Hobby Master HG5703 | US M35 2.5 ton Cargo Truck US Army

Production of the M35 2.5 Ton Truck “Deuce and a Half” began in 1949 and was first delivered to the U.S. Army in 1950. When production ended in 1988 there were 150,000 of these vehicles produced in several variants. There are cargo trucks, water or gasoline tank trucks, wreckers, dump trucks, ambulances, tractors, shop vans, gun trucks and many more. These trucks were so durable and so plentiful they became popular world wide with some vehicles still in operation today.

The Vehicle:
During the Vietnam War the US M35 2.5 Ton Cargo trucks saw ever increasing ambushes so US soldiers began to become very inventive. Some added sand bags and quarter inch steel plating and sand bags on the floor to protect against land mines. The next creation the soldiers came up with were gun trucks referred to as War Wagons carrying M60 belt-fed machine guns, grenade launchers and the most feared was the turret ring on the trucks roof with an M2 Browning 0.50 cal machine gun.

General specifications M35 2.5 Ton Truck

Production period – 1950 – 1988

Variants
1950–88 (M35A1, M35A2) 1993–99 (M35A3)

Dimensions
Length – 274 ¾ in   (6.98 m)
Width – 93 in   (2.36 m)
Height – 111 in   (2.82 m) to cab

Weight with winch
Empty – 12,880 lb   (5,840 kg)
Loaded – 17,880 lb   8,110 kg)

Engine
Various Manufacturers - OA-331 Continental Gas I-6; LDS-427 Turbo Multi-fuel I-6; LDS-465
Multi-fuel I-6; Caterpillar 3116 Diesel I-6
Horse Power Varied - 127 to 170 horsepower depending on particular engine

Performance
Maximum Road – 55 mph   (88.5 km/h)
Range On Road – 450 miles   (724 km)