Brockway “Huskie” Missile Movers

A recent discovery in the Merrick Auto Museum archives feels more like a Cold War artifact than a typical truck brochure.

Printed in 1960 by Fuller Manufacturing Company, this issue of Transmission Topics highlights the Brockway “Huskie” missile movers, heavy-duty tractors built to transport America’s early intercontinental ballistic missiles. With its bold rocket imagery and striking design, the piece captures the urgency and optimism of the early space age.

Trucks Behind the Rockets

As the United States developed the Atlas and Titan missile programs, moving these massive rockets became a challenge of its own. According to the brochure, transport units stretched around 70 feet long, often exceeding legal width limits and requiring special permits for highway travel.

Brockway’s solution was a purpose-built tractor paired with custom trailers, allowing missiles and their support equipment to be moved efficiently across the country.

Built for Reliability

The Model 260LQM “Huskie” tractors were designed with dependability in mind—critical for such high-stakes work. Features included:

• A 513 cubic-inch, 6-cylinder engine
• Fuller 5-speed main transmission
• 2-speed auxiliary transmission
• Tandem axles for added stability

While missile hauling was their most notable role, these trucks were built for versatility across demanding applications.

A Quiet but Critical Role

The U.S. Air Force purchased 94 “Huskie” units, using them not only to haul missiles but also to transport the complex equipment needed to service them. In the words of the brochure, they helped provide a “convincing deterrent against surprise attack.”

Artifacts like this offer a glimpse into a time when even the most advanced technologies depended on powerful, reliable machines on the ground to keep everything moving.