1942 Diamond T980 6x4 Tank Transporter.
The M19 Tank Transporter (US supply catalog designation G159) was a Heavy Tank Transporter System used in World War Two and into the 1950's. It consisted of a 12-ton 6x4 M20 Diamond T Model 980 Truck and Companion 12-wheel M9 Trailer. Over 5,000 were produced, and employed by Allied Armies throughout all Theaters of War. It was superseded in the U.S. Military by the M25 Tank Transporter during the war, but usefully redeployed in other tasks. It was superseded by the Thornycroft Antar in British service by the early 1950's, though a few remained operational in units through into 1971.
Designed as a ''Heavy Prime Mover'' for Tank Transporting, the hard-cab Diamond T980 was the product of the Diamond T Company in Chicago. In 1940 the British Purchasing Commission, looking to equip the British Army with a vehicle capable of transporting larger and heavier Tanks, approached a number of American truck manufacturers to assess their models. The Diamond T Company had a long history of building rugged, Military Vehicles for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and had recently produced a prototype heavy vehicle for the US Army which, with a few slight modifications met British requirements and an initial order for 200 was very quickly filled. The result was the Diamond T980, a 12-ton hard-cab 6x4 Truck. Powered by a Hercules DFXE diesel engine developing 201hp and geared very low, it could pull a trailer of up to 115,000lb (57.5 US tons) and proved capable of the task of moving the heaviest Tanks then in service.
The M20 used a Hercules DFXE, a 14.7 L displacement naturally aspirated inline 6-cylinder diesel engine developing 185hp at 1,600 rpm and 665 lbf⋅ft of torque at 1200rpm. Designed for a British requirement, this was one of the few diesel engines used in US tactical trucks.
A two plate dry disk diaphragm spring clutch drove Fuller four-speed main and three-speed auxiliary transmissions. The main transmission had a “low” first gear and three road gears, 4th being direct. The auxiliary had low, direct, and overdrive gears. The low gear allowed several very low gears for extreme off-road use. The direct and overdrive allowed the three road gears to be split, making 6 road gears. Spicer driveshafts drove two Timken double-reduction axles with an 11.66:1 final drive ratio.
1942 Diamond T980 6x4 Tank Transporter.
The M19 Tank Transporter (US supply catalog designation G159) was a Heavy Tank Transporter System used in World War Two and into the 1950's. It consisted of a 12-ton 6x4 M20 Diamond T Model 980 Truck and Companion 12-wheel M9 Trailer. Over 5,000 were produced, and employed by Allied Armies throughout all Theaters of War. It was superseded in the U.S. Military by the M25 Tank Transporter during the war, but usefully redeployed in other tasks. It was superseded by the Thornycroft Antar in British service by the early 1950's, though a few remained operational in units through into 1971.
Designed as a ''Heavy Prime Mover'' for Tank Transporting, the hard-cab Diamond T980 was the product of the Diamond T Company in Chicago. In 1940 the British Purchasing Commission, looking to equip the British Army with a vehicle capable of transporting larger and heavier Tanks, approached a number of American truck manufacturers to assess their models. The Diamond T Company had a long history of building rugged, Military Vehicles for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps and had recently produced a prototype heavy vehicle for the US Army which, with a few slight modifications met British requirements and an initial order for 200 was very quickly filled. The result was the Diamond T980, a 12-ton hard-cab 6x4 Truck. Powered by a Hercules DFXE diesel engine developing 201hp and geared very low, it could pull a trailer of up to 115,000lb (57.5 US tons) and proved capable of the task of moving the heaviest Tanks then in service.
The M20 used a Hercules DFXE, a 14.7 L displacement naturally aspirated inline 6-cylinder diesel engine developing 185hp at 1,600 rpm and 665 lbf⋅ft of torque at 1200rpm. Designed for a British requirement, this was one of the few diesel engines used in US tactical trucks.
A two plate dry disk diaphragm spring clutch drove Fuller four-speed main and three-speed auxiliary transmissions. The main transmission had a “low” first gear and three road gears, 4th being direct. The auxiliary had low, direct, and overdrive gears. The low gear allowed several very low gears for extreme off-road use. The direct and overdrive allowed the three road gears to be split, making 6 road gears. Spicer driveshafts drove two Timken double-reduction axles with an 11.66:1 final drive ratio.