Shipping Vehicles from A to B. Crates, Cranes, Decks & Docks.

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by von Poop, Feb 10, 2018.

  1. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    There is a series of photos in the IWM Collection of Spitfires being uncreated and assembled at 145 MU in North Africa in 1943.

    Search | Imperial War Museums

    And Hurricanes in West Africa
    ROYAL AIR FORCE: WEST AFRICA COMMAND, 1941-1945.

    Later in the war escort carriers were used to ferry aircraft, covered in preservative and, depending on type, minus outer wing panels and/or propellers e.g. P-38 Lightning
    [Photo] P-38 Lightning aircraft loaded aboard an escort carrier for ferrying to Europe, New York, United States, date unknown

    Some of the Liberty ships were built as dedicated tank carriers (Type Z-EC2-S-C2) or as boxed aircraft transports (Type Z-EC2-S-C5).
     
  2. Roy Martin

    Roy Martin Senior Member

    They were also carried on deck by a number of the Merchant Aircraft Carriers.
     
  3. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    This is what happens at the other end if, once unloaded, you do not reassemble and move your vehicles up country. American supplies for the Chinese Army unloaded at Rangoon, Burma 1941/42. I am not sure if these were destroyed by the retreating British or by the bombing of the advancing Japanese. I suspect the former.

    Photo 004.JPG
     
    Dave55 likes this.
  4. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Some close up views.

    Photo 005.JPG
     

    Attached Files:

  5. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

  6. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    Looks more like a dump of spare parts rather than unassembled vehicles
     
  7. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Look again more closely. The wheel hubs are clearly stacked up on the chassis of the trucks .

    This contemporary account explains the photograph.

    Going down to the docks one morning I was cheered to see work still going on. Ships which had recently been brought in were being discharged under military supervision and Indian soldiers were acting as stevedores. Men of an Indian pioneer corps were assembling trucks on the quayside, working 24 hours a day, so that not one nut or bolt should be left for the Japs, should the city fall. As soon as the trucks were ready for the road they were loaded with military supplies and driven away. But I also learned of a different state of affairs further along the Bund where the American Military Mission to China had its depot and assembly plant for Lease-Lend materials to China. There, I was told that, in a moment of Sino-American panic, men of the American Technical Group and Chinese technicians, had destroyed the entire stock of military supplies some ten days previously. Over 1,000 vehicles had been intentionally destroyed. Some of them were ready for the road and others were still uncrated, but all were vital to the war supplies to China. The source of the demolition order seemed uncertain, but the charred remains at the depot told their own unfortunate tale and, as I looked over the debris, I thought of the handful of Indian soldiers still working ten days after this wanton sabotage had been perpetrated; ten vital days, in which, with a little cool headed courage, the entire depot might have been saved.

    George Rodger. Red Moon Rising. Page 65-66.
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2020
    Dave55 and Roy Martin like this.
  8. Ewen Scott

    Ewen Scott Well-Known Member

    The MAC ships were only used as transports in March and April 1944 during 11 voyages carrying a total of 212 aircraft.
     
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Dave55 and Osborne2 like this.

Share This Page