Anyone ever heard of a Buffalo LVT4?

[Handloader109]

Interesting story, a WW11 amphibious assault vehicle found buried in English countryside.

https://m.theepochtimes.com/uk-farme...?welcomeuser=1

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[john.k]

I recall in the 70s,the army sold some here in huge crates.....people bought them for the wood in the crates ,and scrapped the buffalos............I had a boat at that time ,it had the Hercules 6 cyl flathead motor from the early version....a marinized truck motor.......Early buffalos had two Hercules 6s ,later ones had the 7 cyl Continental radial.

[Wayne Smith]

log in or create an account to read this article - no thanks.

[richhodg66]

I had seen pictures of them before, seems the US stopped using them in the 1950s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Vehicle_Tracked

[Handloader109]

Here is text

UK Farmer Unearths WWII Amphibious Assault Tank That Disappeared 74 Years Ago

By Jenni Julander

May 17, 2021
A Crowland, UK, farmer recently dug up an amphibious WWII military vehicle that was buried under 30 feet of earth. Now, he is working to restore the Buffalo LVT-4—once thought to be lost to history.
An excavation involving 50 men to exhume the tank in Lincolnshire Fens has afforded farmer Daniel Abbott the opportunity to restore and display the vehicle, which, for him, has become a passion.

Daniel Abbott (L) and company stand in front of the Buffalo LVT (Courtesy of Daniel Abbott and the Crowland Buffalo LVT Association).
“It was a very emotional moment,” Abbott told The Lincolnite. “I was nervous all day as this has all been a big part of my life.”
For the past three years, Abbott has been searching for the 20-ton amphibious assault vehicle, which itself has been buried for the last 74 years.

“There were a lot of rumors flying around about the Buffaloes not being there. People told me that they’d all been recovered,” he said. “But I remember as a young child my great-grandparents telling me there were amphibious vehicles around the site.”
Cranes pull the Buffalo LVT from the excavation site. (Courtesy of Daniel Abbott and the Crowland Buffalo LVT Association) The Buffalo LVT being exhumed by an excavation crew. (Courtesy of Daniel Abbott and the Crowland Buffalo LVT Association)

Abbott studied WWII records, scoured the area, and eventually found the machine—which once had been part of a 30-vehicle operation to build a temporary dam. But in 1947, the Buffalo was washed away along with 14 other vehicles in a flood, and has been missing ever since.

With the help of Crowland Cranes, North Level Internal Drainage Board, and Tear’s Recovery, Abbott started the 5-day excavation to disentomb the amphibious vehicle from under 30 feet of earth.
The Herculean operation involved removing 4,500 tons of clay to uncover the vehicle.
Abbott told the BBC that he was “over the moon” to see it in such good condition.

“This is something I have been working on for three years, and I never dreamt in five days we would have one out above ground for people to see,” he said. “It’s in fantastic condition for its age.”
The Buffalo LVT—once ferociously armed with two functioning Browning machine guns and a Polsten cannon—will remain in Crowland, at Abbott’s insistence.
It’s believed the vehicle may have been used in the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945, a key event in WWII, making the find a truly momentous discovery.

Even more remarkable, the historic amphibious vehicle was discovered just in time for the 75th anniversary of its vanishment.

“I’ve always said I wanted to get one out in time for the 75th anniversary and we are ahead of schedule now,” said the farmer.

Crowland Buffalo Restoration & Museum—chaired by Abbot—told The Epoch Times they “are really wanting Buffalo 47 restored and preserved,” so that “everyone from nations afar will be able to see her” for years to come.
The farmer has started a GoFundMe and Facebook fundraiser to help furnish the vehicle’s restoration and preservation and hopes to one day have it displayed somewhere in town as a memorial.



Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[john.k]

The early version powered by two Hercules WXLC3s were a bit slow,and in the landing on Tarawa,they could only hold position against a 4 knot current over the reefs....making them a sitting duck for jap gunners,......After a couple of hours ,they ran out of fuel,and were washed back out to sea ,and had to be rescued........I knew a US navy officer involved with the landing on Tarawa,and it was a bit of a fiasco,but sheer force of numbers carried the day,along with the first salvo had knocked out jap HQ and killed the senior officers.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Yes, some were sent to England before and after the war. Google an E-pub titled Alligators, Buffalo's and Bushmasters you'll get the whole story. I have a link somewhere about and i i can find it ill add the link.

https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Pu...9000319000.pdf

Many Military's were interested in the Marine Corps amphibious capabilities before and after WWII. that one is a late war model with the 7 Cyl Continental aircraft engine. the earlier models had the engine in the rear, in this one the motor was pushed forward to right behind the driver and a rear exit ramp added. All the previous models the Marines had to get off by climbing over the sides.

got a ton more to add if anyone's interested. in the 80's i helped restore a later model for the museum located in Camp Pendleton

[Burnt Fingers]

The early version powered by two Hercules WXLC3s were a bit slow,and in the landing on Tarawa,they could only hold position against a 4 knot current over the reefs....making them a sitting duck for jap gunners,......After a couple of hours ,they ran out of fuel,and were washed back out to sea ,and had to be rescued........I knew a US navy officer involved with the landing on Tarawa,and it was a bit of a fiasco,but sheer force of numbers carried the day,along with the first salvo had knocked out jap HQ and killed the senior officers.

Don't forget the sheer tenacity of the Marines. Once on the beach there was no going back.

[Idaho45guy]

Here is the current version of the LVTP...

Attachment 283790

https://military-wiki.com/lvtp-7a1-a...ts-of-marines/

[Burnt Fingers]

It's always a great ride...till the first one upchucks. After that it sucks.

Diesel fumes. enclosed space, no view, rocking and rolling. Someone is going to vomit...then everyone will.

[GregLaROCHE]

Did they have any propellers or did they rely solely on the propulsion of the tracks?

[fiberoptik]

It's always a great ride...till the first one upchucks. After that it sucks.

Diesel fumes. enclosed space, no view, rocking and rolling. Someone is going to vomit...then everyone will.

I always fell asleep on my helmet over my rifle but.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[metricmonkeywrench]

The vehicle is propelled by waterjets located on each side of the vehicle driven by a power takeoff and driveshafts, steering is provided by doors that close off/divert the water flow. Reverse propulsion is achieved by closing both doors and the diverting the water thu the side vents. In the 80’s I found a few with the original Peerless Sewage Pump tag still attached.

Top water speed was 8knots on a nice day. The tracks could move the vehicle as a secondary method (doggie paddle) but speeds were way slower