Philippine Military Academy – Relics Point (Baguio City, Benguet)

Our first stopover at the Philippine Military Academy was at Relics Point, a favorite for military hardware lovers including me.  Here, you can see and touch (and actually ride) the real McCoy as on display are actual U.S. and U.K-made armored tracked or wheeled vehicles and U.S., French, Dutch and Japanese-made howitzers and mortars.

Me beside an Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle
The U.S.-made Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV) weighted 13,687 kgs. (30,175 lbs.), had a fuel tank capacity of 416 lieters ADF (diesel) and was armed with 25 mm. Oerlikon KBA B02 auto cannon as primary armament and a 7.62 mm. co-axial machine gun as secondary armament.
 
Landing Vehicle Tracked 4 (LVT)
The amphibious, U.S.-made Landing Vehicle Tracked 4 (LVT), used during World War II, was armed with a 7.62 mm. machine gun and can be loaded by a jeep or a 105 mm. howitzer.  It had a maximum speed of 32 kms./hr. on land and 12 kms./hr. on water.  Here in the country, it was used by the Philippine Marines.
 
V-150
The U.S.-made V-150 had a battle weight of 9,000 kgs. (24,000 lbs.), a ground clearance of 64.7 cms. (25.5 inches) and a fuel tank capacity of 300 liters ADF.  It was armed with a 50 cal. M2 heavy barrel machine gun as primary armament and a 7.62 mm. co-axial M240 machine gun as secondary armament.
 
Sherman M-4A1 Medium Tank
The U.S.-made Sherman M-4A1 Medium Tank, developed during the early part of World War II, was built in large numbers and was extensively deployed in the Pacific and European theater.
 
M-7 Self-Propelled Howitzer
The U.S.-made M-7 Self-Propelled Howitzer saw extensive service during World War II with the Allied forces, from the Battle of El Alamein onwards.  Nicknamed the “Priest,” its gun had a range of 11,160 m.
 
Simba Light Combat Vehicle
The U.K.-made Simba Light Combat Vehicle  had a battle CBT weight of between 9.9 to 11.2 tons, a hull ground clearance of 0.45 m. (1.5 ft.), an axle ground clearance of 0.33 m. and a fuel tank capacity of 296 liters ADF.  It was armed with one 50 cal. QCB machine gun.
 
Jandy trying out the 40 mm. Bofors
The Dutch-made 40 mm. Bofors was the most widely-used ant-aircraft gun of World War II.  Both Allied and Axis forces used license-built and captured guns of this type.
 
75 mm. Mountain Gun
The Japanese-made, pre-World War II (1934), Type 94 75 mm. mountain gun, light and for rugged use, was suitable for fighting in mountainous country.
 
12.2 mm. Light Field Howitzer
The French-made 12.2 mm. Light Field Howitzer, introduced in 1909, was used in World War II.  It had a maximum range of 7,500 m..
 
105 mm. L3A1 Melara Howitzer

The U.S.-made 105 mm. L3A1 Malara Howitzer, of Italian design, was adopted by the American in 1939 and used to ward off the Japanese in 1941.

105 mm. M101 A1 Howitzer

The U.S.-made 105 mm. M101 A1 Howitzer was one of the most successful guns ever produced.  Between 1940-1953, 10,202 were produced and supplied to 46 national armies.  Firing at a rate of 8 rounds per minute, it had a maximum range of 11,200 m..

105 mm. M2 Howitzer

The U.S.-made 105 mm. M2 Howitzer, an improved version of the M1 howitzer, had a lower caliber but with a higher degree of accuracy.  It was later replaced by M2A1 which improved its stabilizers.

105 mm. M3 Howitzer
The U.S.-made 105 mm. M3 Howitzer, a variant of the M2 howitzer, has a shorter barrel built for shorter ranges (9,500 m. maximum).  This artillery was used by the Americans during the Lingayen landing.
 
120 mm. M120 Mortar

The U.S.-made 120 mm. M120 mortar, the largest mortar in the U.S. arsenal, was used during World War II against the Japanese.  It had a maximum range of 7,240 m..  Although this was used to fire chemical ammunition, it was also used high-explosive (HE) rounds.

The Aircraft Park
Continuing on our way, we passed the Shaku, the PMA’s landmark feathered parade cap, and stopped again at Melchor Hall.  In front of the hall is an aircraft park, this time with a display of 3 aircraft – U.S.-made, Vietnam War vintage Bell UH-1H helicopter and a F-8H Crusader fighter and an Italian-made Aermachhi SF-260M (S1A1) Marchetti military trainer.  
 
Bell UH-1H Helicopter
The Bell UH-1H general purpose helicopter had a 1,400-HP AVCO turbo shaft engine, a maximum level cruising speed of 110 knots, a sea level rate of climb of 1,600 ft./min., a ceiling service of 12,600 ft. and a hovering ceiling OGE (of ground effect) of 13,600 ft.
 
F-8H Crusader Fighter

The F-8H Crusader fighter has variable incidence wings, all-weather radar autopilot, a sophisticated weapons delivery system and can be equipped with various weapons such as air-to-air missiles, rockets, 20 mm. cannons, M-60 machine guns and 500-lb. bombs.

SF-260 M (S1A1)

The 7.1 m. long Aermacchi SF-260 M(S1A1), a basic military trainer first used for flying training, was further modified to load 250-lb. bombs and MA-3 rocket launchers and deployed in combat operations to conduct close air support to ground operations.   It had a maximum level speed of 180 knots and had a range, with max fuel, of 890 nautical miles (1,630 kms./1,025 miles).

Fort Del Pilar: Loakan Rd., Baguio City, Benguet

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