M54 vs. M35

[B3.3T]

Obviously, most Vietnam Guntrucks were 5 ton trucks, however, some were M35's. The 5 tons were able to handle the weight of any armor, weapons, ammo, etc. but does anyone know how the deuces worked out? Were they just not up to the task?

 

[LanceRobson]

I'm sure not an expert but I'd think that since most of the gun trucks belonged to transportation units that had mostly 5 tons and very few deuces that'd account for a lot of it.

Mounted spare tire were typically a large part of the load and were incorporated into the crew protection on some trucks. They eat up a bunch of volume and weight capacity.

Space and elbow room might have figured in a bit, too. A flex mount MG can need a lot of space around it to articulate and to be able to service it (reload etc) during a scrap. 50 Cal MGs, in particular can eat up an awful lot of weight and volumes worth of ammo. Ammo is about 100 pounds a 200 round crate and 100 rounds doesn't last long when applying suppressive fire to a target as wide and long as a convoy perimeter.

Lance

 

[B3.3T]

That all makes a lot of sense. There are more and more photos of deuce gun trucks showing up. That's why I was curious.

 

[BKubu]

I read once that, with the added weight from the armor, armaments, ammo and crew, the M35's frame and suspension were not up to the task. The deuces often suffered failures in these areas.

 

[KaiserM109]

We had a deuce with a quad 50 pull into FSB Moore one night. I was the 1/11th Arty Bn. surveyor and I laid it like a regular artillery piece. That night it fired on coordinates with no tracers in the belts. Awsome!! It had a 2nd deuce with it for ammo.

 

[emr]

I do believe it was more of the fact that with the added wieght the deuce could not keep up with the other trucks, and just could not get out of there own way, and yes the suspension was maxed also, I have a few buddys that did this from Mutts to 5 tonners, they mostly said it was this...

 

[Driver523]

The weight and speed I believe was one of the big problems--like with the Humvee as they progressed they just overloaded them, at the start the deuce gun trucks were single walled with just a couple gunners with their personal weapons, then they added more protection with sand bags and double walled armor, with the rain and all they got real heavy, then adding maybe a M-60 and with gunners never having enough ammo they only got heavyer, the roads were beating them up pretty bad---then more and more trans units were getting 5 tons and the deuce was having a harder time keeping up, also they began adding the 50s and a ton more ammo, in the units that were 2/12 ton units the deuce didn't have that hard a time--(like the 541st)---In 1970 the Ace of Spades (a 5 ton) hit the road at 34,000 lbs---but the deuce is a great truck, here's some photos of the old and newers styles---------------------Just my thoughts------------Driver

 

[AaronHorrocks]

I read once that, with the added weight from the armor, armaments, ammo and crew, the M35's frame and suspension were not up to the task. The deuces often suffered failures in these areas.

I kick myself for not saving the photo of an M35 "gun truck" that buckled under it's own weight.