Anyone know who makes theese tires for the 5t &2.5 ton trucks, Oh yeah and where to get em'. Second I recall someone making an extended bed for the 5t trucks. Third was there ever a US 5t or 2.5 ton crane that had four leveling units at the corners of the bed .

Real Models makes replacement tyres for the 5-Ton in resin. The extended bed is a scratchbuilt item I think. And to verify any of this (or to prove me forgetful) please contact Gunnie. He's the resident GunTruck Guru...


Tread.

BTW, I'd be curious as to the answer to your Third query...

I'm very curious as to the third question. I've found pics of what I thought were M54 Wreckers on the waronline.org site. Now I'm wondering if the Israelis simply Trans fered the 25 ton crane to a M35 chassis. I can email anyone the pics if the think they can Identify the vehicles. Sabot's pics helped a bit but brought up new questions. I'm a tanker not a trucker so I'm totally lost. I do know they were called REos In Israel. #:-) #:-)

You mean Diamond Reo's?

Look in my motorpool at the M936A2 wrecker pictures. There are a couple of view of both the green one and the desert tan one that show the 4 leveling posts. These look like rectangular flat pieces of metal near the side reflectors. They pull out and swing down. They are not present on the FMTV 5 ton wrecker, they have been replaced by a pair of outriggers.

Real Models and Ordnance Models produces these tires for the modern 5-ton trucks. Ordnance Models comes in Michelin and GoodYear pattern tires too. At one time, TAC Scale Dynamics produced a set of BigFoot Tires too, but these are long out of production.

There aren't any for the 2.5-ton cargo truck.




VLS Corp is a good place to try and get a set.




Already answered above - Real Models. However, you'd be better off scratchbuilding it yourself, as the flat parts of their conversion sets often arrive warped beyond usability.




Yes for the 2.5-ton truck. I'd have to go home and dig through the technical manuals, but I remember seeing photos of the Crane Truck equipped with leveling units at each corner of the bed. The original 5-ton Crane Truck equipped like this was used in 276mm Honest John Artillery Rocket Units to hoist the missile up onto the Launcher / Transporter Truck in the field.

In the advanced version of the Honest John system (proposed but ultimately not accepted into service) the 5-ton Crane Truck was to be replaced with a 2.5-ton Crane Truck unit - hence what you might be referring to. The whole idea was to make the system and support vehicles smaller.

Gunnie

Tahnks for the reply guntruck. I've put up a page on my web site with the pertinent photos. Anyone whos willing to give ago at Identifying them can either post here or directly to me via the address on my site. I'v numbered all the photos 1-16 so even if you can Ident one just give the Number. I've Also posted my thoughts under the after the photos .

www.homestead.com/shiryon/index.html

Just press the help button to get to the pics. Or

www.homestead.com/shiryon/specialrequest.html

The photo #5 looks like the body type my guys used to refer to as a "water purification" truck. We used it as a maintenance shop and replaced the normal M35A2 bed with that type. The sides lifted up and a floor folded down.

Was there an official designation I could look up Sabot.

Check out the link to see Italeris Bigfoot, made from the box. Although this kit got written off by a lot of people, I enjoyed making it. The chasis was a bit tuff though.

http://photos.yahoo.com/frank_glackin

I actually Have three of the kits. Was planning on using three M54 conversion Kits on them as Israel never used the 900 series. But except for one variant I can't seem to Ident the version of 5ton. My reference shows M54s with the air cleaner on the right fender and straight grills. Well now that I've posted the pics Maybe Guntruck or one of the other guys will Know the differences . BTW do you know if the bigfooot wheels will fit a m35 2.5 ton series?are they the same tires? are they interchangeable? Hope someone knows.

Shiryon,

Looked at your pictures and here’s my conclusions. (IMHO)

The Bigfoot tires available as after market are for the US 5t. They could be used on the M923/939 series of 5t trucks and maybe the M35A3. They are based on the Central Inflation System that allows the drive to change the tire pressure from the cab. Never seen a M35A3 for real, I don’t know if there is a difference in the wheel tire size from the 5t. The old style wheels and tires for the M54 5t and M35 22t where difference sizes. The single tires are an IDF modification with a different tread pattern than the current US Bigfoot wheels and tires.

The REO probably comes from the early M52 5t tractors came with a REO AO331 gas engine as opposed to a diesel or multifuel engine. The IDF might have used these engines in most of their 5t.

The big air filter unit on the driver’s side fender is a M809 series 5t 6X6 trucks. They were an upgrade of the M54 5t trucks. I remember when I first saw one; I thought it was a 10t truck.

OK, here is my run down on the pictures.

#1: M814 drop-side long bed with 300 gal pods.

#2: M809 5t.

#3: M52 5t tractor and 5,000 gal tanker.

#4: (L-R) M813 drop side, M725 Kaiser Jeep ambulance, M35A2 22t + water buffalo and another M813.

#5: M64 5t Van.

#6: M62 or M816 5t wrecker. I’ve seen M816’s with both the leveling jacks and hydraulic outrigger legs.

#7: M816 5t wrecker. You can see the outrigger behind the rear duals.

#8: M816 5t wrecker. You see the outriggers better here.

#9: M815(?) 5t tanker. Looks like lockers mounted along the side.

#10: Good old M35A2. Don’t think it’s a wrecker bed. I never saw a 22t wrecker before, always were on a 5t chassis.

#11: M816 long bed on a long wheelbase. A wrecker converted from a M813?

#12: M813 drop-side with two 300 gal pods.

#13: M35A2 chassis. The little mushroom air cleaner is a give away.

#14: M809 series 5t 6X6. Haven’t a clue what bed style that really is. A unique IDF conversion.

#15: M809 series. Looks like a commercial tanker modification.

#16: M813 drop-side. 300 gal fuel pods.


I’ve whacked the bee’s nest and stirred up the hornets. Can anybody else better clarify or dispute?


Dave

Thanks Puyallup7400 (what a mouthfull) Now I need to find out how to modify the cabs. Like you said the Crane w/ 4 corner pds is weird. Thanks again for the help. Wish someone would write a book on softskins.