Donnington-Smythe

Late last year a gentleman in Melbourne rang to offer me some Thornycroft parts. Despite my best intentions, it appears that I have lost the contact details completely and have therefore been unable to follow up! If that gentleman is on this list, could you please re-contact me - my apologies to you for the lack of action on my part! Mobile 0418 636727 e-mail coordinator@inghamwingsandwheels.com.au

G'day Dan, sorry for the very late reply, I should get onto this forum more regularly! Any info is useful so if you're able to e-mail a scan of the manual that would be greatly appreciated and obviously if over time I can offer anything in return I will happily return the favour. Regards, Christian. coordinator@inghamwingsandwheels.com.au

Thanks for the welcome, fellas - look forward to futher discussions over time.

Regards, Christian.

Hi Christian,

Nice machine, I have worked on the RAF ones, they were called Mk8. I guess yours has the Rolls B81 engine, does it have manual or auto gearbox? The manual had a very awkward gearlever position as I recall.

 

I am sure there is one of these in the Army museum at Bandiana, Vic. Might be worth contacting them for information as I believe the body and pumping gear is Australian built on yours.

 

regards, Richard

G'day Richard, it has the B81 and as far as I'm aware has a manual "crash" gearbox. I'll chase up the Army Museum at Bandiana - thanks for the lead.

Regards, Christian.

G'day, I've just acquired a 1960 Thornycroft Nubian 6x6 LFT which is originally ex-RAAF Townsville (North Queensland) but was recently recovered from a property out west. The original purchaser (property owner's father) had tried to drive it home after the disposal auction but smoked-up the middle diff around Woodstock (40 km from Townsville) and so the unit was then trucked back to the property and sat idle thereafter. I've been talking to the owners for the last 5-6 years about geting hold of it and finally an opportunity arose for a cheap back-load.

It has been gifted to me on the basis that I will try to restore it as a non-profit venture, with the aim being to have it driveable and repainted (at least) so that it can take part in ANZAC Day parades/displays, historic military displays, re-enactments, airshows, etc. If the pumps can be made operational that will just be an added bonus.

There were no manuals or other technical info with the unit so this will be one of the first priorities to acquire, the other being a secure undercover storage facility (currently tarped up on a friend's property in Townsville. I plan to publicise the project shortly to try and attract a group of volunteers and also begin the sponsorship/fund-raising process. It's a huge project but you have to start somewhere!

There is another identical Thornycroft which I may be able to acquire from the same western area and a Townsville businessman has a third unit which he has tried to sell me previously (most recently it was on e-Bay again but failed to reach reserve). I am hopeful of getting at least two units so that we can mix-and-match to make one good one.

I would greatly appreciate any leads/links for technical info, parts, photos of these in service (even RAAF Heritage Unit doesn't have any photos!) and other owners for networking - look forward to your responses.

Regards, Christian.

Christian D Smith

Event Coordinator

Ingham Wings and Wheels Airshow

0418 636727

coordinator@inghamwingsandwheels.com.au

www.inghamwingsandwheels.com.au