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RFC Tender Trailer


Charawacky

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Does anyone know the manufacturer, have the details of WO specification, good photos, or know the where there is an axle to build a RFC trailer?

I would have thought these would have been used by farmers to make trailers after the war!

I would like to build a replica for the tender but only have photographs.

Were Piggott Brothers manufacturers?

 

Tom

rfc3.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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  • 4 weeks later...

Must type faster - just got timed out and lost this, so please forgive any spelling errors. :red:

 

I recall a photo sent into oe of my 'cross and cockade' magazines a few years back by a curator at the Manchester Science and Industry Museum. It was of a streamlined RFC/RAF covered trailer towed behind a crossley tender.

 

The trailer has a single pair of wheels, and was big enough for a disassembled scout - the very interesting thing was the streamlined shell of the trailer (Fabric over wooden frame? plywood?) which continued the line of the tender's roof (it was IIRC a 'pram' style hood) The effect was quite striking and very modern-looking. The streamlining would not have looked out of place on a modern fibreglass job.

 

I will try to hunt out the article for you. With one of those all you'd need then would be a camel or a pup to put inside :D

 

On the other interetsing trailer it does look quite a bit like a towd trailer I saw in a picture of a Holt 75 tractor. It might have been in one of the recent MV maagzines on the back of that Hot 75 that went for auction recently. Anyway, this trailer was full of troops standing up, but presumably was a jack-of-all trades add-on to turn the tractor into a 'road train' of sorts. Not sure if the picture was France or GB, but it was WW1.

 

Whether it's that or not I hope the trailer finds a good home - it seems much too interesting to just lose.

 

Hope this helps.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hello OLAF

 

I have been looking through my pictures and find this one which shows a covered trailer coupled to a lovely tender with full weather gear fitted.

.

 

To build this is one step to far for me, so I will stick to reproducing the standard basic open type.

 

I now believe I have sufficient information to start the build without errors being 'found out' through more information coming to light in the future.

 

However any further info will always be greatly appreciated.

 

Tom

271.jpg

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Hello OLAF

 

I have been looking through my pictures and find this one which shows a covered trailer coupled to a lovely tender with full weather gear fitted.

.[ATTACH=CONFIG]54624[/ATTACH]

 

To build this is one step to far for me, so I will stick to reproducing the standard basic open type.

 

I now believe I have sufficient information to start the build without errors being 'found out' through more information coming to light in the future.

 

However any further info will always be greatly appreciated.

 

Tom

 

Father has a pair of like new Mitchelin wooden wheels of similar design to them on the furniture wagon if they would be of any use. I don't think they have ever been used. They are a bit lighter in construction than the trailer in the 1st photo however.

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Father has a pair of like new Mitchelin wooden wheels of similar design to them on the furniture wagon if they would be of any use. I don't think they have ever been used. They are a bit lighter in construction than the trailer in the 1st photo however.
Thanks for the offer, I have already purchased the rims for four 875 x 105 tyres to be interchangeable with the Tender and have commissioned the wheelwright to build wood wheels to carry twin rims and tyres.After taking advice from the wheel builder the trailer structure will be in new pitch pine which is not readily available, however I believe I now have a source. The wheel builder who lives a couple of miles away is the last apprentice trained wheelwright in the UK and has built the 8 ft driving wheels for the Trevithick's road carriage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx_5hE4aGBQHere is what looks like an albatross on a typical tender trailer.

Trailer 1.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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Tom

 

This may be of interest (from Motor Traction Dec 27th, 1916)

 

 

 

The 1907 Austin at Gaydon has a set of twin rears fitted - it is said they were fitted during WW1 when the car was in use as an ambulance. The rims may well be Shrewsbury & Challiners... Whatever the story, you may want to check it out as the likelihood is they are the same style as for the trailer you wish to build.

 

http://www.andysimons.co.uk/Road/Road Cars/Austin/Vintage.html

IMG.jpg

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I have been looking at the Warland system as used on silver ghosts, this system appears to be the same as the period photos.

 

 

Certainly the Challiners advert you have posted mentions aeroplane trailers, however the illustration has an extra clamp rim with bolts so is heavier duty than the aircraft trailer wheel. The whole trailer construction seems to be as light as possible.

I noticed the weight painted on the side of an Albatross on the RED BARON BBC I player film was 885 kg plus 135Kg tank.

 

I have so far

Studied a Warland wheel system on a silver ghost at the Bohams Brooklands sale this month

Talked to the assembled Ghost experts at the sale

Discussed the construction with 3 different wheelwrights in the UK

Plus one wheelwright in the US

Discussed general wire Twin Wheel construction and tyre fitting with Richards Bros

Discussed Fitting of tyres to twin rims with Longstone

 

In the end I have been strongly advised by a number of people to avoid removable rims and have the rims shrunk directly on the wood wheel. However this means removing the wheel to change a tyre which is pretty simple with taper bearings. Having Twins will hinder changing a tyre at the roadside but will allow me to travel a short distance with one flat and hopefully to a more suitable location to change the tyre.

 

 

Here is the design I am currently adopting, manufacture starts February when the rims will have been shipped in from NZ.

Comments are always appreciated as I am no expert and probably never will be.

 

Tom

1910-silver-ghost19.jpg

Wheel1.jpg

On Trailer.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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Yes, I see what you mean about the extra clamp rim. The Austin I mentioned only has a single ring; and, in the linked photo, it looks like there is a maker's plate (at 3 o'clock). Perhaps they are Warlands? A call to Gaydon may give you a quick answer.

 

I see the Warland plate you've shown has some patent numbers on it. Looking those up may provide construction detail.

 

Good luck with this endeavour.

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I believe I have sufficient details to start ordering parts in January Here is a general arrangement of the Trailer

and a repost of typical air plane trailer picture with splash boards missing for comparison, all looking very pleased with their trophy.

A

 

After reading the superb Memoirs which have given reality to the Great War I thought I would mention this exceptional website for those who have not come across it:

http://www.firstworldwar.com

C_trailer pdf-page-001.jpg

Trailer 1.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry i didn't get back to you - still can't find the copy of C&C with the tender in it but it is the same design as the covered one in your picture, but I don't think the one I saw showed the interior. Having seen it I don't blame you wanting to go for an open trailer :) I'll keep looking to see if it is the same actual trailer as in your pic - I'm curious whether this was a field modification or one off.

 

I know it's getting ahead, but once complete all you'll need to have the total effect will be a replica fuselage. It might be possible to find one - I believe the museum at RAF Manston has some prop areoplanes (and a prop lorry) from the recent film 'flyboys', and a non-flying rep from the German 'Red Baron' film ended up on ebay. Of course, it may well be easier to build something up like the RE or the Pfalz in the pictures?

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Hello Runflat,

 

Thanks for your enthusiasm with your thoughts to engage me in further expansion RFC of equipment.

I found on e-bay 1/2 hour to late a replica WW1 fuselage in Inverness, incomplete but would have been OK for this purpose. sold for £365-00 to the local scout troupe.

 

The trailer will take most of this year along with maintenance of the rest of the fleet.

 

Here are a few trailer pics, first one outside the Farnman factory with french trailer, the next behind tender somewhere exotic, last one, a superb picture somewhere in Europe, war trophy behind a Leyland?

 

s

29.jpg

12.jpg

24.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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I think that ebay fuselage might have looked a little small on your trailer :) Definitely worth keeping your eyes and ears open for such things. If nothing else the era is being filmed more and more and so there will most likely be more film props out there!

 

If scout troops are interested in them, maybe that's another option! It'd make a good project to research a prototype and build the cockpit section or full fuselage.

 

It would definitely be interesting to have a full scale aircraft to complement the tender. I think this is something that can get missed out when people think of WW1 flying - everyone thinks of the aircraft, but there's less focus on the massive logistical and repair systems that helped keep them up in the air. Most of the planes spent most of their lives on the ground after all.

 

I went to an English Heritage event a few years back where there was a ground display to accompany the Great War Display Team, including one of their Se5a replicas, and it was great - you could see the kids getting enthused because there were objects and artifacts there and people to priovide a bit of context. I think the ground display was by the Museum of Army Flying, and they were using a mocked up part fuselage of a two-seater (Might be worth checking if they don't want it any more?).

 

However long it takes, good luck on the trailer - if I ever hear of a fuselage I'll let you know.

 

Cheers

 

 

OLAF

Edited by OLAF
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Tony

 

When you said prop I thought you meant propeller not a film prop! looks very interesting.

 

Here an interesting couple of pictures from the lords mayors parade in say 1917/18.

 

 

 

 

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/lord-mayors-show-part-2

 

Will we be invited to the 2018 parade?

Not a bad idea actually

What do you think?

 

Tom

5228669426_82c2bcccb1_z.jpg

5229996666_4828268dc6_z.jpg

Edited by Charawacky
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  • 1 month later...

Progress is slow,

I am converting the manufacturing drawings to 3D which which were about 1/3 rd complete in 2D, 3D will give a better final result when all the parts are in manufactured as you can see the final result before it is built.

Rims have been received from NZ, the other parts including hub, axle and steel bands for the wheels are made, the wheelwright is due to start in a few weeks.

The wood for the trailer frame is ordered, there is still a lot of detail ironwork to draw and make including the draw bar and springs.

Here is a copy showing the current 3D drawing progress:

Trailer assembly  2.JPG

Edited by Charawacky
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