Hand Cranked Generators

Military Hand Operated Electric Power Generators

One 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
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: 9 Apr 1940 Germany occupies Denmark and invades Norway [Operation Weserübung].  More ↓
9 Apr 1940 British campaign in Norway is launched.
9 Apr 1941 In agreement with Denmark, US acquires military defense rights in Greenland, repudiated by Denmark on 12 April.
9 Apr 1942 Japanese Navy launches an air raid on Trincomalee in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] sinking a Royal Navy aircraft carrier and an Australian destroyer.
9 Apr 1942 Bataan falls, US troops in Philippines surrender to Japanese.
9 Apr 1945 Abwehr conspirators Wilhelm Canaris, Hans Oster and Hans Dohanyi are hanged at Flossenberg concentration camp, along with pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
9 Apr 1945 Surrender of Königsberg, East Prussia [now Kaliningrad, Russia].
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

Hand Cranked Mobile Electric Power

G-77/G hand cranked DC generator, with cables, carrying bag and other accessories. Photo: eBay seller blue1969diamond
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.

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