Carriers in U.S. Service

[Big D]

Hi all,

I have been talking to one of my colleagues who is currently in Honiara. He is going to photograph the carrier in question.

This is what I’ve given him from the previous posts. He is not a military vehicle person though and I so I doctored a few photographs as well with a few arrows on where to look which I thought might help him.

I am not real familiar with NZ carriers. Mine is an aussie one and I am aware there are some differences. Can the NZ carrier experts please check this out and see if I am pointing him in the right direction?

• Inside the hull especially on the rear upper plate – the hull number is often stamped in the bulkhead above the rear differential
• front top of the right hand towing eye(looking for a number like 1210)
• left hand side of the towing eye top. Sometimes the " T " number is on the Left hand side towing eye top
• Middle towing eye. There is a number here usually stamped near its upper edge. If no centre eye, then check the top edge of the two lifting eyes.
• The ammo box mounts (weld marks) on the right front guard (looking from the front)

[motto]

Good morning Darryl.
Some knowledgable contributor will no doubt answer your questions which are outside my area of familiarity.
I just wanted to comment on the jerrycans in the photo which I've only noticed on this occasion. They are all of the hybrid variety being of American type 'jam tin' construction but with the German style cam lock spout. These cans seem to have been exclusive to the USMC or maybe the SW Pacific and I've not encountered one in real life. Definitely a better proposition than the screw cap in my opinion and I wonder why they didn't standardise on them.
Apologies for the interjection but it aroused my curiosity.

Happy New Year to all.

David

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Big D

Hi all,

I have been talking to one of my colleagues who is currently in Honiara. He is going to photograph the carrier in question.

This is what I’ve given him from the previous posts. He is not a military vehicle person though and I so I doctored a few photographs as well with a few arrows on where to look which I thought might help him.

I am not real familiar with NZ carriers. Mine is an aussie one and I am aware there are some differences. Can the NZ carrier experts please check this out and see if I am pointing him in the right direction?

• Inside the hull especially on the rear upper plate – the hull number is often stamped in the bulkhead above the rear differential
• front top of the right hand towing eye(looking for a number like 1210)
• left hand side of the towing eye top. Sometimes the " T " number is on the Left hand side towing eye top
• Middle towing eye. There is a number here usually stamped near its upper edge. If no centre eye, then check the top edge of the two lifting eyes.
• The ammo box mounts (weld marks) on the right front guard (looking from the front)

Hi Darryl,

The arrow in the first photo is pointing to the back plate. This is wrong, it should be pointing to the angle-iron immediately above the diff mounting bolts immediately behind the coupling, where the brake pipe is. This piece is never cut out of the back plate in any cut down carrier as it serves to help locate the diff assembly. The details for all Australian carriers are stamped on the top of the horizontal section of the angle-iron and generally a good sand down will reveal the maker, type of carrier and the carrier number. I don't know about the NZ or British carriers.

Good Luck & all the best for the festive season.

Rick.

[Big D]

Hi David,

Merry Xmas. How's it going? No worries. Yes, interesting what you say about the jerry cans. Most of the ones I have here seem to have that same lid.


Hi Rick,

Merry Xmas to you to. Thanks for that. I will move the arrow accordingly.

[Lynn Eades]

I note that the Jerry cans are marked "USMC" (United States Marine Corp" as apposed to the screw top ones which are normally marked "QMC" (Quarter Master Corp)
Did the Marines have their own spec, different from the U.S. Army?

[motto]

Hi Lynn
The standard American screw top jerrycans for the US Army had QMC stamped either side low down on early production cans but later went over to just the letters US or USA in the same place.
You also find the screw top cans with USMC in place of the QMC or US/A so it appears that after a flirt with the cam lock type the Marines went over to the same can as the Army but with their own markings.

The US Marine Corp being an arm of the US Navy had a separate procurement system to the Army and often followed an independent course. Hence their use of International 6x6 and 4x4 trucks as against the Army GMC CCKW and Dodge WC standard vehicles. The adoption of the Johnson automatic rifle was another deviation.

On the G503 forum there is an area that is devoted to Jerrycans or Gerrycans in all their bewildering varieties. There seems to be more questions than there are answers but a great deal is known about them.

David

[Andrew Rowe]

Hi Big D,
As far as I know, only Aussie carriers were stamp above the diff area.
Cheers
Andrew

[Big D]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for that. Do the rest of the photos and arrows look alright?