K-50 truck
The K-50 telephone repair truck was used by the U.S. Army Signal Corps during, and after World War II, for the repair and installation of phone lines.
| K-50 telephone repair truck | |
|---|---|
| Type | telephone repair |
| Place of origin |  United States |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | gross 4,150 Lbs. |
| Length | 192-inches |
| Width | 71-inches |
| Height | 75-inches |
| Crew | 2 |
| Armor | none |
Main armament | none |
| Engine | GMC 6-cylinder 216 cid 85.5 hp |
| Suspension | wheels, 4X2 |
| Maximum speed | 60 MPH |
History
The Signal Corps, at the beginning of World War II needed a light telephone repair truck, and contracted with both Chevrolet, and Dodge for a truck chassis to mount a standard American Telephone & Telegraph tool box bed. the original bed was styled after the Streamline Moderne motif of the 1930s. The second style bed, the K-50B, was a more Utilitairian square box, that mounted the ladder on the top rather than on the side. It was often used in conjunction with the K-38 trailer. all were eventually replaced by the Dodge M37 series V-41 truck
Variations
- Chevy 1/2-ton, 4X2, (1941)
- Dodge 1/2-ton, 4X4, (1941) box by Highway trailer Co.
- WC-39, T112, 1 built
- WC-43, T215, 370 built
- WC-50, T112, 1 built
- Dodge 3/4-ton 4X4
- WC-59 T214, 549 built
- WC-61 T214, 58 built (K-50-B) box by American Coach and Body Co.
See also
References
- TM 9-2800 Standard Military Motor Vehicles. dated 1 sept. 1943: http://www.scribd.com/doc/140198120/TM-9-2800-1943-STANDARD-MILITARY-MOTOR-VEHICLES-1-SEPTEMBER-1943
- TM 9-2800 Military vehicles dated oct. 1947: http://www.scribd.com/doc/188375301/TM-9-2800-1947
- TM 9-2800-1 Military vehicles dated February 1953: http://www.scribd.com/doc/183017787/TM-9-2800-1-1953-INCLUDING-C1-EN-C2-pdf
- TM 9-808: http://www.scribd.com/doc/153243048/TM9-808-DODGE-3-4-TON-4-X-4-TRUCK
- SNL G657 Master Parts Book Dec. 1943