Description
Technical Manual (TM 9-1220-225-35P) for M5, M5A1, and M5A2 Ballistic Drives 1964
This Technical Manual TM 9-1220-225-35P covers the M5, M5A1, and M5A2 Ballistic Drives and is dated 1964.
The publication is a field- and depot-maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list for personnel identifying, requisitioning, and supporting components used with these tank fire-control drives.
Historical Significance
The M5-series ballistic drives were part of the mechanical fire-control equipment used with 90 mm M48-series gun tanks. They linked the ballistic computer with the tank's rangefinder and gunner's periscope so the sighting system could apply the required superelevation correction.
This equipment reflects the period before digital tank fire control, when mechanical shafts and direct linkages coordinated the ballistic solution with the gunner's optical instruments and the gun's movement.
Role in the M48 Fire-Control System
The ballistic computer determined superelevation, the additional gun elevation needed for the projectile's trajectory. The ballistic drive transmitted that correction and shifted the lines of sight in the rangefinder and gunner's periscope by the proper angular amount. When no correction was being added, the drive maintained equal movement between the sights as the gun elevated or depressed.
The M5A2 was intended for the fire-control systems of the 90 mm M48A2 and M48A2C gun tanks, making this manual relevant to the maintenance history of those vehicles and their fire-control equipment.
What This Manual Covers
As a -35P publication, TM 9-1220-225-35P focuses on field- and depot-maintenance repair parts and special tools rather than operator instructions. It supports parts identification and supply work for the three ballistic-drive variants listed on the cover.
The manual documents the components used to maintain the drive assemblies that transferred ballistic-computer output to the optical fire-control linkages. This makes it useful for understanding the parts structure of the drives and their place in the tank's sighting system.
Key Features
- Official publication number: TM 9-1220-225-35P
- Publication date: 1964
- Equipment covered: M5, M5A1, and M5A2 Ballistic Drives
- Maintenance scope: field and depot repair parts and special tools
- Federal Stock Numbers: M5: 1220-344-4657; M5A1: 1290-564-7392; M5A2: 1290-650-0216
- System context: mechanical fire control for 90 mm M48-series gun tanks
Why This Manual Matters
This manual preserves official Army nomenclature and parts-support organization for three related ballistic-drive models. It is a focused source for identifying components, studying maintenance levels, and tracing the support structure behind M48-series fire-control equipment.
Because the ballistic drive formed the mechanical link between the ballistic computer and the gunner's optical instruments, its parts documentation helps explain how a complete tank fire-control system was maintained beyond the crew level.
About This Manual
Published by Headquarters, Department of the Army in 1964, TM 9-1220-225-35P is a field- and depot-maintenance repair-parts and special-tools list for the M5, M5A1, and M5A2 Ballistic Drives.
It is a parts-support publication, distinct from an operator's manual or a general vehicle maintenance manual.
Ideal For
This manual is a strong fit for:
- U.S. Army technical-manual collectors
- M48 Patton tank historians and restoration researchers
- Military museums and armored-vehicle reference libraries
- Fire-control and optical-instrument researchers
- Collectors studying Cold War mechanical ballistic systems
Approx length 10", Approx width 8", Approx height .25", Approx weight 1lbs.
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