info M2 modified M16

[Cobrahistorian]

There may be a surviving M16B.  Waiting on details right now, but it is more than likely going to be coming here to the Air Defense Artillery Museum at Ft. Sill. 

[WayOffTrack]

There may be a surviving M16B.  Waiting on details right now, but it is more than likely going to be coming here to the Air Defense Artillery Museum at Ft. Sill.

Can't wait to hear more about this hope it works out.

[Cobrahistorian]

Sadly it was mis-identified as an M16B.  It's an M16A1 converted in April 1952. 

[col.halftrack]

 Jon,
 Thanks for the dataplate post. Two things.
1. Here is an example of the White Motor Co. dataplate being used in re-builds. This was a Diamond T built M3 converted to M16A1.
2. The vehicle frame number M3-7653W has a serial number on the re-build data plate of 28910 but I noticed over on the G503 site that the same frame number was shown as being in Maryland and having a serial number of 23910. Do you have any additional info on the vehicle. The serial number 23910 seems to actually fit with other half-tracs.
 Kevin

[WayOffTrack]

i bought a copy of Allied/Axis 19 on the M2/M2a1 Halftrack. On page 19 it says:

" The 377th Anti-Aircraft Battalion was assigned M2 halftracks prior to the invasion of Normandy to tow its M55 Quad mount machine gun trailers. As a conversion kit was already available to mount the M55 into the bed of a two and a half ton truck it was decided to mount the guns in the back of their prime movers to simplify deployment of the weapon. This was such a successful conversion it was eventually accomplished by an additional 20 battalions. The inset photograph shows the M55 in its firing position and its two main components, the M45 gun array and the M20 TRAILER"

Unfortunately the picture is from the outside and you can't see the trailer. I have one of these kits to mount the trailer in the 2.5 ton truck.

[Outsider]

It seems like most of the rebuilds from Bowen-Mclaughlin in the 50's used a White Motor Co M16 tag.

Steve

[Dave65]

I remember coming across an article some where that explained the conversion on the gun trucks, if I remember right they first welded angle iron at specified locations on the flat bed of the truck, next they installed ramps to pull the gun trailer up onto the truck, they then removed the wheels and lowered the gun mount down between the angle iron and welded it to the angle iron, it was suppose to be a very quick and easy conversion. I suspect the same method was used on the M2 conversion, remove the rear seats, lower the square base of the mount down between the track armor and weld it to the floor, my question is this, would the square base fit down between the track armor?

Dave

[WayOffTrack]

my question is this, would the square base fit down between the track armor?

I think it will but I'll check. It is a simple angle iron framework. I think however if the trailer bottom was even with the bottom of the vertical track armor the guns would not be high enough to clear the sides. In other words i think they put a large flat plate down first on top of the rear seat lockers then put the mount on top of that.

[Dave65]

They could have also used a spacer ring to raise it up higher, like the M3 to M16A1 conversion

Dave

[Dave65]

Heres a good pic of a removable mount in a gun truck, tires and wheels were stored on the truck as well as the ramps, if the m2 conversion did use the square base the hitch and jacks would need to be removed......

[prestone]

Hey Dave

We have the certainty the turret had risen on rings, several indications; height of the turret in M2 and the internal photos.
The missing information concern the pertie between reservoirs and driving position

[prestone]

Hey

Always nobody having information on halftracks modified with turrets Maxson   

[Dave65]

Found an interesting thread over in the Missing-lynx.com forum in regards to how the mount was attached to the floor of the HT, one of the members was in contact with an owner of an M2 who was restoring it and mentioned some unusual mods, such as a square steel plate attached to the floor with a circular bolt pattern in it, also the ammo lockers had been removed, very interesting thread.....

Dave

[col.halftrack]

 Dave are you a member of the missing-lynx AFV group. I tried to sign up and it says not taking new members?
 Kevin

[Dave65]

Kevin

No im not a member but was considering joining, lots of interesting threads there, I was reading one about the Odd British halftracks with the extended tops, I learned that they were modified to carry explosives.....

Dave