'Threads'
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Special Thanks to Gary Barling, member C#0014, of Petawawa and IPMS Ottawa for gathering this material for the webpage
Take a look at these two photos of Canadian halftracks
The first view is cropped from National Archives photo NAC PA-113711. The
second view is cropped from National Archives photo NAC PA-179649
Notice the height of the rear armour is different? Look at the dimensions of the
door. What's up? The second 'track is the standard M9A1, but what's the first? Could
it be an ex-M14 MGMGC with the rear folding armour 'flap' removed and a door cut
into the rear panel.
Thoughts?
Steve
US Halftracks in Canadian Service
I'm absolutely obsessed by the use of halftracks in British/Commonwealth service
as so little has been done on this subject. What I have managed to glean though
is the fact that the halftracks that went into British lend-lease stocks, from
which Canada would have been issued vehicles, were the non-standard M5, M5A1 and
M9A1 variants. These vehicles were produced by the International Harvester
Company and were non-standard (by that it meant it was different to the M2 and
M3 variants) because its rear body was made from a one piece homogenous plate,
instead of the usual welded/riveted body of the M2/M3. A distinctive feature of
this change meant that the rear corners of the M5/M9 were rounded instead of
squared which can be clearly seen in your photos. As far as I am aware this
feature was distinctive of IHC's production run and as they only produced the
M5/M9 variants I'm afraid your theory of it being an M14 doesn't stand up to
scrutiny. What I think you have here is an in field conversion/chop job on the
rear to lower the height of the rear access doors.
As I say, I'm obsessed with these vehicles but the dearth of information
available means that inevitably I can be frequently wrong, but the rear ends are
distinctly rounded leading me to believe that these are either and M5 or M9.
Any more photo's?
Cheers,
Steve Lord
British Halftrack picture
This is a British halftrack belonging to 30th corps, crossing one of the many
bridges in Operation Market Garden, its no a very good picture but I thought I
would post it anyway.
Matthew FLowers
It could be an M14 conversion
The British did receive M14s, which they modified for their Command,
Personnel and load carrying roles by removing the Maxson turrets and rearranging
the internal stowage. This comes from the Data Book of Wheeled Vehicles Army
Transport edited by David Fletcher, which is a reprint of the official 1945
handbook. The M14s were made by IHC and based on the M5, so shared the curved
rear corners of the M5 and M9.
The book points out that the M14 has no rear door and makes no mention of one
being added, but maybe some of those converted to the personnel role had one
added and that's what the photo shows? Just my guess.
Pete Andrews
M14
Look at the taillights. The M14 in its original form had a big storage box at
the rear. Page 193 of Chamberlain and Ellis' British and American Tanks of WWII
has a picture. To make room for the box the taillights were set at different
levels. One kinda high and the other kind of low. M9s had them at the same
level, like the pic of the halftrack crossing the bridge.
So, it's a modified M14.
Cheers
Bill Inglee
M5 and M9 Differences
While we're on the subject, can anyone describe the way to tell the
difference between the M5 and an M9 which has been reworked to an APC? I believe
the WD census numbers are a clue but don't have the lists. I also wonder if the
fuel tanks were relocated (from rear to front) as part of the M9 conversion
process.
Robert Lockie
M14 MGMC
I think you are right, the upper picture must be showing an M14 MGMC. It was
built with a twin cal . 50 Machine Gun Mount M33, side and rear folding panels
and no rear door - i.e. much along the lines of the well-known M16 MGMC.
The British were supplied with 1,600 M14, and with less need for AA vehicles,
they converted them into trucks, APCs and command vehicles. I have read about
rear doors being grafted in, and always assumed the folding panels were
retained. But, since the rear-folding panel on the M14 was moved inward (because
of the curved rear armour), it might have been easier to simply discard the rear
folding panel?
Regards,
Hanno
Thanks Hanno,
You managed to clear up a mystery that's been bugging me for quite some time
now. As said in my post above, I'm absolutely obsessed by the use of American
halftracks in British/commonwealth service. As you also know there is very
little in print on this subject and as yet my research on these vehicles is
limited but expanding daily. The mystery of which I speak concerns the halftrack
in the (British)
Thanks and regards,
Steve Lord
PS, I really enjoyed your article on the rescue and restoration of the Ram
Kangaroo on the Maple Leaf Up
site.
Another Pic
A friend sent me this one, the caption reads, HALF-TRACKS IN NORTHERN EUROPE
1944. You can tell the troops are commonwealth, and notice the Bren gun on top.
1:1 Scale Restoration
I currently own the remains of two IHC halftracks that I hope to combine into
one functioning AFV. Steve Lord, you are only interested, I am obsessed. Have
the IHC factory manuals on these "tracks" but these do NOT cover
"in service" modifications. Particularly in need of interior
photographs of halftrack as used to tow 17 pdr. anti-tank gun. Have the gun to
tow in parades but need to modify the "track" to match. Also need info
on use of modified 25 pdr. Ammo limber wagon as used with the 17 pdr. and
halftrack. Last but not least does anyone have photos/sketches of halftrack
interiors (any US type) when used as armoured ambulances in Brit./Cdn. forces?
Robert(Toronto)
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