M.Rimmer

Have you contacted RAFM Hendon? if not they will likely have the specs.for this type which would give you the dry weight.

Matt.

Hi Paul,

I have never posted anything on youtube but will see what I can do,but bear in mind I'm a complete technophobe!.

Glad you got the switches. Did you get the Clum one for a Clark as well?.

Yes all I need now is a compressor and a generator,and a battery cover,windscreen....and enough fuel to run the thing!.

Matt.

After several delays we finally got the Cletrac running yesterday,the first time it has been started in over ten years. I have changed the oil,replaced the plugs and HT leads and obtained the correct starter switch from the US. The engine runs very well with good oil pressure but the clutch is stuck,we did drive it by starting in gear and the steering operates as it should.

I was very lucky to find someone in the US who was breaking an M2 and have obtained many of the detail parts missing from mine including a full set of lights and mountings,toolbox,flag pole carrier,horn,pre-cleaner etc and have also bought a set of repro top bows(thanks to Paul and Adrian!).

The next major task will be the clutch and while we have it stripped down the fuel tank will be cleaned,new fuel lines made and wiring replaced. The original exhaust system is present but in a poor state so it can at least be used as a pattern for a repro to be made.

Nice to see another one of these survives,There is one on display at the Caernarfon Air Museum which is said to have come from the gunnery range at Hells Mouth. It was very original including the paint until last year when someone painted it gloss grey/white:nut:

Hi Peter,

Welcome from another Welsh-forumite!. Do you have any information concerning the use of Balloons in Wales?.

Matt.

I was lucky to see one of these in action a few years ago when it was used during repairs to the Cambrian Coast railway near Fairbourne,quite a sight!.

This is from the Life Magazine archive and shows a Ninth Air Force P-47 and Cletrac in France. The pin-up on the battery cover of the Cletrac is taken from the August 1944 Vargas calendar. I suspect rather than being painted she has been cut from the calendar and pasted on.

Sometime ago I bought a small collection of original WWII US Signal Corps prints,all showing vehicles in the ETO. Some had been previously published but others I have not seen before.

The original caption for this is Close-up of eight-inch Howitzer's "cat" being pulled from ditch by another "cat" tractor. photo by Lawrence Riordan,passed for publication Aug.45.

No I'm afraid that's it for Jeeps Steve,unless I find more. Generally units would use the same stencils and marking formats for all vehicles I would think,the zinc stencils being re-usable. Is that original 100th BG vehicle stencil still on display at TA?.

Another USAAF vehicle with a solid ring around the star,though this time it's a Ninth Air Force Cletrac(this is not one of my pics btw)

Matt.

Original bonnet markings on my October 1943 WC-52 which was with the 854th BS Engineering section,491st BG.

Cletrac and Autocar,379th BG.

Dodge WC-54 Ambulance line,379th BG. Note the white edge to front wings and the BO cover on the lights of the two vehicles in the middle.

The blackout shield is quite often seen on Eighth AF vehicles. The solid ring around the star appears on many Eighth vehicles but I have not seen a reference to any specific dates,ditto for the white edges to front wings and rear body corners.

I have quite a large collection of un-published photos showing Eighth vehicles and I was thinking of perhaps putting together a book on the subject,but I need to do more research into the marking regulations.

More pics to follow.

I would think it's more likely something to do with the driver than the truck.

I have some pictures I will scan later.

I just double checked the size of the original bumper markings on my Command Car,the letters and numbers are 4" high and the star following the 8 is 2 3/4". I would suggest

8* 384 BG 547 11 in that format would be correct,though you could use any vehicle number you like. Original stencils were made from zinc and never lay completely flat so the edge of the markings would probably show some spray drift.

Carbine and jerry can carriers if fitted from the factory would likely be left in-situ.

Another Kimbolton Jeep,again 525th BS. Note the white front edge to the wings,extra mirror and locally made doors.

Ok not a Jeep but maybe of interest,3/4 Dodge Weapons Carrier,unknown Eighth Air Force B-24 group,photo taken prior to May 1944.

Jeep,525th BS,379th BG Kimbolton.

Jeep and Ford crash truck,384th BG Grafton Underwood. Note white edges to front wings and lower rear body on Jeep.

Hi Jules,

I have several original photos of 384th vehicles,I will post some scans. I will also check the size of the star following the 8 as my Command Car still carries it's original markings applied during the war.

Many Eighth Air Force vehicles also had a white edging applied to the wings.

Pics to follow later today.

Ok,I need to go through my stored books but I'm sure I have something like that. It might also be worth talking to the folks at The Helicopter Museum at Weston Super Mare as they may have some suggestions.

Mistress,I have a couple of books which may be of interest,I will PM when I find them

If you need any specific data I also have a collection of original manuals for US Army helicopters in use in the early to mid 1960's in Vietnam.

Matt.

Even if they are worth something why not donate them to the RAFM so they will both be preserved and are accessible by everyone? the staff in the archives at Hendon are always very helpful and once in the collection these documents you got from a skip will be preserved for the future.