The hero of today's article was difficult to see even in the period of the Great Patriotic War, even though, that the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease was directed more 3000 (3100) these vehicles. Even the manufacturers of these vehicles are often confused, defining the brand specifically taken the car.
During the discussion of the previous material has already raised the question of a «similarity» car one class, but different manufacturers. The reason for the confusion is easy: producers, fulfilling the requirements of the military, deliberately went to the unification of military technology to its speedy release. And in this they were right.
Not the last word in this unification has played and the amount of orders. For all its power the US auto industry could not force any one firm to completely close military orders. It was necessary not only to meet the needs of the US Army and Marine Corps, but also provide technology allies.
And it happened, that we do not normally associate with capitalism, and socialism. Worked cooperation system. Automotive corporations have refused the production of the parts and components of automobiles and steel used in their designs components and assemblies of other firms.
But back to the hero of our story. Army truck International M-5H-6.
To begin decipher the name of the truck. This index M — «military», military machine, «5"- capacity in 5000 pounds (2250 kg, 2 and a half tons of American), n — modernized truck engine «FBC-361V" volume 5900 cube. cm., «6"- the number of drive wheels, ie 6x6.
International, respectively, manufacturer's name. by the way, It is hard to believe, but the manufacturer is known for its production of almost 200 years! The company is one of the oldest automobile companies in the world.
A history of their leads from the International agricultural machinery, mechanic self-taught in the more established 1831 year. business «Mac Cormican» (on behalf of the creator Cyrus McCormick) teaming up with rival, by Deering (1891 year), renamed in International Harvester Company. It was in 1902 year.
Products labeled with this company, not only the full name, but simply an acronym for International and even IHC (later simply IH). A first sample of the company's cars, started in 1905 year, mass produced only 1907 of the year, and it was… buggy! That is small avtotelezhki, for the transport 2-3 human (or 300-350 kg of cargo) cross-country. Car company office is located in Akron, Ohio.
For our hero «twin brothers» are just two of the car. it Corbitt 168 FD8 и Marmon-Herrington TL29. Cars no relation to the company do not have the IHC, but use the same components in their designs. And these cars often called Americans, if they see in a museum Russia or China International M-5H-6.
Corbitt 168 FD8
Marmon-Herrington TL29
The thing is, that the US Army of the car was a little bit. reason? banal. cost Car. International M-5H-6 - an expensive car. Compared to the same GMC truck on the car cost 20-25% expensive.
Hence the failure of the US military from the purchase of IHC and a great desire to deliver these cars allies. Especially in the Soviet Union and China. Although cars International M-5H-6 appeared in most of the American army in 1942 year and we got numbers from W460525 to W461024.
According to the agreement, Soviet Union ordered the United States 3000 Car 6x4, without winch and front axle. These are the cars in the vast majority of we see today in museums.
International Civil past influenced the fate of the military trucks. Paradoxical as it sounds, but in the Soviet Union cars are known as specialized. The most often cited example of application of American trucks - Snow Blowers.
Soviet airfields purely American cars. FWD, Ford, Dodge, International M-5H-6 или Chevrolet, equipped with auger-rotary cleaners Snogo. With a width 2650 Snogo millimeters purifier could clear the lane to 2500 millimeters. The thickness of the snow cover, clears cleaner Snogo, It was in the range of 0,5 to 2 m.
The story about the car should not be restricted geographically. Automotive Technology is rapidly changing, depending on the operating conditions and customer requirements. And the latest developments of firms - suppliers of components, They play a huge role.
Let us examine in more detail the car itself and its modifications.
Truck had 6x4 and 6x6, steel or tropical cab (with folding canvas top), radiator grille and headlights protected, a winch can be fixed to the heatsink. by the way, if you remember the first Soviet KrAZ issues, then you will easily find an American grille headlights…
Like many American trucks, the main purpose of International M-5H-6 - tractor. A car. designed for towing artillery pieces. In particular, 76-mm guns. Hence the rather short base chassis - 3785 mm. It is quite predictable modernization - increasing the length of the base for mounting the body. International LWB - 4293 mm.
Distinguish short from long base just enough. This feature, and today is used by many car manufacturers. The secret is in the spare wheel. On the short wheel base were mounted behind the cab. The length of the base made it possible to place the spare wheel under the body on the right side.
Both modifications were equipped with identical truck bodies, virtually indistinguishable in appearance. The only difference was in the dimensions. For vehicles used by the body korotkobaznym 2750 mm, and for the long wheelbase - 3650 mm. Both types of bodies were metal and produced by one firm - Galion Allsteel Body Co in Galion, Ohio.
First International M-5H-6, equipped with a six-cylinder carbureted engine liquid cooling FBC-318B volume 5205 cube. cm and power 100 Horse power.
Later, by order of the US Marine Corps engine was replaced with a FBC-361B. However, this engine 1942-43 years has been replaced by RED-361B.
Just the car received in the course of modernization of the new transfer case (firm Thornton Tamdem Co. Detroit), completely new tropical cabin with soft top, additional fuel tank 80 liters. tires were increased to 8,5h20. Machines equipped with the 4.5-ton winch 125 Heil-IH Tulsa 18Y or.
The machine is so pleased with the Marine Corps, that U.S.Marine Corps ordered 34 525 of trucks! And after the body 5 562 Machines ordered the US naval fleet (U.S.Navy). To the credit of the company, the order has been fully implemented before the end of the war.
even today, true, not in the army, you can see a lot of International M-5H-6 in the most improbable versions. Yes, a car «He left the service» a long time ago. AT 1952 , the US Army has been standardized by other truck- International М41.
But the «citizen» more dump trucks run on this chassis, evacuation and repair machines, tanker trucks on 2800 liters, tractors and garages. Little, but there.
Just once U.S.Navy additionally ordered from International 2 210 truck chassis for special-purpose machines, such, Stacker telephone cable, Machines for maintenance of oil wells, fire, rescue vehicles, mobile radio vans and machine tool shops. A homegrown masters appreciated the quality of these machines, and…
We will not tell, they know how to do in the United States with those machines, who "drove".
On the whole,, speaking about the quality of these trucks, even the need for such machines to the Soviet Union the first years of the war, worth remembering, what all, including Americans, were some «shock» from war. Reorganize production had in record time.
Manufacturers, quickly responding to the demand by the army, really made an incredible. Even bad technical solutions eventually brought to mind. But in the early stages of the war, price high blood, large losses in technology, they have a positive role still played.
Specifications International M-5H-6 truck:
vehicle weight: 5 260 kg
Dimensions: 4,3 x 2,6 x 2,37 m
Engine: 6-cylinder, carburettor
Power: 100-126 Horse power
capacity: 2 250 kg
full speed: 67 kmh
Fuel consumption: 42 liters of 100 km
produced by: more 30 000 units
Planted in the USSR: about 3 000 units.
What can be said in terms of comparison,? A worthy rival to our GAZ-AAA and the ZIS-6. The first conceded in load capacity (Little, but nonetheless), the second superior. But the Achilles heel of Soviet trucks that time were frankly weak engines.
GAZ-AAA
ZIS-6
And GAZ-AAA with a 50-horsepower 4-cylinder, and ZIS-6, 73-horsepower 6-cylinder engines, considerably inferior in power American. Respectively, overseas surpassed our truck just in terms of patency, what, properly, It was one of the criteria for a military multipurpose truck.
We can say so: worthy opponents, to carry everything, that their loads. goods, technique, gun, rocket launchers. Someone has to do it better, someone worse. But they did one severe case.
I would not want to give the palm to the American, which was produced by a few corporations in fairly greenhouse conditions. And do not forget, that our trucks going not in the best of times, not the most qualified personnel.
Military Road were the same for everyone.
