"Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it"

   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #11  
"Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it"

It’s got some kind of push bar on the front. Does anyone know the intended use?
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #13  
Being an Aircraft Carrier there would be plenty of need for a push vehicle on deck. Understanding the haste and desperation of fielding a Navy I can easily see civilian resources being used.
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #14  
That痴 impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Was it normal to carry something like that into battle?

I would imagine it's a tug either for above deck aircraft or below deck freight/ammo.
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #15  
Being an Aircraft Carrier there would be plenty of need for a push vehicle on deck. Understanding the haste and desperation of fielding a Navy I can easily see civilian resources being used.
It was a hectic time in our nation's history. I can imagine using all sorts of expedient items to accomplish the tasks at hand
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #16  
And it shows the proper way to secure a tractor for transport.
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #17  
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #18  
Thatç—´ impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Was it normal to carry something like that into battle?

That is called an aircraft "tug".
Used for "spotting" aircraft on a carrier deck.

Airlines use similar tugs today for towing baggage carts.
Corporate aircraft are also moved around airports using small tugs.

Airline aircraft type tugs are much larger, for the heavier aircraft they must move.
 
   / "Free vintage tractor to anyone who wants to come get it" #19  
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FWIW...
The Hornet is a little more famous for once having 16 B-25 bombers strapped to her deck and ferried them and their crews to the South Pacific where they launched the first actual bombing raids over the nation of Japan...It was called the Doolittle raid and was depicted in the movie 'Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'

Part of the mission involved a submarine that slipped into Tokyo Bay and guided the bombers to targets see the movie 'Destination Tokyo'

other films have been made about the raid...

The Hornet continued to serve before it's demise as seen...
 
 
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