WW2 M26a1 tank retriever/transporter ???

[M543A2]

Yes, memories of missed opportunities like the good running condition navy Jeep I did not buy from a dealer friend of mine that wanted only $400 for it back around 1967. You know the kind of story; in college, little spare funds, and now, DRAT! What a boo-boo. And, I believe the year was 1970 hemi convertible Barracuda I could have bought for about $4500 new from a friend who could not afford the payments, now I could retire on what it would bring!! I am lucky I cannot kick myself in the butt looking back at what I missed for I would have a very sore six!! Timing is everything!!

 

[M543A2]

Not this model truck, but a story I was told by a veteran about the huge M65 280mm atomic cannon transporter trucks. They had unloaded them off a ship somewhere in Europe and were to drive the two transporter tractors to a destination inland. They elected to not install the mufflers on the engines to save time. These are every bit as big as the M26 with a huge flat opposed I believe six cylinder motor in them. They had to go through a town to get to their destination. These have air brakes on them. The tractor ahead of my friend's tractor was going down a hill in the town, coming to a turn at the bottom. He wanted more air pressure for the brakes so he hit the throttle to pump it up and the reverberations of the un-muffled exhausts between the wall of buildings each side of the road caused windows to shatter, looking like falling snow. I do not remember what the butt chewing for it was but it must have been "interesting"! Some years ago Sam Winer Motors had one in their yard.

 

[Another Ahab]

Yes, memories of missed opportunities like the good running condition navy Jeep I did not buy from a dealer friend of mine that wanted only $400 for it back around 1967. You know the kind of story; in college, little spare funds, and now, DRAT! What a boo-boo. And, I believe the year was 1970 hemi convertible Barracuda I could have bought for about $4500 new from a friend who could not afford the payments, now I could retire on what it would bring!! I am lucky I cannot kick myself in the butt looking back at what I missed for I would have a very sore six!! Timing is everything!!

Like you M543A2, I could kick myself for the things I should have done but didn't. But don't feel left out, I got a deal for you:

Because you know, Pet Rocks might come back again someday.

I have a Pet Rock.

Anybody want to get theirs before they take-off all over again!?

 

[BigDawg41]

You know, Pet Rocks might come back again someday.

I have a Pet Rock.

Anybody want to get theirs before they take-off again!?




View attachment 616360

I'll take it! Let me know how much plus shipping. Is it tame enough to let it out of the box and ride shotgun during parades or cruisin down the highway?

 

[Another Ahab]

Not too tame; it's a fighting rock, pretty aggressive:

- I might have to vet your house first and make sure no other rocks around to chip off the old block.

 

[11Echo]

...
In 1950, the Kenworth Motor Truck Company began the manufacture of the M249 4x4 Heavy Gun-Lifting Front Truck and the M250 4x4 Heavy Gun-Lifting Rear Truck, to transport the T131 Gun. From 1952 through 1953, 33 Front and 33 Rear Trucks were manufactured. Each truck was powered by a Continental AO-895-4 six-cylinder engine, with a maximum output of 375 hp and a top speed of 45 mph. The empty weight of the M249 Front Truck was 37,950 lbs/17,191 kg (19 tons); the empty weight of the M250 Rear Truck was 35,910 lbs/16,267 kg (18 tons).

 

[Another Ahab]

Your pic there is the rear truck, is that right?

What's the story on it, is that yours?

 

[11Echo]

Your pic there is the rear truck, is that right?

What's the story on it, is that yours?

M250
Sam Winers.
330-628-4881, ask for Robert.
It can be bought.

 

[Another Ahab]

Where are you located 11Echo; where is "CT W. R."?

 

[11Echo]

Your pic there is the rear truck, is that right?

What's the story on it, is that yours?

Truck is in Akron, OH.

http://www.samwinermotors.com/

For this thread here is a M26A1 I think was being used as a house mover.

 

[rustystud]

Yes, memories of missed opportunities like the good running condition navy Jeep I did not buy from a dealer friend of mine that wanted only $400 for it back around 1967. You know the kind of story; in college, little spare funds, and now, DRAT! What a boo-boo. And, I believe the year was 1970 hemi convertible Barracuda I could have bought for about $4500 new from a friend who could not afford the payments, now I could retire on what it would bring!! I am lucky I cannot kick myself in the butt looking back at what I missed for I would have a very sore six!! Timing is everything!!

I had a very similar situation when I was living in Seattle. My neighbor bought a 1942 Jeep and played with it for about a year. He got bored with it and then just let it sit outside. About a year later he asked me if I wanted to buy it for $200.00 . I was into Chevy trucks at the time and didn't really want a Jeep so I said no. Later that year I was at the gas station my buddy worked at when this very elderly woman came in and asked how much she should ask for her dead husbands car. She was moving down to California to live with her daughter and was selling everything off. We asked her what year it was and if it ran and she said it was a 1956 chevy and had been in their garage for the last 20 years and occasionally her husband would start it, but since he died 4 years ago it had not been run since. We said if you could get $200.00 to $400.00 you would be doing OK, and that we would post a notice on the bulletin board for her. Two days later a high school kid came by and asked about a cheap car he could buy so my buddy sent the kid over to the elderly ladies home. Three hours later he drove by to thank my buddy with his nice condition Chevy Corvette !
To this day I kick myself for not going over and seeing what kind of car she had ! We both thought it was some old beater !
There have been so many other deals I let slip through my hands that if I start to dwell on them it will make me sick !

 

[kubotaman]

Yep Sam Winer has it. Designed for Atomic Annie. Here is a pic of the howitzer and the 2 tractors.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M65_Atomic_Cannon#/media/File:M65_Atomic_canon_1.jpg

 

[73m819]

Talking about opportunities pasted up when you were young and KNEW everything (should have been hired while I knew everything). I was 17, my dad had a Moony mark 21, I learned to fly (no ticket) both vfr and instrument, so he said, if you pay for the duel flight time, I could use the moony and the credit card for all my cross county flight time, now the duel fight time at that time was 8 hours, on top of that it most likely there would have been NO cost because where dad kept the moony was a old crop duster field, the instructors were old crop dusters and liked my dad and this KNOW everything 17 year old.
So my dad asked what did I think about the offer (I was working full time running a crane so money was not a issue), now the BEST part is my answer to dads question.

"NO I have better use for my money", dad answered back "OK" He KNEW that I knew everything and with my answer I PROVED it.

 

[Another Ahab]

Mooney? Nice:

 

[rustystud]

Talking about opportunities pasted up when you were young and KNEW everything (should have been hired while I knew everything). I was 17, my dad had a Moony mark 21, I learned to fly (no ticket) both vfr and instrument, so he said, if you pay for the duel flight time, I could use the moony and the credit card for all my cross county flight time, now the duel fight time at that time was 8 hours, on top of that it most likely there would have been NO cost because where dad kept the moony was a old crop duster field, the instructors were old crop dusters and liked my dad and this KNOW everything 17 year old.
So my dad asked what did I think about the offer (I was working full time running a crane so money was not a issue), now the BEST part is my answer to dads question.

"NO I have better use for my money", dad answered back "OK" He KNEW that I knew everything and with my answer I PROVED it.

I know my father has been up in Heaven laughing his butt off at me for the last 20 years now !

 

[Another Ahab]

Yep Sam Winer has it. Designed for Atomic Annie. Here is a pic of the howitzer and the 2 tractors.

Ah, yes the M65 Atomic Cannon. I think that came just before the M19 Atomic Grenade which was developed a year or two later.

It's been a while since I saw the TM for the M19, but if I remember right it had two special criteria:

- The delay in the fuse was a good bit longer than a conventional grenade, and

- To qualify for issue you had to demonstrate a consistent 100-Yard Dash under 11 seconds

 

[kubotaman]

I tried to google the M19, I did not see anything. Sure sounds interesting though

 

[Another Ahab]

I tried to google the M19, I did not see anything. Sure sounds interesting though

I believe the M19 has been removed from inventory. But maybe some of the old timers around here can tell you a story or two.

I recall hearing that the pin was REAL hard to pull:

- I think the setting was 55 foot-pounds (74.57 joules)

- The idea was you wanted to be certain of intended use before it was deployed.

 

[kubotaman]

Sounds like it did not occur "committee" who designed it that you would have to pull this pin WHILE being shot at.

 

[Another Ahab]

Sounds like it did not occur to the "committee" who designed it that you would have to pull this pin WHILE being shot at.

You know your military never does anything inadvisably without thoroughly considering EVERY possible angle.

The reason the pin was designed like that was so at minimum TWO would be needed to pull it, so they could ask each other first:

- "Is this a good idea?"