I keep trying to mix my hobbies. My interest in old Chevrolet trucks (I have
1930 and 1946 1.5 Ton trucks) lead to getting a 1941 Chevy U. S. Army 325
gpm firetruck. It was made into a firebrick by Buffalo Fire Appliance Co. and
was delivered to the Corps of Engineers in July 1942. It should be back to its
early W.W.II olive drab by this summer.
Last weekend I combined my interest in old tractors and historic military
vehicles by bringing home a Minneapolis-Moline ZASI Military tractor. It was
built in June, 1951 as a model ZAS Industrial tractor and was modified for use
by the U. S. Air Force. It is one of 515 units delivered under one contract in
1952. It is serial number 04600250, the 250th built with engine number
05100146. The U. S. Registration number is USAF H2086. The main Air Force
data plate shows stock list number SNL788224650-258. Except for a power
take off at the rear that was standard on M-M ZAS tractors, it has no
agriculture uses. At the rear it only has a pintle hook and the rear 24" whee
ls
are much smaller than the ag tractor would have had. It also has a foot feed
gas pedal and a foot operated clutch, both different from an ag tractor. It
also has lifting rings and a data plate showing airlift information. At 5000
pounds it is a little light to be an aircraft tug. I think it may have been a
nuclear weapons tow tractor. It was painted a dark olive drab that may have
been glossy or semi-gloss. It is complete except for tires and one badly
rusted rear wheel.
Sam Hamilton
Stillwater, Oklahoma
MVPA, VCCA, ATHS, NRA
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