After the end of WW2, the M62 Recovery Vehicle was developed in the US to replace the Diamond T969 and Ward LaFrance M1, The Austin Western hydraulic crane installed on the chassis had a hoisting capacity of 20000 lbs, first prototypes were tested in 1952. The Continental R6602 6-cylinder gasoline engine delivered 196 HP from 9.87 liters volume, however fuel consumption was a major concern as with all of the other gasoline engines of the time (approximately one liter per kilometer). A 10-t winch in the front and a 20-t winch in the rear of the vehicle provided excellent recovery performance.
Our vehicle was produced in 1962 and started its service with the Austrian army on April 2 1963, probably in the Tyrol area. After its retirement from active army service on December 13 1994 it was still used by a civilian recovery company in Tyrol until 2002.
