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Wireless Mk 2


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I have the records for Alexander Coachbuilders at Falkirk and in 1963 they bodied a number of wireless vans for the MOD.

 

Unlike most of the other output from this outfit, there are no photos - can anybody give me an idea of what these vehicles were and an illustration. They are described as Wireless Mk 2.

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Have you any idea what the basic vehicle was & how many may have been modified? There were some interesting developments in 1963, without knowing a tiny bit more I don't want to jump to conclusions. Is there anything in the records that mentions numbers prefixed by FV?

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The term "Wireless Light" has a resonance for me as it immediately suggests "Truck, 1 Ton, CT, 4x4, Humber, Wireless Light" which was designated FV1604(A).

 

These were produced from about 1958 & there were about 300 of them.

 

"Wireless Light Mk II" suggests a further development of the Humber. I know some were modified for the Corporal missile system but that was introduced in 1959.

 

The contract number, is it prefixed by any letters? I only have details of Humber contracts for the basic chassis not for bodywork.

 

Given the suffix might one conclude there were 390 such modifications? I'm not aware of any special bodies having appeared on the Humber, yet I think it must be Humber related as I believe it was the only vehicle of the time with a "Wireless Light" designation.

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Registration Numbers - examples 47BG02, 91BN68, 70BG98.

 

 

 

 

These are all Austin, 1 Ton, K9, FFR

 

Not been aware of them being referred to Wireless Light before though

 

App2597.jpg

Edited by fv1609
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Wireless Light was one of the variants of the radio body on the FFR K9, I'm sure I've got references to it somewhere.

 

IIRC one of the original FFR bodies on the K9 was an open cargo type. Could this be from conversion of these to van type bodies?

 

I have half an idea I might have owned 70 BG 98 at one time...

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Sean the picture I posted was from the 1954 User Handbook - but maybe that was the Mk 1 body?

 

I have some FVRDE Design Specs for some K9 variants, I'll look up & see if I have the Wireless Body.

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I now have in front of me the 1953 FVRDE Design Spec 9533 & I see it is indeed called "Wireless Light" I'm afraid I just have a one track (Humber) mind!

 

Full designation "Truck, 1 Ton 4x4 G.S. (Austin) Wireless Light (FV16003)"

 

Sean you are right as I also have FVRDE Design Spec 9574 which is for the Cargo FFW (FV16002)

 

It would be interesting to see how the Mk 2 spec differs from the 1953 version. Whether it was an improvement or whether as Sean suggests a comparable body fitted to the existing FV16002.

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Clive, at one time I could have gone to the workshop and compared a number of wireless body K9s, I've only got two now! This is from memory and guesswork so don't take it as gospel.

 

I'm sure one of the parts lists or user manuals shows an an open radio body / FFR similar in style to the normal cargo, but with extra benches etc. to carry the radio kit; I'll check if I get the chance but it means digging my books out which are in storage at the mo. I've never seen one of these in the flesh.

 

I believe many K9s were held in store at CVD Ashchurch for some time before issue, I guess as the Army had an awful lot of 1 tonners in the '50s. One of mine, for example, was a 1956 truck but the DIS was Jan 1960.

 

My guess is that these ones that were bodied very late on might be either replacing early cargo type FFR bodies with van type ones, or bodying very late issue vehicles previously stored. It's only my guess though.

 

I've also come across various designations for box bodies, one of which is the wireless light. Based on pictures and K9s I've owned these look superficially similar but differ in detail; I don't know whether these are design differences or simply a reflection of the different coachbuilders. If I remember right, these different designations reflect different radio installations, but I don't know if they were alternative radio set-ups or whether one type superceded another.

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Am I right in thinking that these were rebodies of earlier Austin 1 tonners
The FVRDE Spec I mentioned refers to basic cab & chassis vehicles earmarked for special bodies in the same way for example that the water tanker was produced. There was provision for upgrading the body by replacement with something different as it required:

 

"The mounting arrangement shall be as simple as possible so that the body may be removed in the least possible time."

 

So I don't know if the K9 bodies we see today are the original bodies or these later Mk 2 bodies fitted to the original wireless trucks.

 

 

 

it would be helpful if anybody could describe what use these vehicles would be put to in event of hostilities?
Without the equivalent of an Equipment Management Support Policy of the time hard to say. But basically wherever RT coms was needed in a unit a little way back from the front lines. As a Humber 1 Ton fan I feel it likely that the Humber would be used in preference for more arduous theatres eg the proven performance in the desert & easier airportability in that the torsion bar suspension can be wound down giving a height reduction of nearly 12 inches.
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