18 replies to this topic

[kyhistorian01]

Here are some photos of a vehicle that was on display at the MVPA show. An airborne transportable vehicle one of several types the army used that could be disassembled and reassembled after airborne transport. Would love to get some more history of these. It was an interesting display

Attached Images

• 

[kyhistorian01]

pic 2

Attached Images

• 

[kyhistorian01]

pic 3

Attached Images

• 

[Jack's Son]

After transport, were these pieces assembled into one unit ?

[kyhistorian01]

After transport, were these pieces assembled into one unit ?

Yes, according to what I read at the MVPA display the vehicle was transported in pieces by a glider or C-47 to a remote airstrip or a landing zone then quickly reassembled for use. Several vehicles were used like this including a version of the 2 1/2 ton truck.

[Gregory]

WWII Airborne Transportable vehicles

All vehicles? Both powered and not? If all then it is necessary to mention:

● Adams 11-S towed grader

● CAB-1 LaPlant Choate Pan Scraper

● Case SI Airborne Tractor

● Clarkair Crawler CA-1 Airborne Bulldozer

[Gregory]

Flying, Vol. 33 No. 5, November 1943

I hope you will find it interesting in this thread as a wartime look at vehicles and machines carried by the planes or gliders.

Attached Images

• 

[Gregory]

Flying, Vol. 33 No. 5, November 1943

... continued

Here you can see the Clarkair Crawler CA-1 airborne bulldozer (upper photo) and the Adams 11-S towed grader (below).

Attached Images

• 

[Gregory]

Flying, Vol. 33 No. 5, November 1943

The end of 1943 article under the title of "Troop Carrier Mission".

Attached Images

• 

[Gregory]

Yes, according to what I read at the MVPA display the vehicle was transported in pieces by a glider or C-47...

The question is by what glider? The Dodge WC-51 shown above would be too wide for the CG-4A glider. It means that this solution has never been used operationally. On the other hand the CG-10A glider would be able to carry WC-51 normally, in one piece, and no need to disassembly it. I would have to check what about the CG-13A but... only one CG-13A was used operationally during WWII. It confirms that disassembled WC-51 could not be used in real gliderborne assaults -- maybe during the ZI-organized exercises only?

[airborne53]

hello
l have airborne GMC CCKW352 , for delivery by C53 airplane split in 2 , front and rear
serial number 313255B1
for dodge shipping in C47



olivier

[Gregory]

hello
l have airborne GMC CCKW352 , for delivery by C53 airplane split in 2 , front and rear
serial number 313255B1
for dodge shipping in C47

Hi Olivier,

Congratulations. After restoration you will have an interesting and very rare vehicle. By the way -- the C-53 would be unable to carry your CCKW 352. That plane was not for vehicles -- lack of large cargo door and reinforced cargo floor. The C-53 was narrowly focused troop transporter.

But the C-54 was excellent transport plane. It could carry even turretless Locust tank. Below there is the clipping from the Air Tech monthly, Vol. 6 No. 6, June 1945.

Attached Images

• 

[airborne53]

yes it's C54
thanks
olivier

[Gregory]

One more time the CA-1 Airborne Bulldozer. Below it can be seen in the CBI carried by the 1st Air Commando Group.

And below there is another CA-1 towing Adams 11-S grader. The bulldozer has an inscription "Alabama Kid" on front panel.

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Gregory]

There were also WWII parachuted SAS Jeeps, but it would be the American-British thread am not sure if for this forum.

Attached Images

• 

[airborne53]

hello
found cckw airborne dash board


now looking for original pics of spare wheels rack , l think upper is removable like dash board
thanks
olivier

[Prof]

Hi All,

Converto Airborne trailer?



I have the Data plate only. I collect data plates - I have a large number of them, far easier to store than entire vehicles :thumbsup:



Detail showing trailer number. I've only just noticed the 8 is stamped upside down!

Best Regards,

Prof

Edited by Prof, 05 March 2012 - 02:09 PM.

[J_Andrews]

A veteran of Abn Tng Command who worked as an NCO on testing gear once told me that the HQ people for Troop Carrier Command (Stateside) were "obsessed" and "crazy" in persisting in "dreaming up" equipment loads for C-47s and all manner of gliders, resulting in lots of "busted planes" and wrecked equipment. His boss, an officer told him that they really DID know that such vehicles/equipment were too much for C-47s and CG-4As (but had to PROVE it for the benefit of Pentagon big thinkers), and were not totally, hopelessly nuts. BUT they were "hanging their hopes" on the CG-10 glider and C-82 boxcar transport coming into service to lift the heavy loads.

Another impetus was preparing for Operation THURSDAY, the airborne invasion of Burma, where they would obviously need a lot of serious engineer equipment on the ground, pronto.

The magazine article may have been a deliberate DISinformation ploy, planted to mislead the enemy as to what the USAAF and engineers capability was. "Here's a program we KNOW ain't gonna work so well, so let's tell Adolf and Tojo all about it..."

[Gregory]

The magazine article may have been a deliberate DISinformation ploy, planted to mislead the enemy as to what the USAAF and engineers capability was. "Here's a program we KNOW ain't gonna work so well, so let's tell Adolf and Tojo all about it..."

Yes, I agree. In battlefield practice, in the frontline zones such a cargo -- as vehicles/machines shown in this article -- was relatively rare on the CG-4As boards and ultrarare in the case of C-47s.