Mobile Army Machine Shop- then and today

[Pontiac Freak]

Just for grins, here's a picture of a corner of the machine shop onboard the USS Midway, a late/post WWII aircraft carrier, now docked as a historical display for the GAP (Great American Public) in San Diego harbor. Looks like the Navy got to carry heavier iron

Mike

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Neat ship! I took the family through it 2 years ago and we were all amazed.

 

[Rbeckett]

The biggest issue with the mobile machine center is the armies policy that no feild fabbed parts will be installed. While I was in Iraq we had several issues of air leaks and could fabricate a perfectly usable replacement hose but were not allowed to since the replacement part did not have a NSSN and may or may not have been compliant with some obscure, esoteric standard. These were all MRAP vehicles built by International, nothing special other than the armor. It was very frustrating to hold a vehicle for one simple line and wait 7-8 weeks for it to arrive. Happened too many times to too many vehicles. Hated that aspect of that job.
Bob

 

[HSS]

The machine shop on board a Navy vessel was always a much nicer and more convenient work center than anything transportable by the Army. When the Navy moved to a new location, the machine shop didn't have to fold their tents. When the Army moved to a new location, everything had to be closed up, folded up and packed up. We had a machine shop truck in our company in Viet Nam that looked like the WWII machine shop in the picture. The sides opened up and the floor slid out on both sides. I think it opened up to about 15' wide, IIRC. Sometimes I think I would like to have one of those old machine shops on wheels, but I get over it and say "naw"

Pat

 

[HMF]

That is a huge lathe aboard the Midway-

What type was it?


Nelson

 

[HMF]

That's a beautiful machine.

Way too big for my tiny home shop, but still, nice.


Nelson

 

[HMF]

Some more Army mobile machine and welding shops!

Ordnance Maintenance Truck, 2 1/2 Ton

There were several types of trucks beyond those pictured below, including the automotive repair truck, for general vehicle maintenance; the electrical repair truck, for various types of automotive electrical equipment; the instrument bench truck, to maintain and repair special fire-control equipment; and the tire repair truck.

 

[mikew67]

Thanks, Allthumbz, for the neat pictures and history!

Wonder how uniform the lathe cuts were in the presence of "incoming"?

Mike (who's workshop is about the same size and even more crowded, but not mobile, even though it's in a garage

PS: BTW, I should forward this thread to a friend who is now president of the MVTF (Military Vehicle Technology Foundation; check it out at http://www.mvtf.org/ And if you're ever in the SF Bay Area, you simply have to do a tour.)

 

[HMF]

Here is another modern mobile Army machine shop for sale on Ebay:

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/tls/2781522069.html
[h=2]Army SGPMSMD Machine Shop Equipment Trailer - $9800 (SLE)[/h]

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Date: 2012-01-03, 12:27PM PST
Reply to: sale-jrntb-2781522069@craigslist.org [SUP][Errors when replying to ads?][/SUP]

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Here's your chance to own a mobile turn-key machine shop and a peice of history.

Description provided by previous owner...

"This SGPMSMD Shop Equipment Trailer was manufactured by the Southwest Truck Body Company for the U.S. Army. It features a 60 kilowatt White-Diesel generator set with a Hobart DC Welder, a 60,000 BTU furnace, 27-inch lathe, drill press, air compressor and more, plus tent accessories to enclose the trailer when the clamshell doors are open."

Please note that this unique trailer weighs 31,000 pounds. No trades please.

keywords: mill, lathe, grinder, cutter, dro, vise, press, cnc, phase, machining, surplus, military, militaria, WWI, WWII, rare

• Location: SLE
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

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[ScrapMetal]

Dang, I really, really would like to have that parked in my driveway. :biggrin:

-Ron

 

[goldenchips2]

11 mpg highway
8 mpg city
gas ain't cheap !!