question Ministry of Aviation - Info needed pls

[alflandy]

I have a 1964 Land Rover SWB Station Wagon, never had a military number, always registered for road. Based all its life at Farnborough. Was sold at Ruddington in the 80's to a dealer. Has most original panels except drivers door bottom and replacement door tops. Has had a different bumper fitted (was originally just a straight one as per prev owner).

 

Has an 'M' painted on the roof and apparently it has the farborough crest on the passenger door under the paintwork. Was painted yellow top half and RAF blue bottom half. Had a 'follow me' sign attached to the roof but also has other holes - not sure what they would have been for.

 

If anybody can help identify what would have been attached to the roof or has any info about MOA then i would appreciate.

Thanks

Avril

 

 

[Tony B]

Farnbourough and companies such as BAE, did , and do have have Military spec vehicles for evaluation and use. If it was attached to DERA Farnbourough then it would have been supplied through the MOD system. The Royal Navy had their own purchasing and used straight civillian vehicles.

[Richard Farrant]

Farnbourough and companies such as BAE, did , and do have have Military spec vehicles for evaluation and use. If it was attached to DERA Farnbourough then it would have been supplied through the MOD system. The Royal Navy had their own purchasing and used straight civillian vehicles.

 

 

Tony,

 

It is a 1964 vehicle, a long time before DERA. The Land Rover would have been operated by Royal Aircraft Establishment, I would think, and probably a standard civilian model for general duties. Although it was sold off at Ruddington, that does not mean it was a military vehicle, as those auctions also disposed of vehicles from the Health service ( like district nurses cars) and many other government departments. I have a feeling some Civil Defence / AFS vehicles had registrations of "ALF" as well.

[alflandy]

Alf was bought in a batch with other vehicles, i did have the history of it from DVLA but I no longer have this (long boring story). It was something to do with the RAE, on the original DVLA paperwork it had mention of a government department in London. I am after pics of what the items on the roof would have been, again i had a pic of a 109 S3 but it was black & white.

 

Does anybody know the name of the book that was written about Farnborough? on the inside covers were aerial shots of the base, I would love to find this book again.

[Tony B]

Thanks Richard, couldn't think of earlier name. The Ministry of Avation, or Air Ministry was famous in weather forcasts for the 'Air Ministry Roof'. Originally it was what now the South part of MOD Main Building in Whitehall.

[Richard Farrant]

The Ministry of Avation, or Air Ministry

 

The two organisations were separate, the Min of Aviation was formed in 1959, it controlled / regulated civil aviation and supplied military aircraft. The Air Ministry controlled the RAF.

[ruxy]

Bodywork such as bonnet , grille mesh, wing front panels (position of lamps side by side) - are all indicating civvy build spec.

 

However - it could be a Contract B Car Utility , the chassis No. could confirm..

[ted angus]

The two organisations were separate, the Min of Aviation was formed in 1959, it controlled / regulated civil aviation and supplied military aircraft. The Air Ministry controlled the RAF.

 

Spot on Richard ; RAE Farnborough passed from Air Ministry/Ministry of Aircraft Production /RAF control to the Min of Supply in 1948. from then on their vehicles started to carry civvy reg numbers issued from the HMG reserved blocks in the LCC register. Although Farnborough had many vehicle types to RAF and other Service specs, they also procured many straight off the shelf civvy types. A general purpose Landie would have no need to be of military standard.

As with all government depts there was constant reorganisation. at different times Farnborough was under Min Supply, Min of aviation, Min of technology. & MOD (PE).

As well as sharing some of the LCC reg blocks used also by the AFS/CD and Home Office supplied police vehicles, The RAEs and indeed the dozens of other research & experimental establishments used vehicles registered in the following LCC blocks. PJJ, PLF NGY, RGX, SXT, MLM to name a few.

TTFN TED

[alflandy]

sorry to be thick but can you tell me the following abreviations pls

HMG

LCC

(PE)

AFS/CD

PJJ, PLF etc - are these vehicle reg numbers?

 

Thanks

Avril

[ted angus]

sorry to be thick but can you tell me the following abreviations pls

HMG

LCC

(PE)

AFS/CD

PJJ, PLF etc - are these vehicle reg numbers?

 

Thanks

Avril

HMG -Her Majesty's Government . LCC- London County Council. (PE)- Procurement Executive. AFS/CD - Auxiliary Fire service/Civil Defence.

PJJ etc yes reg numbers and it is note worthy that some of these old style reg numbers were still being issued several years after the suffix reg numbers came about. I have an ex AFS Austin Gipsy its Reg is ***FUW the folowing year the batch of AFS Gipsys was CYY***C

 

Hope this helps.

TED

[alflandy]

Thanks

[tim gray]

If it was a "follow me" conversion the likley hood that some of the unknown holes will be for rotating amber beacons is strong. Most of the airside vehicles would have had them. Even the little baggage trucks have em on a post mount.

 

Regards

Tim

[alflandy]

 

For some reason it has turned itself to the left, but you get the jist. This is the badge found on the door of Alf showing ministry of aviation, with R.A.E. in the middle and the faint marks of the crown on top.

 

Does anyone have a better close up pic of an RAE door crest from the 1960's please, I need to try and make up door panels for shows.

 

Thanks Avril