Angle iron at the 3 pintle sockets

[andy]

I have a question about the angle iron channel located at the 3 pintle socket brackets in the rear. I have seen alot of original halftracks with them, and restored with and without. Why are they there and are they needed still if deact mgs are mounted there? Are they for structure?
Thanks
Andy

[steve1973]

Andy,
Nice photo. There is a lot to look at in this photo. As for the angle bracket you speak of, I've only seen this one other time. That is on Tom Gunther's halftrack in the rear. I've been meaning to ask him why he added that. His armor is all reproduction so I'm not sure where he got that from. I will need to looke at my M2A1 photos more closely and see it it is on others. I'm not sure why or what it is for. Maybe to stiffin that area because of the gun. Other things to note, the parimeter rail is welded in, not bolted, footman loops are welded to top of parimeter rail, there are pockets mounted to the underside of the parimeter rail for the top bows, gussets welded into the corners, early aluminum floor plates and you can just make out the wiring cand onduit for the radio at the botom of the photo. In all an awsome photo! Do you have more of this track? I would be interested in some other reference shots.

Steve A.

[Outsider]

Steve, Be careful using that photo for research and reference.

1) Look at the fuel tank cover it has delivery holes on both ends. I don't know if they ever did that in production.

2) Look where the fuel line comes up through the seat cover for the tank. That is not the production location which tells me this HT has the fuel tank in the wrong location.

3) The rear seat cover is split in 2. only 2 of the pad locations is lifting, not all 3.

So in my opinion this HT has had some non us military mods to it, so using it for reference is iffy.

Steve

[RocnTJ]

I believe that angle under the gun socket was added for reinforcement of the socket.  I have seen several pictures of halftracks that had it.   There does not seem to be a consistent location for it, I have seen it attached to the socket in several different ways.   


The split bench is a modification that they made to allow the radio to be installed in the rear of the track.   The back piece of the bench is bolted shut as it will not open when the radio is in place.

It looks to me that they installed a right hand fuel tank on the left side and had to make modifications to accommodate it.

Tom

[steve1973]

Good eye Tom. I missed that.

[andy]

Ask and you shall receive, these are the only ones i have though, not sure where i found them, been collecting shot over the years whenI thought i could use them in rebuilding mine

[yd328]

Steve,
The back of my ht almost mirror those pics. The angle iron looks to support the MG mounts, but it's been a while since I took it apart. My fuel lines came up in the same location, the only difference is that there are shields to cuver the fuel line. Both fuel tanks are Goodyear.  My ht was a B&M rebuild, M2 to M2A1. I think it was a radio track from the stenciling that is on the driver side ammo box armor door. I have a radio install manual and all of the holes and outlines that I have found seem to be consistant with the manual. I do have some pics of the troop compartment interior.

Gary

[andy]

So you guys that have these brackets, how are they attached at the pintle socket area and the bottom. I see the bolts in the middle. Also, are they needed in thses days? I can understand if you were shooting the recoil after time could bulge armor, but static real guns arnt that heavy

Andy

[yd328]

Andy,
On mine they are welded top and bottom. The one that has bolts going through is where the bolts holes are on the armor plate.  The weld on the top is 3-4" long and the bottom is welded on both sides about an inch. I am going to keep mine in place for the restoration.

[andy]

Interesting your arnt bolted in middle.
I have one question what is that thing i circled on your pic?
At this point I haven't got everything in the rear so i think i'll weld on those angles on too

Andy

[yd328]

The only one that has bolts through it is the same as the one in your pics, driver side.

I'm not sure what it was used for, that stub looks the same as the ones for the top tarp posts but they can't be used w/the mg mounts.

Gary

[steve1973]

That is a bracket for the top bow to go into. I'm guessing left over from the early M2 configuration as the M2A1 brackets are closer to the perimeter rail or part of it.

[steve1973]

I reviewed a bunch of M2A1 halftracks and they do have the angle bracket on most of them. Here are some photos of Lloyd Whites original M2A1 from Camp White at last years MVPA convention.







Steve A.

[andy]

weird though, all have them on the sides but most don't on the rear one

Andy

[47lincsled]

 One interesting thing I noticed on andy's pulpit mount is that it is the all welded unit, the same that it on mine, which I was told was wrong because only International used the all welded pulpit, but mine was field modified and who knows who supplied the parts for the kit!