International 30 and 50 Series Tractors: Technical Details and Market Episode 8 Battles of a Giant

The International 30 and 50 Series line of tractors was the result of year's of research and development by International Harvester. In this dive into the technical details about the machines, you'll learn about the machines and see archival images of the tractors. This segment features commentary from IH retirees Gerry Salzman, Roger Lewno, and Vaughn Allen. All the tractor models are included: the 3088, 3288, 3688, 5088, 5288, and 5488. The "Battles of a Giant" Video Series covers IH in the 1970s and 1980s. BATTLES OF A GIANT EPISODE LIST Episode One – International 1970s Four-Wheel-Drive Tractor Market Episode Two – The Axial Flow Combine Episode Three – 1977: International Harvester’s New Leader, Archie McCardell Episode Four – The International 2+2 Launch: The 3388 and 3588 Emerge Episode Five – Tractor Spies Episode Six – Tractor Skunk Works: International Harvester’s Engineering Research Center Episode Seven – Harvester's Tipping Point: 1979-1981 Episode Eight – International 30 and 50 Series Tractors Episode Nine – The New Number One – The 1982 50 Series Launch Episode Ten – The Last Days of International Harvester ABOUT THE SERIES In this series of videos, author Lee Klancher and several former International Harvester leaders--Vaughn Allen, Kelly Kravig, Gerry Salzman, and Don Watt--will delve into the cataclysm of forces that drove IH to develop an incredible array of new technology while facing the brink of bankruptcy. Travel from the heady days of the Axial-Flow introduction and the boom of ’79, into the dawn of the farm crisis. This was the most dynamic and challenging time in IH history, and Lee and his guests will take you back with photos and clips from the time period. Don’t miss this enlightening hour that provides context to why International Harvester failed in 1984—as well as the technology that was built during the time that would help build the Magnum tractor. This presentation was recorded at the IHCC Winter Convention in Fort Worth, Texas held on March 6th, 2025. ABOUT THE PANELISTS Lee Klancher is an award-winning author and photographer, and the publisher and founder of Octane Press. Vaughn Allen began his career with International Harvester Company in 1972, holding various field positions in Kansas and Nebraska before being promoted to Regional Service Manager in Kansas City in 1976. In 1979, he accepted a position in Chicago World headquarters as Director of Ag Division Service Sales and in 1988 joined the Truck Division where he held various executive positions. In 2013 after nearly 45 years of service, he retired as Vice President of Global Service Operations. Vaughn and his wife, Nancy, have three married children and five grandchildren. They returned to Kansas City in 2019, where Vaughn spends time on his farm and history projects with the company historian. Gerry Salzman retired from Case IH in 2014 as Senior Director, Global Marketing, after 42 years of service with International Harvester and Case IH. In his final role with Case IH, Gerry was responsible for all worldwide product marketing activities for Case IH harvesting equipment. He also is a patent award recipient. Salzman has served on the U.S. Grains Council and the Agri-Business Forum. In 2012, Salzman received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Council and was only the sixth recipient in 50 years to be recognized. As a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program, he was honored with the inaugural Torch of Leadership award in 2014. In 2020, Gerry received the Distinguished Alumni recognition from the Western Illinois University School of Agriculture. Salzman holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Western Illinois University. He served six years in the U.S. Army Reserves. In 2015, he co-authored the book Red Combines with Lee Klancher. Gerry and Judy have two children, Amanda, Adam and five grandchildren. Roger Lewno was a product specialist with IH and Case IH for decades. He has helped thousands of customers learn about the new technology on their machines.