NASA Missile Hauler...

[Bighurt]

No it's not new, it was 20 year old surplus when the photo was taken, 14 years before I was born.

While searching for Payload transporter photos today in an attempt to help 2duece out on his Kenworth COE question I stumbled across these two photos of an M26A1 hauling Saturn 5 sections during the Apollo missions. The black and white is unknown (possible Apollo 4 or 5), but the second is the S-IC section for Apollo 8. Clear as day is the Dragon Wagon painted white and still serving our country. Well after the days WWII had seen an end.

An article broke down some of the info but the booster sections shown when empty weight 670,000lbs. Not to shabby for that 1,040-cu.in. 240hp Hall-Scott Model 440 straight-six engine.

I wonder what happened to the old Iron horse?

 

[WillWagner]

I've seen those pics before, I love seeing stuff like that!

 

[wreckerman893]

They didn't call them "Draggin Wagons" for nothing.

I made a pickup at some military base and there was one of those doing "Gate Guardian" duty near the place I was loading at.

If I remember correctly they were chain drive.

 

[papabear]

No it's not new, it was 20 year old surplus when the photo was taken, 14 years before I was born.

While searching for Payload transporter photos today in an attempt to help 2duece out on his Kenworth COE question I stumbled across these two photos of an M26A1 hauling Saturn 5 sections during the Apollo missions. The black and white is unknown (possible Apollo 4 or 5), but the second is the S-IC section for Apollo 8. Clear as day is the Dragon Wagon painted white and still serving our country. Well after the days WWII had seen an end.

An article broke down some of the info but the booster sections shown when empty weight 670,000lbs. Not to shabby for that 1,040-cu.in. 240hp Hall-Scott Model 440 straight-six engine.

I wonder what happened to the old Iron horse?

It's at CARNAC's AO...with the other space shuttle stuff.

 

[998Junkie]

Not to jump in with like a jargin nazi, but I think it's a rocket hauler. That was my all time favorite rocket and stage. The big F-1's (missing the nozzle extensions in the second photo).

Saturn V 1st Engine Test - YouTube

 

[M813A1]

Yes Wreckerman you are right the M26's Dragon Wagon were chain drive !! The first picture is the First Stage of the Saturn 5 with 5 F-1 Engines on it !! Big Hurt you are right that is the First Saturn Rocket first stage, it was a non flyer it was the test vehicle use to make sure everything would work durning the assembly of the flying Saturns. The way you can tell is the Black strips on the flying Saturn 1st Stage did not connect at the top, the prototype test vehicle is the only rocket that had the Black stripes that connected at the top stripe that went all the way around the the middle of the 1st Stage .

 

[swbradley1]

Cool pics and memorable for me since my Grandfather unloaded the Saturn V off the barges and onto the trailers. He was the crane operator.



Thanks Jeremy for posting and reminding me of some of the cool stuff he did in the 60s.

 

[combatmech]

Good stuff Bighurt!! I doubt we'll ever see the likes of the Saturn V again....I'd love to see us get out the low earth orbit rut and go somewhere.
My old man worked for NASA 58-63, and my godfather 62-75. Both public affairs officers.

 

[NDT]

I wonder what happened to the old Iron horse?

NASA might still have it rusting away down at the Cape. Here at JSC in Houston, they still have several C-2 wrecking trailers from WWII. They sold one of the fleet of three about 10 years ago and I snatched it up from GSA.

 

[Jeff Lakaszcyck]

Here's a thread from about 6 months ago on the same subject.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/5-ton-up/73214-dragon-wagon-apollo-space-program.html

 

[Wayofftrack]

Hi Jeff,
About 1974 or so I was at SECO in Augusta with my Dad and there was one of those in their yard, painted white with the NASA meatball logo on the side. I thought it was an M26 from memory but it might have been an M26A1. Great find.
Clint

 

[Jeff Lakaszcyck]

Clint, I don't know if NASA had more than one M26A1, but it is very interesting that one ended up with SECO. I'd love to know where it went from there. Brevard county had a pretty nice M26A1 that they kept in Titusville into the '80's, and I think Beyel Bros in Cocoa still have two. I've often wondered if any of these were former NASA trucks. Beyel Bros recently moved into the old Cadillac Gage factory in Cocoa where they used to build armored cars. I'm hoping the Pacifics are hiding inside somewhere. Beyel Bros also had an M123. I need to get down there and see if they will let me look around.

 

[zout]

Wow - I remember watching Shephard's take off now your talking years ago and every launch up to the space shuttles.

Don't let PB see that booster or he'll getr ideas for our new launcher and wanna make it BIGGER.

If recall correctly and you fellas down in Fl correct me if I am wrong please - but does not one of the Saturn Rockets sit outside the Cape Canaveral (make this wrong on purpose) facility ??.

 

[Jeff Lakaszcyck]

Zout, there are 3 surviving Saturn V rockets that would have been flown on Apollo 18, 19, & 20 to the moon had the moon program not been canceled. There is a restored Saturn V at the Kennedy Space Center in a special facility built to house it. There is also a Saturn 1B (used on Skylab and Apollo Soyuz flights) in the KSC visitors center rocket garden. There is another restored Saturn V in a nearly identical facility at the Marshall Space Center visitors center in Huntsville Alabama. There is also a very real looking replica Saturn V in the vertical position at Huntsville, looking like it is ready to launch. The last survivor is in Houston Texas at the the Johnson Space Center. It has also been restored. Although I was never fortunate enough to witness a Saturn V launch, I have seen all 3 of the survivors and they are very impressive just standing still !

 

[M813A1]

There was also a Saturn 1b standing at the Alabama Visitor Center on South I-65 in Northern Alabama !!

 

[DieselBob]

Although I was never fortunate enough to witness a Saturn V launch, I have seen all 3 of the survivors and they are very impressive just standing still !

I would have taken time off without pay to watch a saturn V/Apollo launch. Oh well just wasn't born at the right time for that.

 

[M813A1]

It is Spetcaular to see a Saturn launch !! I remember I was about 10 when Apollo 17 was sitting on the launch Pad when our family toured the Kennedy Space Center !! That tour is a must see it is full of Space History !!

 

[M813A1]

Yes Zout as Jeff said !! NASA has restored and built a building around te Saturn V rocket that was sitting in it shipping cradle at the Kennedy Space Center .

 

[Wayofftrack]

Hi Jeff,
Beyel Bros. sold their M123 to a guy here on Steel Soldiers. I think he sold it on to someone up north. There is a thread about it on the 5 ton and up page iirc. He got it to run. It was very rusty, had been sitting outside a long time. I wish my Dad had taken some pics of the SECO yard. For some reason he didn't. I want to say the Pacific was an armored version but I'm not sure. I do remember it was white with the nasa logo. I wonder if they had any besides the one in FL? Something like that would look good in your shop.
Clint

 

[swbradley1]

There was also a Saturn 1b standing at the Alabama Visitor Center on South I-65 in Northern Alabama !!

It was there in 2005, I saw it 4 times as I drove past for Katrina.