Military Hand Operated Electric Power GeneratorsOne of the most interesting types of electrical generators used by the U.S. military is the hand cranked unit. The hand cranked generators disassemble and are light enough to be man-packed in a carrying bag or strapped on a packboard. The hand operated generator provides enough power for a small radio set, crypto gear, rechargeable batteries, and other electronic equipment in the field using a soldier's own muscles to rotate the generator. The clever and versitile hand cranked generators have been in use since before WW II and continue in use in the 21st century.
Signal Corps soldiers direct naval gunfire against German positions using SCR-284 radio with GN-45 hand-cranked generator, France, 10 June 1944.
|
Today in WW II: 12 Jul 1943 Tank battle at Prokhorovka, during the Battle of Kursk, greatest tank battle of WW II, unsurpassed until Operation Desert Storm in 1992.
|
|
Hand Cranked Mobile Electric Power
G-77/G hand cranked DC generator, with cables, carrying bag and other accessories. Photo: eBay seller blue1969diamond.
This page lists U.S. military hand cranked generators used during World War II and afterward to the present.
| Model |
When |
Output |
Notes |
| G-3/TRC-7 |
WW II/1945 |
|
TM 11-617, Variants, for Radio Set AN/TRC-7 |
| G-8 |
1960s- |
DC |
aka G-8/GRC, for RT-66, RT-67, RT-68 or RT-70 |
| G-43/G |
1950s-1990s |
52.5 watts, 10.5, 17.5, 30V DC |
TM 11-5122, TM-11-6115-218-xx, NSN 6115-00-510-0611, for AN/GRC-109, AN/PRC-74, Back packed, 22lbs, G-77/G is equivalent, MIL-G-14106B |
| G-77/G |
to 1990s |
52.5 watts, 10.5, 17.5, 30V DC |
TM-11-6115-218-xx, NSN 6115-01-072-8080, for AN/GRC-109, AN/PRC-74, Back packed, 22lb, G-43/G is equivalent |
| GN-35 |
WW II |
400VDC 75ma and 6.3V AC/DC at 2.5A |
For small radio sets including SCR-131, SCR-161 and SCR-171, SCR-203 (mule packed radio) |
| GN-37 |
WW II |
|
For SCR-178 |
| GN-44 |
WW II |
400VDC 75ma and 6.3V AC/DC at 2.5A |
For SCR-288 |
| GN-45 |
WW II |
|
Variants, for SCR-284 |
| GN-58/G |
WW II |
425VDC 115ma, 105VDC 32ma, 6.3VDC 2.5A, 1.4VDC 465ma |
Variants, for BC-1306 and AN/GRC-9, aka G-58/GRC |
| G-76/G |
1980s?? |
30V DC |
TM 11-6115-470-xx, Variants, NSN 6115-01-082-8107, MIL-G-49369, for AN/PRC-70, AN/SC-3 and AN/VSC-7 radios |
Notes: This list is not exhaustive. The date is the approximate year the equipment was in use, based on manuals or other information. "Variants" or "Many variants" refers to evolution of models such as PE-75-A, PE-75-B, etc. Manuals with suffix -xx refer to a series depending on maintenance level. If you can fill in any missing data or correct anything in this table, please contact Olive-Drab.com. Find More Information on the InternetThere are many fine websites that have additional information on this
topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go.
Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there. For good results, try entering this: hand cranked military generator. Then click the Search button.
|
