📌 1942 Diamond T980 6x4 Tank Transporter.
Production began in 1941, the first batch being received in Britain in 1942 and very quickly demonstrated their rugged reliability in the British campaign in North Africa. Battle-damaged Tanks needed to be recovered quickly, often under hostile fire, and returned to workshops for repair. The Diamond T, with its powerful engine and winch, could accomplish this, even in the harshest desert conditions. 5,871 were eventually built by 1945 and were used by virtually every Allied Army in every theatre of World War Two. The British Army took delivery of around 1,000 during the war years and many continued in service afterwards, being replaced in the early 1950's with the Thornycroft Antar (''Mighty Antar'') although a few remained in Tank Transporter Units up until 1971.
Many of those sold off by the Army after the war were snapped up by heavy haulage and recovery specialists, notably Pickfords and Wynns and were a familiar sight on Britain's roads, pulling heavy lowloaders and fairground trailers or parked on garage forecourts, in readiness for a heavy rescue operation equipped as wreckers. They suffered from ''very limited off-road performance'' as a result of only the two rear axles being driven. Today, many of the 75-year-old Diamond T's can still be found in private ownership in Britain and frequently appear at historic vehicle shows.
The 'Combination Unit' is referred to as the M19 Tank Transporter, consisting of the M20 Tractor and M9 24-Wheel Trailer. In the nomenclature system used by the U.S Army Ordnance Corps Supply Catalog this vehicle is referred as the 'G159' It was superseded by the M26, after the introduction of the M26, the U.S relegated M20's to Ammunition Hauling, for which they proved ''tremendous'' British designation for the Tractor Unit was ''Diamond T Tractor 6x4 for 40 ton Trailer'' with 'Model 980 or Model 981 added to distinguish the two. The British-built Trailers were known as ''40 ton Trailer British Mk. I (Crane)'' and ''40 ton Trailer British Mk.II (Dyson)'' being manufactured by either Cranes of Dereham and R. A. Dyson and Company of Liverpool.
📌 1942 Diamond T980 6x4 Tank Transporter.
Production began in 1941, the first batch being received in Britain in 1942 and very quickly demonstrated their rugged reliability in the British campaign in North Africa. Battle-damaged Tanks needed to be recovered quickly, often under hostile fire, and returned to workshops for repair. The Diamond T, with its powerful engine and winch, could accomplish this, even in the harshest desert conditions. 5,871 were eventually built by 1945 and were used by virtually every Allied Army in every theatre of World War Two. The British Army took delivery of around 1,000 during the war years and many continued in service afterwards, being replaced in the early 1950's with the Thornycroft Antar (''Mighty Antar'') although a few remained in Tank Transporter Units up until 1971.
Many of those sold off by the Army after the war were snapped up by heavy haulage and recovery specialists, notably Pickfords and Wynns and were a familiar sight on Britain's roads, pulling heavy lowloaders and fairground trailers or parked on garage forecourts, in readiness for a heavy rescue operation equipped as wreckers. They suffered from ''very limited off-road performance'' as a result of only the two rear axles being driven. Today, many of the 75-year-old Diamond T's can still be found in private ownership in Britain and frequently appear at historic vehicle shows.
The 'Combination Unit' is referred to as the M19 Tank Transporter, consisting of the M20 Tractor and M9 24-Wheel Trailer. In the nomenclature system used by the U.S Army Ordnance Corps Supply Catalog this vehicle is referred as the 'G159' It was superseded by the M26, after the introduction of the M26, the U.S relegated M20's to Ammunition Hauling, for which they proved ''tremendous'' British designation for the Tractor Unit was ''Diamond T Tractor 6x4 for 40 ton Trailer'' with 'Model 980 or Model 981 added to distinguish the two. The British-built Trailers were known as ''40 ton Trailer British Mk. I (Crane)'' and ''40 ton Trailer British Mk.II (Dyson)'' being manufactured by either Cranes of Dereham and R. A. Dyson and Company of Liverpool.