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8th July 1977, Page 35
8th July 1977
Page 35
Page 35, 8th July 1977 — Veltielea at watt • • •
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Thanks Mr Smart, for bringing back memories of yesterday in your interesting letter about spark-assisted diesels (CM, May 20). There are one or two points which I would like to raise, taking the subject of the International half-track as an opener.

Personnel carriers, half-track MS and M5A1 were built by I HC, and fitted with six-cylinder gasoline IHC engines of 451cu.in capacity — model Red 450BH developing 140hp. The International half-track

did not fit the Hercules engine.

A number of half-tracks — and variants — were used by the Americans and Brits during the last war. These are summarised as: M3A1 Scout Car — White, using the Hercules ./XD six-cylinder 320cu.in 110hp gasoline engine.

M2 Car, half-track; Autocar or White manufacture with White 160AX 386cu.in 148hp gasoline engine.

M2A1 Car half-track; Autocar or White manufacture using the same engine as the M2.

M3 Personnel carrier half-track; Autocar Diamond T or White manufacture with White 160AX engine. Note: M3A1 Scout cars were also produced by Autocar and Diamond T. Both used the White 160AX gasoline engine.

Many of the British Army half-tracks were White M3A1s with the popular Hercules engine and this is the Hercules-engined vehicle you may have in mind — not the International!

No reference can be found of the Hesselman-Waukesha engine being used in any half-track or other combat vehicle. It certainly would appear to be an odd combination for a low-compression Cl engine to be installed in a half-track. I agree the Hesseiman was well known for its ability to run on gasoline, diesel and paraffin.

Oddly enough, the only other Waukesha engines used at the time were those driving gun sets and other auxiliary plant. Larger engines appeared in the 18-ton and 36-ton tracked gun tractors — these were six-cylinder 815cu.in model 145G2 units, All the plant and tractor engines were Si and gasoline fuelled. The American Army appeared to concentrate the diesel engine primarily for use in recovery and many heavy cargo vehicles — the Hesselman-Waukesha does not come to light from a brief study of these equipments.

I hope the information I've given will be of interest to you, Mr Smart.

F EDWARDS, Blackheath, SE3

Tags

Organisations: British Army, American Army
People: Smart

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