Evenin' I've seen Pacific M26 Dragon Wagon's on English soil in the last few years (there's some beautiful preserved examples on the UK show circuit), but it occurs to me that I'm not sure I've seen many (or even any) photographs 'in the period' of the beast rumbling about on English soil. They must have been here, most likely prior to D-Day, but I'm away from my main PC and books at the mo - can anyone point me at pictures of M26s in the UK during the war? (Armoured or unarmoured variant). Cheers, Adam.
Some lovely shots here: Driving the M25 Dragon Wagon: stories from a Second World War veteran but still none in the UK - I'm starting to wonder if the vehicles were shipped direct to the continent from the US post-invasion. Occurred to me that I hadn't looked in wheels and Tracks, but there doesn't seem to be anything at all in their index or contents on the vehicles either - surprising really, must be missing something - (though I did get somewhat side-tracked by the remarkable 'Murty Brothers' half-tracked M26 suggestion). Wondering if anyone has, or has read, this book: "Dragon Wagon" Pacific Car and Foundry TR-1 / M25 Tank Transporter by Jochen Vollert, The Military Machine Circa 2001 ISBN: 3-9805216-1-3 Highly recommended by the Afrikakorps site.
I found somewhere that they entered service in 1944. I found this photo on Armorama: Armorama :: Book Review: Dragon Wagon by Ken Fortier Well photo is bad but you can read date in legend: 10 April 1944, New Jersey. If these were some of the first examples (I know, big if) then it is possible that they were shipped direct to the continent.
Really nice shot Sol, all I've got is 'Produced during 43-44' from Vanderveen, so it's good to get more clues (perhaps) on when they were shipped out.
The M25 tank transporter was first standardized in June 1943. The first to see action were used in Italy late that year. They entered service in NW Europe just after the invasion, and most were left in France at the war's end. As to Dragon Wagons on English soil, the British used the Diamond T Model 980 throughout the war, but often called upon American M26 units to transport the heavier tanks such as the Churchill. France was a major post-war user, but the unarmored version (M26A1) was used in U.S. service well into Vietnam. The size of the vehicle meant that if they could be sent from the US directly to the continent, they would be. Additionally, it is unlikely that any were sent to the UK from the continent after the Normandy invasion, as that would not have made sense and would have taken up precious boat space. I have not personally seen a photo or heard an account of an M26 or M26A1 being driven on English soil.
Decided to finish this month's copy of 'Military Machines' - and there's a small Dragon Wagon article in there (duh!). Nothing more on wartime use in the UK, but some interesting ones that made it into Civvy hands. Six converted by the Legendary Wynn's Haulage into marginally more road-friendly guise. Wynn's were a major user of ex-military gear, sometimes going to surprising lengths to 'civilianise' things. No M26's here, but a nice potted history of the company and some good shots of their heavy gear: Welsh Motor Transport Heritage :: Treftadaeth Cludiant Cymreig At least one conversion was still chugging about in 2007: YouTube - WYNNS REBORN Believe it or not, that's an M26 under there (unsure whether they used armoured, unarmoured, or both, for that conversion). Some lovely contemporary footage here: YouTube - Wynns Diamond T and Pacific heavy trucks Seriously powerful beasts. I'd often wondered what that weird 'scissors' hoist on the back was for... changing wheels apparently - makes perfect sense when you look at the size of the things.
Well, I have seen 1 or 2 pictures taken during trials of M25 in Britain. The vehicle was tested (by FVDE?) as possible arty tractor so it was equipped with quite huge baloon tyres instead of usual ones and there was either small "bed" for balast or something like counterwight placed above rear two axles. There is another picture, I am nearly sure taken somewhere in liberated part of Europe. That vehicle with usual trailer is sporting British marking and the trailer is laden with Hetzer I think.
a few of them were bought up by Wynns after the war and modified to shift heavy haulage, Llandudno Transport Festival Page
A couple of months ago I wrote about Dragon Wagons being used and tested by British. Unfortunately I can not remember the source of those two pictures and had to dig them out from the depth of my archive hard drive but finally here they are. One of them is identified as vehicle used by 21st Technical Intelligence Group (run by 21st Army Group probably) although marking is not very clear and the second one even sports FVPE marking and no doubt that officer is British. HTH to fill the gap.
From the Trux website: MOBILE RECOVERY SECTION, ENEMY EQUIPMENT War Establishment XIV/1642/1. December 1944. This section was for the recovery of enemy equipment, especially armoured fighting vehicles in good condition which were required for technical intelligence. Not a REME unit the key personnel were RAC. Captain or Subaltern RAC squadron quartermaster serjeant RAC vehicle mechanic driver mechanic AFV RAC batman driver 2 X driver IC 8 X private Personnel not specifically shown as RAC may be from any arm. 1 X motorcycle 2 x 15cwt GS 1 X 3ton 1 X M25 tank transporter (US Pacific) 80ton RECOVERY SECTION No War Establishment table found. Based on secondary records. In late 1944 three Tiger tanks were found abandoned in France. They were recoverable but not runners. The 80ton section was formed to recover two of these tanks, one a Tiger II or King Tiger for the US and one Tiger I for the UK. The trailer was one of six built for the prototype Tortoise tanks. It had five rows of wheels, twenty in all, with all but the centre row being steerable. The transporter bed tilted to allow easier loading. These were the only vehicles capable of recovering heavy German tanks. Tractors were Diamond T 980 with closed cabs. They could be fitted with overall chains, the body having being raised to allow this. Officer RE 4 X driver REME NCO Instructor 1 X jeep 1 X 80ton Cranes transporter trailer 2 X Diamond T 980 tractors Noel
A couple of months ago I wrote about Dragon Wagons being used and tested by British. Unfortunately I can not remember the source of those two pictures and had to dig them out from the depth of my archive hard drive but finally here they are. One of them is identified as vehicle used by 21st Technical Intelligence Group (run by 21st Army Group probably) although marking is not very clear and the second one even sports FVPE marking and no doubt that officer is British. HTH to fill the gap. Sorry guys I am trying to catch up here. H5829126 was used by FVPE as stated above. There is a small artcile in Wheels & Tracks in the "Readers Forum" section at th start of the issues. I have a scan of it somewhere but I cannot remember the actual issue number. Sorry. Cheers Kevin
I had read that the Wynn's Pacifics were bought from a disposal site in a Kentish quarry, and some years ago I was able to ask John Wynn about this. He said that it was true, and that they were the armoured version - Wynn's workshop stripped off the armoured bodies which were sold for scrap bringing in more than the cost of the vehicles. In effect, Wynns used the Pacifics for over 30 years for free. John
Nice detail on the scrap, John. Something about these vehicles... So extreme in so many ways. Up close the engineering's more reminiscent of a steam Loco than a mere truck.
