M108 crane truck

[johan77]

Hi guys, i purchased recently a studebaker m108 crane truck, 1954, still with the oa-331 gasser in it. Under the green paint i found some airforce blue but under that the entire truck is yellow, and i mean the entire truck, i've never seen trucks painted yellow when in service. Anyone can share a light on that ? I know they were mainly used to handle missiles.
Thanks !

 

[NDT]

Air Force trucks used on a flightline were often yellow.

 

[johan77]

Air Force trucks used on a flightline were often yellow.

i cant imagine why they should use a crane truck on a flightline, a tanker truck i can assume, but a crane ?

 

[tommys2patrick]

in my unit, in Germany, we used them to remove and install main rotors on helicopters. usually engines were done inside with an overhead crane. once used one to replace a tail boom. it took a pretty good operator and lots of hands on help.

 

[HDN]

i cant imagine why they should use a crane truck on a flightline, a tanker truck i can assume, but a crane ?

My wife gives me almost the same argument every time I tell her I want a wrecker

I had the opportunity to acquire a gasser 5-ton tractor-wrecker that had the same paint thing going on - yellow underneath camo. The Air Force used those trucks for wrecked aircraft recovery.

 

[johan77]

My wife gives me almost the same argument every time I tell her I want a wrecker

I had the opportunity to acquire a gasser 5-ton tractor-wrecker that had the same paint thing going on - yellow underneath camo. The Air Force used those trucks for wrecked aircraft recovery.

it took many hrs and a lot off patience but i finally was able to convince her... hahahaha
the 5 tons (m62 international) were frequently used in belgium and the netherlands mainly for handling missiles like the honest john.

 

[johan77]

in my unit, in Germany, we used them to remove and install main rotors on helicopters. usually engines were done inside with an overhead crane. once used one to replace a tail boom. it took a pretty good operator and lots of hands on help.

what unit was that ? i assume those were mainly uh-1 helicopters ? was the crane truck painted entirely yellow in your unit ?

 

[tommys2patrick]

UH-1, mostly recycled from viet nam due to the looks of them. the crane truck was out of the casserne motor pool. standard army green. we did not have enough work to warrant one just for us. Permasens was the town name.

 

[johan77]

UH-1, mostly recycled from viet nam due to the looks of them. the crane truck was out of the casserne motor pool. standard army green. we did not have enough work to warrant one just for us. Permasens was the town name.

I think you mean Pirmasens was that town. There are a number of nice photos on internet about that place back in those days. There is also a facebook page specificly for those who were stationed over there.