Identification of truck in china

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Bill Murray
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#1

Post by Bill Murray » 07 Jan 2006, 01:13

Hello my friends:

I do not know if it is allowed to post photos that even the poster is not sure of but let us try this one.

the photo shows a truck, my interest, and a tank in use in Asia in WWII. I have a fair idea of what the truck is and a lesser idea on the tank. If it is allowed, maybe some of our members can put names to the photo.
Bill
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BIGpanzer
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#2

Post by BIGpanzer » 07 Jan 2006, 01:21

Tank is Soviet T-26 mod. 1933 for sure (Chinese forces bought 82-88 T-26s + 20 similar British Vickers-6-ton Mk. E & F). As for the truck - unfortunately, I am not a good specialist in wheel vehicles, so I couldn't understand from the photo what it is (I couldn"t see the cowl and radiator of the truck to make some conclusion :cry: - that could be Chevrolet or GMC mod.1931, for example. But the shape of splashers is quite unusual for GMC......... :roll: ).
I can suppose that the tank is from the Chinese 1st tank regiment (200th infantry division - the only fully motorized division in Chinese Army).


Bill Murray
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#3

Post by Bill Murray » 07 Jan 2006, 02:21

Good job Big:

I believe the transport vehicle is German, possibly Faun or Hanomag. I do agree on your ID of the tank.
Thanks and maybe someone smarter than I can ID the truck.
Bill

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BIGpanzer
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#4

Post by BIGpanzer » 07 Jan 2006, 02:32

I am also thinking about German trucks despite the fact that the majority of Chinese 7000 trucks were from USA.
Faun or Hanomag :roll: .................
Faun, probably, not - the shape of cab is quite differ from usual Faun design.

But what about Hanomag SS100 95hp for 20-t trailers - http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/h/hagSS ... ydeww2.jpg
http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/h/hagli ... ydeww2.jpg
http://www.v2rocket.com/start/scale/fr/ ... ert006.jpg

How do you think, dear Bill?

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Michael Emrys
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#5

Post by Michael Emrys » 07 Jan 2006, 10:04

I don't know. The truck in Bill's pic appears to lack the cooling vents/gills on the side of the engine compartment. Otherwise...maybe.

What's the consensus?

Michael

Bill Murray
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#6

Post by Bill Murray » 07 Jan 2006, 16:19

I am still researching the truck. At this point, two things come to mind. The wheels are very much more of the American design than German and as pointed out, the bonnet/hood louvres do not match any of the many German photos that I have of heavy tractors.
I will have to dig into some filing cabinets, but I seem to remember some catalogues I have of mid 1930s GMC trucks exported to the far east that might solve the mystery. I have to go to my shop now but will have a look this evening.
Bill

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BIGpanzer
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#7

Post by BIGpanzer » 07 Jan 2006, 23:39

Bill, you wrote at first that you believed the truck was German :)
I've checked almost all serial GMC models of 1930s - the shape of splashers of the truck on photo very differs from usual for GMC.

Bill Murray
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#8

Post by Bill Murray » 08 Jan 2006, 00:39

Hello Big:
I am rather sorry I violated the rules, so to say, by not knowing the ID of the vehicle I posted, but.....

It is an interesting challenge. I don't want to write a book here but there were many countries trying to influence events in China through all of the 1930s. The Russians supported Mao, the Fascists supported Chang as did the Western democracies although for different reasons. Even the neutral countries provided armaments to China to earn cash money. Sweden and Switzerland come to mind here.

To the vehicle in question, my first thought that the tractor was German is because that is such a typical body type from that country and is almost a "signature" body type. As I posted a bit ago, the wheels do not fit nor do the mouldings on the bonnet/hood for any German vehicle I have photos of so I think I am wrong there.

As to what it might be, whatever it is it is a quite special vehicle and the normal ID clues may not work.
It was most probably supplied as a chassis/cowl, with no windscreen and no bodywork. The vehicle could have been completed by a Chinese bodywork shop.

In any case, I will keep looking, as I am sure you are doing and we will solve this one soon.
Bill

Stephan
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#9

Post by Stephan » 08 Jan 2006, 12:53

Bill Murray wrote: The wheels are very much more of the American design than German
Bill
Wheels are dangerous to look at; if they have similiar dimensions they can be interchanged - and probably were. Especielly if they had many different marks, but uneven and unsure deliveries. And they had most truck delivieries from USA, therefore probably also most spare parts from USA too.

So the truck may be partly a conglomerate - as you Bill do hint later on.

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