Bronco

Response by MSgt Richard Rountree made May 17 at 2016 6:43 PM

MSgt Richard Rountree — Tue, 17 May 2016 18:43:18 -0400

While I never actually got to 'operate' it, I got an incentive ride in a FB-111A at Plattsburgh AFB in 1976. My boss, Lt Col Ron Venturini, asked me what I wanted to persuade me to re-enlist. I pointed to the flight line and said a ride in one of those. To my surprise he actually made it happen. After some simulator time for safety and egress training, I flew in the navigator's position over Vermont and the Adirondacks for about 30 minutes or so. The best way to describe it is: Sierra Hotel!!

Response by Cpl Rick Ulrey made Aug 11 at 2016 4:38 PM

Cpl Rick Ulrey — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:38:31 -0400

By far, for me it was firing the MK-19 automagic grenade launcher. So fun. *CHUNK CHUNK CHUNK* *BOOM BOOM BOOM*

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2016 4:45 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:45:10 -0400

It was crazy, man.

Response by CW2 Carl Swanson made Aug 11 at 2016 4:51 PM

CW2 Carl Swanson — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 16:51:19 -0400

Spent 3 years on M1A1 HCs and then became a Warrant and flew the Apache. Love going to the range!

Response by CPT Derial Bivens made Jun 21 at 2018 12:06 AM

CPT Derial Bivens — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 00:06:09 -0400

For me it had to be that MK-19 automatic grenade launcher. As an Engineer, I got to watch my troops deploy a MICLIC once and that was cool, but when my unit was first issued the MK-19, I got to qualify with it. Bodacious!

Response by SPC Casey Ashfield made Sep 20 at 2018 4:10 PM

SPC Casey Ashfield — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:10:25 -0400

General Electric still does test fires at some of their contractor ranges for the GAU-8 Avenger cannon. That cannon sounds so much more ferocious when it isn't surrounded by an A-10 body. First time I ever heard one fire I was well over a mile away from the source. And it sounded like the biggest, angriest swarm of bees I have ever heard. Got to watch many tank carcasses get reduced to shrapnel.