Hello All,

Following on from Ilian's identification I found an earlier link to a Dutch Air Force Thornycroft Amazon with the Coles crane here on MLU Accessed April 8th 2016 from http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...11&postcount=1

I wonder what happened to it back in 2008?

Kind Regards
Lionel

Hi again, Lionel, from distant Bulgaria.
Apparently this one, a LWB WF8, back in 2008 was due to restoration.
Some pics here:
http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread...ghlight=amazon
Note the last pics are from 2010.
Cheers!

Same vehicle attending 3 Sqdn prang. Appears to be typical P40 ground loop and U/C collapse.

Attachment 81003

One for sale on facebook.

Some more information regarding the big crane. Happy to see more interested on this! Thanks to Mr Damian Rigby!

"The crane PTO is off the side of the main gearbox and goes through an angle drive then up to a 3-speed gearbox on the crane itself."

source: https://armorama.kitmaker.net/module...page=2#2234940

G_Mendes

One more photo:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...?1613056810059

source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/CAC_CA-15

A few more photos in the archives in the state library of Victoria.

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/...v-pic-aab85724

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/...v-pic-aab90250

(Image for ilustration purpose)

Two more images, from the "Wilsons Steel" crane, from online newspapers.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/51aa32dd...txa4yl_500.jpg

source:

https://mildurawritersresidency.tumb...sons-scrapyard

https://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/...22c375d6b7bbc3

Source:

https://www.news.com.au/don-and-iris...5ee8e33083de39

Merbein
 

The Wilson's had a car wrecking yard just out of Mildura, towards Merbein , think their son ran it. Anyway, they decided to have a big clean up and the yard was featured in Restored Cars magazine. A few of us called in to have a look around, think it was 1981.

We spotted a few gems including a very nice WC21 Dodge for $500. One thing confused us though, somebody had removed all of the wheels from the old cars, the wheels were sitting in a pile on one side of the yard. After enquiries, the deal was, if you purchased a car, you had to hire their yard crane to load the car onto your trailer. The cars were sold without wheels ! Hmm sneaky

I spotted the WC21 wheels on the pile and asked if they went with the truck, a firm NO was the reply.

They also had a Chevy 1.5 Ton Yankee Joe and a very damaged M-H No. 3 or 3A. Lots of 30s and 40s cars . I recall a 42 Ford pickup was $80

Mike, that's a interesting way of business thinking !!!!!

yes
 

It was indeed :confused The problem for us and others was: arriving home with your purchase on your trailer. How do you unload the car when the wheels are not fitted ! Hire another crane !

Mike,
So, you must by the wheels separately and install them on site, or hire a crane to load and unlod... or getting wheels and put them after the truck being in the trailer... smart thinking, I guess one always bought the wheels, to save the extra work and expense... after all, wheels will be needed!!! :bang: :giveup

Cheers!

Aircraft
 

Here's one case where the aircraft is at least as interesting if not more interesting than the vehicle.

It looks like a Mustang but in fact is the one-off Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-15 fighter, powered by a Rolls Royce Griffon engine it was claimed as the fastest piston engined fighter of its time. Ultimately (and very unfortunately) it was broken up after the engine was returned to British stocks.
However... the drawings have survived and a complete cockpit section has been scratch built at Moorabbin.

One more image, this one in use with a unknow crane type, that looks to be based in a Bedford QL truck?

For research purposes.

Source: Geoff Goodall website (from Cherry Williamson via Ron Cuskelly)

http://www.goodall.com.au/australian...aliandc-2.html

This photo show one of this cranes mounted in what looks to be a Mineapolis-Moline GTS tractor, and they refered crane as a "Fowler crane".
Found in a page about the machines used in ‘LEIGH CREEK – THE OLD TOWN PROJECT’, with a lot of personal photos. They have a lot of other interesting photos too.

https://leighcreek-theoldtownproject.squarespace.com

Source:
https://leighcreek-theoldtownproject...erations-1940s

https://leighcreek-theoldtownproject...erations-1950s

https://leighcreek-theoldtownproject...-power-station

To further confirm the manufacturer of this crane, a photo from a wartime australian magazine clearly shows "Fowler 10 ton crane".
With this one, it seems that "Fowler" is the confirmed manufacturer of these cranes, and that they didn't were made just for the RAAF, but also had other civilian users. This one is with what looks to be a Ford G8T cab truck, 6x4 or 6x6? drivetrain! Never one f these before!

From:
"The Australian home beautiful : a journal for the home builder", Vol. 23 No. 10 (October 1944), page 16. (article: On the Job with the Housing Commission; photos and notes by W. A Sumerset)

Source:
https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-294452887...e/n15/mode/1up