Armoured Regiment trains with New Zealand squadron DPR/TV/293

During the first week of training in New Zealand, the members of Australia's 1st Armoured Regiment and attached LAD (RAEME) have been under instruction how to drive the American M41 tanks belonging to the New Zealand One Armoured Squadron, (Queen Alexander's). The training included some of the most rugged terrain in the Waioura camp district and is part of TASMAN FOUR exchange exercise. The M41 tank is designed for use in the reconnaissance role. Weighing only 22 tons, it is extremely fast and manouverable. The tank can get up to the speeds of 40 miles per hour. The troopers of the Australian unit negotiated extremely steep hills up to the gradient of 60 degrees. Each tank had a Kiwi instructor advising the driver as he faced each problem. The training exercise started early in the morning, and at the lunch stop the tanks were refuelled just out of Waiour camp. After the lunch break the tanks went up into the rugged Rangipo desert, covered in tussock grass and a sparse sprinkling of small pine trees, the area ranges from plains to the steep hills.