M-812 Truck, Chassis, 5-ton, 6x6, w/Winch
The M-812 Truck, Chassis, 5 Ton 6x6 is part of the G-908 (or M-809) series of 5 ton 6x6 trucks. Details of the history, model numbers, and configurations of the M809-series of trucks are on the linked page.
The M812 was a 5-ton 6x6 chassis used for mounting truck bodies and was converted for other military tasks. It was part of the M809 series of trucks, produced for the U.S. military in the 1970s and 1980s.
Two variants of the M812 that were recognized individually were:
- M812 "Transporter, Bridge, Floating" was a modification of M812 used to carry sections of a Ribbon Bridge. The truck was fitted with a flat bed and light crane. This configuration will have a dataplate indicating "Transporter, Tactical Floating Bridge, 5 ton, 6x6, M812 Chassis" with NSN 5420-00-071-5321. These units were assembled by Consolidated Diesel Electric Co.
- M812 "Chassis, Rocket Launcher" was a modification of the M812 used with the US Roland all-weather short-range air-defense system to transport and fire the missile.
The M812 chassis was NSN 2320-00-050-9011 while the M812A1 carried NSN 2320-00-050-9040. The M812 technical manuals were the TM-9-2320-260-xx series, where the xx represents the maintenance level.
M-812 Transporter, Bridge, Floating, Exercise Team Spirit '84, South Korea, 21 March 1984.
M-812 Transporter, Bridge, Floating, Andrews AFB, MD, 12 May 1984.
Arkansas Army National Guard personnel unload a 27-foot bridge erection boat from the back of an M-812 Transporter, Bridge, Floating, Red River, AR, 28 May 1990.
M-812 Transporter, Bridge, Floating, launches a section of ribbon bridge on the Sava River between Orasje, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Zupanja, Croatia, Operation Joint Endeavor, 12 October 1996. The M812 belongs to the U.S. Army 74th Assault Floating Bridge Company and 502nd Assault Floating Bridge Company.
M812A1 "Transporter Bridge Floating" with PTO driven front winch, 5-speed Spicer transmission, air over hydraulic brakes and hydraulic rear winch. Photo courtesy Cariboo 6x6.
US Roland system mounted on M812A1 5-ton truck. The Roland was never officially adopted although hundreds were built and tested.
