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World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck
World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck
World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck
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World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck

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Merriam Press World War 2 In Review Series

2023 eBook Edition

This issue covers the American 2½-ton 6x6 medium truck series of World War II, the “deuce and a half,” with coverage of the GMC CCKW 2½-ton 6x6 truck and the Studebaker US6 2½-ton 6x6 truck series. Five different designs were standardized by the U.S., two were also standardized by Canada. One was built primarily for Lend-Lease export during World War II.

322 B&W and color photographs and illustrations
LanguageEnglish
PublisherLulu.com
Release dateAug 12, 2017
ISBN9781387160815
World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck

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    World War 2 In Review No. 14 - Merriam Press

    World War 2 In Review No. 14: American 2½-ton 6x6 Truck

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    Hoosick Falls, New York

    2023 eBook Edition

    ISBN 9781387160815

    Copyright © 2017 by Merriam Press

    All rights reserved.

    Additional material copyright of named contributors.

    The views expressed are solely those of the author(s).

    This work was designed, produced, and published in

    the United States of America by

    Merriam Press, 489 South Street, Hoosick Falls NY 12090

    Merriam Press has published numerous titles on historical subjects, especially military history, with an emphasis on World War II, in print and eBook formats.

    Also available are previously published works, including out-of-print and hard to find manuals, unit histories, journals, magazines, reports, campaign and battle histories and other materials on historical topics, some in printed form with many as PDF files.

    For details on all the titles that are available visit:

    https://www.merriam-press.com

    E-mail: merriampress@gmail.com

    2½-ton 6x6 Truck

    The 2½-ton 6x6 truck was a class of medium trucks designed for the US Armed Forces. The basic cargo versions were designed to transport a 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) cargo load over all terrain in all weather. Widely used in World War II, the deuce and a half continued to be the US standard medium duty truck class after the war. Five different designs were standardized by the U.S., two were also standardized by Canada. One was built primarily for Lend-Lease export during World War II, and many others have been exported to smaller militaries. The US began replacing 6x6 trucks with the 4x4 Light Medium Tactical Vehicle (LMTV) in 1991.

    In 1939-1940 the US Army Ordnance Corps was developing a 2½-ton (2,268 kg) load-rated 6×6 tactical cargo truck that could operate off-road in all weather. This size truck could carry a full infantry squad, tow light artillery, and yet be built in large numbers on moving assembly lines. Dump, semi-tractor, tanker, and other bodies were also planned.

    Yellow Coach (a GM company), Studebaker, International Harvester, and REO submitted designs, all except REO's were accepted and in production by 1941. Yellow's CCKW became the Army standard, International's M-5-6 became Navy and Marine Corps standard, and Studebaker's US6 was built for export to allied countries. Reo built the Studebaker design.

    In the late 1940s the military needed a new standard truck. Chrysler, GMC, REO, and Studebaker submitted designs. The REO design was standardized for all services as the M35, and continued standard until 1990. The GMC was classed as substitute standard M135 in the US but became standard in Canada.

    Designs

    GMC CCKW

    As the standard US Army design during World War II, over 560,000 were built, more than any other US vehicle except the Jeep. By 1947 there were over 20 standardized bodies, and many more special modifications.

    Production began at Yellow Coach's Pontiac, Michigan truck plant in 1941 and at Chevrolet's St. Louis plant in 1942. In 1943 Yellow was renamed G.M.C., leading to the popular nickname Jimmy. Production ended in 1945.

    Early trucks had GM's standard closed cab, from July 1943 military open cabs, which were easier to build and lowered shipping height, were used. To conserve steel, later cargo bodies were built largely of wood. The C.O.E. AFKWX, 6x4 CCW, and amphibious DUKW were mechanically virtually identical and were built next to CCKWs in both plants.

    Studebaker US6

    The US6 was very similar in layout to, and shared some components with, the CCKW. Studebaker built over 195,000 at their South Bend, Indiana plant between June 1941 and August 1945, REO built another 22,000 in 1944-1945. The majority were exported Lend-Lease to the Soviet Union.

    Early trucks used a commercial style closed cab, in December 1942 an open military style cab entered production. The Soviet Union preferred the closed cabs for their extreme weather, so in March 1943 the open cabs were discontinued, after only about 10,000 were built.

    The Studebakers were very successful in the Soviet Union, where they carried large loads on poor roads in extreme weather. They were so successful that they were closely copied as the ZiS/ZiL 151 and 157 family of trucks, built in the USSR until 1966 and in China until 1986.

    IHC M-5-6

    The International design began production at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, in 1941. 500 M-5-6s and

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