Queen Mary Aircraft Recovery Trailers

[Enigma]

Goodlooking models.

Looots of work..

[Morris C8]

Found this original photo in my collection. Hope it helps. RAF Inda .

[Noel]

Been watching this thread with interest and have finally found the magazine article which I new was somewhere in the "swamp". It's an Airfix Magazine article from Feb 1972, by Gerald Scarborough, [this before Airfix made the kit] about scratch building a 3 ton Queen Mary whith scale drawings, including a Bedford OX. Anyone want a scan?

The article also mentions a book "Waterloo Iron Works, a hisstory of Taskers of Andover 1809 - 1968" by L.T.C. Rolt; [i say again ROLT]; ISBN 071534658X .Aparently covers the story of the development of the QM. Could be worth a visit to your local library.

 

Noel

[les freathy]

Waterloo iron works, a rare book to find now been out of print for years. It covers taskers from the early days through the steam era and on to many of the various types of trailer inluding a 9 page pargraph on the QM and then on to a trailer called the 6 ton easy load developed from the QM. I am starting to unload some of my collection and have a mint copy of the said book to sell, if interested PM me but bare in mind it is a collectable book now

[Snapper]

Been watching this thread with interest and have finally found the magazine article which I new was somewhere in the "swamp". It's an Airfix Magazine article from Feb 1972, by Gerald Scarborough, [this before Airfix made the kit] about scratch building a 3 ton Queen Mary whith scale drawings, including a Bedford OX. Anyone want a scan?

The article also mentions a book "Waterloo Iron Works, a hisstory of Taskers of Andover 1809 - 1968" by L.T.C. Rolt; [i say again ROLT]; ISBN 071534658X .Aparently covers the story of the development of the QM. Could be worth a visit to your local library.

 

Noel

 

 

The sad thing is, I remember the article and thinking it would be impossible for a 13 year old to even try (still is now I'm 50). I remember the Airfix kit with great affection and the old mag was good too.

[alan turner (RIP)]

I had a feeling that there was another article after the kit was issued cos I wouldnt have thought of doing the alterations myself.

[Jessie The Jeep]

Here's my Bedford and QM progress so far.........

 

Chassis was replaced because the kit one was warped, so it was lengthened a little. The cab height was increased by 1mm and length also increased to bulk it up a little. I've also added glazing as none is included in the kit. Fuel tank height was reduced by half as the kit ones are way too deep compared to photos of the real thing.

 

 

 

The trailer has had several cross braces cut out as they are incorrect for a 3 ton version, and new bracing added. Diagonals were cut out from the wheel arch as there aren't any. The spacers between the inner and outer sides were filed out to leave an opening. I haven't started the hitch yet.

 

 

 

 

 

I think I'll modify the second trailer to a true 5 ton version.

Edited March 13, 2010 by Jessie The Jeep

[Jessie The Jeep]

Most of the QM trailers I've seen with a load on them don't carry any spare wheels. Was this common? Were the wheels carried elsewhere, or did they not bother with any spares?

[ted angus]

In the pictures I have seen most carried the trailer spare as per the kit, sometimes the spare or spares were rolled into the trailer and lashed to the lattice at a convenient point. I am mounting the trailer spare and lashing the tractor spare. NOT a criticism so please don't take offence but the tailboards inner surface were frequently skinned with either steel sheet or marine ply. This was so the surface became sacrifical when lumps were dragged or tirfor winched up the ramp. an option for your second trailer ?.

I have just finished making the egg boxes and posts for mine to support the wings, this method is still used today. keep up the good work fantastic.

 

TED

[Jessie The Jeep]

Just looked back through my pictures and at least one trailer has planks showing on the inside of the door, so I'll leave the 3 ton as is, but the next trailer I'm going to modify as a 5 ton, so that will get the reinforced ramp.

[ted angus]

Just about finished my tractors some paint touching up to do, the camera is great for seeing all the bits I have missed that my old eyes can no longer see !!

TED

[Jessie The Jeep]

I've noticed that some tractor/trailer combinations are RAF Blue, while others are a Dark Earth shade. Was this related to the time of the war, individual units preferences, theatre or something else? I'm thinking about modifying the second QM trailer to a 5 ton version and was wondering about the colours. I've seen both blue and brown on the 5 ton trailer, but both of these were modern restorations so I don't know if this is correct.

[Runflat]

Most of the QM trailers I've seen with a load on them don't carry any spare wheels. Was this common? Were the wheels carried elsewhere, or did they not bother with any spares?

 

Post 63 shows one with them perched at the front as does this picture (from here http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=56222 )

 

 

 

The tractor is a Crossley 4x4

Edited March 17, 2010 by Runflat

[ted angus]

I have previously posted on various threads the results of my research via the RAF museum & TNA Kew into Cam finishes in the RAF. In brief, all RAF vehicles had to be camouflaged as at August 1941 as per Air Ministry Orders. However, photo evidence and documents at Kew show cam started as soon as war was declared , earliest evidence I have found is convoys embarking for France in sept 1939 were cam. also pictures of bowsers etc taken late 1939 on UK aerodromes . So as USA didn't enter the war until dec 1941 then nothing would have been in RAF blue grey by that date. You pick a date for your models and I will tell you the colours in use at that date, of course preceding colours would still have been in use as the orders prohibted chasnges of cam colour until the next repaint was needed. . My tractors are in the late 1943 colours of SCC 2 brown ((often incorrectly called Dark Earth note dark earth was an aircraft not vehicle colour.)) and a distruptive pattern in SCC 1a dark brown. note other than colour SCC 15 UK Olive drab all other shades in the SCC british standard range did not have a formal title; brown & dark brown are just loose titles used by the RAF as part of the nomenclature of the paint in the RAF's stores catalogue.

TED

Edited March 17, 2010 by ted angus

[Jessie The Jeep]

Poo! It's already blue. Don't think I'll be repainting it though or I'll start to loose the surface detail under all the paint.

[alan turner (RIP)]

1986 leylands and QMS arriving with Canberra bomber in Woolwich Arsenal RAWHS stuff

[ted angus]

Thanks for sjharing those, they look like the short version of the QM one of which you made a model of ??

 

TED

[alan turner (RIP)]

yes Ted close to the model, but these negs only found in last 5 years, kits from the 70's

[Jessie The Jeep]

I've bought some brown paint! I'm going to give the trailer a light spray, probably thinned quite a bit and change it to brown. Depending on how it turns out, I may try and simulate wear in some places with blue showing through, as I can't imagine the blue paint would be stripped before the brown was applied. If that goes well, I'll repaint the Bedford.

[ted angus]

yes Ted close to the model, but these negs only found in last 5 years, kits from the 70's

Alan it must have been a preminition !!

 

TED

[ted angus]

I've bought some brown paint! I'm going to give the trailer a light spray, probably thinned quite a bit and change it to brown. Depending on how it turns out, I may try and simulate wear in some places with blue showing through, as I can't imagine the blue paint would be stripped before the brown was applied. If that goes well, I'll repaint the Bedford.

 

Jessie, not strictly a lick over. the blue/ grey would have been a synthetic or cellulose enamel. The first cam colours were a distemper based paint, often supplied as a tub of paste which was thinned with water and sometimes a quantity of methylated spirit added to speed up drying. Gradually Paint PFU became availible; PFU is prepared for use. i.e. a paint as you and I know it today. This was applicable initially to the Khaki Green No 3 (base colour) and Nobels Dark tarmac Green No 4 and light Green no 5 ( alternative disruptive over colours). SCC 2 etc were supplied as PFUs with a red oxide primer. After the initial cam finish, vehicles were only repainted as and when a full repaint was necessary, Unless it was a fairly new trailer leaving the factory in browns it would have already been in a previous cam finish. So it would be more likely to see the previous cam colours creeping through or if it had had a full makeover then it would be the red oxide primer. there was nothing pretty about the paint jobs, see attached

TED

[ted angus]

My repair & salvage unit detachment are moving a servicable Hurricane of 601Sqn Duxford, to a Wings Day appeal in a town "somewhere in Englandshire" !

Still some touching up to do. Markings to go on then a bit of weathering then secure the loads.

Although I haven't removed the excess bracing as Jessie has done I have rebuilt the head to the original form. It seems at some point a sheet metal contour was added to the front bracing as per Jessie's. Of course on the 5 ton model the head was connected to the outer side of the sides.

The posts covered in canvas coated sponge supporting the wings sit in rectangular boxes compartmented with a series of cutouts so the posyts can sit in various positions. These boxes are known in the trade as egg boxes.

in progress is the amazon crane, then to build the 3 ton tender either a Fordson 7v or a Dodge Kew to carry the tools, lifting tackle and personal kit; The det commander normally a Flt Sgt or WO will have either a Fordson or Humber heavy utility.

TED

[Jessie The Jeep]

Nice to see all the bits together. The wings however are more likely to be stowed leading edge down as the thin trailing edge wouldn't support the weight of the wings. I'd guess the wing leading edges would probably be sitting on old tyres ( or perhaps sandbags ) unless they are actually bolted into the vertical supports. Also, if the flying controls hadn't been removed for transport, they are likely to have control locks added to stop them blowing around which could damage them.

 

So what vehicle camo scheme would be used in mid 1944? I've seen several combinations including two tone brown, brown/green, green/black, and brown/black!

Edited March 18, 2010 by Jessie The Jeep

[ted angus]

My son has alreading been on the phone given me instructions on stowing the wings !!! LOL I just dropped it all in for a progress shot. My other son who is an aircraft tech will be home from det tomorrow so yet more instructions. Have you seen the egg boxes ? the edges are covered in either rubberised horsehair or thick sponge held in place with tacked canvas, most of the time the leading edge would just sit on the "box".

bear in mind the convoy would never run more than 15mph so there wouldn't be much vibration.

I am not intending to do a diorama, i have a shelf in my cabinet of RAF vehicles, this convoy will just join all the others; otherwise I would have sub contracted one of my sons to do all the ground locks etc.

Had a dio been on the cards then more detail would have been incorperated,

re colour By mid 1944 the UK olive drab SCC15 with blackish SCC14 disruptive was in use, but vehicles were not to be repainted until a full repaint was necessary- so I would suggest sticking with the browns

SCC2 and SCC 1A.

For those who havent seen them before egg boxes are lying beside this QM.

 

TED

[ted angus]

Just seen your latest piccies on the other Forum, re the crane the only real thing to address is the cab roof rack. Its looking great.

TTFN TED