Why Gun Tractor Shape

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

At the start of WW2 they had only just moved on from pulling guns with horses. The limber was there to carry the tools and ammo. The tractor was just to pull it and carry the crew and their kit. It needed to be manoeverable so was as short as possible and easy to hide when the gun was in action. As the war went on the thinking changed and tractor and limber morphed into a full sized truck.

I think Dave has hit the nail on the head. The first tractor-limber-gun set was made to replace the horse-drawn set, and the horse-drawn set didn't carry anything but two members of the gun crew. A tractor could carry the entire crew. A real step forward for the Artillery. Large trucks capable of carrying men, equipment and ammunition were in short supply in the late 30's, and not as capable as they would become later in the war.

The C8 tractor was designed to replace six horses and three riders, and tow the limber and gun, nothing more. The Artillery wasn't looking to make radical leaps in technology at that time, but in a couple years they would be leading the Army in change. and had the trucks to prove it.

Just my 2 pfennings.

Cheers,
Dan.