Assault Boats M2 in WWII Europe

[MChapin]

Boat-bridge as laid during a Liberation Commemoration Event in Holland, crossing the River Berkel.

The bird-perspective picture was taken from a US AAF 1944 Stinson L5
Pictures are compliments of Prop Trailer

[battlebaby3]

Many of theses boats were made in Erie ,Pennsylvania by the Hammermill Paper Company as part of the war effort. Besides paper and the boats they made tubes for rockets.

Pat

[Ian Fawbert]

Thanks for sharing the pics (both old and new).

Are the boats used in the event/crossing originals or remade (i also noticed alot more on the trailers at the back of the GMC's).

Cheers,
Ian.

[Gerben Faber]

Hello Ian,

They are all original and belong to Jorrit Volkers from the Netherlands. He spend about 10 years of finding and collecting them all over westeren Europe.

The boats were lifted in and out the river with a front mounted A-frame on a GMC CCKW.

Gerben

[Ian Fawbert]

Amazing! Thanks for letting me know Gerben!

I am glad there are people out there who collect the 'alternative' ww2 things like these boats- it helps keep the whole hobby alive and adds a level of interest and excitement to events (especially when they are the main feature such as these). Even more interesting about the use of the GMC A frame to lift in/out!

Great work to all involved and thanks again,
Ian.

[Johan Van Keer]

intresting pics. A guy from our club has several of these, saddly enough in bad shape. What did they used to connect these assault boats and turned them into a bridge?

[Prop Trailer]

There is a specially designed wooden box holding the particular equipement such like clambs etc. to tighten the ramps on the plywood boats.
I got a box with my Pole Trailer and Assault Boats.

Prop Trailer

[dogtags]

Does anyone have plans to construct a new/repro M2 Assault Boat?

~Robert