History
Background
The M29 Weasel was developed by the American manufacturer Studebaker in response to the need for a small, tracked vehicle capable of transporting soldiers across harsh arctic environments and rugged terrains. The concept was envisioned by British inventor Geoffrey Pyke, who proposed the vehicle to support a potential Allied invasion of Norway during World War II. This lightweight, mechanized personnel carrier was an early precursor to the modern Armored Personnel Carrier (APC).
The first iteration of the vehicle, designated T15, was standardized as the M28 Cargo Carrier in 1942. The T15/M28 featured 15-inch (380 mm) Kégresse-style rubber-band tracks, a rear-engine/front-wheel-drive layout, and a configuration of four bogie wheels on each side. The hull design limited its capacity to two passengers. This initial design evolved into the M29 Weasel, which introduced 20-inch (510 mm) tracks and a front-engine/rear-wheel-drive system. The M29 also featured a redesigned hull with increased passenger and cargo capacity. A notable visual difference between the M28 and M29 was the placement of the idler wheel; in the M29, the idler wheel at the front sat lower than the rear-mounted drive sprocket, giving the vehicle the appearance of moving in reverse.
Although originally intended for the canceled Norwegian campaign, the Weasel found new purposes in various theaters of World War II. Its excellent off-road capabilities and ability to traverse soft terrain made it invaluable in Italy and on the Western Front, including its use during the Battle of Normandy, the breakthrough at St. Lo, the Battle of the Bulge, and operations in the mud-laden areas of the Roer and Rhine.
Introduction of the M29C Water Weasel and Derivatives with the Recoilless Rifle
By November 1944, the Weasel was adopted by the US Marine Corps, initially seeing action on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. However, the standard M29 was only semi-amphibious, with a low freeboard that made it unsuitable for rough seas. To address this limitation, a specialized amphibious variant, the M29C Water Weasel, was developed. The M29C featured buoyancy aids at the rear of the hull, two rudders for improved water navigation, and detachable pontoons mounted at the front and rear. These pontoons could be removed after landing to allow the vehicle to transition seamlessly to land operations. Modifications to the track treads further enabled the M29C to propel itself in water, reaching speeds of up to 4 mph (6.4 km/h). Its amphibious capabilities made the M29C ideal for the Marine Corps’ “Island Hopping” campaign in the Pacific.
To enhance its versatility, armed variants of the M29C were developed. These included models equipped with recoilless rifles, 37-mm artillery support guns, and flamethrowers. One such variant, the M29C Type A, featured a center-mounted M20 recoilless rifle. The M20, a 75-mm recoilless rifle, was introduced late in World War II and saw extensive use during the Korean War. While it could fire HEAT warheads capable of penetrating up to 100 mm of armor, this was insufficient against modern tanks by 1945.
It is unclear whether US-operated M29Cs armed with recoilless rifles were deployed in combat or simply tested at proving grounds. On paper, these vehicles could have provided support against lightly armored vehicles, soft targets, and fortified positions such as bunkers and pillboxes, a role similar to armed jeeps in the Korean War. However, the French Army actively employed armed M29Cs during the First Indochina War, equipping them with 57-mm recoilless rifles. These vehicles were used in combat and remained in service with French mountain troops and the Gendarmerie until the 1970s.
Production of the M29C Water Weasel began in 1944 and ended in 1945, with a total of 10,647 units manufactured. Both the M29 and M29C continued to serve during the Korean War, primarily as cargo carriers capable of navigating the most challenging terrains. After the war, surplus M29s and M29Cs were sold to allied nations, where they proved invaluable in cold-weather and arctic operations. The US military retired its fleet of Weasels by 1958.
