The M34/M35 series of trucks came in wide array of variants and subvariants. As noted engine differences could be noted by the A1, A2, or A3 suffix, but additional suffix letters were also sometimes added. These letters had different meanings depending on what variant to which they were applied. Under the nomenclature system used by the
United States Army Ordnance Corps Supply Catalog (known as
G-series) the M34/M35/M36 family is designated
G742.
Cargo As noted the original basic gasoline-powered truck variants were first the M34, and then the M35. An extra long wheel-base variant, designated the M36, was also developed (featuring a cargo bed). Variants with a C suffix (such as M35A2C or M36A2C) featured a straight drop-side cargo bed. M44, M45, and M46 simply designated the long single tandem, long double tandem, and extra long double tandem chassis for the M35 -ton series of trucks; there was also a short tandem chassis without an M designation. These cab/chassis would serve as the basis for many more specialized variants. In 1982,
Bombardier produced a M35 variant for the
Canadian Forces' medium logistic vehicle, wheeled platform. This featured an Allison MT-643 automatic transmission, and a Detroit Diesel engine displacing 500 cubic inches (8.2 L). The original 11.00X20 bias ply tires on split ring wheels were later changed fleet-wide to Michelin radials on bolt-together wheels in 2002 due to safety concerns.
Tank truck air base structural fire fighting engine/pumper 530B based on M35. The door mounted serial number indicates this unit was contracted for in Fiscal Year 1965 and its type code is "L" which means a military vehicle (as opposed to a commercial or "off the shelf" design,), Special Purpose...in this case a fire truck. The M49 fuel tanker and M50 water tanker variants were initially based on the M45 chassis. The M49C series, however, were vehicles converted from C series drop-side cargo variants. M49s have 1,200-gallon tanks. Early models had triple compartments (200g front, 400g mid, baffled 600g rear), but most models have two 600-gallon baffled tanks. The M50 had a water tank, of which later variants had internal baffles to combat weight transfer during motion. In some areas the M35 is still used today as a wildland firefighting truck with a portable water supply and fully operational pump.
Van A number of variants with van bodies, primarily for use as maintenance shop vans, were also created. The basic model was the M109, with a variant that could mount the PTO winch was designated M185. The M185 was a machine shop version of the M109 that carried a light duty crane, tools, other items. It often towed a M105 trailer. An expandable van variant with hydraulic lift gate was designated M292. Another expandable van variant carried a water purification unit for supplying potable water. The M46 chassis could be used for mounting the expandable "Bat-Wing" machine shop body, but because of the weight of the machinery the preferred mount was by far the M809 5-ton chassis. Two variants of the M109 van were specifically developed as service vehicles for the
MGM-18 Lacrosse missile system, the XM411 for the Ground Guidance Electronic Equipment, and the XM412 with special tools and test equipment for the electronic guidance and control system. A medical van variant was designated M132.
Wrecker and tractor A wrecker based on the M45 chassis was designated as the M60, while the similar M108 crane truck was used for many tasks, but primarily to handle guided missiles such as the Lacrosse. Two tractor variants for towing semi-trailers were developed, the M48 and M275. The M48 featured a full-length M45 chassis (178 inch wheelbase, identical to the M35 cargo), while the M275 featured a shortened M45 chassis (166 in wheelbase) for reduced weight and greater maneuverability. However, due to the smaller size and lower power of the -ton trucks, most heavier loads were handled by their respective 5-ton counterparts. As a result, few were produced.
Construction A number of specialized construction variants were developed. The M47 and M59 dump trucks were developed, based on a shortened 166 inch wheelbase M44 and M45 chassis respectively. An improved dump truck based on the full length 178 inch wheelbase M45 chassis, designated the M342, was designed to replace both the M47 and the M59, as well as the M135-based M215. Also under the M45 chassis was the signal corps V-17 pole derrick, and the V-18 auger truck, later replaced by the M35 upgrade below. The M756 was a specialized pipeline repair vehicle, the M763 was designed for telephone line repair, and the M764 was a specialized earth-boring and pole-setting variant. The M45 chassis was also used to mount an air compressor.
Gun trucks at Fort Eustis The versatility of the pattern was perhaps shown best in its usage as an armored "
gun truck" for patrol duties and convoy escort. The simplest examples were produced by simply placing an existing light gun mount directly onto the cargo bed of the truck, and securing it in place. No armouring or special support equipment was installed. One such conversion was performed in Congo-Leopoldville in 1965, using an Oerlikon GAI 20 mm anti-aircraft gun. Another conversion in the Congo entailed mounting pods with 2.75" aircraft rockets on a pedestal on the cargo bed, but this proved unsuccessful. The first more sophisticated conversions of the pattern were performed by the U.S. military in Vietnam. U.S. Army Artillery Battalions (Automatic Weapons, Self-Propelled) were often assigned Artillery Batteries (.50-caliber), units equipped with M35 trucks and M55
Quadmount systems mounting four
M2 Browning machine guns. Units were also authorized a single
M60 machine gun and
M79 grenade launcher. While the M35 was designed to act as the prime mover for the M55
Quadmount system, which included a towed trailer, the M45 mount was often removed or the wheels removed from the trailer, and the system mounted on the bed of the truck. The M55 system was also mounted on the
M54 truck. More simplified armoring projects were conducted as well, adding armored walls of various thicknesses to standard cargo variants. A smaller bed-mounted multi-angle "box" was also tried. U.S. Army gun trucks used a wide variety of weapons including the
M2 Browning machine gun,
M60 machine gun, and even the
M134 Minigun. At the end of the Vietnam War most of these vehicles were returned to their standard configuration, except for a single original example shipped to the U.S. Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia in 1971. Numerous Vietnam veterans have expended countless hours to build full size replicas of their original Gun Trucks, using M35, M54, and even Army Dump Trucks as platforms, much the same as these veterans did in Vietnam. A functional display replica of the "Psychotic Reaction" Gun Truck Based on an M35A2 chassis is currently in use and being displayed at many military vehicle displays and Vietnam veteran reunions / events. The concept lived on well after the Vietnam War. El Salvador converted a number of M35 type vehicles into armored trucks in the 1980s, after successful conversions of
Magirus Deutz trucks. These vehicles were nicknamed "Mazingers" in reference to the Japanese cartoon
Mazinger Z. The Philippine Marine Corps also began converting M35 type trucks to an armored configuration by 2004. The first vehicle, dubbed "Talisman," utilized armor fabricated from derelict
LVTP5 amphibious personnel carriers. Later gun trucks were built using more standard components and bear some resemblance to U.S. military vehicles of the Vietnam era. The Philippine Marine Corps had also begun the creation of an anti-aircraft element by 2006, utilizing M35 based vehicles. Two types of vehicles have been seen so far. One utilizes the Mk 56 Mod 0 mount from the
Patrol Boat, River, with two
M2 Browning machine guns, while the other features another former naval mount with a single
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon. Colombia maintains a fleet of REO M35 "Meteoro" armored trucks. These locally fabricated armored vehicles are used to guard tourist bus caravans as well as mobile checkpoints. Early vehicles were not fabricated to any particular standard and typically hosted three weapon stations that could be fitted with a 7.62 mm (.308-cal) or .50-caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun. The weapon stations may or may not have had a gun shield on any particular vehicle. More recent examples follow a pattern with the cab and fuel tanks armored and the drop side cargo bed converted to an armored box, atop which is a "gun tower," a set of four heavily armored weapon stations, one facing each direction. .50-caliber machine guns are mounted front and back, with 7.62 mm machine guns mounted to the sides. Losses in the Meteoro fleet instigated the purchase of the
BTR-80 Caribe. In addition to the basic cargo version, tank water and fuel models were used. The CEMABLIN-(Centro de Mantenimiento de Blindados del Ejército Venezolano) locally manufactured a version of anti-air defense operations and support, thanks to all the necessary parts were stored and in perfect condition. 6 units were produced in early 1998. The
"Fénix" system was assigned to the 1103º BDAA 40mm. based at Fort Yaurepara in Zulia state. But they had problems with the tower's weight and shoot on the move. They were retired in 1998 and substituted by the AMX-13 M55/M4E1 "Ráfaga" 40mm also produced locally stored material advantage and in good condition. The
"Fénix" is a M4E1 tower, recovered from a car
M42 Duster and 2 M50 machine guns .30 caliber for Protective Part (a cylindrical tower made of welded armor plate with open top with twin mounting
Bofors 40 mm gun), mounted on a tactical platform Truck 6x6 -ton Reo M-35.
Civilian conversions . The M35-series trucks have been sold as surplus both to military vehicle collectors and to persons or organizations looking for an inexpensive truck capable of off-road operation. Users have included farmers, rural electric utilities, and fire departments. Surplus vehicles may be retained in military configuration, or modified to suit the needs of their new owners. Such modifications may include "bobbed" chassis with one of the rear axles removed, new cargo beds or boxes, fuel or water tanks, and conversion of the electrical system to 12 volts. One famous example is the "War Wagon", a bobbed M35A2 outfitted with a stepside pickup truck bed and painted in the colors of Auburn University. Its owner and builder, Terrell Glove can be seen driving the streets of Auburn, Alabama near Toomer's corner on football game days.
Localized versions The M35 is otherwise known as the M6 or the M621 in the Norwegian Military, the main difference is that the truck as standard has airlockers on all 3 axles as opposed to none on the regular M35. Furthermore, the rear of the truck is normally singled out so that it sports 6 wheels instead of the normal 10.
Weight ==Operators==