If you delve a little into the history of American tank building, then sooner or later you will stumble upon a wondrous and iridescent name - "Marmont-Herrington". Not to say very melodic, but intriguing. It is especially intriguing by the fact that they made tanks and armored vehicles, and which, when and how much is unclear. Well, you think I'll figure it out somehow … But how long should I put it off? This is it, this is "later". So, let me present to your attention - the story of the American Marmont family and design engineer Arthur Herrington.
Nordyke, Ham & Company
It all began in 1851 in Richmond, Indiana, where Ellis Nordike first himself, and then, together with his son Adisson, began to manufacture flour milling equipment for mills. The plant was tiny, the volumes were small, but the matter was arguing. Already by 1858 Nordyke was able to produce a complete set of turnkey equipment, the company was renamed E. & A. H. Nordyke. Around the same years, a young boy, Daniel Marmont, was spinning at the plant, spending his childhood with interest, so to speak. Having matured and graduated from Earlham College, Daniel returned in 1866 with a business proposal to buy out part of the business. The Nordics agreed. The "kid" Marmont was only 22 years old at the time.
Nordyke, Marmon & Company 1866-1926
This is how the newly formed concern began to be called. Production expanded, volumes increased, and by 1870 Nordike and Marmont became the leading manufacturers of flour milling equipment in the United States. In 1875, the firm moved to Indianapolis, where land and labor were cheaper, better for business, and more room for expansion. The idyll continues right up to 1926, when the company (only that part of it that is responsible for the mills) is completely bought out by the Allis-Chalmers concern, and the history of mills ends there. Daniel Marmont himself died in 1909. But…
However, Mr. Daniel had two sons: the elder Walter and the younger Howard. At the turn of the century, they both became actively involved in the family business. And if the elder gravitated towards managerial affairs and took over the reins of power after the death of his father, then the younger went along the path of engineering. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in mechanical engineering, Howard was appointed chief engineer at the age of only 23. And not for dad's position, but for his bright little head. Mills are, of course, a profitable business and a serious position, but youth is youth.
The son of a rich father, and he himself is quite a respectable young man, gets a personal car. The car, of course, is not for the middle class - a luxury car, in which the talented engineer was greatly disappointed. Well, it would be fine just an engineer, but here is an engineer who has three factories at hand, where he is in charge … Howard just took it and in 1902 began to make his own cars.
Nordyke, Marmon & Company (automotive division) 1902-1926
This is how a new direction of activity was born. Taking it right off the bat, the young guy makes the first car with a two-cylinder V-engine with the active use of aluminum parts and a rather progressive design.
Having tested the ideas on the first-born, in 1904 Howard already made a four-cylinder car (20 hp) Marmon Model A with air cooling and the world's first forced lubrication system under pressure. An oil pump appears in automotive history. Here we are already talking about a series, 6 copies were made and sold.
Then a similar Model B was born with a slightly improved engine (24 hp). 25 of these have already been made and each sold for $ 2,500. Well, off we go. You can still talk a lot about these marvelous cars, but Voennoye Obozreniye is not Behind the Wheel. I will note only the most prominent successes of the family in the automotive field.
So, it was the racing modification of the Marmon 32, nicknamed the Wasp, that won the first Indianapolis 500 race in American history in 1911. It was also first built according to the "monocoque" scheme, and rear-view mirrors were used there for the first time.
In 1916, the Marmon 34 broke the Cadillac record for a coast-to-coast voyage across the United States. Beaten seriously, at 41 o'clock, sales skyrocketed.
1917, received a contract for the manufacture of 5,000 Liberty L-12 aircraft engines (developed jointly by Packard engineers and Hall-Scott Motor Co.).
Howard in 1927 began to develop the world's first V-16 engine, but due to financial difficulties, it was not until 1931 that the Marmon Sixteen model was put into production. Chrysler and Peerless at that time had already produced their V-16s, developed, by the way, by former engineers of the same Marmont.
Aluminum, aluminum everywhere and everywhere, they became the pioneers of the mass introduction of light metal in the automotive industry.
Marmon Motor Car Co. 1926-1933
The First World War ended, where Howard volunteered and managed to rise to the rank of Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. Europe was slowly dying out, while the American economy was reeling in the meantime. To improve matters, Walter, the older brother, had to sell the milling division of the firm and reorganize the car factory under a new name. The younger one plunged headlong into technical reorganization and preparation for the release of new models.
Largely thanks to the successful Marmon Little and Roosvelt (the world's first car equipped with an in-line eight, at a cost of less than $ 1,000), the office remained afloat and began to slowly increase its pace, but then the Great Depression broke out. The threat of poverty looms over the Marmons again. In 1933, the production of luxury cars finally ceased, donating over 250 thousand cars to the Americans over the years.
The Great Depression is no joke, it was hard, and the Marmont brothers were desperately looking for a way out of the situation. Let's take a closer look at what happened. During the depression, demand for expensive cars dropped significantly. Large concerns simply increased the production of cheap equipment to the detriment of top models. Marmons did not have such an opportunity. Rather, they had relatively inexpensive cars, but in conditions when the buyer counts every penny, it is no longer up to the "prestige of the brand", but to compete in price with monsters such as Ford … Well, in short, amba. Since it doesn't work with roads, the brothers' gaze turned towards off-road technology, and in those years, I must say, four-wheel drive was not honored, it was little used, little produced, but the competition was much less. Mr. Arthur William Sidney Herrington turned up very well …
Arthur William Sidney Herrington (1891-1970)
Born in 1891 in England and at the age of 5 he came to the USA, where he grew up, unlearned, worked for Harley-Davidson. From the beginning of the First World War, he served in the army until about 1927 and rose to the rank of captain. Resigned with a promotion to Major. He has never been a colonel, a respectful nickname that he received while working as chief engineer of the transportation department of the American military department. While working as a military engineer, he shows a significant interest in the standardization of trucks and the development of new four-wheel drive chassis. After leaving the army, he worked closely with the Coleman firm and even worked with them since 1928 as the general manager of the Eastern Branch.
Coleman C-25 (4x4). It is Arthur Herrington who is the admissions officer for this truck. The car was brought to mind under his direct supervision, so it is rightfully considered one of the first Herrington models.
QMC. Serving in the Quartermaster Corps of the US Army (QMC), he takes an active part in the development of technology and patents for a light TTL 4x4 on a 40-horsepower Liberty chassis (well, they love that they all have liberty) a drive and steer wheel drive system with a continuous axle and ball CV joints - Rzeppa. QMC - they independently produce a whole line (more than 60) of various types of trucks, again, not without the help of Mr. Herrington.
Marmon-Herrington Company Inc. 1931-1963
Geniuses should not vegetate in obscurity, and talent should not be wasted. In the 30th year, Herrington thinks about an independent career outside the military department, and then the Marmont company, gurgling with escaping air, turned up just in time for him. Thus, a new concern was born - Marmon-Herrington. Which immediately receives an order for the manufacture of 33 aviation tankers. Indeed, Arthur is the head of the trucks, Howard is the lieutenant colonel of aviation in the reserve … Bamts - trucks for aircraft. But the company almost did not deal with this kind of technology before. Almost, because there was a small delivery truck at the base of Marmon 34.
As a basis, Arthur takes his developments from QMC. The tanker was a success, and things seemed to start to get into a fight. In the first half of the 30s, the company produces a number of all-wheel drive trucks of the TN series for various purposes. The newly-minted office successfully mastered new equipment for itself, expanded the line, and just during this period began to make tankettes and armored vehicles. In the meantime, the government has prepared another "subtlety" in the form of a ban for QMC to engage in the development and production of technology, leaving only standardization. Ford, GMC and Chrysler immediately entered the niche. By 1935, government orders dried up as military modifications to Ford trucks were cheaper. Marmons again found themselves on the edge, but even then a way was found. Fords did not produce four-wheel drive versions, so Marmon-Herrington, having come to a general agreement, began retooling Ford trucks, practically stopping the production of its own models. What is important - the converted equipment was sold throughout the country through the Ford dealer network. This allowed the first to expand the model range, and the Marmons provided unlimited opportunities for the sale of their products. In total, by 1940, the company offered about 70 all-wheel drive models and their modifications based on Ford cars.
Not to say that things were going very well, but still going. Foreign customers, including Iran, the South African Union, Great Britain and even the USSR, helped out.
After the war, Ford quietly refuses to cooperate with an old partner and the Marmons have to survive on "whatever they have to". Even trolleybuses and many different specialized equipment based on trucks appear in the production line.
In 1963, the company split into Marmon and Marmon-Herrington, both of which continue to flourish today. The former does everything, while the latter continues to supply drive axles and transmissions, including to ancient truck builders such as Oshkosh.
The most interesting models
If you write about all their technique, then the book will work. Let's try to narrow the circle down to the most interesting models produced under the Marmon-Herrington label.
Trucks
Semi-hood two-axle all-wheel drive truck supplied to the USSR under Lend-Lease, where it was used as a chassis for Katyushas
Designed specifically for action in the Sahara Desert. With a single-slope rear busbar and a canopy cab roof. It was also equipped with an enhanced cooling system. Delivered to Britain (and not only this model) at the beginning of the war, later there were cheaper four-wheel drive Chevrolet and Dodge. The workhorse of the African theater of operations.
Three-axle and two-axle truck tractors are notable for the fact that they were used by Nairn to organize transport between Damascus and Baghdad. This big story of a small transport revolution is a separate and very interesting topic. Both tractors were powered by Hercules diesel engines (a rare rarity in the USA in 1933) with 175 hp.
Jeep's great-grandfather. Four-wheel drive vehicle based on a Ford monochromatic chassis. Can be called the first "parquet" SUV. Although, of course, on the frame, then everything was on the frame.
Half-track truck based on a Ford lorry. Another experiment of the company. Everything is clear with the front axle, but the rear tracked part turned out to be overweight.
In the T9E1 model, the rollers were made lighter, and the rubber-metal caterpillar. The military liked it, but the one and a half ton chassis was considered too light and irrational for this type of propulsion device. But the Canadian gunners ate and asked for supplements, that is, they used it.
Special equipment
A very interesting floating all-terrain vehicle designed by Ellie Achnids. It took 14 years from idea to implementation. The Marmont-Herrington firm did not directly participate in the development, but it implemented the project in metal, so in fact it is Marmont. A strange-looking tadpole amphibian was capable of accelerating to 70 km / h, was driven by a 110 strong Ford (well, what else) engine and weighed about 4 tons. She did not fall on board even when tilted at 75 degrees, and used a water cannon to move through the water. In total, two prototypes were built, one of which has survived to this day. The idea was not further developed.
Armored cars
In 1934-35, an order was received from Persia (Iran) for a batch of TN300-4 multipurpose chassis and staff vehicles and armored vehicles built on their basis. 310 is this very armored car. There is little information about him and they are scattered. It is known that this machine was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, but did not pass them, but the Persian buyers liked it. Initially, the turret armament was supposed to consist of a 37-mm cannon and a machine gun, but in the export version it was planned to replace the turret with a Bofors production. Bulletproof armor, crew of 3, Hercules 115 hp engine. The experimental car left and its further fate is unknown, as is the exact number of produced ones. On one Polish site there is a photo with as many as 11 pieces, so if this is not a photomontage, of course, some series is present. This is perhaps the company's first dedicated combat vehicle.
Alf
An armored car originally developed in 1932 by the FWD Auto Company for the next military competition. The machine turned out to be interesting for its advanced layout, four-wheel drive, turret armament (1 0.50 and 1 0.30 machine guns), as well as a 0.30 caliber machine gun in the frontal hull sheet, and appearance. Testing at the Aberdeen Proving Ground from January to July. Despite the successful layout, the armored car was pursued by technical failures. The first "correction of errors" was entrusted to Marmon-Herrington, hence T11E1 - theirs, and now T11E2 - again FWD. Such is the confusion, although not surprising for US armor. A total of 6 copies were made. There is not a word about FWD in Russian-language resources, it is believed that this is a purely Marmon model.
Reconnaissance armored car, developed in 1935. Several have been sold to Iran, China and Venezuela. Naturally tested in the American army. In principle, I liked it. The army re-indexed it to T13 and ordered 38 vehicles made in non-armored steel for training the National Guard.
DHT-5
A very mysterious half-track model. It is present on the company's brochure, there are a couple of photos on the Internet, but there is essentially zero information. It is interesting that a turret was installed on the machine, which was later rearranged to the M22 Locust, nee T9. The labeling is probably wrong.
Manipurable tracked tractors like the Vickers Gun Carrier. Designed for towing light weapons, well, and everything else not heavy. Equipped with a Ford V8 engine. TBS45. Appeared on a 1944 company brochure. There are data on 330 ordered machines. The Netherlands ordered 285 pieces of thirty. They fought in Java.
What has not been invented on the basis of a monophonic Ford chassis! So it is with this car. In the late 30s, Belgium ordered tractors for 47-mm anti-tank guns for its army. The Marmons took it and built an armored tug, which was quite good for its time. 68 built units arrived just in time for the German invasion and were inherited by the Germans in almost complete and intact composition. The Teutonic genius also took a liking to the machine, but unification is such a unification … So it didn't pull the guns, but it served the artillery spotters on the front line faithfully. Another 40 vehicles left for the Dutch East Indies army in 1940. They took part in repelling the Japanese landing at the beginning of 1942.
These armored cars are described in sufficient detail in this article.
Tanks
Here we are with you and got to the very pulp. Until the tanks. Having good production capacities and dealing with heavy equipment, it is quite reasonable that Marmon-Herington wanted to try themselves on the tank path. Moreover, both the army and foreign customers had a certain interest. The first attempts were made in the mid-30s. The products were primarily oriented towards export.
Combat Tank Light. The first sample, built in 1935. The car turned out to be primitive and small. An armored box with an armored jacket and a machine gun sticking out in the frontal sheet. By European standards - a wedge heel, by American standards - a barbette tank. Bulletproof armor, 110 hp engine, 2-man crew and nothing particularly outstanding. Angloviki writes that they were developed for Poland, but the Poles turned up the tankette. There is also information that several units were bought by Persia, which was Iran. The design was most likely based on a tracked tractor.
Well, since it was possible to sell the first-born, then further research began. The second model was distinguished by slightly enhanced armor and road wheels, the essence remained the same and the matter did not go further than the prototype.
Perhaps the first combat vehicle designed and built by an American company for the individual order of another country. The thing is that the Mexican government in 1937 became interested in CTL-1, 2 and even wanted a couple, but modified. But it turned out to be something completely new. The wedge repeated the CTL only with a very shortened hull, but the armor increased from 6 to 12 mm. The tank later received the title of the shortest combat vehicle in the world (length - 1.83m; width - 1.9m; height - 1.6m). The armament consisted of 2 machine guns 7, 62 in the frontal plate. Either 4, or 5 vehicles were manufactured and handed over to the customer, where they were in service until 1942, after which they were replaced by the M5.
Suddenly. The newly formed United States Marine Corps turned its sights on Marmont tanks. The scarcity of equipment for the amphibious assault, especially in terms of delivery vehicles to the shore, made it necessary to look for armor easier. From what was available by 1935, everything was heavy, but the CTL could easily have been packed by weight of 3 tons. Well, the work began to boil. Initially, the army TZ included a cannon, and protection from large-caliber machine guns, and so that everything weighed up to three tons. After much debate, the military changed their minds, and the result was CTL-3. Almost the same as the second model, only the armament was increased by one 12, 7 mm machine gun (a total of three machine guns for two tankers). By the beginning of 1937, all five ordered machines had been manufactured and delivered.
The results of military operation, as well as the large amphibious exercises FLEX-4, revealed a number of shortcomings, which the marmons tried to eliminate. The modified model changed the index, received wider tracks, reinforced suspension and a Hercules engine with a capacity of 124 hp. The delivery of five more vehicles to service stretched right up to mid-1939. By this time, delivery vehicles had improved significantly, and there was no longer such an obvious need for strict weight restrictions.
In early 1940, the 1st Marine Tank Company of 5 CTL-3 and 5 CTL-3A, as well as one M2A4 borrowed for comparison, took part in the FLEX-6 exercise. According to the results of M2A4, they were rejected due to the undercarriage unstable to sea water, and of the Marmon ones, only CTL-3A was recognized as being limited. Marmon-Herrington was commissioned to develop two machines at once, one light up to 5, 7 tons. by the type of predecessors, and an average tower with three crew members and a mass of 8, 2 tons. At the same time, the existing tanks were brought to a single standard - CTL-3M, replacing the spring in the suspension with springs, and also replacing the large-caliber machine gun with 7, 62.
The last barbette tank of the company. Again, just a modified predecessor. The armor was thickened to 11 mm (except for the engine hatch), the engine was changed, and the road wheels were unified with the M2A4. And so, all the same 3 machine guns for 2 crews. The Marines, in turn, despaired of seeing a normal tank from the Marmons, slowly curtailed cooperation and ordered only 20 vehicles, which began to arrive in the unit from May 41st. There was already a war on the street, but the CTL-6 was lucky, and they fought in the Pacific Islands until the age of 43 without any battles or losses, after which they were safely replaced by the M3.
Well, since it is not suitable without a turret, then do not throw away a completely suitable chassis. Remember, the Marmons were instructed to develop a light tank up to 5, 7 tons, and so they took their wedges and stuck the turret on top, well, played with the dimensions a bit. The suspension was already like the 3M with vertical springs instead of springs. The Marines wanted a diesel engine, because unification and all the cases, well, they supplied them with a Hercules DXRB for 124 horses. Armament in general paragraph. In addition to the three 7, 62 machine guns in the frontal plate, 2 more Browning 12, 7mm were placed in the turret. And all this is good for 3 crew members. Well, such a decision is frankly thoughtless. Well, we got what we fought for. CSKA cheerfully continued to buy M2 and M3, and CTL-3TBD produced in an experimental amount of 5 copies. All five left for Samoa, where the war ended for them in 1943.
Suddenly, in our tank epic, Holland appears in the person of the Dutch East Indies. And it was like this. Closer to the 40s, the Dutch government ordered a lot of Vickers Model 1936 from Great Britain, but due to the entry of the British into the war, the supply was broken, the customers were stabbed. The British used the requisitioned vehicles as training vehicles, mockingly calling them "Dutch".
There are no tanks, you want tanks, so you have to look for them. Everyone has a war, everyone has government orders, and only Marmont-Herrington is waving her CTLs forlornly. On armorlessness and a wedge - a tank. The CTL-6 was taken as a basis, increasing the booking to 25 mm (not everywhere), only the customer wanted a machine-gun turret, and not just a turret, but with an offset one, and the turret was shifted to the right on some of the vehicles, and to the left on the second. Accordingly, the governing bodies were changed places. The Indian … or Indian trick was that the tower did not provide circular fire and the tanks were planned to be used in pairs. I directly represent this ballet. Left-head car - CTLS-4TAC, right-head - CTLS-4TAY. I don’t know, the reason is not constructive, because on the CTL-3TBD the tower stood boldly in the center … Those were interesting times.
So, the order flew in as much as 234 units and the marmons sat down a little, because they never did so much. But money is everything and work is in full swing. It was planned to close the supply by the end of 1941, but only 20 (or 24) vehicles reached the colony. And now they are the first of the company's tanks to fight, albeit unsuccessfully. During the surrender of the East Indies, another 50 brand new CTLS-4s were on their way there, so that they did not go to waste in vain, where they were used as training ones (there is a version that a Japanese submarine drowned this party along with the ship). Another 28 went to Dutch Guiana, where they served without incident.
The remaining cars were confiscated by the US government and also sent to training units. Assessing the tanks as quite suitable for combat service, they ordered another 240 units, which they wanted to transfer to Kuomintang China, but the latter abandoned such dashing armored vehicles and all 240 remained at home to guard the Aleutian Islands and Alaska. In service with the United States, the tanks were re-indexed as T14 / T16, left-hand drive, right-hand drive, respectively.
TAC
While the tragic events for Holland had not yet come to pass, they turned to Marmon-Herrington not only for light, but also for medium tanks. The one who pays is the one who calls the tune, the Americans decided and got down to business. Taking the CTL-3TBD as a basis (this is the first one with a turret), we went according to the old scheme: enhanced booking, a new engine (174 hp) and a gearbox, and a 37 mm rapid-fire cannon and a coaxial machine gun were installed in the turret. Only 2 machine guns were left in the frontal sheet. Again, an ambitious order was received for 194 tanks. Either 28, or 31 units reached the customer. Nothing is known for certain about participation in battles. About 30 machines, manufactured but not shipped before the surrender of the East Indies, were requisitioned by the US government and later sold to Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala and Mexico. Some TBDs lasted until the 50s.
Wow, how they like to turn letters and numbers in indices. Hot on the heels, they took the predecessor, installed a 240 horsepower engine, increased frontal booking to 25 mm, and also enlarged the turret and installed twin 37mm cannons and a machine gun there. The crew also grew to 4 tankers, the weight also increased to 20 tons. We also welded on 2 brackets for anti-aircraft machine guns. The maximum quantity is 7, 62 - 8 pieces, but in practice no more than 4. The Dutch liked it again, and again they said, "Give me two hundred." In reality, only 20. The design, despite its formidable appearance, turned out to be unviable, the expected increase in the practical rate of fire did not occur. It would be much wiser to install one, but more powerful artillery system.
This is perhaps the most successful and high-quality car of the company. I will not repeat myself once again, there is a quite worthy article about Locust already.
The only thing to note is that the T22 markings are American, and the Locust is British, it is somewhat incorrect to use them in pairs.
Afterword
What can I say? Good company, good technology. They did not work out very well with tanks, but here you can see that when the company itself, with its own mind, tries to do something good, it does not always work out. Only the M22 turned out to be successful as a result of the work of civil engineers in a tight pairing with military specialists. And the same MTLS or CTLS-4 could well turn into something worthwhile, if they passed thoughtful government tests with careful work on mistakes. But this is all now history, the history of American tanks, so original, fascinating and damn complicated.
