Today in WW II: 6 Jul 1939 All remaining Jewish enterprises in Germany are closed by the Nazis.  More ↓
6 Jul 1942 Anne Frank's Jewish family goes into hiding in an attic above her father's office in an Amsterdam warehouse.
6 Jul 1942 Flying Tigers in Burma and China integrated into the US Army Air Forces as the China Air Task Force with Gen. Claire Chennault commanding the new unit.
6 Jul 1943 US and Japanese naval forces fight the Battle of Kula Gulf off Kolombangara, in the New Georgia Islands group of the Solomon Islands.
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Semi-Trailer, Transporter, M15 (40-tons), M15A1 (45-tons), and M15A2 (50-tons) (G160)

Semi-Trailer, Transporter, M15 with Prime Mover M26
Semi-Trailer, Transporter, M15 with Prime Mover M26.

The Semi-Trailer, Transporter, 40-ton, M15 and its variants were low-bed trailers for transport and retrieval of heavy tanks. They were introduced as trailers for the World War II vintage truck-tractor M-26 Heavy Transporter (known as the "Dragon Wagon"). When used with the M26, the combination is called the M25 Truck-Trailer, with sufficient capacity for the M4 Sherman tank and other heavy payloads. After service in World War II and Korea, the M15-series trailers were used in Vietnam. After the mid-1950s, the M-123 Truck, Tractor, 10-Ton, 6x6 was used as the prime mover. The M15-series semitrailers were replaced by the 60-ton M747 Semi-Trailer.

Find additional photos and hi-res versions of the M-15 Semi-Trailer, Transporter at the Olive-Drab Military Mashup.

The payload of the Semi-Trailer, Transporter, M15 was:

  • M-15 Semi-trailer: 80,000 lb. (40-tons) (36,287kg)
  • M-15A1 Semi-trailer: 90,000 lb. (45-tons) (40,823kg)
  • M-15A2 Semi-trailer: 100,000 lb. (50-tons) (45,359kg)

The M-26 Tractor units and the M-15/M-15A1 trailers were manufactured by Pacific Car & Foundry Co. of Renton, WA. The M-15A2 trailers were built by Freuhauf Trailer Co.

The low-bed platform M-15 semi-trailer is supported st the rear by eight operating tires of size 14.00x24 on combat rims. Overall length is 461 7/8 inches (approx 38 1/2 feet). Two large ramps are hinged to the rear of the trailer for field loading, operated by the winch on the tractor. A stowage compartment on top of the gooseneck at the front was available to store auxiliary equipment. The neck had distinctive steps built in to reach the top.

The M15A1 and M15A2 had an increased payload along with minor upgrades including hinged covers over the rear wheels. The M15A2 had more extensive modificaions, being strengthed and widened to match larger and heavier post-war US tanks.

Manuals for the M15 semitrailer include:

  • TM 9-767 Truck-Trailer M25
  • TM 9-1767E Ordnance Maintenance