After World War II, the United States began remodeling its military to prepare for the anticipated confrontation with the Soviet Union. One of the many tasks required was to reorganize the vehicle fleet, which consisted of a large number of vehicles hastily produced during the war. Among the challenges for the new vehicles were the standardization of parts (standard parts such as headlights, switches, connectors, and 24V electrical systems).
The US Army had a vast fleet of trucks, which were a crucial element of military logistics. The basic truck type was the GMC CCKW with a nominal payload of 2.5 tons (the so-called deuce and a half – 2.5 tons off-road, 5 tons on paved roads). General Motors was tasked with developing modernized versions equipped with a 24-volt electrical system and automatic transmission – vehicles designated the M135 and M211. However, before these vehicles were ready for service, in 1949, Reo presented a design for an "interim" truck with a nominal payload of 2.5 tons. This truck was powered by a Reo Golden Comet engine, also manufactured by Continental as the OA-331, and was equipped with a five-speed gearbox and Rockwell axles. Initially, the first widely produced variant was the M34 – a universal cargo variant equipped with six single wheels with 11x20 tires. This was followed by the M35 variant, which had smaller wheels with 9.00-20 tires but with twin rear axles. This provided better performance on paved roads and also allowed for the installation of a cargo bed with a completely flat floor (without wheel wells).
Many specialized variants were built on the M35 chassis, including fuel tankers (M49) and water tankers (M50), a tractor unit, a wrecker tractor unit, a dump truck, a workshop van (M109), and others. Vehicles of this family could be equipped with a winch and a turntable with a machine gun above the cab.
As new engine types became available, M35 family cars were equipped with multi-fuel engines - the A1 variant was equipped with the Continental LDS-427-2 turbocharged diesel engine (not very popular due to its unreliability) and the A2 variant with the LD 465-1c multi-fuel diesel engine, then the LDT 465-1c turbo version and finally the LDT 465-1d version. Some cars were equipped this way from the factory, while others were converted from earlier versions.
The M49 fuel tanker was built on the M45 chassis (the same as the M35 truck). It was equipped with a 1,200-gallon (approximately 4,550-liter) tank and a pump driven by a shaft from the transfer case. In early versions, the tank was divided into three compartments (200/400/600-gallon capacity—the full capacity of the tank could not be utilized when the truck was not moving on a paved road). Later variants (A2) had only two 600-gallon compartments. The M49C variant was additionally equipped with a flexible hose with a refueling nozzle, allowing direct servicing of other vehicles.
My M49C tanker model depicts a vehicle used in the Vietnam War, circa 1968. It has an unusual designation: it bears both the "flammable material" and "drinking water" markings. The most likely explanation is that, due to an urgent need to transport water, the tanker was used for this purpose, leaving the old markings on so it could later be repurposed for fuel transport.
| Length: | 6680 mm |
| Height: | 2464 mm |
| Width: | 2438 mm |
| Empty weight: | 6119 kg |
| Total weight (off-road): | 8387 kg |
| Total weight (road): | 9521 kg |
| Armament: | None |
| Propulsion: | Reo Golden Comet OA331 gasoline engine; 6 cylinders, in-line, four-stroke; |
| Power (gross): | 106 kW @ 3200 revs/min. |
| Torque: | 350 Nm @ 1800 revs/min. |
| Fuel capacity: | 189 L |
| Transmission: | Spicer 3052 or 3053, 5 forward gears, 1 reverse. 2-speed transfer case |
| Suspension: | Leaf springs |
| Max speed (road): | 87 km/h |
| Range: | max. 640 km |
| Fording: | 0.76 m without preparation / 1.83 m with wading kit (carburetor pipe, extended exhaust) |
| Trench: | about 0,6 m |
| Vertical obstacle: | 0,4 m |
| Crew: | 1 |
