Oz "Half-Track"???

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Anyone Know any more about this item?

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[303tom]

I know it`s cool looking !.....................Ford Half Track is it not..................

[Bruce_in_Oz]

MUCH more!

New one on me.........

[303tom]

Them were built by FORD that`s a 408, it`s just an extended 151.................

[Aussie48]

Hi Bruce,


My understanding is that General Motors Holden produced an experimental Chevrolet Blitz Half track for the Australian Army. But apart from that can find no reference to quantities or if they ever were accepted into into service.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Both vehicles seem to be alive and well and taking it easy in Australia.

I'm more of an "armaments fitter" type, my brother is the vintage motor-bike guru. My dad was a vehicle mechanic in WW2 and had LOTS of interesting tales of "repairs in the field" and very unkind things to say about the "Quad" gun tractors that his unit was given in place of their beloved Marmon-Herringtons.

Back in the mid 1970s, when I was still at school, I found myself involved in the recovery and restoration of that elusive beast, the Australian Tracked Truck. I understand that the Armoured Centre museum at Pucka has one; it may even be the same one, given how few were actually made.

[Peter Laidler]

Hi Bruce. While I was in Malaya with 8RAR, one of our Nasho Lts - I think his name was 'flip' McKeowan - was interested in the retreat 1942 in Malaya (he called it a tactical withdrawal in running shoes!!!!!) and occasionally would organise trips under the guise of training in jungle warfare to see the remains of the battle sites including Parit Sulong and the crossing of the Muar and somewhere else further North where the Artillery was abandoned. In the ravine were the remains of some of the M-H gun tractors.

Given that this was in 1968 and only 25 years after the event there was still a LOT to see and learn including the original roads (tracks....) plus one of the effective stop-lines at Johore where some anti-tank guns really gave the tanks and infantry a pasting. Wish I'd taken more notice. The Padre 'Des' O'Connor (yes it really was his name.....) said a few prayers on the North side of the bridge at Parit Sulong. Along the route we'd stop at Kampong road houses and tea stops where some of the older blokes and women would tell how it was. Funny how they were ALL part of the resistance, bravely helping Aust, NZ, Indian and Pommy stragglers and fighting back.............

Yes, Marmon Herrington gun tractors..........

[Scrivo18]

The Blitz with a Bren carrier rear end was built by Bob Mosley a few years ago, it was replicated from original drawings I believe.
The story is that there was only one ever built during WW2 as a experimental machine..
I think they were to be used as a gun tractors in the jungle

Bob restored a number of vehicles and was an expert on Blitz dash boards, unfortunately a couple of years ago he had an accident while working on one of his vehicles and passed away

I am lucky enough to have two of his dash's in my Blitz and Bren carrier

Tim Scriven

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Right on cue: some pics of a restored M-H in Oz:

Marmon Herrington

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Or maybe not a 408.

See here: Ford XM 408 6x6, 1958

The 408 looks like a stretched "Mutt".