From: Steve Grammont (islander@midmaine.com)
Date: Sun Jun 30 2002 - 18:52:51 PDT
Hi Russell
>I've seen them advertised as armored before. Dave Uhrig had one listed on
>his site a couple of years ago - there was a picture of it and it definitely
>was different and looked armored. I imagine that it was an "aftermarket"
>modification.
I am pretty sure that is the one I spoke of in a previous email where the
guy put sheet metal and/or plywood around a stock Weasel. A poor man's
APC :-) I have a picture of it and it looks just close to a tiny
M113/M114. I don't remember where I grabbed the picture from, but I am
pretty sure it was a reseller and it was several years ago. Could very
well have been Dave's page as his was one of the few I had bookmarked
back then. In fact, the picture can be found at:
www.m29cweasel.org/
Go into the Gallery Area and then the Miscellaneous Weasel Pictures
section. It is the second image from the top.
I don't see how the chassis could handle the extra weight of any armor
decent enough to be practically better than sheet metal. The armor of US
WWII halftracks was barely adequate, and that was on a purpose built
machine designed to handle the load. Again, the payload capacity,
including driver and passengers, of a Weasel was a mere 2000 lbs or so
(the TMs say 1200, which is probably understated somewhat).
As I am sure you know this (being a M29 owner), but for those who
don't... production ceased in Sept 1945 and not one of the 4 models (and
many significant production changes) was ever armored or ever designed to
be armored. An armor kit would have negated what the Weasel was designed
for and did best... "float" on soft terrain and water. So why on Earth
would anybody put an armor kit that wouldn't stop anything significant in
any case, yet negate the very reason for the vehicle existing in the
first place? It just doesn't make any sense, but of course the Army
doesn't always make sense :-)
There was a 1950s issued kit to make Weasels into an "Arctic Weasel" by
adding a cab and heater. This changed the look of the vehicle quite a
bit. Perhaps this is getting some people confused? Over time perhaps
the word "Arctic" looks like "Armored" in the mind's eye? It was made
out of steel and (IIRC) aluminum and rusts out very nicely when left
outside for 30 years :-)
Steve
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