Puzzle

[centurion]

An interesting vehicle modification. Any body want to guese what its for? (Yes I do know). No prizes other than a smug feeling. I'll post an answer in a few days time. (Of course it'll probably turn out that everybody knows what its for(.

[Max Hedges]

levelling an area for a cricket pitch
Max

[cliff]

I have never seen the conversion before :

cheers
Cliff

[centurion]

Originally posted by Max Hedges
levelling an area for a cricket pitch
Max

Unfortunately its an American army vehicle and they have not reached the same levels of civilisation as Australia and Britain - no its not even for a baseball diamond.

[David Ellery]

You still see this set up today, when you go to the drag racing strip. Obviously the Dodge's engine hasn't been fitted with a governer yet. :

[Richard Farrant]

Is it driven in reverse and the piece of kit is a mine detector?

Richard

[centurion]

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Is it driven in reverse and the piece of kit is a mine detector?

Richard

Close but no cigar.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

It's either a golf ball picker for the driving range.......or a chemical weed sprayer...or the original Zamboni for ice rinks...

Or all of the above..

[servicepub (RIP)]

A grader?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by centurion
Close but no cigar.

It is not a terribly clear picture, but as I seem to be "close", perhaps it could be some form of mine layer?

Richard

[Les Freathy]

Is it the piece of kit that i have seen on a jeep to pick scraps and rubbish from runways and landing strips
les

[Jon Skagfeld]

Yeah...RadOp in rear of 3/4 T vehicle listens for FOD material reacting on his radio apparatus on an airstrip.

Fatigue party removes same, vehicle carries on.

Closer?

[grant fincher]

Is it an ice and frost melting device for runways?:

[Rolf S. Ask]

would be some sort of magnetic mine detector

Rolf

[centurion]

Originally posted by Les Freathy
Is it the piece of kit that i have seen on a jeep to pick scraps and rubbish from runways and landing strips
les

Close enough. Its an electro magnet used by the US Army Transportation Corps to clear scraps of metal, nails etc etc from convoy routes. It seems that there was a transport bottleneck in early 1945 due to increased tyre wear and a shortage of replacements and a campaign was instituted to conserve tyre life. Such vehicles were one manifestation of this. Now I am puzzled - were they driven backwards or did they have solid tyres? (other wise its like putting mine rollers on the back of a tank). Anybody know?

[Les Freathy]

here is the jeep metel detector i mentioned in my attempt