Today in WW II: 8 Jul 1940 Tea rationing begins in Britain.  More ↓
8 Jul 1941 Jews living under German occupation in Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ordered to wear a Jewish Star.
8 Jul 1942 US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Chester Nimitz orders invasion of Guadalcanal, Solomon islands, to seize a strategic Japanese airfield.
8 Jul 1944 US forces on Saipan mop up after surviving a 15-hour banzai charge, one of the largest ever, defesting over 3000 Japanese soldiers plus wounded and civilians who participated.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH)

High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH). Photo courtesy of Freightliner
High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH). Photo courtesy of Freightliner.

The High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH) is a variant of the Unimog Model 406/419 Engineering Vehicles. Except for its material handling equipment, it is the same vehicle as the Small Emplacement Excavator (SEE).

Originally called the High Mobility Material Handling Equipment (HMMHE), the HMMH variant consists of the same basic Unimog Model 419 tractor as the SEE, but in place of the front loader, backhoe and other tools and equipment of the SEE, the HMMH has a 4000 lb. capacity forklift, 6000 lb. capacity crane and 350 lb.-ft torque impact wrench as well as a suspension lockout system to retract the front suspension for forklift and crane operations. In field tests, the Unimog HMMH equipped with forklift/crane was determined to significantly enhance handling capability for ammunition, rations and material at Ammunition Supply Points and Forward Area Support Terminals.

The High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH) is identified by NSN 2420-01-205-8636 (Tractor, Wheeled, 4x4 DED) and by Model FLU10344. The HMMH is called Model 419.103 by Unimog. Manuals for the HMMH are shared volumes with the Small Emplacement Excavator, numbered TM 5-2420-224-xx where the xx represents the maintenance level..

High Mobility Material Handler (HMMH) Characteristics

Dimensions and characteristics of the HMMH are:

Engine Unimog 110hp OM 352, 346 cu in. 6cyl, 4-stroke diesel, direct injection
Overall Length 211 in. (5.36 m)
Overall Height 98.5 in. (2.50 m)
Overall Width 94 in. (2.38 m)
Track 64 in. (1.63 m)
Wheel Base 93.7 in. (2.39 m)
Turning Circle Diameter 35.8 ft (11.7 m)
Angle of Approach 30 degrees
Angle of Departure 36 degrees
Maximum Highway Speed 50 mph (80 km/h)
Fording Depth 30 in. (0.76 m)
Ground Clearance 17 in. (0.43 m)
Tire Size 12.5 R20xLPR 12 on 11.00-20 rims