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Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
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Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:25 pm
Post subject: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic

Recently there has been some articles bouncing around the web about some US light tanks from the late 30's abandoned in Antarctica. The vehicles have been referred to as M2A2 light tanks. I poked around and found some pictures of the vehicles, one of them is an M2, while the other is not. My theory is that it is a T5 carrier, a rather obscure vehicle mentioned, but not pictured in Hunnicutt's Stuart book. I would appreciate some comment on my theory. I have posted more info and pictures at my site at http://tankandafvnews.com/2015/03/24/tank-in-the-antartic-unidentified-us-light-tank/

Pzkpfw-e
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
M1 Combat Car looks very similar.

Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:30 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
Its the coffin shaped suspension plate and non-radial engine that have me thinking this is not part of the regular M1 or M2 series of light tanks or combat cars.

the_shadock
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Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:10 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
I have them as "M2A2 or A3 Light Tanks", and "These were of no use to the military anymore and must have been sent to the US research station to be used as work horse's" P-O _________________ soldat_ryan @ hotmail.com Looking for photos of Sherman manufacturer's plates

Chris_C
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:59 am Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
Crismon has a picture of the cross country carrier T5, and it lacks the suspension girder on the mystery vehicle. Not to say that it couldn't have been added at some point, or that an engine swap had occurred?

Pzkpfw-e
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
Better photo?

Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:25 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
The vehicle in question is the one in the background of that picture.

Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:51 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
- Chris_C Crismon has a picture of the cross country carrier T5, and it lacks the suspension girder on the mystery vehicle. Not to say that it couldn't have been added at some point, or that an engine swap had occurred? Ah, I found the book you mentioned. No arm on the back suspension. Still, the T5 is the only thing I can find that matches the look of the suspension and has an inline engine.

1claymore
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:51 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
I think it is a T3E4 light tractor. Six tested around 1937. Page 16 of Searching for perfection - An encyclopedia of U.S. army T-series vehicle development. The vehicle in the foreground looks like a T5 minus turrets.

Taranov
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
First tank - M2A2 light tank, translated report of expluatation located in my original post. Second tank - T3E4 light tractor. Another T3E4, in batter condition, located in East Base hangar. On the East Base used 3 M2A2 an 3 T3E4.

Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:27 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
T3E4.... I was not familiar with such a vehicle. Thanks for the info! Found a nice image of the T3E4 at www.jedsite.info/tract...t3e4.html. That is definitly the vehicle in the antarctic pictures.

Taranov
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Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 3:57 am Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
yuripasholok.livejourn...64147.html My article about T3 with photographs on the East base.

Walter_Sobchak
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Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:52 pm Post subject: Re: Unidentified US light tank in Antarctic
- Taranov http://yuripasholok.livejournal.com/4364147.html My article about T3 with photographs on the East base. Thank you for the link.

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