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International Harvester HS

Built: 1943–1944 · Series: Holzgas

More machines from model year 1943

Source: storage.googleapis.com
With the HS, International Harvester offers a model from the Holzgas series. Production: 1943–1944. The engine delivers 15 hp (11 kW), has 4 cylinders, with a displacement of 2,043 cm³. Rated speed is 1,650 rpm. The machine is 3,500 mm long, 2,000 mm wide and 1,900 mm high. The wheelbase measures 1,990 mm. Ground clearance is 335 mm. Top speed is 5 km/h. Transmission: 3V/1R. The engine is water-cooled. Tyres: front 635 x 115, rear 1370 x 150. The fuel is Holz. The bore measures 80 mm. The stroke is 101.6 mm. Around 144 (HG/HS) units were built. Rated output across the International Harvester range ranges from 13.4 to 335 hp; the HS sits at the bottom of that range with 15 hp. Its immediate neighbours are the DLD 2 below it with 14 hp and the 8-16 Junior above it with 16.2 hp. Rated output across the International Harvester range ranges from 9.9 to 246.4 kW; here the HS sits at the bottom of that range with 11 kW. 391 International Harvester models across 45 series are on record.

International Harvester Holzgas HG and HS – wartime tractors from Neuss with a wood-gas generator instead of fuel, four-cylinder engine of 2,043 cm³ and 11 kW

During the war years fuel shortages forced even International Harvester to convert tractors to wood gas: a generator gasifies wood or charcoal into a combustible gas that drives the petrol engine in place of liquid fuel. The HG and HS types from the Neuss plant represent these wartime versions, with a four-cylinder engine of 2,043 cm³ and 11 kW at 1,650 rpm. The switch to wood gas was not an IH peculiarity but affected numerous German makers of cars, trucks and tractors alike during the war, since liquid fuel was reserved mainly for the armed forces. After the merger with Case in 1985, the Neuss site remained a plant for combine harvesters.

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The register lists 2 versions of 11 kW each from a four-cylinder engine of 2,043 cm³ at 1,650 rpm, a length of 3,500 mm, a width of 2,000 mm and a height of 1,900 mm.

Wood-gas tractors such as the HG and HS kept farming running during fuel rationing, but lost markedly in power and responsiveness compared with running on liquid fuel, and disappeared from the market quickly once the war ended.

Surviving examples are museum rarities today; on a used example what counts is the originality of the wood-gas generator and its filters, the condition of the converted carburettor and rust on the bodywork and chassis, with parts available in practice only through collectors and reproduction.

Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: International Harvester Holzgas

Technical data

Engine

FuelHolzcorrect
Power15 hp (11 kW)correct
Rated speed1,650 rpmcorrect
Cylinders4correct
Displacement2,043 cm³correct
Bore80 mmcorrect
Stroke101.6 mmcorrect
Coolingwater-cooledcorrect

Dimensions and weights

Length3,500 mmcorrect
Width2,000 mmcorrect
Height1,900 mmcorrect
Wheelbase1,990 mmcorrect
Ground clearance335 mmcorrect

Drivetrain and chassis

Driverear-wheel drivecorrect
Gearbox3V/1Rcorrect
Front tyres635 x 115correct
Rear tyres1370 x 150correct
Top speed5 km/hcorrect

Origin and approval

Units built144 (HG/HS)correct

Frequently asked questions

How much power does the International Harvester HS have?

The International Harvester HS delivers 15 hp.

What engine does the International Harvester HS have?

4 cylinders, 2,043 cm³ displacement, Holz.

How fast does the International Harvester HS go?

Top speed is 5 km/h.

What are the dimensions of the International Harvester HS?

3,500 mm × 2,000 mm × 1,900 mm.

When was the International Harvester HS built?

Production years: 1943–1944.

What to check before buying

  • Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
  • Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
  • Check front and rear tyre sizes: mismatched pairs strain the drivetrain.
  • Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
  • Load the hydraulics and watch for sag.
  • Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.

A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.

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This page carries 20 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.

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Other models in this series

HG

Sources: Wikibooks Traktorenlexikon (CC BY-SA 4.0) (retrieved August 2026) · Values adopted and presented in our own form; changes from the source are possible. · How we check the data

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