plastic constructor Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 I was recently sent this scan of an armoured vehicle ... ... apparently it's from a book by David Fletcher 'The Great Tank Scandal'. I don't have the book but the person who sent the picture would like to know what vehicle the armoured truck is based on and what it was used for ... Home Guard? Can anyone help? Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rog8811 Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Is that a bedford O type rad peeking out behind the front armour? Regards rog8811 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxy Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 I expected to find it in the book Armoured and Heavy Vehicles of the RUC by David Dunne - But no - could it be from Eire ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 I expected to find it in the book Armoured and Heavy Vehicles of the RUC by David Dunne - But no - could it be from Eire ? More likely home defence in Britain, a local business donated an old Bedford lorry to the Home Guard and covered in bits of steel plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 (edited) Airfeild defence? Or as said many Home Gaurd, particullaly if they were near a shipyard or hevy enginnering work built their own. That's a Ross sticking out the top and the front of a 1921 Thompson, there other possibly a Lee Enfeild NUMBER 1. That would lean me to Home Gaurd. Possibly a factory gaurd unit. Edited March 3, 2010 by Tony B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 Thanks for the comments folks. My first thought was that it was a Bedford O' series looking at the front mudguards and bumper, but with only a single and not duel rear wheels? ... The radiator could be a Bedford type but could it also be an Austin? As always, this is the place to ask for the information. Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 My first thought was that it was a Bedford O' series looking at the front mudguards and bumper, but with only a single and not duel rear wheels? ... The radiator could be a Bedford type but could it also be an Austin? Nick, The bumper is definitely Bedford, as is the grille from what can be seen. I think it does have twin wheels on the rear, the tyres are quite narrow and you can see the dish of the outer rear wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 Richard, you're correct about the rear wheels, I should've gone to Specsavers ... :wow: Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) I'm beginning to think this truck chassis is a dog, built from several bits. It's true, the radiator, from what I can see of it looks like it's from a Bedford O' series, but the early Austin K4's were similar, pitty we can't see the central radiator pillar. The front wings and bumper seem to be Bedford, but have a look at the N/S front wheel, there's six wheel nuts on it, didn't Ford's have six wheel nuts, and the wheel is a similar pattern? ... and that rear set doesn't look right? Nick. Edited March 4, 2010 by plastic constructor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 Aha! ... Austin K2's had a similar wheel, and they had six wheel nuts and a similar radiator grille. Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 most likely Bedford MSC or 2nd choice Bedford ML, with civilian wheels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 most likely Bedford MSC or 2nd choice Bedford ML, with civilian wheels It could be but the front hubs at least have been changed to 6 stud. Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 It could be but the front hubs at least have been changed to 6 stud. Nick. Times were hard in those days, a case of make do and mend. New tyres could only be bought if you had a permit to operate, so my guess is they have changed hubs or complete axle over from a scrapped lorry, in order to get a set of good tyres. The wheels do not look like Austin or Bedford, but could well be Ford as has already been said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 could be they placed a bedford cab wing etc onto a ford chassis, however not that what's written in books is necessarily accurate but Tank Scandal has it as a Bedford so probably the photo has that on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Could have fitted a beefier back axle to cope with teh weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 Could have fitted a beefier back axle to cope with teh weight? My thoughts exactly. However, I've been looking at photographs of K2's and the wheels and studs are the same including the back axles. The wings are similar and the front radiator cowling is enough to presume that it could be a K2 chassis. The bumper, well, that could be anything? Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 The bumper, well, that could be anything? On an O type Bedford the bumper is not stand alone, it is fitted to the front edge of the wings. The horizontal flutes in what can be seen of the grille, look to be more Beddy than Austin, by the depth of them. As for the wheels, and six stud hubs, I think that I might have found a possibilty. General Motors imported some Opel Blitz lorries to the UK prior to the war and looking at a pic of one, the wheel and front hub look similar, so most likely answer is hubs and wheels or complete axles were swapped. As for weight of the "armoured" body, it does not look very thick and most probably steel sheet that was found locally. An OL Bedford was rated at a 5 ton payload and makers advertised that they would cope with a 50% overload, so do not think there was any need to beef up the axles on the one pictured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plastic constructor Posted March 6, 2010 Author Share Posted March 6, 2010 ... I think that I might have found a possibilty. General Motors imported some Opel Blitz lorries to the UK prior to the war and looking at a pic of one, the wheel and front hub look similar, so most likely answer is hubs and wheels or complete axles were swapped. I've not seen a six stud Opel hub, although they may heve been one. The suggestion of a full axle replacement isn't a bad explanation, although in this case I think it would have been a Ford. Alternatively, it's an Austin K2 chassis? Nick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Quite probably a bitza. Any road going vehicle would be to valuable to hack about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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