Charawacky Posted November 8, 2014 Share Posted November 8, 2014 Came across this: Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welbike Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 (edited) I've recently been given to look after a elderly friends fathers WW1 remaining paperwork, Harry Trow grew up in what is now Royal Wootton Bassett and joined the RFC in 1916 , he became a motorcyclist with them and along with various original papers (probably a dozen or so) there are a routine orders of the day , postcards, ration voucher for a troop ship back to Weston -super- mare of all places !, Really interesting tho is a small envelope with the word Richtofen wrote on it and inside is a small dark red canvas fabric square again with word Richtofen wrote on the reverse . John his son now in his late eighties says his father got it from a Australian soldier whilst on his bike? . The fabric square certainly smells and feels correct and along with the other original papers its a really nice bit of history . Martin Martin, interesting stuff!!!! any pictures of P&M motorcycles, or mention of them? Here a sample; And another one; They are very easy to recognize! Cheers, Lex Edited November 9, 2014 by welbike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Really interesting tho is a small envelope with the word Richtofen wrote on it and inside is a small dark red canvas fabric square again with word Richtofen wrote on the reverse . Martin It may well be genuine. Small "souvenirs" such as this were commonly posted off to family from the front. Unfortunately for the soldiers there were an abundance of souvenirs but not much room in their kit bags! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Ebay Axle identification: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291286064221?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D291286064221%26_rdc%3D1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 Liberty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 It's hard to tell if the axle once steered or not. To me it looks fixed, which suggests a trailer of some sort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted November 10, 2014 Share Posted November 10, 2014 It's hard to tell if the axle once steered or not. To me it looks fixed, which suggests a trailer of some sort. I was looking at the dip in the axle beam which looks like it is to clear a sump, yet there is no visible king pin arrangement unless the axle ends are heavily modified to be a trailed axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted November 10, 2014 Author Share Posted November 10, 2014 I think that the wheels are Liberty (they have the correct size tyres on them), but the axle is possibly from something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blastermike Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 hi all, definitely liberty wheels and I think the axle is too, the front axles do have a slight downwards curve to them, I'm still looking for one rear steel wheel, I do have a wooden set of rears, but they are a bit rough, there will be one out there somewhere for sure, mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 Sold for £152 with three bidders. Most likely that it has been bought by the steam community for use as a water bowser than someone trying to restore a Liberty I would think. I have seen several Liberty bits coming up for sale over the years. Photos do occasionally turn up showing them in civilian service in the UK, but I wonder how they ended up here as the AEF probably sent theirs directly to France. Possibly brought back to the UK from France by an enterprising businessman I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinsaunders06 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Martin, interesting stuff!!!! any pictures of P&M motorcycles, or mention of them? Here a sample; And another one; They are very easy to recognize! Cheers, Lex ? No pics of a bike ,here's a couple of him in his kit looking very serious . His record of clothing issued card etc martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 What's the story of the verse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Peskett Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Further to the mention of war surplus Liberty trucks herewith a couple of early 1920s advertisements for same. Many found their way into showland use as they were powerful and rugged. I bought the remains of one from Jack Hardwick in the early 1980s which had been used to travel Elias Harris 's 'Wall of Death' motorcycle stunt show where a lioness rode in the sidecar. Richard Peskett. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BosunAl Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 San Diego Fire Rescue has an old Liberty truck stored away somewhere. I've not seen it, so I can't comment on it's condition . . . am trying to get pictures. Apparently it was converted for wildland fire use. Have suggested that they sell it to get funds for other projects as I suspect there will be interested parties. Will post images if I can, but imagine it'll take some time. Bosun Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Fiat temp gauge http://www.leboncoin.fr/equipement_auto/730501240.htm?ca=16_s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinsaunders06 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 What's the story of the verse? ? Tony , I have been trying to find out as really not sure and it does seem a bit odd ,perhaps someone on here may of come across it before . It's typed by itself on a period piece of paper and was in with the rest of stuff , it obviously meant something for him to of kept it , it reads almost like a poem . I would love to find out what its relevance is . His son John tells me Trenchard was well liked by the men and his dad on many occasions flew as a passenger with him ?. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Always fascinated to see things turning up. This US built Heavy Aviation has just turned up in France. It had been fitted with a rock crusher (probably not a Pegson before anybody asks!). It is currently being restored which is a good job as although there are several survivors I can only think of one restored example: Looks like there is a big dent in the radiator top tank. That will be fun fixing that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 So what is the relationship between the Heavy Aviation and the Liberty B? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 Heavy Aviation was made at a similar time as the Liberty B for use by the Air Service (you can just make out AS drilled into the side of the cab). It is slightly smaller than the Liberty but similar in as much that it was made by several manufacturers using proprietary parts. The engine is a Continental E4. There were less made but they are incredibly rare. The defresne collection had at least 2. Possibly more locked up in the big shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 No idea about these perhaps someone can enlighten me? [TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [/TR] [TR] [TD=width: 41%, bgcolor: #FFFFFF] X12. Wheels: a pair of heavy, robust steel disc wheels with solid rubber tyres. No idea what they are from but they appear to be the sort of thing seen on World War 1 lorries, etc., so, seem to belong to vintage commercial vehicle (?) Dimensions: 30" over wheel, 36" over tyres. Tyres are 4" wide across the top, 5 1/2" where attached to the steel. Plain bearing centre, 2 1/2" bore x 7" long. Heavy: about 1 cwt each at a guess. £40 the pair [/TD] [TD=width: 22%, bgcolor: #FFFFFF] [/TD] [TD=width: 15%, bgcolor: #FFFFFF][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD=width: 22%][/TD] [TD=width: 41%, bgcolor: #FFFFFF][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] http://www.therobeytrust.co.uk/for%20sale%20page.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PITT24423 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Whilst looking for Daimler parts we came across this fine water cart :wow: initially all we could see was the very top of the tank and wheels,all very original with no signs of a pump or filter ever being fitted.The shafts also had the remains of khaki with green on top but was so flakey it didn't survive being washed down to remove the all the accumulated crud.I'd be interested on any suggestions as to what the red numbering on the side could of been as its under the green paint but over the khaki so must be pre 1915 ,maybe regiment ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cel Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Here is a picture of a soldier of our village, I don't know where it was taken. Are there any Commercars of this type in preservation? Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 Three survivors I can think of, but busses not military. Super photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4Founder Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 It pretty amazing that any of this stuff has survived. Thanks to all for posting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cel Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Here is a link to a site that is mainly about stationary engines and tractors, but they posted a couple nice series of pictures about the production of war equipment during WW1. http://mototracteurs.forumactif.com/t18520p60-les-usines Marcel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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