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Hi Len,
I'm glad you wrote in! I haven't yet met anyone with a T-16, and I've being dying to talk to any of you!
The U.S. T-16 was made for the British Commonwealth. As you probably already know, it's very similar to the Universal Carrier, but with an extra roadwheel on each side and a different steering system (amongst other, less visible differences).
I don't know (yet) who mandated the Ford USA contract for these (29,988 Universals plus 5,000 Windsor Carriers were made just across the river at Ford of Canada in Windsor, Ontario), but obviously, the differences are such that the US engineers had somewhat of a free hand in the design. The original Universal Carrier, with three roadwheels on each side, suffered from suspension and differential problems under extreme load - such as towing or excessive loading - and as a result, the fourth roadwheel appeared first on T-16s and later, on our own Windsors.
Also, the original engine for the Universal was a 221ci flathead Ford V8 derived from a prewar commercial truck engine, and that proved to be NOT up to the job, as well as being proprietary in terms of its bearing system. Most were eventually replaced by Ford Canada 239s, but still with a proprietary bearing system; your T-16 is a 239 as well, but a highly-efficient Ford Mercury engine, if I recall correctly.
The chances are 99.5% that your carrier either served, or was destined for service in, the Canadian or British forces. Does, or did, it have a stencilled number on the side beginning with either "CT" or "T"? That would tell you right away. In any case, T-16s were primarily employed as either gun-towers for the excellent 6 pdr antitank gun, or heavy mortar carriers, in both British and Canadian armies in Northwest Europe. It did yeoman service in both applications.
I have a bit on T-16s on my web site (URL below), but I need more! Email me off the list; I'd like to talk to you a bit more about yours!
-- Regards,Geoff Winnington-Ball MAPLE LEAF UP! ==> Zephyr, Ontario, Canada ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maple Leaf Up - The Canadian Army Overseas in WW2 http://www.netwave.ca/~whiskey/mlu/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Christy Kulacki wrote:
> Hello List, Does anyone have any pictures or documentation of the U.S. > Ford T-16 Universal Carrier being used during WW II. I have one, and > though they made roughly 13,000 of them, I can find very little > documentation of there use during the war. Any help is appreciated. > Thanks, Len
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