zemsi

... here's the other Surviving Example in Switzerland, Thun.

 

Dear all

 

Thank you very much for your contribution and your input. That's highly appreciated!

 

I just travelled around Aussie a few months back. Saw the Belfield collection a few years ago before it was sold. I was very surprized to see a Swiss M1A1 in his collection.

 

Greetings

Chris

.... just had a look at the Tankograd TM 6029 about the Heavy Wreckers. So a Kenworth had the same bumper as the WLF. The wrecker on the pic above had therefore probably replaced it before the Swiss laid hands on it.

Great pics, have a look at the TM 9-2800, you'll find the technical data in there.

... according to a friend, M1A1 Kenworths had a different bumper than WLF. Can somebody confirm that? Here's an example of a Kenworth bumper??

 

In official Swiss Army documents this wrecker is a Kenworth. However, the chassis number says its a Ward LaFrance. So I'm a little bit confused.

 

Chris, I guess you've already seen this web page which has some detail on the technical differences, some of which will be visible:

 

http://olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_ward_lafrance.php

 

Possible Mike Gillman might be able to shed more light if he sees this.

 

Thank you Sean. I saw this site but I think it doesn't tell the difference between WLF and KW, just compares the different series models?

the top of the radiator brush guard on a ward is flat, were as the kenworth is raised in the middle slightly. i don't think there are many differences between them at the mk5 stage as the parts were standardised so it was all interchangeable. rare to find a kenworth made m1a1 in europe as they generally went to australia for what ever reason.

 

Thank you for your Input. I thought that raise in the radiator brush guard was only valid for the M1 models, not the M1A1 models? The Swiss Army extensively used these Wreckers, so I'll try to find out how many Kenworths actually were by comparing pics. Easiest way is telling by the chassis number, but have got only about half of them. Of the M1 wreckers there was one Kenworth for sure (preserved in Burgdorf CH), not sure if there was one or two others. As in official documents they usually called "Ward LaFrance". So have to dig further...

I was wondering if there are any visible differences between an M1A1 Wrecker made by Ward LaFrance and Kenworth. How can you disdinguish them? So far I found only the differences between the older M1 Wreckers.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

Thank you

Chris

... used by the tank repair units. The first one at Pzj G13 (Hetzer) equipped units, the second one at L Pz 51 (AMX-13) equipped units.

 

Ward LaFrance M1A1 M-81534 by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

 

Ward LaFrance M1A1 M-81568 by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

... used by the airforce

 

Ward LaFrance M1 by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

 

Ward LaFrance 1000 by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

... the indicators look Swiss style. Found this period pic were you can see it well. Compare also with the other two.

 

 

Diamond T969B by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

 

Diamond T969A by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

.... great, thanks for posting. I found her details.

... have a look here and here

http://www.militaerfahrzeuge.ch/unterkategorie_11_8_330.html

http://www.militaerfahrzeuge.ch/unterkategorie_11_8_75.html

 

The tank troops used 60 Ward LaFrance, the airfield troops only 30. From nearly every series the Swiss used them.

 

Two friends and I recently published a 300 pages hardcover book about all Swiss Army Vehicles and Tanks, from 1900 - 2015. We discovered some more information about Ward LaFrance and Diamond Wrecker usage in the Swiss Army. However, I won't publish that in the internet because it took a lot of research....

 

Book «Fahrzeuge der Schweizer Armee» (2015) by Chris

 

Hi on My Ward LaFrance why does it have L Pz 51, referring to the AMX-13?

... because your Wardi was used in the tank repair platoon. Wreckers were used at airfields and in the tank repair plattons.. Your Wardi was probably latest used in a Platoon were only AMX-13 were used (no Centurions and Swiss Pz 61/68).

... the Diamond T has larger cable reels on the twin boom and different lighting

The cable reels look like this one here:

Diamond T969B by Massimo Foti, on Flickr

 

I have both a Diamond T wrecker and a series 5 Ward La France i think they are both ex Swiss, the Diamond T has larger cable reels on the twin boom and different lighting

Your Ward LaFrance is clearly a former Swiss Army. On top of the cab is written " L Pz 51". That means Leicht Panzer 51 (light tank) and refers to the AMX-13. Referring to your Diamond it's hard to tell. Glad to see some more survivors. If you write me the chassis numbers by PM I can probably tell you the Swiss Army's registration number. Greetings Chris

Kenworth 570, Swiss Army Museum in Burgdorf CH. Used for L Pz 51 (AMX-13) equipped units.

 

Kenworth 570 by Massimo Foti, on Flickr

Kenworth 570, Swiss Army Museum in Burgdorf CH

Kenworth 570 by Massimo Foti, auf Flickr

first time (after restoration) go Chevy CMP C-15a and Morris C8,

 

Not to be picky, but it's a 4x2 Chevy, so it's a C-15 and not a C-15A

... if anybody is planning a trip to Switzerland in the near future. On Saturday October 17, 2015, there will be the 2nd public day in Burgdorf at the Stiftung HAM. You can see +300 Swiss MV's!! Here are my pics from 2010 (1st opening day)

 

There will also be the launch of a new book about Swiss MV's from 1900 - 2015, where I'm one of the co-authors.

Hi John

 

You're correct. There was a magazine published back in 2001. Just found out about it, thanks to you. Contains 40 pages, the new TM 8 pages more. I'll contact the author to see what has changed...

 

Greetings

Chris

 

I think you mix it with Vanderveen s W&T no 3. Tankograd hasn't published one so far (when I look at their website)...

... I was just informed that a new Tankograd magazine about the Ward LaFrance and Kenworth wreckeres will be published. Finally a good source of information of this hardly covered topic.

 

a new pic

 

REO 29X5 from Massimo Foti on Flickr

 

REO 29X5 von Massimo Foti auf Flickr

Just a quick follow up. Found and old US Manual SNL G-116 used by the Swiss Army. All serial numbers can be found there. I uploaded the page on flickr.