RAF signal vehicle types.

There are four LAA Squadrons, Royal Air Force Regiment each with 6 40mm Bofors towed by Bedford QL GS 'in lieu of QLB Tractors'. Two are 'For 1 RAS' and two are 'For 2 RAS'. I have found no clue as to the meaning so far. The role of the RAFR squadrons is given as defence of captured enemy airfields.

Mike

 

A couple of bits on the Bedford MW with the E type signals body. I have for a long time understood that the ribbed body was a prototype but there seem to be many differences in these two images so is the Brockhouse built body a prototype or something different, this will be interesting
cheers
Les

 

This preserved example lives down here in the South East, the rear wheel arches are unusual i have not seen them rounded in any photos of original E types

 

Austin K6 with type RVT 467 body

 

The ribbed body looks very much like a container. It has lifting rings near the roof line. I have never seen or heard of a 15cwt with a detachable container body. But there seem to be a great number of RVTs I have never seen or heard of. Corrugated could suggest light weight and therefore air portable. There were a great many experiments in air portable vehicles.

I spoke with a local baker who was involved with experiments in parachuting a mobile field bakery unit. Not relevant but interesting.

Mike

 

Gents the ribbed body is mentioned in Bart Vanderveen's Kaleidoscope of Bedford & Vauxhall Military Vehicles, and as Les suspected it is a prototype 8 ft container produced in 1944 but not put into series production, there is a rear threequarter view which shows it had a single rear door to the offside of the centreline.
TED

 

I may be wrong (again) but I thought that the shape of the type E wheel arches was because it was designed to fit 15 or 30 cwt chasis. It seems strange that this wheel arch shape would be carried on in a 1944 prototype (when 30 cwt trucks had been discontinued)
Noel

 

Noel, I think the elongated wheel arch was to accomodate mounting on various chassis, I am not saying they were- but they had the facility to do so. Just the same as the 13 ft container was equally at home on a K6 Wot1 or Wot6 or QL.

Mentioning the 30cwt, although hundreds of WOT 3 were passed to the NFS and CD Rescue Service ( they also had some K2 GS trucks) in late 43, the types continued in great numbers in the RAF; Only recently did I find out that late in WW2 the RAF took some 30cwt Wot8 from the Army. just typed a letter to DORIS at Hendon for some more data sheets, but sadly lacking in original version RVTs , there is a radio truck data book at Kew but its dated 1970 so I expect everything is Mk 1 versions .

 

At least two 30cwt Fordon WOT3 RVTs were still in service with the RAF in 1967. Possibly in reserve somewhere but if they were used on airfields they would not do a great mileage.

Type 346 MkI. 2 X 5.6Kva generator.
Type 347. Mobile Servicing.

Source: Data sheets kindly sent by John Church some years ago.

Mike

 

Yes I surprising what was tucked away. I was at Akrotiri 70 -74 and part of the Middle East contingency store held by 431 MU were a number of AEC 0853 power supply vehicles with type P Mk2 bodies, ; I never saw inside the bodies- it was a touchey store to gain access to for a lowley erk but they were either RVT 550 MK1 with a 50 Kva Leyland set RVT 552 MK2 with 2x 10Kva sets or RVT 553 MK 1 with the Meadows 27.5Kva. There were also trailer mounted Meadows sets so my bet would be the Matadors carried the same. or is that too much like common sense ??
TED

 

Recently posted on another thread here is the new of the sad passing of Sidney Goldberg who served in 381 Wireless Unit RAF [a radio intercept unit] in this it states that the unit was some 50 strong and that it servd in NW Europe (amongst other theaters).

This reminded me of the story of Anthony heightman who served in 365 Wireless Unit - another Y Service unit. His story can be found here in issue 15 of the newsletter of the Royal British Legion Garrats Hay [Y Service] Branch.
In this he recalls the vehicles of this unit as -
Two 6-wheeled trucks each with 16 operator positions for “Y” reception. The receivers were American National HRO‘s with nine plug-in coil sets covering 50 kHz to 30 MHz. At that time there were no suitable British receivers available. There were also some Hallicrafter SX28 receivers for use above 30 MHz and some RCA AR88’s;
Two transmitter vehicles, each with two SWB-B transmitters – these of course were for communication back to the UK;
Two 6-wheeled vehicles each with two operator’s positions from which the transmitters were remotely controlled. They also carried transmitter spare parts;
One DF vehicle fitted with a Marconi HF spaced-frame aerial system;
Two small vans each fitted with one 1154/1155 transmitter/ receiver set. There was room for other equipment. They had very robust telescopic antennas extending to about 40 feet and each had a portable 5.6 kW petrol generating set for power;
Two vehicles each containing a 25 kW diesel generator and switchgear;
Several trucks to carry our five 60-foot sectional antenna masts, guys, cable etc.
A number of 3-ton trucks carrying the tents and all the other housekeeping gear etc., that a mobile unit has to have;
A large 6-wheeled vehicle equipped as a multi-purpose workshop;
A 6-wheeled vehicle to carry all our test and measuring equipment, technical spares and our photographic equipment;
There were two motorcycle despatch riders, several little vans and a staff car.

Not sure about the 16 Operator positions but think this might generally be usefull to the thread topic (though landing some time after D-Day)
Noel

.

 

Noel,

The small 'Y' Section landing on D day has five vehicles two of which are Mobile Servicing Vehicles, one 15cwt and one 3ton 6 X 4. I wondered why they would need so much servicing. I also wondered if the 3ton 6 X 4 was used to house the listening sets. Mobile Servicing bodies were issued as a bare shell to be fitted out to the users requirements.

In one of my books on radar there is a 'snippet'.The 'Y' Section listening vehicle had a desk at the rear for a supervisor, two desks down each side each with a listening set and operator. Across the front was a desk with four listening sets and two operators. This gives 8 sets per vehicle, or 16 for two vehicles. May be stretching it a little but worth keeping in mind.

Also the 'Y' section on D Day had a type 115 low power TR 15cwt with twin 32 foot telescopic masts.

Mike

 

I wonder if anyone can help me with a query about RAF vehicle type numbers, please. The pic at Thornycroft | Flickr - Photo Sharing! shows my father at the wheel of a Thornycroft Nubian which I think was taken in Belgium in 1945. Can anyone please tell me what type of vehicle Type 358 B is - I know my father worked in radar as a WOM. Also can anyone shed some light on the markings on the front of the vehicle, though unfortunately some are too indistinct to read?

Many thanks

Phil

 

Phil,

As you can see from the above posts we are still struggling with Type Numbers. Type 358 should be a 15Kva generator. B usually indicates a trailer. It is certainly a Thorneycroft Nubian and similar vehicles have been found with radar units. TAF 85 is 85 Group, 2 Tactical Air Force. This was responsible for the defence of the rear areas using night fighters and high performance day interceptors.

Luckily this vehicle has a Type number on the offside. Many had them on the nearside only.

 

Hi Trux

Many thanks for your reply - it helps to fill a gap in interpreting my father's RAF service record.

I know that he went to Belgium in 1945, just a few weeks before he was demobbed - he joined up in 1938 so had the option to go before conscripts. Apparently he was posted there because an officer caught him selling radio sets which he made from RAF components to other officers! He talked about having several vehicles including generators - I've got a pic of him sitting on the back step of a house type body which he told me was mounted on a Crossley Q - so it's quite feasible that this was a generator. I also seem to remember he told me that for part of the time he operated a relay station on the South coast, relaying signals from fighters back to their base in the UK, as their transmitters had limited range, but I'm not sure when this would have been or how accurate the story is. He spent some time at RAF Pevensey which was a Chain Home radar station and much of the war in South Africa, where I think he was an instructor for WOMs.

Thanks again for your help.

Phil

 

HI Gents here is the set up diagram for MRI type 5196, I originally thought it was late WW2 but it dates from at least november 1943.

Re PHIL's Nubian and its type number; I think the B denoting trailers was amended at some point, as I have seen type numbers with suffix C & D.

regards to all
TED

 

Hi Ted

Thanks for the extra info - the pic certainly looks like the sort of set up my father would have had, from what little he said (and I can remember!) about it.

What exactly was a MRI Type 5196? Should it be MRU, in which case I've found a reference to a type 5193 here, Radar Types but I can't find 5196.

Best wishes

Phil

 

Noel, I think the elongated wheel arch was to accomodate mounting on various chassis, I am not saying they were- but they had the facility to do so. Just the same as the 13 ft container was equally at home on a K6 Wot1 or Wot6 or QL.

Mentioning the 30cwt, although hundreds of WOT 3 were passed to the NFS and CD Rescue Service ( they also had some K2 GS trucks) in late 43, the types continued in great numbers in the RAF; Only recently did I find out that late in WW2 the RAF took some 30cwt Wot8 from the Army. just typed a letter to DORIS at Hendon for some more data sheets, but sadly lacking in original version RVTs , there is a radio truck data book at Kew but its dated 1970 so I expect everything is Mk 1 versions .

Hi, new member myself, but very interested in all reference to Fordson WOT8's as i own one in gs form; am compiling info regarding 3 ton WOT6 and 30cwt WOT8 so happy to help with info where i can; the BBC had a WOT6 ladder lorry which apparently had been a radar maintenance vehicle - should have an image somewhere if of interest..

 

Phil,

Ted can answer for himself of course but:

In this case the Type in Type 5196 refers not to a radar or to a vehicle but to a convoy of five vehicles and two trailers. The operational part is shown in the diagram. And yes one of the vehicles is a Nubian winch truck used for erecting the masts.

The actual radar is a mobile version of Chain Home Low (or even Extra Low).

Mike

 

This preserved example lives down here in the South East, the rear wheel arches are unusual i have not seen them rounded in any photos of original E types

I used to own that vehicle... when I bought it it had no floor, roof, sidescreens, windscreens, tow bar, rear mud flaps, air filter... and a few other bits... got it all up and together, but then bought a 75mm Pack Howitzer and interests changed - still regret parting with it a bit though - nice to see it's still around somewhere.

From what I could tell through research the rear bodies were designed to be put onto any model of 15cwt lorry in service, hence the elongated wheelarch to take different wheelbases into account. I have some more photos of these vehicles in service and will try and find them.

Tim