Airdropping the deuce (and 5-ton)

[cranetruck]

Did you know that the deuce and the 5-ton trucks can be rigged for airdrop?
A couple of images from FM 10-520 (2-1/2 ton) and FM 10-526 (5-ton) manuals.
There are some modifications required, such as installing lifting shackels through the bed. If your vehicle has these mysterious holes in the bed, this is why.

 

[cranetruck]

These are the holes in the bed. They show it for the M342A2 dump truck also, so I guess the holes will have to be welded closed before the truck is used...

 

[ken]

That explaines the holes in the bed alright. i guess my truck has seen some air time.

 

[M215]

Hey Bjorn,
I have one of the cargo parachutes if you are willing to give it a try, sure would save you from driving all the way to Aberdeen!
Karl

 

[Dieselsmoke]

Interesting find Bjorn! I had a truck once that had the holes and brackets, nobody had a clue what they were. Interesting out of all the manuals i have I've never seen that.

 

[rmgill]

Those airdrops are a great source of spare parts. Anyone ever find a deuce that looked like it was dropped on it's head? Here's why...:http://www.digitalfog.com/gallery/airdrop.htm Edited for a better larger version.

 

[rdixiemiller]

Air drop should be pretty easy. Hook a drogue chute to the back bumper, roll it out the back.
Do this over enemy positions. Inspect deep crater in gound.
Oh!! You want to be able to drive it later? Well, that is a tad bit harder to do.

Why would anyone be airdropping a dumptruck?

 

[cranetruck]

"Fighting (steel)soldiers from the sky"... you know the song.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Why would anybody want to drop a dump truck? That's easy! The Seabees. One of their mottos; We Build, We Fight!

 

[Desert Rat]

MAN! That last video looked very painful! Better him than me. I just about died laughing looking at the all-terrain fork truck running off after landing and breaking through the packing. Good thing nothing or nobody was in its way! That critter looked like it was having fun running independently of human control!

 

[Loose Deuce]

Ha,Ha, That was too funny. I was looking for it to start rolling when it started that turn. I saw a Deuce and a 5 ton Dump coming down on parachutes on the Military Channel I think, they just shown a few seconds of it just before they landed. They were definately air droped. :freaked:

 

[Opie]

Watched the videos last night with a former army mechanic who said of the bouncing olive drab metal, "That's why you drop the equipment FIRST!"

 

[rmgill]

That's very true Opie. It probably helps clear the DZ of some resistance. Drop a few Deuces or Palletts of gear out the back and don't deploy the chutes. I'd get off that DZ real fast. That one load that goes out the back of C-141 and has a delay on the Chute looked real bad for anyone who was around it. Lots of flying metal.

 

[rmgill]

That's very true Opie. It probably helps clear the DZ of some resistance. Drop a few Deuces or Palletts of gear out the back and don't deploy the chutes. I'd get off that DZ real fast. That one load that goes out the back of C-141 and has a delay on the Chute looked real bad for anyone who was around it. Lots of flying metal.