hucks

[les freathy]

Now heres something you dont see everyday, the Ford model T with the hucks starter is quite a well known vehicle but not so this Morris Cowley with the Hucks aircraft starter. This photo shows one as a prototype i wonder did any make it into production

[Great War truck]

It is quite different from the Hucks on the Model T. It looks too low down to start an aeroplane engine, unless i am missing something.

 

Tim

[Rlangham]

i thought that too - maybe the whole cab area with the starter attached moves up, like a lift?

[Richard Farrant]

I see it has an Army census number and MWEE above it (Mechanical Warfare Experimental Establishment). Aircraft were not the domain of army in 1930's. The census number list shows it as a single purchase and only states Morris 4x2 car. Perhaps it was for starting tanks, like the Vickers Medium, the main one of that time.

Edited February 14, 2010 by Richard Farrant
Alteration re. MWEE meaning

[Great War truck]

That could be it. I see that the starter arm sits in a rest, so maybe the whole thing lifts up.

 

It could be for starting tanks, but it would be really annoying of you stalled in the battlefield and had to wait for a starter to catch up with you.

 

I see that the arm does not stick out as far as the read mudguards, so you would really have trouble backing up to be in the right position unless there is another piece missing. It is a very curious machine. Thanks for posting it.

 

Tim

[Rlangham]

Be interesting if it was for Tanks - I know next to nothing about the mid-war Tanks, did they have to be started manually from the outside? I know with the WW1 'Rhomboids' they were started from the inside with a crank operated by about four men