M29 Weasel

Brian W

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Some plugs, clean the fuel lines, a little paint and good as new.
It is only $3000, and is amphibious. I don't think it would be that hard to rebuild for the right person, and a pretty cool addition to one's afv collection.
 

von Marwitz

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It is only $3000, and is amphibious.
"Is amphibious..." This is what I call trust in God.

I don't think it would be that hard to rebuild for the right person, and a pretty cool addition to one's afv collection.
I am tempted. But I have not yet figured out in which RAACO tray in my system it would best fit.

von Marwitz
 

kcole4001

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"ultimate off roader-m-29-built 1942-45-been sitting-not running-was amphibious-got rust in floor pan-6cyl stude power--weighs 2 tons-66" wide-12' long"

Hate to say it, but 'rust in floor pan' usually means BIG gaping holes, so: not so amphibious.
No problem to fix if you're a decent welder (and there's something left to weld to of course).
 

jrv

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A quick spray with some Flex Seal and you'll be sailing over the bounding main. I wonder if it comes in Olive Drab.


JR
 
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Brian W

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I wonder if it comes in Olive Drab.
You can paint over it. My entire roof is made up of five toothpicks and 59 cans of the stuff. It really works; unfortunately, it's carcinogenic so I now have lung cancer. But damn if I'll pay $14000 to put a new roof on!
 

djohannsen

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They didn't use them for landings. The Marines had lots of other amphibious stuff that would actually float in the ocean.

JR
Certainly their primary utility was moving supplies and evacuation of wounded over difficult terrain, however there are some passages of interest from "Marines in World War II Historical Monograph" "Iwo Jima: Amphibious Epic" by Lt. Col. Whitman S. Bartley, USMC.

In chapter 2 ("Plans and Preparations") we have the following information:

"Among the great variety of amphibious equipment available for landings, two items were new to the VAC: the Clever-Brooks 3 ½-ton amphibian trailer, and the light cargo carrier M-29C (weasel), capable of hauling a half-ton load.

<SNIP passage describing amphib tractor>

The weasels were received and distributed to the three divisions in November. Outstanding performance in tests and training exercises disclosed that these boatlike tracked vehicles resembling miniature LVT's without ramps, were valuable equipment."

Also, in footnote 55 in the same chapter:
"55. The fast, maneuverable weasel, with its low silhouette, pulled trailers and artillery pieces over the terrain that wheeled vehicles could not negotiate. Of great value on land, they did not prove very seaworthy. VAC Logistics Rpt, 45."

So, though these passages are open to interpretation, I think it possible that the Weasels were floated ashore (as opposed to being carried in an LCM, say). Certainly they would not have come ashore until the beach was secured.
 

jrv

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"Of great value on land, they did not prove very seaworthy. VAC Logistics Rpt, 45."
I think that's pretty clear. I would expect they were landed with the rest of the trucks. They moved in water at about 4 mph. As I understand it you can put them in a river but if that river has a current you are not going upstream. Their freeboard is very low, so any kind of wave is coming aboard. They are wonderful vehicles when used within their limits, but they are not ship-to-shore vehicles. As wikipedia puts it,

wikipedia said:
The M29 was amphibious, but with a very low freeboard; the M29C Water Weasel was the amphibious version, with buoyancy cells in the bow and stern as well as twin rudders. M29C could not operate in other than inland waterway conditions, so its use in surf or rough water was very limited but was used in the Pacific theatre.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M29_Weasel

There are plenty of places in the PTO where the Weasel's excellent cross-country and limited amphibious capabilities could be useful. Think of all the swamps in the tropical regions and in the mud on Okinawa. But they are not ocean-capable.

JR
 
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