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Posted by Gordon McMillan [92.236.121.202] on Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 10:39:52 :
In Reply to: Re: T-36 Iron Fireman Califonia help needed posted by Tim Holloway [69.54.28.229] on Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 07:52:34 :
I should have included an 'in use' shot as well, here you go.
During WW2 a variety of companies made over-snow stuff for the US Army. Studebaker Weasel was the most common and most successful. Allis Chalmers took over production of the T26E3 Snow Tractor that had been prototyped by Tucker, and produced it as the M7.
Iron Fireman should have stuck to furnace stokers I think, but as long as one survived I had to give it a home. It's basically a sled with WC Dodge 3/4 ton powerplant, transmission, and winch, plus a Cletrac controlled differential.
The failings seem to be in the track frame system, very heavy and with no articulation or suspension, and the track system which had huge aggressive grousers and drive lugs bolted to a lump of conveyor belt.
They made 36, I don't know of any other survivors, and let's just say despite a theoretical top speed of 21mph I'm not expecting it to win any races against a Sno-Cat.
I think the only other technical point would be the way the Braden MU2 winch is driven by chain drive from the passemgers side of the transmission, rather than the common military driver side winch PTO.
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