M561 Gama Goat
The Gama Goat was developed
as an all terrain cargo, troop
carrier, ambulance. No doubt
that the conflict in SE asia
during the time that this vehicle
was developed and deployed was
the inspiration to have a 5/4
truck that could succesfully
negotiate a wide varity of
terrain, cross rugged ditchs and
even drive/float across fairly
calm bodies of water.
The M561 has gotten a bad rap
from GI's for being a maintence
intense vehicle, but my personal
opinion is that the average
motorpool mechanic was
daunted by the strange
engineering of this vehicle
conpared to more conventional
trucks. Yes there seems to be
endless U-joint and grease points
but with proper care I think the
goat is and amazingly versitile
off road vehicle capable of
compeating with modern civilian
rock crawling 4X4s and mud
trucks for being able to get just
about anywhere that the wheels
will grip.
There is very little middle
ground in opinions about the
"GOAT", Folks either love it or
hate it. In this case beauty is
defenantly in the eye of the
beholder, and to me tha M561 is
so ugly its beautiful!
as an all terrain cargo, troop
carrier, ambulance. No doubt
that the conflict in SE asia
during the time that this vehicle
was developed and deployed was
the inspiration to have a 5/4
truck that could succesfully
negotiate a wide varity of
terrain, cross rugged ditchs and
even drive/float across fairly
calm bodies of water.
The M561 has gotten a bad rap
from GI's for being a maintence
intense vehicle, but my personal
opinion is that the average
motorpool mechanic was
daunted by the strange
engineering of this vehicle
conpared to more conventional
trucks. Yes there seems to be
endless U-joint and grease points
but with proper care I think the
goat is and amazingly versitile
off road vehicle capable of
compeating with modern civilian
rock crawling 4X4s and mud
trucks for being able to get just
about anywhere that the wheels
will grip.
There is very little middle
ground in opinions about the
"GOAT", Folks either love it or
hate it. In this case beauty is
defenantly in the eye of the
beholder, and to me tha M561 is
so ugly its beautiful!
