Do we now own a munitions wagon?

[Gadget Guru]

Howdy all,

I'm a new guy here. My girlfriend just won a military trailer in a local municipal auction up here in Northern California. Only $100, and less than ten miles from home!

After extensive research online, we were not able to identify it. A preliminary guess is munitions trailer, or some other airfield-only use.

It is a true wagon, with steerable front axle, and is designed to be in a "train", though the rear pintle hitch is missing. There is no suspension or ability to articulate, so off-road use seems out of its design parameters. The Budd wheels have a rather narrow track, perhaps for obstacle avoidance while snaking the heavily-loaded "train" around the airfield. I plan on reversing the wheels to establish a wider track, perhaps a foot or more wider. The tires hold air well enough to drag it home behind our old 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup. We bought a new pintle hitch and adapter some years ago, to retrieve the pair of M101A2 trailers.

The data plate # starts with "EOD", which may be a coincidence, or may mean "Explosive Ordnance Disposal".

 

[dawico]

I have no idea what it is, but it could become a nice little wagon. The price is right. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[rtk]

Well it is old , it has 5 lug combat wheels , so just a guess but WWII . Looks like some sort of bomb or flight line trailer . The EOD and # may help identify it more . Any other plates or frame #'s ? , looks like a neat trailer .

 

[maddawg308]

I've seen newer models of that in use at bases, just for base use, and for towing around all sorts of general cargo. They are not for road use, or off-road use. Towed slowly around base ( under 30 mph) would be the intended use.

Yours would be a neat restore, probably WWII era. Like to see that get prettied up!

 

[Gadget Guru]

Thanks for the replies.

It's quite large, actually, with a deck well over ten feet long, as I recall. I think there was a number welded on to the top of the frame at the front, made by running beads. "53", I think (year of manufacture?).

The rotted wooden deck was probably in service at its last post, as the yellow paint on the bottom of the wood matches the paint under the Army stenciled lettering.

I may rig up two or more video cameras on the wagon and Old Blue on the short Trek back to the Ranch. I'll probably not exceed 20MPH or so, depending on how well it tracks on the ancient tires. A little weaving will be more videogenic, so perhaps I'll take it up a notch or two

 

[RodUSMC1962]

Neat old piece of history and could be useful.

 

[Gadget Guru]

Neat old piece of history and could be useful.

We've considered building a small "house" on the wagon, to be towed around our ranch. Would make a nice little cabin for those who like to rough it.

Building from salvaged materials is a hobby of ours, so it could be very cheap, maybe even no more than the $100 we're paying for the wagon.

 

[Wildchild467]

your girlfriend? wow... shes a keeper!

 

[Gadget Guru]

your girlfriend? wow... shes a keeper!

It would seem so.