Anybody ever drive a tank?

[SaltyNuts]

I would LOVE to drive a tank. A fully modern one would rock, but I'd even be happy driving one from WWII or Korea or Vietnam or whatever. Anyone ever drive one? Is it something else given the huge size/weight of what your are driving?

Are there any places that let you drive one for a few minutes for some $$$? Will any of them let you fire the gun? This sounds unlikely, but does anyone actually let you fire the gun at some live target? Like, let's say the U.S. is supporting the Kurds. The Kurds are attacking ISIS, and shelling a town or position with tank main-gun fire. I'd pay money if I could actually dive the tank up to the firing position, get in the gunner seat, and fire off some rounds at a village or enemy position or what not.

Thanks!

 

[PJFrylar]

http://www.goarmy.com/

 

[SaltyNuts]

LOL PjFrylar, I'd join if I could - too old methinks.

Need some alternatives!

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.driveatank.com/

Really...how fucking hard is it?

 

[CraKaJaX]

http://www.driveatank.com/

Really...how fucking hard is it?

http://www.notthathard.com/

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I would LOVE to drive a tank. A fully modern one would rock, but I'd even be happy driving one from WWII or Korea or Vietnam or whatever. Anyone ever drive one? Is it something else given the huge size/weight of what your are driving?

Are there any places that let you drive one for a few minutes for some $$$? Will any of them let you fire the gun? This sounds unlikely, but does anyone actually let you fire the gun at some live target? Like, let's say the U.S. is supporting the Kurds. The Kurds are attacking ISIS, and shelling a town or position with tank main-gun fire. I'd pay money if I could actually dive the tank up to the firing position, get in the gunner seat, and fire off some rounds at a village or enemy position or what not.

Thanks!

Ask this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Nelson_(plumber)

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.notthathard.com/

http://wellplayed.com/

 

[SaltyNuts]

C'mon guys. I like everyone else knows how to google. But I'm actually looking for some *THOUGHTS* from ATOT members who might have experienced it. I can just imagine pulling the trigger on a 120mm main guys and watching a building full of people (terrorists) explode.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

No but I know a guy who has

 

[KMFJD]

Does World of Tanks/Warthunder count? One of my uncles did drive tanks for the Dutch army in the 70's

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'm sure someone somewhere has.

Fun fact: I used to work with a guy who drove aircraft carriers.

 

[Linflas]

I'm sure someone somewhere has.

Fun fact: I used to work with a guy who drove aircraft carriers.

Funny a guy from my old ship posted about being age 18 and only 2 years out from drivers ed driving the USS Independence for the first time. That has to be a trip.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Funny a guy from my old ship posted about being age 18 and only 2 years out from drivers ed driving the USS Independence for the first time. That has to be a trip.

Prolly easy unless you're docking. Not much to run into

 

[BD231]

Nah but I seen brad pitt drive one, man I'd look so bad ass drivin one of them

 

[Imp]

It's cool up until this happens:
https://youtu.be/y5xKCzdhAC8

 

[Cappuccino]

Yeah all the time. On GTA.

 

[radhak]

I have not driven a tank, but I have sat in tank while in high school. A friend of mine was an army-brat and was allowed access to an area that had an old tank sitting around, which he found was not all that well-guarded, at least not all the times. This one time we could, we got in, and spent around 10 minutes each inside that tank. Don't remember the make/model but it was one of the most harrowing experiences for me because of how claustrophobic it made me feel. It could have seated multiple people at the same time but neither of us had the guts to get in together - just one-at-a-time was too much for me. It had a hatch on top that could only be semi-closed (because of some chains securing the tank) but still, when my friend tried to close it on me I screamed bloody murder - the very idea of sitting inside that cramped metal box in the dark was unnerving, to put it mildly.

So, in short - maybe you are less worried about closed spaces than me, but you could not pay me to sit in a tank, working or otherwise.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I have not driven a tank, but I have sat in tank while in high school. A friend of mine was an army-brat and was allowed access to an area that had an old tank sitting around, which he found was not all that well-guarded, at least not all the times. This one time we could, we got in, and spent around 10 minutes each inside that tank. Don't remember the make/model but it was one of the most harrowing experiences for me because of how claustrophobic it made me feel. It could have seated multiple people at the same time but neither of us had the guts to get in together - just one-at-a-time was too much for me. It had a hatch on top that could only be semi-closed (because of some chains securing the tank) but still, when my friend tried to close it on me I screamed bloody murder - the very idea of sitting inside that cramped metal box in the dark was unnerving, to put it mildly.

So, in short - maybe you are less worried about closed spaces than me, but you could not pay me to sit in a tank, working or otherwise.

I present to you the H.L. Hunley, Civil War submarine. I got to see it at the museum in Charleston, it's smaller than it looks:

 

[radhak]

I present to you the H.L. Hunley, Civil War submarine. I got to see it at the museum in Charleston, it's smaller than it looks:

Stuff like this are what my nightmares are made of

 

[MrSquished]

My pops drove a tank. Joined the Army not too long after immigrating here. He was stationed in Kentucky. He fucked up and drove the tank into a tree. It must have been a small tank and a big tree cause the tree won. He's 86 now and that was in his early 20's so I have no idea what tanks were around then. I've seen videos of M1A1 Abrams tanks plowing through decent sized trees.

Pops became a company clerk after that.

 

[shortylickens]

My aunt had a diesel Cutlass Sierra. It felt like a tank.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I present to you the H.L. Hunley, Civil War submarine. I got to see it at the museum in Charleston, it's smaller than it looks:

There is a 1970s era Soviet diesel submarine at the San Diego Maritime Museum that you can take a quick tour through. You have to go through hatches that are about 1m in diameter and it is pretty cramped in there. If I remember correctly, around 70 men served aboard those subs when they were in commission. Must have been impossible to find any time to yourself.

 

[Bartman39]

Yea sure did a few years ago... Was a Canadian tank of some sort...? They were converting them to use for fire fighting on oil well fires... Owner and a few of them were over in Houston TX... Was pretty cool to drive and steer the damn thing... But the guy would not let me run over anything...

BTW the weapons had been removed also...

 

[Kaido]

Ask this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Nelson_(plumber)

Reminds me of the Killdozer guy:

$7 million in damage. Only casualty was himself (by himself).

 

[Kaido]

Ask this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Nelson_(plumber)

Wait what?

Although the gate to the vehicle yard was usually locked after 5:00 p.m., employees at the armory were working late, and left the gate open. The vehicle yard was completely deserted. Nelson likely used a crowbar to break open the tank hatches. The tanks involved started with a push button and did not require an ignition key. The first two tanks he broke into would not start.