WWII Hanson Torpedo Truck/Crane

[SteveKuhn]

I'm wondering if anyone has further information on this. There's one at the USS Ling Museum in Hackensack that needs some fix up, but I'm having a lot of difficulty finding anything on the equipment, the manufacturer, etc. There's a different model at the USS Cod in Ohio, very nicely done. The one at the Ling is in the background. It's just like the red one one below at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry . Any info appreciated.

Thanks.

Steve

 

[Capt Pat]

Too bad it isn't being better cared for. There are not alot of these units around anymore. They were just too handy. There is a book kind of obscure, about the history of cranes that has some in it about them, can't remember the title though. Came across it when I was researching an old crawler crane unit built on an International crawler tractor by Austin-Western. Seems it was called an "Aardvark" and was originally built for the Seabee's in WWII, but was used as a bomb crane on airfields as well. Its listed in that book as the first hydraulic crane as the boom slid in and out hydraulically. There is one laying overgrown in a junkyard near here we're trying to find someone to resce and restore. (the FMVG may have to do it ourselves, but we've alreay got more than enough projects as is.)

 

[SteveKuhn]

Thanks. Do you think it might be this book?

http://www.amazon.com/History-Crane...6461058&sr=8-1&keywords=the+history+of+cranes

Steve

 

[Capt Pat]

Might be, the cover was different as I remember though.

 

[Another Ahab]

Nice Items.

The smaller one (red) looks something like you'd see on a carrier for carrying ordnance.

There is a Torpedo Factory in Alexandria VA that produced Mark XIV product back in the day (between the wars), but other than one torpedo on display none of the original factory machinery is there anymore:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpedo_Factory_Art_Center