[Lynn Eades]

David.You obviously know a lot about tanks, and I don't. Re your last item.(5) To me it makes no economic sense to set out to build a hull using tank running gear.(big expensive job)More likely, the builders would have won the low priced tender for govt surplus tanks, and based on this, built the haulers. (Yarders?) Tank running gear is not really suitable for bush work. Commercial crawler tractors are obviouly far more suited. the compomise is all about price. No doubt, It'll be a tank hull.
These things usually drive/ drag (winch) them selves to the top of the highest hill, and once there, and set up. They dont move again until the whole area is cleared.
I used to work for Owens Services, (It was for many years the only company handling the export of logs from all N.Z. ports) As I recall 3 of them arrived on the Mount Maunganui wharf from a heavy lift ship, and for some reason unknown to me(just lucky?) I had the lovely job of steam cleaning one of them at the Dept. of Agricultures secure cleaning area. This was required before it could be cleared by Ag and fish, and moved from the Port.
BTW thats not getting a few pine needles off the nice orange paint either. That means being in the bowels of it for hours. Hot!, wet!, loud!, and covered in greasy shit! (can I say that?)
This would be about 15 years ago and this machine could well be one of those 3.
I have never seen any of them in action, but I understood that there were already Sherman (used loosely now) based, Log haulers (spar yarders) already in use in Kaiangaroa Forest.
Brent, you could buy it!.... Then you can clean the paint of the tow eye.
I dont think we have a Sherman here although there is a Grizzly in Auckland.