Please note that this is just a reference image that depicts the truck and the m45 mount, please see images for more depictions of it
The M35A1 was a 2.5-ton transport truck that was designed by General Motors in the late 1940’s. It was used during the Korean and Vietnam Wars to transport troops and supplies; however, while it was in used in Vietnam, many of them underwent “unauthorized” field modifications that bolstered the crew protection and gave the truck the ability to defend itself and other M35’s during ambushes that often occurred on convoys.
“During the Vietnam Conflict, it was the mission of the US Army Transportation Corps to ferry supplies from the coastal ports of Qui Nhon and Cam Ranh Bay to inland bases located at Bong Son, An Khe, Pleiku, Da Lat, and Buon Ma Thuot. The logistical requirements of the MACV were huge, and 200-truck convoys were not uncommon. These formations were tempting targets for Viet Cong guerrilla groups, who often sprung ambushes in remote areas. The gun truck configuration was borne out of necessity to better improve the safety and security of such logistical operations during Vietnam.”-Estrella Warbirds Museum website
A number of the flatbed variants of the truck were modified to be used as anti-aircraft vehicles, however, they were not very effective in that role due to the fast speeds of newer aircraft and were later on put to use as fire support vehicles due to their high rate of fire being able to offer suppressive fire and “mow down” vegetated areas that infantry often found themselves in. The truck was mounted with a small amount of additional armor to the sides of the driver and co-driver. Along with that, it was equipped with a m45 quad .50 gun mount, the same mount seen on the M16 in the US and Japanese tech trees. The m35 is similar to the CCKW 353 (M45) seen in the Chinese and French tech trees, as it is indeed using the same m45 gun mount as the CCKW 353, just mounted on a different mobile base.
The exact fate of 99% of the M35A1 are unknown, with only a single unit known as “Eve of Destruction” ever making it home to the US after Vietnam, However many of the former crewmembers have taken on the task of recreating their Gun Trucks due to the M35 now being considered as military surplus and thus available for civilians to purchase
the m45 mount
The M45 mount is known to be the primary weapon, it is comprised of 4 12.7mm Browning heavy machine guns mounted on a turret with 360 degrees of rotation. However, when seen on the M35A1, it is occasionally seen to be modified with two additional armor plates to the side of the mount, likely to protect the ammo that is behind it.
In addition to this, it was also occasionally equipped with a 7.62mm M60D machine gun mounted in front of the co-driver position (most likely for use in defending the truck from the front)
BASE VEHICLE CHARACTERISTICS
Official Classification: Cargo transport truck
In-game Designation: SPAA
Operational service: 1950-1988
Operated: 1951-2000 (with the US military/National Guard)
6x6 all-wheel drive
Top speed: fwd 56 mph /rev 9 mph (A)
Cruising speed: 46mph
Engine: 140hp Continental LDS 427-2
Transmission: 5-speed fwd/ 1 reverse gear (A)
Crew: 3 (driver, gunner, commander/machine gunner)
Weight: greater than 2 1/2 tons
Armor thickness: (additional armor not included)
Front: 6mm
Sides: 6mm
Rear: 6mm (truck bed)
Top: none
Additional armor thickness: There is no exact info due to the add-on armor being unauthorized field modifications done by the crews with whatever they could get their hands on, but it is likely less than 1inch in thickness and would offer protection against rounds up to 7.62 at the most
“These trucks were designed and built by 18- and 19-year-old cocky males protecting their convoy, not a college-educated truck designer sitting at a desk in a Detroit office who was awarded a contract! The Army brass had nothing to do with these trucks. No two trucks were exactly alike, ‘Army issue.’”
-An unknown veteran of the 359th stated this to describe the creation of the gun trucks
The additional armor seen on the M35A1 was not standardized, so the exact armor thickness would be left up to the designers.
(A) -https://www.liberatedmanuals.com/TM-9-2320-209-10-1.pdf page 52
images
sorry for the poor quality images, it was Vietnam after all so the camera quality wasn’t that great.
- YES (with additional armor)
- YES (without additional armor)
- YES (with the additional armor as a modification)
- NO
- 2.7
- 3.0
- 3.3
- 3.7
- 4.0
- I said no
- M45 mount +M60 LMG
- M45’S mount only
- I voted no
SOURCES
Truck, Cargo, 2½-ton, 6×6, M35 (1950)
M35 series Operators manual (see link in base vehicle characteristics)
1967 REO M35A1 Gun Truck | Estrella Warbird Museum
JATONKA's M35 TM download page
https://trucks25ton.tpub.com/
ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE M35 SERIES TRUCKS
Truck, Cargo, 2½-ton, 6×6, M35 (1950)
M35 series 2½-ton 6×6 cargo truck - Wikipedia (not a source I actually used it just has info on the m35 in general)
