Help Identify this Building Mover MV

[Katahdin]

Anybody know what this is? I've only been made aware of it recently, but its been employed in my town for decades by a family building mover business.

 

[Evil Dr. Porkchop]

I think that's an m26a1.

 

[Katahdin]

I think Evil Dr. Porkchop is right!

 

[wreckerman893]

It's called a"Dragging Wagon". Used to haul tanks and other heavy equipment.

They were chain drive and very slow on the road.

 

[papabear]

Pacific M26/M26A1. About 2,100 were built in the two variants by Pacific Car and Foundry Company, (which is now PACCAR).

Engine was originally a 17ltr (240HP) Hall Scott engine with tandem chain drives and had a top speed of around 28MPH.

Was capable of towing 80,000lbs (40 tons) which was enough for the tanks of the day.

Later on, some were used to move parts of Saturn Rockets for NASA during the Apollo Program.

And evidently, buildings and houses!!!

 

[73m819]

In reality, the 80,000 lbs was a guess working weight, in fact NOBODY KNOWS the MAX weight it can handle. The m26a1 came about because the m26 armored cab was so heavy on the front axle that it was breaking it do to the road bounce, SO someone realized that the m26 WAS NOT a front line tank retriever, but used towards the rear, and since rear use did not require a armored cab and all that weight, so the m26a1 came into being, soft top, tin cab, ect

 

[mcv1964]

It just amazes me the wealth of knowledge on this site!

 

[Tracer]

M26 & M26A1, and the chain drive common to both models. Also a photo of the Hall-Scott 440 engine used in both vehicles.

 

[papabear]

It just amazes me the wealth of knowledge on this site!

Google has become my best friend!!

 

[WillWagner]

Hall Scott engines were fun to work on. LA City fire had a fleet of them back in the day, IIRC they were the 590s, 1100 CID gasser.

 

[zebedee]

It's called a"Dragging Wagon".

Hate to be the grammar police - but it's actually a "Dragon Wagon".

There is a vet in town who drove the armoured one in WWII and a friend in the UK has one - with trailer.



There was a thread some years back with pics of the one that NASA had.

 

[papabear]

Hate to be the grammar police - but it's actually a "Dragon Wagon".

There is a vet in town who drove the armoured one in WWII and a friend in the UK has one - with trailer.



There was a thread some years back with pics of the one that NASA had.

Agreed. Also, one clip I read said the name "Dragon Wagon" was given to the truck due to the enormous fireballs that would belch out the exhaust at times.

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Google has become my best friend!!

What is your friend Google's last name?

 

[hndrsonj]

What is your friend Google's last name?

Dotcom

 

[Tinwoodsman]

Dotcom

Good One!

 

[marchplumber]

Anybody know what this is? I've only been made aware of it recently, but its been employed in my town for decades by a family building mover business.

View attachment 739918View attachment 739919View attachment 739920

Looks like a "serious" after market horn on the front..................who'd pull out in front of that beast?? When were they last in service? There was something similar on display at Ft. Hood with the double chain drive. I was amazed at the time that such a vehicle existed. Oh, the stories these old girls could tell, if they could talk!! Thanks for sharing............found it interesting that NASA used em too.

 

[73m819]

In service well into the 50s, maybe even early 60s, the m123 replaced it and the prime mover m20, as a straight truck m20, when a m20 was pulling the 45t three axle full pull trailer, the combo was considered a m19 tank recovery unit.