View allAll Photos Tagged Offroadtrucks
Pretty unique for our part of the world is this 6x6 Mack crane truck, said to have started life working in WA.
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 It was superseded in the U.S. Military by the M25 Tank Transporter during the war, but usefully redeployed in other tasks. It was superseded by the Thornycroft Antar in British service by the early 1950's, though a few remained operational in units through into 1971.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.
Had a blast shooting this young man. It’s not the first time he’s been in front of my lenses, but always a fun time. He’s quite the character! Thank you Zach for another great session!
The M19 Tank Transporter (U.S 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.
Designed as a heavy prime mover for tank transporting, the hard-cab Diamond T 980 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 U.S 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 T 980 a 12-ton hard-cab 6x4 truck. Powered by a Hercules DFXE diesel engine developing 201 hp and geared very low, it could pull a trailer of up to 115,000 lb and proved capable of the task of moving the heaviest tanks then in service.
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.
▪︎Type: 45-ton Truck-trailer
▪︎Place of origin: United States
▪︎Manufacturer: Diamond T (M20 truck)
▪︎Manufacturer: Fruehauf Trailer Corporation / Winter-Weis / Rodgers (M9 trailer)
▪︎Produced: 1941 to 1945
▪︎Number built: 6,554 (M20 truck)
- M20 truck -
▪︎Mass: 26,650 lb empty / 45,000 lb loaded
▪︎Length: 23 ft 4 in / Width: 8 ft 6 in / Height: 8 ft 5 in
▪︎Powerplant: Hercules DFXE 201 hp
▪︎Transmission: 4 speed × 3 speed auxiliary
▪︎Suspension: Beam axles on leaf springs
▪︎Operational range: 300 miles
▪︎Maximum speed: 23 mph
- M9 trailer -
▪︎Mass: 22,020 lb empty / 112,020 lb loaded
▪︎Length: 29 ft 8 in (incl. drawbar) / Width: 9 ft 6 in / Height: 4 ft 9 in
▪︎Suspension: Trailing beams (front) / center pivot beams (rear).
Information sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M19_Tank_Transporter#:~:text=Prod....
Munden Trucking runs Kenworth T880s spec’d with 550-hp engines and 18-speed transmissions. The tractors were all spec’d with tridem-drive axles, and feature severe weather insulation packages. The Kenworths were purchased through Inland Kenworth.
This off-road vehicle was primarily produced to meet the British Army's requirement for a Gun Tractor, and was designed to tow a Field Gun (L118 Light Gun) with a ton of Ammunition and other Equipment in the rear load space, giving it the alternative name of the Land Rover ''One Tonne'' the vehicle was designed to be easily transported by air, the positioning of the 3.5 litre Rover V8 engine beneath and to the rear of the cab eliminates the bonnet at the front, making the vehicle more or less cuboid thus reducing unused space in Transport Aircraft. Of concern was the payload and limited stability, particularly when crossing an incline.
The official name of ''101 Forward Control'' is derived from the vehicle's 101 inch wheelbase, and the position of the driver, above and slightly in front of the front wheels which used a fairly large 9.00x16in tyre. To cope with the extra height above the ground, the wheels feature an unusual feature for a Land Rover (but used for many years on the much older and similar Mercedes Unimog S404) a flange around the centre of the wheel has an embossed tread pattern forming a step for the crew when entering the cab, named a 'wheel-step'.
Development of the 101 Forward Control started in 1967, with a design team led by Norman Busby (14th October 1931 to 30th June 2005). Production took place between 1972 and 1978, in common practice of the Armed Forces, many vehicles were not used for some years and it is not unheard of for Military Vehicle enthusiasts to pick up these vehicles after only a few thousand miles service. All the vehicles produced at the Land Rover factory at Lode Lane, Solihull were soft top ('rag top') General Service Gun Tractors, although later on many were rebuilt with hard-top Ambulance bodies and as Radio Communication Trucks. A rare variant is the Electronic Warfare Vampire body, it is thought that only 21 of these were produced and less than half of these survive today.
The 101 Forward Control also served with the RAF Regiment, two 101's were allocated to each Rapier Missile set up, the British RAF Rapier System used three Land Rovers in deployment, a 24V winch fitted 101 Firing Unit Tractor (FUT) to tow the Launch Trailer, loaded with four Rapier Missiles, Guidance Equipment and radio, a 12V winch fitted 101 Tracking Radar Tractor (TRT) to tow the Blindfire Radar Trailer, also loaded with four Rapier Missiles and Guidance Equipment, and a 109 Land Rover to tow a Reload Trailer with 9 Rapier Missiles and loaded with the unit's other supplies and kit.
The 101 Forward Control also served in the Ambulance role, the Ambulance bodywork was built by Marshall of Cambridge, and was manufactured in both left and right hand drive with either 12 or 24 volt electrical systems. Some 101 Forward Control's were produced with a PTO powered Nokken capstan winch mounted on the chassis at the centre of the vehicle, allowing winching from either the front or rear. Another variation on a small number of pre-production vehicles was the addition of a trailer with an axle driven from the PTO, creating a 6x6 vehicle, this adaptation was abandoned before full production when it was discovered that the trailer had a propensity to push the vehicle onto its side when driven over rough terrain.
By the late 1990's, the 101 Forward Control's were decommissioned by the MoD and were replaced with Defenders and Pinzgauer Vehicles. Many 101's have entered into private ownership and there is a thriving 'Owners Club' supporting these sourcing spares and providing technical support the club also keeps a register of known surviving vehicles throughout the world. A prototype 101 was built based on a Recovery Vehicle, but only one of these is known to be in existence, at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_101_Forward_Control
The M939 Truck is a 5-ton 6x6 U.S Military Heavy Truck, the basic cargo versions were designed to transport a 10,000lb cargo load over all terrain in all weather. Designed in the late 1970's to replace the M39 and M809 series of trucks, it has been in service ever since. The M939 evolved into its own family of Cargo Trucks, Dump Trucks, Semi-Tractors, Vans, Wreckers, and bare chassis / cabs for specialty bodies, 44,590 unis in all were produced.
In the late 1970's the M809 series 5-ton 6x6 Trucks, based on a 1949 design, were becoming old and mechanically dated. It was still a useful type, with 35,000 in service. A ''Product Improvement Package'' was developed to rebuild and update the M809 series into the M939 series. A new cab and hood are spotting features, but there were also other improvements.
In 1982 AM General, who built all M809's, began rebuilding M809's into the M939 and M939A1 series at their South Bend, Indiana plant. They would rebuild 24,100. A follow-up model, the all-new M939A2 series, was produced by Bowen-McLaughlin-York / BMY in Marysville, Ohio. They would build 20,490. In 1991 the M939 series was replaced by the all-new design M1083-M1091 Medium Tactical Vehicles.
All models of the M939 share a common basic chassis, cab, hood, and fenders, the basic truck is a 6x6 Heavy Truck. Early M939's were rebuilds of M809 vehicle chassis with a new automatic transmission, transfer cases, cab, and hood. Suffix –A2 are new production with later model Cummins engine. The vehicles have a wide variety of configurations and weights. Note that the motor and tyre specifications, along with other improvements, apply to the A2 versions (and A1 versions) of each base model listed below. There is an M928, an M928A1, and M928A2.
Cargo Truck M923-M928 :-
The M923 (M925 w/winch) was the standard cargo version of the series. It had a 14ft by 7ft body with drop sides so it could be loaded from the side by forklifts. It had a bottom hinged tailgate. Side racks, troop seats, and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard.
The M927 (M928 w/winch), with an extra long wheelbase, had a 20ft by 7ft long box. There was no drop side version. Side racks and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard but no troop seats were fitted.
M925A2 5-ton 6x6 Drop Side Cargo Truck specifications:-
▪︎Type: 5-ton 6x6 Trucks
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎Manufacturer: AM General / Kia Motors
▪︎Produced: 1982 to 1987 (AM General) / 1985 to present (South Korea)
▪︎Number Built: 44,590 (AM General)
▪︎Mass: 22,030lb / Length: 27ft 8in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 10ft 1in
▪︎Powerplant: Cummins 6CTA8.3 240hp engine
▪︎Transmission: 5 speed automatic x 2 range
▪︎Suspension: Beam axles on leaf springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 55mph.
Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M939_series_5-ton_6%C3%976_truck
The AEC Model 850, also known as the 'FWD R6T' was available in two versions, as an Artillery Tractor and a Recovery Vehicle both used by the British Army, it was in production from 1929 to 1936 and 57 units and one prototype was produced. In 1928 several truck manufacturers were asked by the British Army to develop a Six-Wheel Drive Artillery Tractor. In addition to English companies such as Guy Motors, Leyland and Scammell, the American company FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) with a branch in Slough, was also invited. The vehicles had to be able to carry a trailer load of approximately 6 tons.
FWD came up with the R6T, which was the manufacturer's first Six- Wheel Drive Vehicle, it was equipped with a Dorman JUL six-cylinder petrol engine with side valves, a 6.6 litre engine producing 78hp. All wheels were driven via a four-speed gearbox and an additional reduction gearbox allowing them to operate in high and low ranges could be used (4F1Rx2) In 1929 the prototype was delivered to the British Army for testing. At the end of that year, the vehicle came back to the factory. FWD was given an order for nine vehicles, but some changes were necessary. In 1929 FWD and AEC entered into a partnership, components were replaced with AEC equipment. The engine was replaced by an AEC A136 with overhead valves, which had a smaller displacement of 6.1 litres, but with 95hp it had more power. The gearbox was also exchanged for a version of AEC. Adjustments to the driver's cab and superstructure were also made, the most notable being the position of two Crew members next to the engine slightly ahead of the Driver. The cabin and cargo hold were open, but could be covered with a canvas roof.
In 1932 the English branch of FWD was taken over by AEC, the type designation of the vehicles changed from R6T to AEC Model 850. A total of 24 units were built at FWD in Slough and 33 units at the AEC factory in Southall between 1932 and 1936, a total production of 57 units. At the outbreak of World War Two, a number of vehicles were sent to France between 1939-1940 with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Many of them were left behind during the evacuation of the BEF in May 1940. The only surviving example is this one at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, which was fully restored in 1970.
▪︎Type: Artillery Tractor / Recovery Vehicle
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1939 to 1940
▪︎Used By: British Army
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company)
Designed:
▪︎Manufacturer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) / AEC (Associated Equipment Company)
▪︎Crew: 1 Driver + 8 Crew
▪︎Produced: 1929 to 1936
▪︎Number Built: 57
▪︎Mass: 8.7 tons / Length: 19ft 3in / Width: 7ft 6in / Height: 8ft 7in
▪︎Powerplant: AEC A136 6.1 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine, 95hp
▪︎Drive: 6x6
▪︎Transmission: Four speed gearbox
▪︎Maximum Speed: 20mph.
Taken from Wikipedia nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Model_850 and other sources.
Munden Trucking's Kenworth T880s pull up to 97,000 pounds of logs on quad-axle trailers. Combined gross combination weights can go as high as 140,000 pounds under provincial regulations.
1941-1945 WILLYS MB
The U.S. Army requested a vehicle, and drove off in a ''Hero'' the Willys MB, its spirit forged by the fire of combat and honed in the heat of battle, seared its way into the hearts of warriors fighting for freedom. Fierce emotional bonds often developed between a Soldier and his ''Jeep'' 4x4. The faithful little MB earned a place in every GI's heart, in every area of combat, in every conceivable role. The tough, simple Jeep 4x4 became the GI's best friend, second only to his Rifle. One Jeep MB was even awarded a Purple Heart and sent home. General George C. Marshall, U.S Army Chief of Staff during World War Two, and later U.S. Secretary of State, described the Jeep 4x4 as ''America's greatest contribution to modern warfare'' Scripps Howard World War Two reporter Ernie Pyle once said, ''It did everything. It went everywhere. Was a faithful as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carried twice what it was designed for and still kept going''.
The Willys MB started a revolution in the use of Small Military Motor Vehicles in the U.S. Army, horses along with motorcycles, solo and side car, were rendered obsolete almost immediately. The all-purpose Willys MB was amazingly versatile, they could be fitted with .30 or .50 caliber Machine Guns for combat and were also widely modified for long-range desert patrol, snow plowing, telephone cable laying, saw milling, as fire-fighting pumpers, field ambulances, tractors and, with suitable wheels, would even run on railway tracks.
Willys MB's could be loaded into transport aircraft for rapid deployment and were also small enough to fit into the large gliders used in the D-Day Invasion of Europe, over the course of the war, customised field kits were developed for winter and desert conditions, deep-water fording and other combat needs.
Although the Willys MB was not the first four-wheel-drive vehicle, the Go Anywhere, Do Anything vehicle, but it did influenced every 4x4 built in its wake. The New York Museum of Modern Art includes a Military Jeep Brand 4x4 in its display of eight automobiles and regarded it as “one of the very few genuine expressions of machine art.”
Willys MB / Ford GPW:-
▪︎ Type: 1⁄4 ton 4x4 Utility Truck
▪︎ Place of origin: United States
▪︎ In service: 1941 until varying per country
▪︎ Used by: USA and its allies of World War Two
▪︎ Wars: World War Two, Korean War, Various post 1945 conflicts
▪︎ Designer: Karl Probst, Delmar G. Roos
▪︎ Designed: 1940 through early 1942
▪︎ Manufacturer: Willys-Overland (MB) / Ford (GPW)
▪︎ Produced: 1941 to 1945
▪︎ Number built: World War Two total = 647,925 including pre-production units – Willys MB: 359,489 / Ford GPW: 277,896
▪︎ Variants: Ford GPA ''Seep'' 12,778
▪︎ Specifications: (MB and GPW same)
▪︎ Mass: 2,453lb, curb weight (with engine fluids and full fuel) 2,337lb dry weight
▪︎ Length: 132 1⁄4 inch
▪︎ Width: 62 inch
▪︎ Height overall with top up: 69 3⁄4 inch reducible to 52 inch
▪︎ Crew: 3 to 4
▪︎ Main armament: designed to mount .30 or .50 caliber Machine Guns swiveling on post between front seatbacks
▪︎ Secondary armament: towing 37mm Anti-Tank Gun
▪︎ Engine: 2.2 litre Inline 4 Willys L134 ''Go Devil'' 60hp
▪︎ Power/weight: 54.0hp/ton
▪︎ Payload capacity: 1,200lb on-road, 800lb cross-country
▪︎ Transmission: 3 speed x 2 range transfer case
▪︎ Suspension: Live axles on leaf springs front and rear
▪︎ Ground clearance: 8 3⁄4 inch
▪︎ Fuel capacity: 12.5 imperial gallons
▪︎ Operational range: 300 miles
▪︎Maximum speed: 65mph.
Munden Trucking runs Kenworth T880s spec’d with 550-hp engines and 18-speed transmissions. The tractors were all spec’d with tridem-drive axles, and feature severe weather insulation packages. The Kenworths were purchased through Inland Kenworth.
The 4-tonne Leyland DAF T244 and T244 GS an air transportable version.
In June 1989 the Leyland DAF 4-tonne truck was selected to be the basis of the next generation of 4-tonne trucks used by the British Army. The selection followed an arduous ''drive off'' contest against designs from all wheel drive Bedford and Volvo Trucks. The initial order was for 5,350 units and production started the same year. First production vehicles were delivered in 1990. Deliveries were completed in the mid 1990's. This Leyland DAF T244 General Utility Truck is currently in service with British Army, Royal Navy and Air Force. A small number of these trucks were exported to Brunei, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya and Malaysia.
The Leyland entrant, now produced by Leyland Trucks, was based on a design known as the T244, an entirely orthodox design with a forward control all-steel cab and the conventional cargo body with a removable tailgate and dropsides. Vehicle has a payload capacity of 3.937 tons. In 1995 a payload option of 5 000 kg was introduces. A small number of vehicles were upgraded to this standard. The Leyland DAF T244 can tow trailers or artillery pieces with a maximum weight of 4.921 tons.
The forward tilting cab design was based on the C.44 used on the Leyland Roadrunner commercial light truck and is so arranged to allow the vehicle to be driven directly into a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft (the T244 GS model) Cab accommodates driver plus two passengers, the sleeper cab has space to allow it to be used for driver training or to allow radios to be installed, in addition to the space provision for the crew's kit. The cab roof is strengthened to bear the weight of two men and has provision for a roof hatch and machine gun installation over the observers platform inside the cab.
Every component on the vehicle was rigorously tested prior to the selection contest, including the axles which were specially developed at the Leyland Albion plant in Glasgow. This military truck is powered by a Leyland DAF 310 5.9-liter diesel engine, developing 145hp. The vehicle has a full-time all-wheel drive. Optional equipment included winch or hydraulic crane.
The Leyland truck has assumed many of the tasks undertaken by the previous Bedford M series 4-tonne vehicles. It can carry 20 troops or 3 standard NATO pallets, and may be encountered with a variety of special bodies. These are a flat-bed versions used to carry Medium Girder Bridge sections, a field refueling module, various types of containers for electronics and communication systems, workshops, and acting as a mobile trackway carrier and layer. Optional equipment includes a front or rear-operating winch, left or right-hand drive, a tipper body, and a load-handling crane, or infrared reflective paint finish. In 2005 MAN was awarded a contract to replace a number of vehicle type in service with the United Kingdom. The Leyland DAF T244 was replaced by the MAN HX60, which has a 6 ton payload capacity.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS -
▪︎Country of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎Entered Service: 1990
▪︎Configuration: 4x4
▪︎Cab: Driver plus two personnel
▪︎Weight: 6 ton (empty)
▪︎Maximum Load: 4.2 ton
▪︎Length: 21 ft 9 in
▪︎Width: 8 ft 2 in
▪︎Height: 10 ft 11 in
▪︎Engine: Leyland 310 5.9-liter diesel engine, 145 hp
▪︎Maximum Road Speed: 55.3 mph
▪︎Range: 310.6 miles
▪︎Gradient: 60%
▪︎Side Slope: 30%
▪︎Vertical Step: ~ 0.5 m
▪︎Trench: ~ 1 ft 7 in
▪︎Fording: 2 ft 5 in
Information sourced from - www.military-today.com/trucks/leyland_daf_t244.htm
A MAN 14.192 Unterflur at the Oldtimermarkt Bockhorn.
© Dennis Matthies
My photographs are copyrighted and may not be altered, printed, published in any media and/or format, or re-posted in other websites/blogs.
Nicknamed the ''Duck'' the DUKW is an American Six-Wheel-Drive Amphibious Vehicle modified from the 2+1⁄2-ton CCKW Truck, used by the U.S Military during World War Two and the Korean War. Designed by a partnership under Military auspices of Sparkman & Stephens and General Motors Corporation (GMC) the DUKW was used for the transportation of goods and Troops over land and water. Excelling at approaching and crossing beaches in Amphibious Warfare attacks, it was intended only to last long enough to meet the demands of Combat. Surviving DUKW's have since found popularity as tourist craft in marine environments.
The name ''DUKW'' comes from General Motors Corporation model nomenclature:-
D - 1942 production series
U - Utility
K - front wheel drive
W - tandem rear axles, both driven
Decades later, the designation was explained erroneously by writers such as Donald Clarke, who wrote in 1978 that it was an initialism for "Duplex Universal Karrier, Wheeled". The U.S Navy-Marine Corps alternative designation of LVW (Landing Vehicle, Wheeled) was seldom used.
The DUKW was designed by Rod Stephens Jr. of Sparkman & Stephens, Inc. yacht designers, Dennis Puleston, a British deep-water sailor resident in the U.S and Frank W. Speir from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Developed by the National Defense Research Committee and the Office of Scientific Research and Development to solve the problem of 'resupply' to Units which had just performed an amphibious landing, it was initially rejected by the Armed Services.
The DUKW was built around the GMC AFKWX, a cab-over-engine (COE) version of the GMC CCKW Six-Wheel-Drive Military Truck, with the addition of a watertight hull and a propeller, she was powered by a GMC Model 270 4 litre straight-six engine with a five-speed overdrive transmission driving a transfer case for the propeller, then a two-speed transfer case to drive the axles. The propeller and front axle were selectable from their transfer case, a power take-off on the transmission drove an air-compressor and winch. The vehicle weighed 13,000lb empty and operated at 50mph on road and 5.5 knots (6.3 mph) on water.
It was not an Armoured Vehicle, being plated with sheet steel between 1⁄16 and 1⁄8 inch thick to minimize weight. A high-capacity bilge pump system kept it afloat if the thin hull was breached by holes up to 2in in diameter, one in four DUKW's mounted a .50 caliber Browning Heavy Machine Gun on a ring mount. The DUKW was the first vehicle to allow the Driver to vary the tyre pressure from inside the cab, the tyres could be fully inflated for hard surfaces such as roads and less inflated for softer surfaces, especially beach sand. This added to its versatility as an Amphibious Vehicle. This is now a standard feature found on many military vehicles.
When a United States Coast Guard Patrol Craft ran aground on a sand bar near Provincetown, Massachusetts, an experimental DUKW happened to be in the area for a demonstration. With winds up to 69 mph, rain, and heavy surf prevented conventional craft from rescuing the seven stranded Coast Guardsmen, but the DUKW had no trouble, so the Military opposition to the DUKW melted, and later proved its seaworthiness by crossing the English Channel. The final production design was perfected by a few engineers at Yellow Truck & Coach in Pontiac, Michigan. The vehicle was built by Yellow Truck and Coach Co. (GMC Truck and Coach Div. after 1943) at their Pontiac West Assembly Plant and Chevrolet Div. of General Motors Corp. at their St. Louis Truck Assembly Plant, 21,147 units were manufactured before production ended in 1945.
The DUKW was supplied to the U.S Army, U.S Marine Corps and the Allied Forces, and 2,000 were supplied to Britain under the 'Lend-Lease' program, 535 were acquired by Australian Forces, and 586 were supplied to the Soviet Union, which built its own version, the BAV 485, after the war. DUKW's were initially sent to Guadalcanal in the Pacific Theater, but were used by an Invasion Force for the first time in the European Theater, during the Sicilian Invasion, Operation Husky, in the Mediterranean. They were used on the D-Day Beaches of Normandy and in the Battle of the Scheldt, Operation Veritable, and Operation Plunder.
In the Pacific, USMC DUKW's were used to cross the coral reefs of islands such as Saipan and Guam and the tires were not affected by the coral. Some DUKW's used in World War Two were reported to have capsized while landing at Omaha beach during the Normandy Invasion.
DUKW's were also used in Lake Garda in Italy by the 10th Mountain Division in the final days of the war. One sank crossing from Torbole sul Garda to Riva del Garda on the evening of 30th April 1945, 25 out of the 26 onboard died. Two other DUKW's sank without casualties.
▪︎Type: Amphibious Transport
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎Manufacturer: GMC Truck and Coach Chevrolet
▪︎Produced: 1942 to 1945
▪︎Number Built: 21,147
▪︎Mass: 13,600lb empty
▪︎Length: 31ft / Width: 8ft / Height: 8ft 10in with top up / 7ft 1in minimum
▪︎Crew: 1
▪︎Main Armament: Ring mount for .50in M2 Browning Machine Gun fitted to one out of four ▪︎DUKW's
▪︎Powerplant: GMC Model 270 91hp
▪︎Payload Capacity: 5,000lb or 24 Personnel
▪︎Suspension: Live axles on leaf springs
▪︎Operational Range: 400 miles on road
▪︎Maximum Speed: 50mph on road / 6.4mph in water.
The M939 Truck is a 5-ton 6x6 U.S Military Heavy Truck, the basic cargo versions were designed to transport a 10,000lb cargo load over all terrain in all weather. Designed in the late 1970's to replace the M39 and M809 series of trucks, it has been in service ever since. The M939 evolved into its own family of Cargo Trucks, Dump Trucks, Semi-Tractors, Vans, Wreckers, and bare chassis / cabs for specialty bodies, 44,590 unis in all were produced.
In the late 1970's the M809 series 5-ton 6x6 Trucks, based on a 1949 design, were becoming old and mechanically dated. It was still a useful type, with 35,000 in service. A ''Product Improvement Package'' was developed to rebuild and update the M809 series into the M939 series. A new cab and hood are spotting features, but there were also other improvements.
In 1982 AM General, who built all M809's, began rebuilding M809's into the M939 and M939A1 series at their South Bend, Indiana plant. They would rebuild 24,100. A follow-up model, the all-new M939A2 series, was produced by Bowen-McLaughlin-York / BMY in Marysville, Ohio. They would build 20,490. In 1991 the M939 series was replaced by the all-new design M1083-M1091 Medium Tactical Vehicles.
All models of the M939 share a common basic chassis, cab, hood, and fenders, the basic truck is a 6x6 Heavy Truck. Early M939's were rebuilds of M809 vehicle chassis with a new automatic transmission, transfer cases, cab, and hood. Suffix –A2 are new production with later model Cummins engine. The vehicles have a wide variety of configurations and weights. Note that the motor and tyre specifications, along with other improvements, apply to the A2 versions (and A1 versions) of each base model listed below. There is an M928, an M928A1, and M928A2.
Cargo Truck M923-M928 :-
The M923 (M925 w/winch) was the standard cargo version of the series. It had a 14ft by 7ft body with drop sides so it could be loaded from the side by forklifts. It had a bottom hinged tailgate. Side racks, troop seats, and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard.
The M927 (M928 w/winch), with an extra long wheelbase, had a 20ft by 7ft long box. There was no drop side version. Side racks and overhead bows with a canvas cover were standard but no troop seats were fitted.
M925A2 5-ton 6x6 Drop Side Cargo Truck specifications:-
▪︎Type: 5-ton 6x6 Trucks
▪︎Place of Origin: United States
▪︎Manufacturer: AM General / Kia Motors
▪︎Produced: 1982 to 1987 (AM General) / 1985 to present (South Korea)
▪︎Number Built: 44,590 (AM General)
▪︎Mass: 22,030lb / Length: 27ft 8in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 10ft 1in
▪︎Powerplant: Cummins 6CTA8.3 240hp engine
▪︎Transmission: 5 speed automatic x 2 range
▪︎Suspension: Beam axles on leaf springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 55mph.
Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/M939_series_5-ton_6%C3%976_truck
According to Greg Munden, president of Munden Trucking, the forests in British Columbia are well managed with most cuts on second-growth timber. “We’re coming off five years of heavy harvests – salvaging timber that was plagued by the pine beetle,” he said. “So, we’re coming back to normal levels now, and we’re well situated to keep the wheels rolling on our Kenworths.”
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.
Excavation of mercury contaminated soil at a mercury mine near London, OR. Photographed with a Leica IIIf using a Summitar 5cm f/2 lens. The film is Kodak Tri-X 400 developed in R09 (Rodinal) 1:50.
Throughout 1939 and 1940 the British Armed Forces took delivery of 330 Leyland Hippo Mk.I's, also known as the WSW17, the Hippo Mk.I was a Militarised version of the pre-war Leyland Hippo Truck with an open Military cab and body. The Leyland Hippo Mk.II was a new design by Leyland, developed as a result of the planning for D-Day, which concluded that trucks with 10 tons cargo capacity offered considerable logistic advantages over smaller vehicles. Design of the Hippo Mk.II commenced in 1943 with production commencing in late 1944. The Hippo Mk.II arrived too late to see service in the days immediately after D-Day, but roughly 1,000 units were in service by VE Day and they remained in service with the British Army and the Royal Air Force into the 1950's.
The Leyland Hippo Mk.II was a Heavy General Service Cargo Truck used by the British Army and Royal Air Force during World War Two and the immediate Post-War Years. It was a 6x4 wheeled truck, powered by a 100bhp Leyland six-cylinder inline diesel engine, through a five-speed gearbox and two-speed auxiliary gearbox. There was a new two man enclosed steel cab with pull-down windows, the top portion of the cab could be removed to reduce the overall height for shipping. The Mk. II was fitted with single tyres at the rear, the Mk.IIA was fitted with narrower dual wheels at the rear, this necessitating the need to carry two spare tyres for the front and rear.
The Standard General Service Hippo Mk.II body was a steel framed, timber well type incorporating the wheel arches which reduced the loading height, an important consideration given most of the loading and unloading was done by hand. Steel hoops and a canvas cover gave weather protection and prevented identification of the load by the Enemy. Some Hippo Mk.II's were fitted with large van bodies and several with expanding bodies. The sides on the latter were split horizontally, the top half expanding up to give greater roof coverage, the bottom half down to give greater floor space, multiple vehicles could be linked together to form a consolidated workshop area. Post-War bodies included a 2,000 Imperial gallon refueller.
▪︎Type: Heavy Cargo Truck
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1944 to 1950's
▪︎Used By: British Army / Royal Air Force
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: Leyland Motors
▪︎Designed: 1943
▪︎Manufacturer: Leyland Motors
▪︎Number Built: 1,000
▪︎Variants: Mk.II / Mk.IIA
▪︎Mass: 8.4 tons / Length: 27ft 3in / Width: 8ft 1in / Height: 10ft 11in
▪︎Crew: 2
▪︎Powerplant: Six-cylinder inline Leyland L6 diesel, 100bhp at 1,800rpm
▪︎Payload Capacity: 11.6 tons
▪︎Drive: 6x4
▪︎Transmission: 5F1Rx2
▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptical multi leaf springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph.
Taken from Wikipedia
The AEC Militant Truck entered service in the late 1960's as a replacement for the Scammell Explorer. The powerful 21 tonne truck is capable of recovery work up to and including 10 tonne class vehicles. Having a hydraulic powered crane with 240° of slew, the AEC has a job length from 10ft 2in to 18ft 6in with a lift radius of 2.75 tons with outriggers deployed. It has a 6-cylinder, 11.3 litre overhead valve diesel engine producing 144hp and has a top speed of 43mph. This formidable capability came in very handy when ''Nellie'' was called on to move the British Airliner Collection Trident 2E into the Imperial War Museum Duxford Conservation Hall for a repaint.
Why ''Nellie'' ? The Military Vehicle Wing acquired her from a circus where she was used for lifting the elephant. The truck was complete but not working well. After full restoration and painting out the lively circus livery she’s now our workshop workhorse and helps on-site partners with propeller changes and other operations where some serious muscle is needed.
AEC Militant MK.III (Nellie)
▪︎Owner: Military Vehicle Wing
▪︎Type: Multi-Purpose Support Vehicle
▪︎Introduced: 1960
▪︎Crew: One
▪︎Powerplant: AEC AV760 of 12.5 litre diesel, 226hp
▪︎Weight: 21.0 tonnes / Length: 27ft 0in / Width: 8ft 2in / Height: 10ft 4in
▪︎Maximum Speed: 43 mph.
Source www.brittanks.org/vehicle-detail?type=aec-militant-mk-iii-(nellie)&id=4
The British produced Albion CX22S was a Heavy Artillery 6x4 Tractor used during World War Two, it was designed and built by Albion Motors in late 1943 to supplement the Scammell Pioneer Heavy Artillery Tractor, which was not available in sufficient numbers. In service the CX22S was used by the British Army to tow the 155mm Long Tom and the BL 7.2 inch Howitzer.
The CX22S was based on Albion's CX23N 10-ton truck, a wheeled 6x4 truck, powered by a 100bhp six-cylinder inline diesel engine, through a four-speed gearbox and two-speed auxiliary gearbox. The cab of the CX22S had bench seating for two or three Crew whilst the rear body had bench seating for four and folding seats for two more along with stowage for tools, equipment and ammunition. The CX22S was fitted with an 8 ton Scammell vertical-spindle winch under the rear body to assist with moving a gun. There were 532 units built by Albion between November 1943 and June 1945.
▪︎Type: Heavy Artillery Tractor
▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom
▪︎In Service: 1943 to 1945
▪︎Used By: British Army
▪︎Conflicts: World War Two
▪︎Designer: Albion Motors
▪︎Designed: 1943
▪︎Manufacturer: Albion Motors
▪︎Produced: November 1943 to June 1945
▪︎Number Built: 532
▪︎Mass: 10.62 tons / Length: 25ft 6in / Width: 8ft 9in / Height: 10ft 4in
▪︎Powerplant: Six-cylinder inline Albion EN244 diesel, 100bhp at 1,750rpm
▪︎Payload Capacity: 5.21 tons
▪︎Drive: 6x4
▪︎Transmission: 4F1Rx2
▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptical multi leaf springs
▪︎Maximum Speed: 28mph.
Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albion_CX22S