Michigan 175

[Scurvey Knave]

I stumbled upon a clip showing the St. Kilda Michigan 175 on the net.

 

http://movingimage.nls.uk/film/3518

 

The film appears to have been taken by National Trust guys (St. Kilda is owned by the NT but was leased by MOD for use as a tracking station for RA Ranges Hebrides). There are a couple of interesting bits - first is at 9.31 where a pristine looking R. Artillery Land Rover, 73EN31, is launching and recovering a Gemini/Zodiac type inflatable boat. Second is at 12.43 where you can see the Michigan bucket getting loaded with luggage and driving over the beach and on to the Landing Craft. You can see what was a fairly common occurrence - guys travelling in the bucket to avoid getting their feet wet! Try getting that past Elf n' Safety these days! The ship was the Andalsnes, sadly scrapped in the late seventies.

 

Regards - David

[PM3D]

I was an apprentice at All Wheel Drive, Camberley from 1963. (From 1965 it was taken over by licensor Clark Equipment)  I remember the 175 DS, (DS meant Dual Steer -driving position facing forward or aft) Modified from the Michigan 175 Series 1 of late 50's early 60's. They were built before I joined, but I did see a few during my time. I am much more familiar with the Military 275's built durimg the early 70's. As I was involved in the engineering and personally responsible for the performance and aceptance testing. There was an endurance test period we did at Clark's test site at Blackbushe Airfield. 

Late in my apprenticeship in 1967 I was involved, with another apprentice, in producing the drawing for Dinky Toys to make their 1:43 scale model of the Michigan 180 dozer. The staff were offered models when they were issued in 1968, and I still have mine.

If anyone is inetersted I have a 3D model of a standard Michigan 175a Series on in my Sketchup 3D warehouse. It's very detailed 1:1 scale and  mostly done from memory, but overall dimenionally correct within reason.

shttps://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/579886383923e3d998b8c800ae001b66/Michigan-175-Tractor-Shovel

I have plenty of pics of the 275's during testing at Blackbushe.

Also of intest may be AWD/Smiths wading crane, another product for the military. I was personally involved with the last one we built which was some years after the initial production batch in 1973.

Regards Peter

 

[PM3D]

Here are some relevant pics.

My 3D model of a Michigan 175 Series 1

Military Michigan 275 of 1973 during testing at Clark's test site on Blackbushe Airfield, with slave tyres and slave weighted bucket. If I remember correctly it was a batch of 12 units. The brakes needed some bedding in to reach the required test 'g' figures. 

The last of the Smiths/AWD wading crane passed through the Clark Camberley factory in 1973. A long while after the initial batch during of the mid 60's. This is my pic of it in the wading tank at MVEE Chobham.

[ploughman]

275 ready for a road run to Vilich(?) workshops back in 81. 52 Fd Sqn Const RE

I seem to recall someone misreading a sign and we ended up on an Autobahn.

When I moved over to 234 TA at RAF Leeming our machines grew a bit with a TEREX 72-71

[Zero-Five-Two]

That would be Willich.  Nice place.  I just missed you, I was there '82 - '85.  Was 52 at RAF Wildparts or Bruggen?

[ploughman]

I was in 52 At Perham Down , Tidworth from 78 - Nov 82 covering RAF Bruggen.

Then TA from 86 - 95 with 234 Fd Sqn at RAF Leeming.back on the ADR.

One other Michy photo came to light today.

Who ever thought it was a good idea to Cam up a 275.

I forget how many nets it took with the bomb mat trailer as well.

 

Other photo may be a 275 inn a bag, either that or a Grader in the preservation store area.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by ploughman

[PM3D]

There was another military Michigan that never made it into production or saw service. That was the Michigan 285. This was not in the normal Michigan model number series, and was only used for this one prototype as far as I know. It was the size of a 275 or a little larger, and one of the first articulated steer Michigans ever produced. Must have been in the early 60's. Unusually it had the operator position on the front part of the chassis, rather than became standard afterwards on the aft part.  I became acquainted with it in 1965 when I was an apprentice in AWD/Clark's development department, and was given it to clear up the yard outside the department at the ex-US Navy Hangar at Blackbushe. It had been well used and had spent some time at MEXE Christchurch before being returned to the company. 

I don't have any photos of it yet, but I have found a report in the National Archives. Tests of the Michigan 285/AS Heavy Wheeled Tractor, and ordered a copy. I will post again when I get it.

Peter

[ploughman]

That sparks a memory.

When I was in the TA with 234 sqn

We went on an exchange, for our 2 week stint, with a US Unit on Cape Cod at OTIS Airbase around 1994.

Besides having a number of flights in Huey's or other choppers or planes and flying over to the states and back in a Tanker KC 135 fuelling a  B52 en route.

While there they had us Tree clearing, Road building and a few other jobs.

Off to one end of the Airfield waas a dump area for stone, rubble etc with a big quarry loader looking afer the loading and stockpiling.

Of course  we had to have a go, which was when we found out that the cab was on the wrong half, a really weird sensation trying to operate it. 

None of our regular operators who tried it liked it and found it awkward to use with no confidence in if the machine would stay upright.

No photos taken of it and no idea if it was your 285

Edited February 12, 2022 by ploughman

[PM3D]

Hi Bryan,

That's interesting, but I doubt that it was my 285. Your story is 29 years after mine. I think my unit was scrapped or sold not long after I drove it in 1965. I never saw it again. AWD did a lot of experimentation with the UK military in the late 50's and early 60's.  I am awaiting with interest to see the comments in the report about the steering position. My opinion is that it was not so bad, you had the same fixed visual relationship to the bucket as when driving a rear wheel steer. Just that you had to glance over your shoulder to see where the back end was and what it was doing. 

 

[john1950]

On an Intenational Hough loader the driver is on the front. Sideways travel was much greater that a rear mounted operator driving position. Working in confined spaces was much more difficult. Being directly behind the bucket at all times did make load spotting easier in some cases. I was not a fan, I much preferred the rear mounted operator position. Going from a close coupled rigid Whetherall L66 to an articulated rear cab Yale 2000 was a learning curve.  

[PM3D]

Hi John,

Yes I agree, distance from articulation pivot to front axle is less than to the rear axle. So there's a lot more wiggle experienced with front end mounted cab. However with the 285 it didn't bother me, although it is now a very long time ago.

Kind regards,

Peter

[Richard Farrant]

Regarding a good view of the bucket, I always thought the Allis Chalmers 645 had a good driving position, but not so good on its successor, the Terex 72-51.

[john1950]

I never had a good impression of Terrex loaders, 51 or 71 all noise and no action. Good for making one deaf.

[Zero-Five-Two]

12 hours ago, john1950 said:

I never had a good impression of Terrex loaders, 51 or 71 all noise and no action. Good for making one deaf.

Never tried a 71, but have to agree about the 51.  If you bashed a dent in the top of the silencer it was excellent for frying eggs in, but apart from that there wasn't that much going for them