gazzaw Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Hi During WW2 some of the REME LADs and LRS used the 7½ TON LIGHT RECOVERY TRAILER and I have a couple of questions that I am sure some knowledgable chaps on here might be able to answer 1. what do they look like, any pictures or link please 2. would they have been used in western desert campaign or was soft sand and uneven rocky desert floors too severe for them, were they part of REME inventory then? Thanks Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Some pictures here: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?10371-Trailers/page10 http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5559 Yes, they were used in the N Africa campaign - the were the standard LAD recovery trailer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaw Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Thanks for that, now to find one to go behind our wrecker :cool2: gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scammell4199 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I'd like one to go behind the Scammell. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaw Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 if only they were easy to find but never seen one in the flesh so to speak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Some more related strings - I dare say there are others as well: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?16992 http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?17780-13 http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?12979 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Robertson Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 if only they were easy to find but never seen one in the flesh so to speak Hi Gary, Have a look on the SMVG website, Robin Watson in Forres had one for sale but this is an old advert. Hope this helps. David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scammell4199 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 I've seen a few come up for sale over the years and surprisingly cheap when they do too. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roof Over Britain Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hi Garry, Your CMP wrecker would have its work cut out both pulling a cranes trailer and stopping it, they are a hefty bit of kit, more like a job for a Matador, Scammell or the like, I have seen film of them behind a Leyland retriever as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaw Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 Very true John Would probably goose the engine again and as you say trying to stop one would be dangerous. Having seen the photos and even unladen they look heavy. Was looking at documents of CES for our 3 ton CMP Holmes Wrecker re trailers and they were used but it looks like a bigger vehicle would handle them better. gary See below for a bit of light reading From REME handbook description. 7½ TON LIGHT RECOVERY TRAILER The Light Recovery Trailer was built by Crane and could be towed by any of thewheeled recovery lorries or tractors including the 3ton Breakdown GantryLorries, Heavy Breakdown Tractors, CMP Gar Wood and Holmes Wreckers and DiamondT wreckers. It was originally designed for the recovery of small trackedvehicles, the light tanks and carriers, but could also carry 15cwt trucks. Itcould also be used for recovering larger wheeled vehicles by putting the rearwheels on the trailer and leaving the front wheels trailing. The chassis was a tube with beams supporting the deck.Two tracks with adjustable chocks carried the casualty. In the centre was awooden floor to carry the ramps and other equipment. Ramps were smooth on oneside to allow disabled tracked vehicles to be loaded using the hand winch whilethe other side was ridged to give a better grip when vehicles were loaded undertheir own power. There were jacks at the rear to support the trailer body whenloading and unloading. A hand winch was fitted at the front and there wereguide rollers to allow the towing vehicles winch to be used for loading.Suspension was in the form of torsion bars on the rear wheels. When loading casualties the following procedure was followed. - apply the trailer brakes using a hand wheel at the rear - extend the rear jacks to support the body - free the ramp from the securing straps - remove the rear chocks and position the front ones - attach the front winch handles - place the ramps into position on the supporting brackets at the trailer rear - pay out the winch cable - when loading light tanks or carriers the winch cable is led under thecasualty and attached to the towing hook at the rear - winch the casualty onto the trailer - carry out the operations in reverse to stow and secure the trailer equipment - secure the load with chains and Warwick strainers. and of the CMP Wreckers CMP 3 TON 4 X 4 BREAKDOWN LORRIES Canada produced her own military vehicles which generally followed Britishpractice and specifications. In the case of breakdown vehicles however theyfollowed US practice in ordering twin boom wreckers. There were many variationsand the War Department ordered several versions to supplement UK production. All the 3ton CMP ordered by the WD were 4 X 4 Chevrolet on 134” chassis. Somewere fitted with Gar Wood CA5P equipment while others had Holmes W25 equipment.Both were very similar, differing only in the winches and booms which werefitted. Early deliveries had No12 cabs while later ones had No13 cabs. A smallnumber were articised in case of operations in the Arctic. These hadmodifications to allow operation in temperatures of - 40 degrees. Thesemodifications included heating and insulation, low temperature oils andcoolants and had a slightly raised cab to accommodate chains on the front wheels.Rather more were winterised to allow operation in temperatures of – 20 degrees.Most however had neither sets of modifications. Vehicles supplied included Cab Body Vehicle code Tyres Equipment No12 4G1 60444-M-BRKD-3 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Holmes W45 Articised No13 4G1 60444-M-BRKD-4 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Holmes W45 No13 4G1 60444-M-BRKD-5 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Holmes W45 Winterised No12 4G2 60444-M-BRKD-3 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Gar Wood CA5P Articised No13 4G2 60444-M-BRKD-4 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Gar Wood CA5P No13 4G2 60444-M-BRKD-5 10.50 – 20 pneumatic Gar Wood CA5P Winterised All vehicles were similarly equipped and were interchangeable as far as 21 ArmyGroup was concerned. There was a strong frame mounted behind the cab and this carried the booms,winches and other equipment. Two booms were attached to the frame, one eachside, so that they could be swung out to an angle of 190 degrees. The boomscould also be raised and lowered using hand winches. Each boom had a five tonwinch which was driven from a transmission power take off. The booms could beused individually or could be linked to operate to the rear when a combinedpull of ten tons was available. There was also a chassis winch driven via a transfer case take off. There were telescopic bracing legs on either side of the frame which took thestrain off the chassis when lifting to the side. In such operations the boomwhich was not lifting was swung out and used to anchor the vehicle usingholdfasts or a convenient tree. Equipment and tools were much as for the 3ton 6 X 4 Breakdown Gantry Lorries.There were stowage boxes on either side of the body for smaller equipment andtools. Larger equipment such as snatchblocks were loaded into the body. Therewere brackets at the front of the body for earth anchors and there werebrackets for oxygen and acetylene cylinders in the rear. A carrier for tins ofpetrol and lubricants was fixed to the front of the frame and a bracket forwooden blocks and skids was fitted to the rear of the frame. Wooden rollerscould be strapped to the rear of the frame supports or strapped to the booms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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