Radio Tractor

Last updated
Radio Tractor
Radio tractor new mexico.jpg
Radio Tractor No. 3 on White Chassis
TypeRadio truck
Place of originFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Service history
In service1914-?
Used by US Army
Wars World War I
Production history
Designed1914-?
Manufacturer FWD, White Motor Company
Produced1914
Variants3
Specifications
Mass1 1/2 ton
Crew7

Armor none
Main
armament
none

The Radio tractor was a mobile Signal Corps Radio used by the U.S. Army for ground communications before and during World War I. Prior to World War I, trucks were referred to as "tractors", and there were also telegraph tractors, and telephone tractors.

Contents

Use

Very little information exists for these trucks, as most of the components were built before standardization. They first made their debut on the Mexican border in a radio intercept role, and later during World War I, some sets may have been reconfigured for RDF and other uses.

Components

Variants

Radio Tractor No.2 Radio tractor No 2.jpg
Radio Tractor No.2

At least 3 variants are known:

The No.3 truck was also accompanied by a tender "Maintenance truck No. 5" later renumbered as K-5.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-270</span> Early U.S. Army radar type that detected Pearl Harbor attack

The SCR-270 was one of the first operational early-warning radars. It was the U.S. Army's primary long-distance radar throughout World War II and was deployed around the world. It is also known as the Pearl Harbor Radar, since it was an SCR-270 set that detected the incoming raid about 45 minutes before the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor commenced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Army Signal Corps</span> U.S. Armys branch for communications and information systems

The United States Army Signal Corps (USASC) is a branch of the United States Army that creates and manages communications and information systems for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of Major Albert J. Myer, and had an important role in the American Civil War. Over its history, it had the initial responsibility for portfolios and new technologies that were eventually transferred to other U.S. government entities. Such responsibilities included military intelligence, weather forecasting, and aviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AN/ARC-5</span> WW II U.S. military aircraft radio system

The AN/ARC-5 Command Radio Set is a series of radio receivers, transmitters, and accessories carried aboard U.S. Navy aircraft during World War II and for some years afterward. It is described as "a complete multi-channel radio transmitting and receiving set providing communication and navigation facilities for aircraft. The LF-MF-HF components are designed to transmit and receive voice, tone-modulated, and continuous wave (cw) signals." Its flexible design provided AM radiotelephone voice communication and Modulated continuous wave (MCW) and Continuous wave (CW) Morse code modes, all of which are typical capabilities in other Navy aircraft communication sets of the period. It was an improvement of the Navy's ARA/ATA command set. Similar units designated SCR-274-N were used in U.S. Army aircraft. The Army set is based on the ARA/ATA, not the later AN/ARC-5. The ARA/ATA and SCR-274-N series are informally referred to as "ARC-5", despite small differences that render all three series incompatible. Like the AN/ARC-5, the ARA/ATA and SCR-274-N had AM voice communication and two-way MCW and CW Morse code capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-536</span> U.S. WWII hand-held military radio

The SCR-536 was a hand-held radio transceiver used by the US Army Signal Corps in World War II. It is popularly referred to as a walkie talkie, although it was originally designated a "handie talkie".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signal Corps Radio</span> U.S. Army radio systems

Signal Corps Radios were U.S. Army military communications components that comprised "sets". Under the Army Nomenclature System, the abbreviation SCR initially designated "Set, Complete Radio", but was later misinterpreted as "Signal Corps Radio."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-299</span>

The SCR-299 was a U.S. Signal Corps mobile military communications unit used during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BC-610</span>

The BC-610 was a radio transmitter based on the Hallicrafters HT-4 and was used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-300</span> WWII United States military portable radio transceiver

The SCR-300 was a portable radio transceiver used by US Signal Corps in World War II. This backpack-mounted unit was the first radio to be nicknamed a "walkie talkie".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-694</span> Portable two way radio set used by the U.S. military during World War II

The SCR-694 was a portable two way radio set used by the U.S. military during World War II.

Signal Corps Laboratories (SCL) was formed on June 30, 1930, as part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. Through the years, the SCL had a number of changes in name, but remained the operation providing research and development services for the Signal Corps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-108</span> US Army radio truck

The SCR-108 Radio Truck was a Signal Corps Radio vehicle used by the United States Army during and after World War I for short range air-to-ground communications,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-189</span> US Army radio set

The SCR-189 was a mobile Signal Corps Radio tested by the United States Army before World War II. It was designed for armored forces, and mounted in the Six Ton Tank M1917. The original production run of these tanks included 50 "radio tanks" but the original radio components are unknown, so what or how many tanks were fitted with the SCR-189 also appears to be unknown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-245</span> WW2-era US Army radio

The SCR-245 Radio was a mobile MF/HF Signal Corps Radio used by the U.S. Army before and during World War II, for short range ground communications, It was one of the first crystal controlled sets used by the Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-508</span> WW2-era US Army radio

The SCR-508 radio was a mobile Signal Corps Radio used by the U.S. Army during World War II, for short range ground communications. The SCR-508 series radio represented the Army's commitment to both FM and crystal tuning, and was used extensively by armor and mechanized units. The turret bustle of late series light and medium tanks was designed around this radio.

The SCR-193 was a series of Signal Corps Radio sets used by the U.S. armed forces in World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autocar U8144T 5- to 6-ton 4×4 truck</span> US heavy four-wheel drive truck

The Autocar Model U8144T, officially "5- to 6-Ton, 4×4, Ponton Tractor Truck", was the largest, and most heavy-duty, of a family of heavy four-wheel drive trucks developed for, and deployed primarily with, the United States Army in World War II. They were of a "cab over engine" design, and produced by the Autocar Company from 1941 to 1945 with 2,711 being built.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K-30 truck</span> 5- to 6-ton 4x4 Van

The K-30 truck, a US Signal Corps designation for an Autocar U8144 truck with York-Hoover van body, was used as the Operating Truck for the SCR-270, an early-warning radar of World War II. 2) 3) 4) Similar vehicles were the K-31 power truck for the SCR-270 early warning radar and K-62 or K-62-A, both operating trucks also for the SCR-270. K-30 and the similar K-62(-A) differed in cubic feet and overall height from the K-31. On the accompanying image in the infobox can be seen, that the K-30 beside in cubic feet and overall height differed from the K-31 in having a window on the right side of the van body. The panels at the back and at both sides were formed by two halves, that were folded up and down respectively. This truck contains a high-power radio transmitter, a cooling system for the transmitter tubes, two cathode-ray oscilloscopes, two superheterodyne receivers, a vacuum-tube keyer, a plotting table, and containers for spare parts and tubes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-54</span> Crystal radio receiver

The SCR-54 was a tunable, portable crystal radio receiver used by the U. S. Army during World War I for fire control in conjunction with airplanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SCR-602</span> US mobile early-warning radar during WWII

The SCR-602 also known as the AN/TPS-3, was a mobile, lightweight, medium-range, early-warning radar utilized by the United States and its allies during World War II. The radar was originally designed for use during the initial stages of an amphibious assault or military operation where its lightweight relative to other radar systems was a distinct advantage. Once larger radars such as the SCR-270 or AN/TPS-1 came online the SCR-602 could also be used to fill in gaps in radar coverage.

References