1944 M29C Weasel

Rob MacDonald · #1 06-11-09, 15:17

I've bought a Weasel from a chap in Colorado. I'd hopes of a bren carrier, but this one was really affordable, complete and running and those 20" tracks just float over the snow and mud! The darn things even (almost) floats!

Does anyone know if the Canadian Army ever used weasels?

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #2 06-11-09, 16:16

I don't know what units - they may well have been engineer units and certainly elements of the 79th Armoured Division - but Weasels were there in February 1945 when we started our assault on the Rhine. At times they and T-16s were almost the only vehicles which could move through the mud.

Interestingly, in the Canadian War Museum there's a Weasel which unaccountably is marked in the colours of the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment. I don't know whether that's someone's post-war imagination or whether the Regiment "acquired" it like they did with their one C15TA... perhaps Bill Miller may have run across it in the records he's been researching? I'll see if I can dig up a picture of it.

Have you pictures of yours, Rob?

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #3 06-11-09, 16:34

This is a front-on pic of the CWM's Weasel. I may have more, but haven't found them yet.

peter simundson · #4 06-11-09, 18:58

The last time I saw the one in the War Museum it had Norwegian data plates and had been obtained from them some 30 years ago when the were dumping some of their war stocks.

P Simundson

Rob MacDonald · #5 06-11-09, 23:17

That's very interesting - thanks very much!

here are a couple of photos. it was used by a power company until a few years ago and is basically complete and running. A bit of initial body work and cleanup (meaning 'off comes the outhouse') and then I'll buckle down to serious restoration as time and money allows.

I REALLY hope we get another blizzard like last year!

Hendrik van Oorspronk · #6 06-11-09, 23:22

Yes they used them, here some youtube movies of the liberation of the Netherlands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI81KbnSbSI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFi_140U_Go&feature=fvw

Hendrik

Rob MacDonald · #7 06-11-09, 23:24

Here's a few more photies:

Rob MacDonald · #8 06-11-09, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

Yes they used them, here some youtube movies of the liberation of the Netherlands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI81KbnSbSI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFi_140U_Go&feature=fvw

Hendrik

thanks very much! much of that footage is of 11 Brigade (PPCLI/Seaforth of Canada/Edmonton Regt) pity that I'm just a few years too late to show it to the vets who might have put names to some of those faces.

I'll show the clips in our Regt'l Museum during our Ortona Dinner (the Seaforth's regimental Christmas Dinner).

thanks again

Cheers

horsa · #9 07-11-09, 05:34

There are after action reports I've seen where recommendations suggest each tank formation have a Weasel assigned to them so that the officers can get to their O-group meetings. Jeeps and even some of the tanks had issues with the Feb/Mar ’45 mud.

And one problem in researching their use is the vehicle is just another "carrier" in many of the war records. Sometimes it is also called a continuous track carrier on account of the grousers being connected to continuous belting as compared to other tracked vehicles with links and pins. Something you hopefully won't need to deal with on your vehicle.

My brother abused our M29C and broke a track. I have it patched together enough to move it around but am in the process of rebuilding our spare set of tracks with new belting and will use bolts to connect the grousers to facilitate easier repairs in the future. You'll notice on your tracks that each grouser has 16 rivets holding it to the bands. Lots of fun when it comes to removing them if you are unfortunate like me. Shot attached shows a pile of grousers representing the first track being completely broken down as of noon today. The other shot shows the other track that needs to be broken down. Then I can start cleaning them all up for painting prior to rebanding them.

Bruce Parker (RIP) · #10 07-11-09, 06:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter simundson

The last time I saw the one in the War Museum it had Norwegian data plates and had been obtained from them some 30 years ago when the were dumping some of their war stocks.

P Simundson

Mr Simundson I humbly submit you know too much.

Signed:

an admiring fan
Bruce

peter simundson · #11 07-11-09, 16:07

....I am a cornucopia of useless information.

Cheers Mr. Parker.

Rob MacDonald · #12 07-11-09, 16:09

I've got the 'French' tracks at present, but I'll be wanting an original set eventually...

RichardT10829 · #13 07-11-09, 18:16

seriously seriosuly cool machine ! the ground preasure on that thing must be minimal for sure. i can see where the modern day Vikings and BV206's got they're inspiration from.

cant wait to see this one progress.

horsa · #14 09-11-09, 03:46

http://www.realmilitaryflix.com/public/441.cfm?sd=61

Link above is an OSS film covering one of the first models of Weasels. It's the T-15 which had 18" track. The M29C was the last in the series with 20" track.

It's pretty interesting since they briefly show other snow vehicles used in trials as well as the early Weasel being used with gliders and para-dropped. Last thing they mention is an improved Weasel which looks like an M28 from the shots.

Rob MacDonald · #15 10-11-09, 01:58

The M29c is listed as having a track pressure of 1.9psi, and that's with the (heavy) floatation tanks!

As soon as I can get back into the Regimental Museum I'll ferret around in the archives for references to Weasels or 'weasel-like objects' -and if I'm lucky there'll be a record of body and Canadian Army numbers....

martin vandepoel · #16 07-06-11, 08:42

Hi , Is there any info so far about Weasels in the Canadian Army I could do with some right markings for my weasel!

lynx42 · #17 09-06-11, 02:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

Yes they used them, here some youtube movies of the liberation of the Netherlands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI81KbnSbSI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFi_140U_Go&feature=fvw

Hendrik

Thats really great footage. Early an CMPs and Kangaroos abound. I wonder how many ot the local population got squashed. It was a bit like watching the modern rally cars in some countries.
Regards Rick.