This Technical Manual TM 5-3895-217-20 covers the Seaman-Gunnison Model MTD Liquid Bituminous Distributor, identified under FSN 3895-767-0247, and is dated May 1961. For collectors of U.S. Army technical manuals, military road-construction equipment references, Cold War engineer material, and dated government publications, this is a strong period document tied to a specialized piece of Army support equipment.
Because this is a -20 technical manual, it belongs to the organizational maintenance side of Army documentation. Manuals in this category were intended to support inspection, servicing, adjustment, repair, and maintenance procedures at the unit level. That gives this publication more technical value than a simple operator reference and makes it especially useful for collectors, researchers, and restorers who want original service-era documentation.
The Seaman-Gunnison Model MTD Liquid Bituminous Distributor
The Seaman-Gunnison Model MTD Liquid Bituminous Distributor belongs to the broader family of military engineer, road-construction, and field-support equipment. As identified by its nomenclature, it is a liquid bituminous distributor, placing it squarely in the support side of Army operations rather than in the category of conventional weapons or combat vehicles.
Equipment in this class was associated with road surfacing, pavement maintenance, construction support, and surface-treatment operations where controlled application of liquid bituminous material was essential. In military service, machines like this supported engineer units, base development, route maintenance, airfield work, and other field-support tasks where dependable road-construction and infrastructure equipment was required.
For collectors, that makes this manual especially interesting because it documents the technical side of Cold War military support equipment rather than more commonly seen combat hardware. It also has strong crossover appeal for anyone interested in military construction machinery, road-building equipment, and U.S. Army engineer support systems. The inclusion of FSN 3895-767-0247 also adds cataloging value for collectors who prefer manuals with a specific government stock-number reference rather than only general nomenclature.
What This Manual Covers
As an organizational maintenance technical manual, TM 5-3895-217-20 would have been intended to support the service and upkeep of the Seaman-Gunnison Model MTD Liquid Bituminous Distributor at the unit-maintenance level.
In practical terms, a manual like this is especially relevant for:
That makes it valuable not only as a collectible, but also as a practical reference for anyone studying how the Army maintained road-construction and bituminous distribution equipment during the early Cold War period.
Historical Significance
The date May 1961 places this publication in the early Cold War period, when the U.S. military maintained extensive technical literature covering not only weapons and vehicles, but also the engineer and construction equipment required to build, improve, and maintain military infrastructure. Manuals like this reflect a period when Army documentation extended into every part of the logistical chain, including road-construction equipment, maintenance tools, and field-support systems.
For collectors and historians, this manual is especially relevant to subjects such as:
Because it covers a specialized liquid bituminous distributor rather than a more common tactical vehicle or weapon system, it also adds variety to collections that already include standard ordnance or maintenance manuals.
About This Manual
This listing is for Technical Manual TM 5-3895-217-20 for the Seaman-Gunnison Model MTD Liquid Bituminous Distributor, identified under FSN 3895-767-0247 and dated May 1961.
It is especially well suited for:
Because manuals were working documents, surviving examples are valued not only for their content, but also for their connection to real military maintenance and support practice.
Why This Manual Matters
Many military manuals focus on operator use or more visible front-line equipment. This one is useful because it documents the organizational maintenance structure behind a military liquid bituminous distributor used for engineer and road-support work. That makes it especially relevant for collectors who want to preserve the broader technical and logistical picture of Army operations rather than only combat hardware.
For collectors, it is a solid stand-alone Cold War technical manual with a specialized subject focus. For researchers, it offers a useful reference point for Army road-construction equipment documentation and maintenance practice. For museums, it helps explain the behind-the-scenes machinery that supported route maintenance, paving operations, and field engineering work.
Ideal For
This manual is a strong fit for:
Approx length 10", Approx width 8", Approx height .2", Approx weight 1lbs.
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