The DEUCE was intended for behind-the-lines work, such as flattening ground for roads or clearing areas for building construction. Whereas the M9 ACE was designed to operate in combat conditions, the M105 was not. It can also be air-dropped via parachute from a C-130. The DEUCE is air deployable and can be carried by C-130 Hercules, C-141 Starlifter, C-5 Galaxy or C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft. The dozer’s blade is located underneath the cab, with the engine and running gear towards the rear. The DEUCE is a one-man vehicle, operated from a cab at the front of the dozer. This is heavier than the larger M9, but this is mostly due to the fact that the M9 was largely hollow. The vehicle is extremely compact in its design at 19 feet 3 inches (5.8 meters) long, 9 feet 7 inches (2.9 meters) wide, and 9 feet 1 inch (2.7 meters) high. The DEUCE didn’t change much from its 30/30 EST dozer origins. Photo: Caterpillar Chronicle: History of the Greatest Earthmovers Design The prototype 30/30 Engineer Support Tractor (EST). A small number have also served with the British Army. Approximately 227 M105 have been produced and are currently in service with the United States Military. The vehicles finally entered service in 1999. Caterpillar were then granted a contract for construction, with the dozers costing $362,687 each. This design was agreed upon and it was serialized as the M105. In 1996, Caterpillar came back with a revised design. As such, just one 30/30 prototype was built. This vehicle was expensive, however, and due to budget cutbacks of prospective buyers, Caterpillar never received an order. The ‘30/30’ designation came from a 30 mph top speed, and a total weight of 30,000 pounds. This initial vehicle was known as the 30/30 Engineer Support Tractor. Development of what would become the M105 started in late 1995. This high-mobility dozer emerged from the partnership between the Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) of Warren, Michigan, and the Defense and Federal Products department of the construction industry giant, Caterpillar Inc, based in Mossville, Illinois. The Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover M105, otherwise known as the ‘DEUCE’. It can be deployed alongside airborne troops and is fast enough to re-deploy from task-to-task without the need of a separate transporter vehicle. The M105 is a much lighter vehicle than the other two vehicles and it is air-transportable, self-deployable (meaning it can be driven to where it is needed) and air-droppable. The M105 was brought into existence to replace the veteran Caterpillar D5 Bulldozer and, to a lesser extent, supplement the somewhat loathed M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE). The Deployable Universal Combat Earthmover M105, otherwise known as the ‘DEUCE’, was born out of this need. As well as armed and armored vehicles, this need also translated to engineering vehicles. Put simply, this was the ability to be deployed wherever needed, in the shortest time possible, often relying on airborne deployments. The Digger Man Blog would like to thank Anthony Lucibello for sharing these great photos with us.In the mid-1990s, the prevailing trend for vehicles in the United States Army was for them to be capable of ‘Rapid Reaction’. The earlier models were apparently so powerful they would literally tear themselves to pieces, suffering badly from final drive issues and destroying tracks for fun!Ĭheck out this video courtesy of PA Mining, which features a 41B in action stripping out clay. This upgraded model was introduced in 1974 by which time the HD prefix had been dropped. In a familiar scenario Fiat S.p.A of Italy had purchased a major share of Allis-Chalmers in 1974 forming a joint venture between the two companies. The machine discovered by Anthony is a Fiat-Allis 41B model which for its age is in fantastic condition. Our great contact in America, Anthony Lucibello, who has a real knack of tracking down some amazing old kit, has recently come across one of these machines at a yard in Rhode Island USA. Attachments included bulldozer blades up to 20 feet wide in semi-U and full-U options and a cushioned push block for push-loading scrapers. The machine featured a torque converter and its power-shift transmission offered three speeds in forward and three in reverse. However anyone who wanted to buy one had to wait until 1970 when it was finally put into full production. Weighing in at 70 tons and powered by a 524hp Cummins VT-1710-C four cycle turbocharged engine, the tractor made its first appearance at the Chicago Road Show in 1963 and was described as the biggest dozer ever built at the time.
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