Description
The Vehicle, Tank Recovery T-2 was an armored tank retriever made by modification of the M-3 Lee Medium Tank chassis. The designation T-2 was later changed to M-31. It had a dummy turret and dummy 75mm gun. but was able to protect itself - at a pinch - with two.30 cal. M1919 machine guns. The tank was powered by a Continental R-975-C1 9 cylinder radial gasoline engine, but the main feature of this tank over the original Lee you might know was the dummy turret of the with a Gar Wood power boom crane with a 30,000 lb. capacity depending on how supports are deployed. There is also a 30-ton winch mounted inside the hull which can operate with its 60,000 lb (27,000 kg) capacity cable over the boom crane or hooked directly to a load. Just over 800 of the Tank Recovery Vehicle T-2 (M31) were produced in all variants, in service through 1945. The T2 (M31) was slowly replaced by the M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle, based on the M4 Sherman tank, starting in 1944.
The British converted M3 Lee tanks (called Grant in the UK, with minor modifications) to armored recovery vehicles, known as the Grant ARV I. This is similar to the T-2 (M31) but of simpler design. When M31 vehicles were obtained by Britain under Lend-Lease, they were referred to as Grant ARV II. About 125 T-2 (M31) vehicles were sent to the Soviet Union during WW II. Other Allies also received units or converted their own M3 tanks. The M33 Prime Mover (for towing artillery) was based on the Vehicle, Tank Recovery, T2 (or M31) minus the crane, turret and recovery equipment. As the M31 TRV was being replaced by the M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle, over 100 of the M31 TRVs were converted to the M33 Prime Mover in 1943-1944 to be used as an alternative to scarce high-speed tractors.
The British converted M3 Lee tanks (called Grant in the UK, with minor modifications) to armored recovery vehicles, known as the Grant ARV I. This is similar to the T-2 (M31) but of simpler design. When M31 vehicles were obtained by Britain under Lend-Lease, they were referred to as Grant ARV II. About 125 T-2 (M31) vehicles were sent to the Soviet Union during WW II. Other Allies also received units or converted their own M3 tanks. The M33 Prime Mover (for towing artillery) was based on the Vehicle, Tank Recovery, T2 (or M31) minus the crane, turret and recovery equipment. As the M31 TRV was being replaced by the M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle, over 100 of the M31 TRVs were converted to the M33 Prime Mover in 1943-1944 to be used as an alternative to scarce high-speed tractors.
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