The M25 Tank Transporter (G160) was a combination
6x6
Six-wheel drive (6WD or 6×6) is an all-wheel drive drivetrain configuration of three axles with at least two wheels on each axle capable of being driven simultaneously by the vehicle's engine. Unlike four-wheel drive drivetrains, the configurat ...
M26 armored heavy
tank transporter
A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit and a mating full trailer or semi-trailer (typically of the "lowboy" type), used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehi ...
/
tank recovery tractor
A tractor is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture, mining or construction. Most common ...
and companion 40-ton M15 trailer introduced into
US Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
service in Europe in 1944–45. Manufactured by
Pacific Car & Foundry Co., it was a substantial upgrade over the
Diamond T
The Diamond T Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer. They produced commercial and military trucks.
History
The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in Chicago in 1905 by C. A. Tilt. Reportedly, the company name was creat ...
M19 transporter/trailer duo introduced in 1940.
Nicknamed the ''Dragon Wagon'', it was replaced by the 10 ton 6x6
M123 semi-tractor beginning in 1955.
Development
In 1942 a new 40 ton semi-trailer tank transporter was needed with better off-road performance than the M9 24 small-wheel trailer, and greater capacity than the 30 ton 8 large-wheel Shelvoke and Drewry semi-trailers used by the
Diamond T
The Diamond T Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer. They produced commercial and military trucks.
History
The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in Chicago in 1905 by C. A. Tilt. Reportedly, the company name was creat ...
tractor unit. Designed by the
Fruehauf Trailer Company
Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, previously Fruehauf Trailer Company (1918–1963) and Fruehauf Corporation (1963–1989), was an American company engaged in the manufacture and sale of truck trailers, and other machinery and equipment, with headqua ...
of
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, Michigan,
it was heavier than the Diamond T could manage. A companion M26 tractor was designed by the San Francisco-based
Knuckey Truck Company. When it could not keep up with the Army's demands, production was awarded to the
Pacific Car & Foundry Co. of Seattle, Washington.
Designated TR-1 by Pacific Car, the
chain-driven 12-ton 6x6 M26 tractor was powered by a
Hall-Scott
Hall-Scott Motor Car Company was an American manufacturing company based in Berkeley, California. It was among the most significant builders of water-cooled aircraft engines before World War I.
History
1910–21
The company was founded in 1910 ...
440 6-cylinder gasoline engine developing at 2000 rpm and at 1200 rpm. Developed for the M26, it was used to uprate the
Diamond T
The Diamond T Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer. They produced commercial and military trucks.
History
The Diamond T Motor Car Company was founded in Chicago in 1905 by C. A. Tilt. Reportedly, the company name was creat ...
. Some 2,100 Type 440s were built. Baxter notes "over 1,300" M26 and M26A1 being built.
Unusually, the tractor unit was fitted with both an armored cab and two winches with a combined pull of 60 tons,
allowing it to do light
battlefield recovery work.
A later unarmored version of the M26 tractor was designated the M26A1. An experimental
ballast tractor
A ballast tractor is a specially weighted tractor unit of a heavy hauler combination. It is designed to utilize a drawbar to pull or push heavy or exceptionally large trailer loads which are loaded in a hydraulic modular trailer. When feasible ...
conversion was evaluated by the British
Fighting Vehicle Proving Establishment
Combat (French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
After the war, some of them (both armored and unarmored) were bought as
surplus and used to carry
oversize load
In road transport, an oversize load (or overweight load) is a load that exceeds the standard or ordinary legal size and/or weight limits for a truck to convey on a specified portion of road, highway, or other transport infrastructure, such as a ...
s such as
transformer
A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple circuits. A varying current in any coil of the transformer produces a varying magnetic flux in the transformer' ...
s,
locomotive
A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...
s and heavy equipment.
Gallery
File:M_26,_Pacific_Dragon_Wagon_pic4.JPG, M25 with M26 Armored semi-tractor
File:M25_Tank_Transporter.jpg, Display of M25 with M26 armored semi-tractor
File:Pacific_Car_%26_Foundry_Tractor_M26A1_from_Wo-II.jpg, Display of M25 with M26A1 unarmored semi-tractor
File:M26-tractor-1.jpg, M26 semi-tractor (LR view)
File:M26Pacific rearwheels.JPG, M26 semi-tractor showing rear wheel drive by chains.
Specifications
* Crew 7
* Armament 1
.50 cal. machine gun
* Armor, front 3/4 inch, sides and rear, 1/4 inch.
* Top speed 26 MPH
* Fuel capacity 120 gallons
Users
* :
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...
* :
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
* :
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
* :
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska a ...
See also
*
Diamond T tank transporter
The M19 Tank Transporter ( US supply catalog designation G159) was a heavy tank transporter system used in World War II and into the 1950s. It consisted of a 12-ton 6x4 M20 Diamond T Model 980 truck and companion 12-wheel M9 trailer.
Over 5,000 ...
*
G160, "G" designation
*
List of U.S. military vehicles by model number#Pre-consecutive trucks
*
Pacific Trucks
Pacific Truck & Trailer Limited was a Vancouver, Canada based manufacturer of heavy trucks famed for their durability. Pacific built both highway and off-road trucks, particularly for the logging industry, heavy haulers, and fire trucks.
In 19 ...
*
Scammell Pioneer Semi-trailer
The Scammell Pioneer was a British 6×4 tractor unit used in World War II as an artillery tractor, recovery vehicle and tank transporter.
Development
Designed as a 6×4 off-road vehicle for use in Britain's colonies where sealed roads were sca ...
Notes
References
* ''TM 9-1767A''
* ''TM 9-1767B Power Train for Tractor Truck M26''
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*Military Vehicle Journal #8 (Photos of the M26 and M26A1)
External links
Short story of the M26 and pictures of a restored vehicle in 2004Article and photo at milweb.net* https://web.archive.org/web/20090204121541/http://realmilitaryflix.com/public/378.cfm training film
* http://www.forum-auto.com/automobile-pratique/modelisme-modeles-reduits/sujet7051-5495.htm pictures of M26 used as oversize loads tractors
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
Military trucks of the United States
Tank transporters
Wheeled armoured recovery vehicles
World War II vehicles of the United States
Military vehicles introduced from 1940 to 1944
Fruehauf Trailer Corporation