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Thought I'd add a little more info on the T-16......
Geoff wrote:
>.............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),.......
The Ford GAU Universal Carrier (T-16) was produced under US Government
contract # W-374-ord-2281.
Production started in March of 1943 and ended in May of 1945. There
were 13,893 units produced and all were built in the United States. There
was also a earlier contract # DA-W-374-ord-424 for "redesign and
modification of 2 Universal Bren Gun Carriers" dated 3/28/42. Only 2 units
were produced under this contract.
What is little known about these GAU Carriers is that they were
amphibious! They were designed to float and this was one of the reasons
they had a welded hull as opposed to the British/Canadian Carriers riveted
one.
In the Ford Archives are a series of photos of one of these units
swimming in the Detroit River. There was little freeboard but they were
designed for crossing rivers and lakes and not for heavy surf.
In the National Archives, deep, deep, in the Ford film collection, is
a short COLOR film of these units at the Ford Somerville Mass. Plant being
assembled and then driven to display them for a Ford dealer's convention.
After the dealers toured through the plant they were given rides in the
brand new carriers on the plant's test track.
I am hoping that by this summer, I will have the time to produce a
video tape of all the WW II Ford film footage that I have found in the
Archives. There is some great footage on the GP/GPW/GPA/M-8/GAU and other
Ford products.
Jim Gilmore MVPA # 5843
Member Ist Michigan AOD Chapter MVPA
Great Lakes Chapter MVPA
Ohio Motor Pool Chapter MVPA
Red Ball Chapter MVPA
Ontario Military Vehicle Association
Midwest Military Vehicle Assocation
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