In the early 1960s, Amsterdam Airport was looking for vehicles that could be used for recovery purposes. The equipment available at the airport in those days was not capable of crossing the many ditches that were on the airport terrain, and therefor the decision was made that the new vehicles had to be tracked. Eventually, the airport firebrigade found three used M4 tractors in a US Army dump in Cologne. One of them was to be used as a recovery vehicle, the other two were to be converted to crashtenders. The recovery M4 was basically left unchanged, the ammunition compartment was removed and the top hatch was closed.
The other two tractors had their complete body replaced so they could be used as crashtenders. Both had two monitors on the roof and sometimes pulled one or two 16000 litre tanktrailers.
In the 1980s the airport authorities decided that the M4 crashtenders, which had been held as reserve, could be withdrawn from service. (Mainly because of a lack of spareparts and the availability of newer crashtenders) The M4 that was used as a recovery vehicle and one of the crashtenders were taken apart, the last crashtender lost its firefighting equiment and remained in service as recovery vehicle.
Technical specifications of this vehicle:
Made in 1942 by Allis Chalmers Mfg. Co. on a Pacton chassis. Body made in the early 1960s by Saval-Kronenburg. Waukesha F817G engine (210 bhp at 2100 rpm). Weight 14.243 kgs, length 5,06m, width 2,46m, height 2,52m. Equipped with a 13,5t winch.
Alle informatie en de foto's zijn afkomstig van deze site
http://www.87thscale.infoIkzelf had nog nooit van deze voorlopers van de Hagglund gehoord, meerdere foto's zijn altijd welkom
