British airborne trailer?

[morrisc8gs]

I acquired this trailer some time ago. been having a closer look and trying to workout what it is! Any thoughts/ideas?

For what it’s worth my thinking is 

British airborne lightweight from dimensions - smaller than 10cwt. Looks like British army number ending ...6772? See photo

No  1 Mark 2 as has a rope cleat/ signs of rope cleat on lower chassis

Late war (?) from wheel type and and hitch ( resited below original position?) with draw bars.

Ive used Rob van Meel’s book, British army transport data book and internet sauces such as Frank Berg and David Gordon’s Visual Collector site.

Any ideas very welcome - hope photos help

 

 

 

 

 

 

[morrisc8gs]

I believe mudguards to be a later addition but ...

[peter75]

I had one the same years ago. The frame is the same as a MK2 lightweight trailer but has never had sides on. The bit on the back left corner is remains of a T that had a thread and large wing nut. I think there was one at each corner. Mine also had mud guards which were original by the layers of paint.

I rebuilt mine as standard MK2 with sides.

[morrisc8gs]

1 hour ago, peter75 said:

I had one the same years ago. The frame is the same as a MK2 lightweight trailer but has never had sides on. The bit on the back left corner is remains of a T that had a thread and large wing nut. I think there was one at each corner. Mine also had mud guards which were original by the layers of paint.

I rebuilt mine as standard MK2 with sides.

That’s interesting - would explain why I couldn’t find any evidence of sides - just a flat bed welded to the chassis?  Any ideas on what the T and wing nut would be for?

I assume the presence of a number indicates British army use. I wonder how it was used.

Many thanks

Martin

 

[Baerdus]

Hallo together,

full of interest I’ve read your posts, because I also bought  a englisch trailer last week, nearly the same type.

Unfortunately the data plate is rotten and I only found the serial number 01YK60 on the towing frame.

May anybody have some detailed informations like the year of manufacturing, the manufacturer itself,  for me..?

 I want to build ist up again, may someone have a detailed picture of the inner side of the trailer-floor (especially how ist is welded to the sides and the middle frame)?

Thanks a lot and please excuse my bad englisch.

Many thanks

Jürgen

I will try to post some pictures soon

[Le Prof]

Hi @Baerdus

And welcome. (-:

Where are you located?

I have a British Airborne trailer (Trailer 1/2 ton, Cargo, Lightweight, 2-WH No1, number 02YK38 (SS Cars Chassis 16877, wartime number X6217217).

I can't help with the pictures you have requested, but you may find these useful:

If you do not have one, then you will find the Illustrated Spare Parts List for these trailers useful. It is WO Code 13464. If you cannot find it, tell me, and I will scan a copy and send it to you next week.

If you would like more details on the trailer, such as who made it,  it's chassis number, it's wartime X number, and possibly the unit that used it, then you can apply here using 01YK60:

https://www.rlcarchive.org/Help/VehicleKeyCards

Or it may be that @wally dugan can help.

If you are doing a restoration, please start a new topic for it in the restoration section. People enjoy watching, and you will get a lot more help and advice if you have questions.

Best Regards,

Adrian

[Baerdus]

Hello Adrian,

thanks for your quick answer and your valuable informations.
I´m located in the south of Germany in Bavaria near Ingolstadt.

I will try to open a new topic in the restauration section and post the pictures there (after i will know how it works ;-) ).

I bought it from a farmer near Verden, that told me that the trailer was formerly in use by the british army for a field kitchen.

He cut away the rear section and welded on on a ramp to transport pigs with it. During his use the complete inner floor is rotten and now missing.

Do you think it may can be a wartime trailer?

Regards
Jürgen

 

[Le Prof]

Hi @Baerdus

Jürgen.

Bavaria I know a little, it's the other side of the Alps from me (-:.

If the number 01YK60 is original to the trailer, it is probably WW2, though pictures would confirm it.

After the war, with vehicles all over the world, some lost, destroyed, stolen and  with fictitious numbers, and the British Forces reducing in size so selling or giving a lot of vehicles away, the registration system was a mess. So, around 1948, when things started to stabilise, the army started to issue  a new registration system to find out what vehicles they still had. 01YK60 is a registrtion from that period, and would heve replaced the trailers wartime X registration number.

The change in number was recorded on Keycards, like the one below. Wally Dugan was instrumental in rescuing these cards many years later.

The amount of information for each trailer is variable, as you can see. All the trailers on this card are water trailers. Some have nearly no information, such as 90YK02, all we can tell is it was Struck Off (disposed of) by the Ministry of Supply at Ruddington in the UK on 16/11/53.

Others, like 90YK10 was chassis number 1355, Contract T879, wartime number X4577402, and was Struck Off by the Britsh Army on the Rhine on 31/10/63.

Rotten floors on these are quite common, but it is a flat sheet of steel with no complicated pressings, so fairly easy to replace.

Here's some more interior photos on another site:

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17322

Tell me if you need a scan of the parts book.

Best Regards,

Adrian