|
|
M31B2 (T2) Armoured Recovery Vehicle In early 1942, the U.S. Ordnance Department was experimenting with a new prime mover based on the diesel-engined M3A5 medium tank. The resulting »Heavy Tractor T16« was not acceptable as a tractor, but it gave Ordnance some ideas concerning what was needed for a true recovery vehicle. Hence the Tank Recovery Vehicle T2 was born. All armament was removed from the M3 except for one .30 caliber machine gun fixed in the bow mount to the left of the driver. A similar .30 caliber weapon was carried for use on the British type traversing ring in the turret. A door fitted with a dummy gun replaced the 75mm mount. A Gar Wood Model 10-Y 5500 crane was mounted on a special plate that replaced the 37mm gun mount in the turret. A dummy gun was fixed to the rear of the turret so that when it was reversed, the appearance of an armed tank was maintained. The crane had a capacity of 10,000 pounds without the boom jacks. If the latter were placed on the ground, it could carry 30,000 pounds. A jaw clutch type winch was located in the crew compartment with a capacity was 60,000 pounds. Shortages of M3s resulted in other tanks of the series being converted, diesel powered M3A3 (welded hull) and M3A5 (riveted hull), shown here, easily recognizable by the lengthened rear for the GM 6-71 model 6046 diesel, the missing rear access doors and the »Grant«-style fenders. Conversion of the M3s began at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in October 1942 and continued through December 1943 reaching a total of 509, of which 296 were diesel powered T2s (M3A3 and M3A5). The official designations was »Tank Recovery Vehicle M31, M31B1, and M31B2« for those based on the M3, M3A3, and M3A5 respectively. The Red Army, notoriously short in recovering vehicles, were lucky as to receive roughly 120 machines in 1943 and 1944. Source : Hunnicut, »Sherman« and Crismon, »U.S. Military Tracked Vehicles«
|
Towing a KV-1s heavy tank at Kubinka proving ground, 1943
|
|
|
