Hi,
It has been a long time since I saw a Nagmacgon. And the last time I saw it was when it was up on a truck on the way to the north on Highway 6. I was surprised to know the IDF still using them.
Later, it crossed my mind that it might have been on the way to scrappage, as this heavy APC is from the first and older generation of heavy APC in the IDF (unlike the light APC – Nagmash) . This generation was based mainly on the british Centurion tank, which was used in armory corps between 1959 and 1992 (and up till 2002 in reserve forces). Some were based on the T-54/T-55 Russian tank and was named Achzarit (“Cruel”).
The gun turret was removed from those tanks leaving only the hull, the armory was upgraded, the engine was sometimes replaced, as well as the tracks and the roads wheels, and options to add more advanced weapons.
In the Nagmacgon, a turret was added on top to allow a better view around. It also got better armory on the bottom, which gave it his name – an acrynom of Armored Bottom APC.
The Nagmacgon was used as the Engineering Corps APC from the 1980s, and till was replaced by the Puma armored engineering vehicle from the 1990s.
I again bumped into one of those APCs inside an IDF base, and again, I was surprised it was still used. The mechanics around it could not completely explain why it is there and what they are supposed to do with it.
The heavy APCs in the IDF are being slowly replaced by the new generation of heavy APCs, which are based on tank Merkava hull and mostly named Namer (an acrynom of Merkava APC).
Take Care
Gad
The Nagmacgon I saw inside an IDF base