"Big American Bus"

[Flying10uk]

I have this photo of what is captioned on the back as "185 hp diesel engined, American made bus" that ran between Damascus and Bagdad. The envelope that the photo is in says that it is a Mack.

I don't know anything further about the bus and it was found among many old photos that I have but it is unclear where it originally came from.

I thought that someone here maybe able to tell us more about it, please?

Information

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[browningautorifle]

We used to see those on the US forts transporting troops from one place to another. Referred to as "Cattle Cars" because of their shape, they were a standard item. I'm sure Bear and RCS and several others did their time in those.

185HP ain't much either, my truck when new touted 250.

[jond41403]

I've never seen one of these before. I was going to say it looks like a cattle trailer transformed into a bus but I guess from BAR's statement, they made them that way.

[browningautorifle]

looks like a cattle trailer

Ft Lewis during the '70s. I'll bet lots of it was holdover from RVN training days. The machine was HUGE during that.

[USGI]

If it says it's a Mack, it probably is. Marmon-Herrington made similar looking trucks which I have WWII literature on - will take a look to see if I can find a match for it. - Bob

[browningautorifle]

Here's a bit more on this one...

A Nairn "Pullman" bus, converted to military use during World War II
Royal Air Force in the Middle East, 1944-1945. The Marmon-Herrington THD-315-6 with articulated omnibus trailer, used by the RAF for the 1,300-mile duty transport run between Habbaniyah, Iraq, and Damascus, Syria. In 1932, two "Desert Pullman" bus conversions of the THD-315-6, originally an oilfield pipe carrier, were bought by the Nairn Transport Co. to run between Baghdad and Damascus. One of the vehicles was taken over by the RAF in 1943 and is seen here at Habbaniyah, compared in size with a Hillman Minx staff saloon car. Known as the "Monster Bus" in RAF service it carried 44 passengers and their luggage, was fully air-conditioned and was equipped with a kitchen, lavatory and iced-water on tap.

[Fushigi Ojisan]

https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/1...le-east?page=2

[Flying10uk]

Thanks for the replies, interesting. I don't know that the tractor unit is by Mack, it is just what someone has written on the envelope that the photo was in.

[USGI]

I don't know that the tractor unit is by Mack

It's an AWD Marmon-Herrington. Look through the link given in post #7 above - pictures and descriptions are in there, too. - Bob

[fjruple]

Interesting vehicles I wonder if any are still around.