SPEN TRAILER

Thank You Charlie ... Ammo trailers were assigned to mostly artillery units and antiaircraft units during WWII and Korea.  My half-track is a Antiaircraft HT so it would have pulled one of these trailers filled with extra ammo for the MAXSON Turret that fits in the back .. the turret has 4 .50 Cal Machine gums mounted in it... very effective back in the day .. and it would have used a lot of ammo!  The wheels were interchangeable with the track in a pinch/if needed.  My HT saw service in Europe (WWII), Korean War 52-54, Vietnam with the French Foreign Legion 54-56, Somalia with the French Foreign Legion from 56-58 when the track broke down and was left to sit in Djibouti until I recovered it in 2006.

Some of those pics you asked for .. hope they help.

Charlie ,, I;m going to say that the rear lights are pretty much the same with the difference in the mounting bracket on the trailer .. If I were to remove the light from the mounting bracket and photograph it the same way it would look alike .. manufactures often used what ever lights were available on the line or from what ever the supplier had available .. have seen that on much of my WWII and Post WWII equipment to include item changes/substitutions in the middle of a production run as the manufacture may have run short of an item and used whatever was available from any vendor who could supply the component.

As in todays manufacturing systems, its very expenseve to keep large amounts of items sitting in a bin on the chance that you might use them if and when you do a production run.

Verified those clips on two wheels on the trailer, they have them .. you were right on in your assessment that the third wheel is a spare

Hi,

Hi Mark,

Charlie, all the dimensions are there except length 😕 ...read it over a couple of times but could not find that dimension ..can you help ...Also most interested in how they were shaped/bent.

Appreciate the help Charlie .. located my bow material and will pick it up Monday the 24th from the supplier.  Believe I found a shop that can make the bend for me and then Ill be set.

Hey Charlie,

Charlie, I like the look of the canvas in the CJ2 Top regards the end-curtin on the back of the Spen Tarp.  I was thinking that I would have the Tarp made with heavy duty zippers on the end-curtin that would zip up 3/4 of the length on both sides (The top of the end curtain would be sewn onto the tarp like the front-curtain) so that I could zip it open and put in or retrieve stuff from the box like so many military trailer tarps that were made in the 50's-thru present day ..but I like the enclodure that you have in your picture of the CJ2 ... The only thing I would do is have those flip-clips facing the outside, and I would have the maker sew a band of canvass onto the top that would cover the clips when the end-curtain was in place to protect the clips and keep water from infiltrating the end/curtain.

Here are some pics on an original trailer tarp from the 50's.  It on one of my M101A1 Trailers that i have for my Dodge M37's.  The canvas is one piece with the front and end curtains being sewn into the top.  Buckles and ropes snug the front and end curtain onto the trailer when closed.

Hi Mark,
did you pick up the bows?
I'm waiting for the photos ..
Thanks in advance
Cheers