No Signals Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 I am sure I have seen this image before on here but despite doing a 'search' I cannot find it again. So, what make of truck is it? It shows quite a rare photo of one of the RAF radar units being unloaded on Omaha beach. Judging by the spectators on the ship this was not on D-Day itself, maybe the day after? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 A Crossley articulated tractor and semi-trailer. I recall a memorial on Omaha Beach to members of RAF units who landed there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Signals Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 Thank you Richard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 The trailer looks like a Fruehauf which came in a multitude of variations. If so, they had air brakes which means the Crossley would have to have been fitted with a compressor. Or maybe not and they used the Crossley just to hold the front end up while on the boat as a space saving measure as they were so short. As can be seen the Crossley couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding and needed help from a bulldozer. The air braked Fruehauf trailers were more often seen pulled by 6x6 prime movers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 I recall seeing one of the Crossleys in unrestored condition last year at the Dig for Victory show near Bristol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morris C8 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Just thought i would add these Crossley photos from my collection. Keith 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 The omaha photo is not a radar unit, they did not use artics. This is a vehicle of a Mobile Field photographic unit, whose task was to process film taken by the recce aircraft the trailer is a Tasker. example attached . Ted. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 57 minutes ago, ted angus said: The omaha photo is not a radar unit, they did not use artics. This is a vehicle of a Mobile Field photographic unit, whose task was to process film taken by the recce aircraft the trailer is a Tasker. example attached . Ted. I wonder if any of these survive? Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 The photo below is from a website devoted to the RAF units that were landed on Omaha beach under heavy fire. As you can see, these Crossley prime movers have the same type of trailer as the one in the photo posted previously disembarking from the US landing ship. Go to this website; http://www.therafatomahabeach.com/?page_id=2847 and click on the link saying 'The D-Day story that never made the headlines' Very interesting stories from some of those involved. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Hi Richard, yes some very interesting stories but that picture that appears on page 42 is wrongly placed; there was no operational association between the GCI, or associated Signals Units and the MFPUs. Some where I have a history of the MFPUs and it was after D Day that they landed, I think the pic of the one exiting the LST is from No7 MFPU. I will try and find the date. keep safe TED. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 The answer to the question "are there any survivors" is here;- I acquired this some years ago and as it took years on international forums to identify it the answer to survivors is likely to be that this is the only one. Considering that the trailers matched to the Crossleys were on singles they were probably considerably lighter than the American built ones which grossed between 6 and 12 tons. However the Freuhauf signature of rounded front, gooseneck, and fold back landing legs (bad idea) are apparent so either Taskers built the superstructure on imported chassis or built them under licence. The lack of information on air force trailers generally we put down to people interested in air force stuff only had eyes for things with wings and people interested in army stuff didn't look at air field perimeters. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Not your Commer two-stroke hooked up to it then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 was for while and it is now in England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rootes75 Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 I have a 1950 petrol engine QX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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