M32 / M74 armored recovery vehicle

M32 ARV (Israeli HVSS version) in the Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel.

VVSS version

The recovery vehicle M32 and M74 based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman and were the first armored recovery vehicle of the US Army with crane equipment.

M32 armored recovery vehicle

development

When during the Second World War the urgent need for a powerful vehicle for recovering failed or shot down tanks became apparent, the US Ordnance Corps began developing a sufficiently dimensioned recovery vehicle. Due to time constraints, the chassis of the mass-produced M4 Sherman was used and only converted to meet the requirements. The new vehicle was named M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle .

In place of the tower, a fixed structure was attached and an "A" -shaped six meter long crane boom with a lifting capacity of 15 tons was installed. The main recovery thread had a maximum pulling force of 30 tons. An 81 mm mortar was mounted in the armored hull and the vehicle was armed with a 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun.

variants

• M32B1 - converted from the M4A1. 24 vehicles were converted into Prime Mover M34 armored artillery tractors in March 1944 .
• M32A1B1 - M32B1 with HVSS drive (horizontal coil suspension and chain widened to 58 cm). The mortar was removed and the crane technology improved.
• M32B2 - M32 armored recovery vehicle on the chassis of the M4A2.
• M32B3 - M32 armored recovery vehicle on the chassis of the M4A3.
• M32A1B3 - M32B3, modified to the standard of the M32A1B1.
• M32B4 - M32 armored recovery vehicles on the chassis of the M4A4.

M74 armored recovery vehicle

development

Armored recovery vehicle M74 of the US Army 1954

In view of the increasingly heavy battle tanks, the M32 had to undergo a performance upgrade. Chassis of the M4A3 HVSS were used for this and the vehicle was given the new designation M74. Although the M74 looked similar to its predecessor, there were some serious differences. Among other things, a second cable winch was installed for the crane boom and a support shield for crane operation was attached to the bow, which could also be used as a snow blade to a limited extent.

The model M74B1 was created from modified M32B3. The Bundeswehr used this vehicle as their first armored recovery vehicle. From 1956 to 1967 300 M74B1 were in service.

Technical specifications

• Weight: 42.5 t
• Engine: Ford GAA, 8-cylinder in-line 4-stroke carburetor engine, 506 hp
• Speed: 34.5 km / h
• Crew: 4 men
• Bow winch, max. Pulling force: 40 t
• Crane system (A mast), max. Hook load: 20 t
• Dozer blade

However, there were also other engine variants. There was a 30-cylinder engine in the M74 with the registration number Y-228405, consisting of five 6-cylinder in-line petrol trucks from Chrysler, which were arranged in a semicircle around the gearbox.

Since the hull of the M4 battle tank was used, all relevant information (dimensions, armor, etc.) corresponds to the base vehicle.

Manufacturer

• Chrysler in the Detroit Tank Arsenal
• Fisher Body Division of General Motors Company in Detroit ( Michigan )
• Ford Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan
• Pacific Car and Foundry in South Renton (Washington)
• Federal Machine and Welder Company in Jersey City ( New Jersey )
• Lima Locomotive Works in Lima ( Ohio )
• Montreal Locomotive Works in Montreal ( Québec )

use

•  United States
•  Israel
•  Germany
•  Brazil
•  Mexico
•  United Kingdom
•  Taiwan
•  France
•  Belgium
•  South Korea
•  Jordan
•  Turkey
•  Argentina
• Austria

literature

• Stefan Marx: The armored recovery vehicles of the Bundeswehr and the German recovery technology . Tankograd military vehicles special No. 5005, Tankograd Publishing, 2004.

Web links

Commons : Bergepanzer M32 / M74  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

https://www.truppendienst.com/themen/truppendienst-vor-50-jahren/artikel/die-panzerfahrzeuge-des-bundesheeres-1962/