79x100 Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Tom, unfortunately it's not on-line so it means a visit to Kew. There is a lot of stuff there including RFC Maudsley and Peerless lorries as well. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/browse/C3304784?v=h I stumbled across the references whilst looking for 1930s Ministry of Supply motorcycle records. The catalogue system continues to puzzle me. I've spent many happy hours trying to understand it. Prior preparation is the key to a successful visit. They do allow copying and even have a limited number of camera stands. We sometimes grumble about the lack of surviving records but I'm consistently amazed by just what has been retained. Incredible to think that vehicle tool kits were subject to a 30 year rule. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FRAFM Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 The vehicles were those used extensively by the RFC and later RAF. As the original document has an AP reference which implies an RAF one, I'll ask the RAF Museum if they have any information on it. Ian C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 Here is an interesting picture and activity undertaken by the armed forces [h=1]Crossley tender ditched during gazelle shoot[/h] Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FRAFM Posted January 10, 2013 Share Posted January 10, 2013 The vehicles were those used extensively by the RFC and later RAF. As the original document has an AP reference which implies an RAF one, I'll ask the RAF Museum if they have any information on it. Ian C I checked with the RAF Museum but, unfortunately, they don't have a copy of the original. Ian C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) Just completed drawing the Twin Beaded Edge Wheels How were these put together? dimple rim and inner band then assembled or the other way round? Tom Edited August 9, 2013 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Just to brighten up a dull day here are a couple of images of the Foden and Crossley plus Crossley Tender with a Crossley Mosquito taken on a lovely day in Summer 2012 at the West Lancashire Light Railway during the naming of the French WW1 Locomotive Joffre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 (edited) A few Crossley Tenders were exported to Russia There was a proposal for the Russian government to build the 20/25 and the 15hp under licence at the BEKOS factory near Moscow and by Lebedev at Yaroslavl. At least one car was made at each factory but then the Revolution intervened. The Yaroslavl plant was completed and is still in existence today producing diesel engines. You can see one here in a period film Crossley in company with a Fiat 15 TER If you look carefully the Crossley has the same lamp attached to the bulkhead as shown above. 8.23 mins in http://statehistory.ru/1152/Avtomobili-v-pogonakh--Film-1/ Tom Edited March 15, 2014 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 (edited) Went up to Tanfield Railway, Gateshead, County Durham last weekend, it was a little atmospheric making for good pictures. The trip was 110 miles one way, first substantial distance with the trailer coupled. Took 4 hrs would have been 3.5 if I had taken the correct route! Durham Pals were present helping the time-warp illusion. Edited April 3, 2014 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Super pictures. Do you have anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Great pictures, very atmospheric! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 More pics please:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 3, 2014 Author Share Posted April 3, 2014 A few more! https://www.facebook.com/events/657614390962947/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Nice How are the fuselage plans coming along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redherring Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 When you look at that trailer... it is no wonder that military equipment continues to turn up on farms all over the world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Nice How are the fuselage plans coming along? Things have got a little delayed, hopefully it looks like I will have something resembling a fuselage for August. This is the only image showing a a plane actually being loaded onto a trailer which has come my way. I have restored it so the trailer can now be seen more clearly. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 That's a bit clearer. It looks like they are loading it backwards from the front of the trailer, tow bar extended to use it as a ramp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 (edited) Before and after, does not look a lot different but took a long time and I stopped when I got fed up! Copying the Tender side lamp over to the other side was very pleasing. Perhaps I should have another go at it. Edited April 5, 2014 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Do any of your original trailer images show any signs of planking or wedges lashed to the tow bar that would act as a ramp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtskull Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Fascinating. Took me some time to I.D. the aircraft; it is a Martinsyde Elephant, quite a rare beast, only 270 produced. In addition to France, the Elephant also saw service in Palestine and Mesopotamia (now Iraq). The desert setting in the photo suggests that it was taken in one of these countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 (edited) Do any of your original trailer images show any signs of planking or wedges lashed to the tow bar that would act as a ramp? Not as of yet seen anything like that, The French I believe were ahead of the UK in trailer design before the war as they were much more advanced in building aircraft so the requirement was there. However by the eve of war French trailer design was rooted in the past, it was a fully boarded full width trailer usually covered by means of hoops and canvas. We had the advantage of starting fresh with a new concept based on the 1913 current aircraft designs. The French loaded the aircraft with its wheels on top of the trailer flat, an aircraft already an unstable structure was supported on inflated rubber as high up as possible from the road so the tendency was to build a low trailer often with smaller wheels not as good at travelling over rough ground. We built a narrow trailer where the aircraft wheels straddled the structure and the aircraft axle could be rigidly fixed to the trailer chassis, a lower more stable design.The British design was not covered and had large diameter twin wheels for better cross country ability. I believe during loading the aircraft axle was dragged and balanced along the draw-bar before being supported by the chassis rails. The centre portion of the trailer was normally not boarded and had brackets to allow stowage space for 2 lewis gun transit chests beneath the level of the trailer flat. you can see this in the pictures I have posted. Most British aircraft carried Lewis guns. These are my own thoughts which may be correct, however I have studied the photographs carefully from a usage and build point of view to develop my own interpretation which is now on the road. French French French British British Edited April 5, 2014 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Assuming that was the common method of loading the trailer, and looking at the height of the leading edge of the deck on the two images on the last page where the drawbar is down, you would really need two solid planks as loading ramps to roll the wheels up - it is too much of a step to lift, or bump up. Two boards on the back of the tender or stowed on the trailer then. It's possible they could be those boards across the trailer in front of and behind the aircraft wheels in one of those images as they would only have to be four or five feet long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 Assuming that was the common method of loading the trailer, and looking at the height of the leading edge of the deck on the two images on the last page where the drawbar is down, you would really need two solid planks as loading ramps to roll the wheels up - it is too much of a step to lift, or bump up. Two boards on the back of the tender or stowed on the trailer then. It's possible they could be those boards across the trailer in front of and behind the aircraft wheels in one of those images as they would only have to be four or five feet long. With the British design only the axle had to be lifted from the draw-bar to the deck, how the French did it I have not thought through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 And having handled some of those aircraft I can say that a small team of men would have no trouble. In fact all it took to get an Albatros out of the back of a modern artic was about 4 men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charawacky Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 (edited) And having handled some of those aircraft I can say that a small team of men would have no trouble.In fact all it took to get an Albatros out of the back of a modern artic was about 4 men. Here are the men ready for loading a plane 14 or so! Edited April 6, 2014 by Charawacky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Well, 11 or so, with 3 "supervising" whilst sitting on the fuselage- got to them other chaps a proper work out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.