Junior Wiles cooker
 

http:// DSC03127.JPG
Hi,
A friend and I just purchased a couple of Wiles junior cookers and am looking for some information on them.
Jeff

I tried to post an Image of them :bang:
jeff

Hi there mate!

well i have the parts and opp manual for the 4 wheel cooker so may be of use to you mate. Also know a guy in Sydney that has one and did it up. Just be aware that the insulation is that nasty stuff :eek:

Phil... :salute:

Hi Jeff,

I'll send you a private message with my email address if you want to send me the photo and I'll try to post it for you, so check your PM's ;)

Karmen

:fry:

:fry: 2

:fry: 3

Wow. I did it!!! :D

:smoker:

Karmen

Good lord, look at the bloody thing... it's positively... err... ancient! BTW Jeff which one are you, the short bugger behind the cooker or the fat shit behind the jeep? :D

Well done, Karmen! Thanks as always.

Thanks ... I got lucky I guess, as sometimes they'll resize and sometimes they won't, and I don't know why not when they don't :eek:

Karmen

were these the same as the units mounted in the 4 wheeled trailers during WW2?

Cheers
Cliff :)

Hi there Cliff!

Well the 4 wheel cooker was basicly the same thing just bigger to catter for more diggers at a time.

Phil... :salute:

Hey Geff!

The guy mentioned on your thread in G503 is the same guy in Sydney I was reffereing to.

Phil... :salute:

The reason I asked was I was after some basic measurements for model making but as the two units are different I will just have to keep looking for the right one.

Cheers
Cliff :)

Hi Cliff!

Well I have a fairly complete 4 wheel cooker here just some of the sheet metal needs replacing.

Phil... :salute:

Hi all,
Geoff no thats a mate Nigel Ward. The short bugger is my son Will, I took the photo.
Phill does your manual mention the 2 wheel? I will definatilly contact that guy in Sydney.
They were made in the later part of WW2 and used by the Army untill 1980 (so I am told).
I dont know what years our 2 are.
Jeff

Hi Jeff!

Well my manual is for the 4 wheel cooker but a lot of the parts and proceedures would be the same.

I went to a auction at Morebank Army Camp in Sydney around 87~88 and they sold off about 6 2 wheel cookers. A couple of others, the pick of the crop were diverted prior to the auction and went to the RAE museum as well as a 4 wheel cooker.

Most of the 2 wheel cookers were all the same but some had different length draw bars.

When you talk to Tom R in Sydney say g~day from me!

Phil... :salute:

Hi all
This site has plenty of information about the history of the cookers and the Wiles Family. I also have some images archived somewhere of one I restored for the Museum. I can dig them out if required but there is plenty of information around as are the units themselves.

http://www.nashos.org.au/wiles.htm

Bob

VMVC
 

A VMVC member had , at one point in the late 1980's , a fully working WW2 Wiles cooker ( not sure if it was a senior or junior ) , he towed it behind a 1950's ex army Inter truck .

He used to cook up meals for the club on various club trips . Sadly, he passed away and he whole outfit was put up for sale . Don't know what became of it .

Mike

Hi there Mike!

Well i am betting it is the one I have up here in Qld as it still bares the VMVC logo in the tac plate holder.

Phil... :salute:

Hi all,
I just discovered a photo of a restored one in my computer that was taken at Bandiana when I was there for Corowa 2005.
We are going this year so I will take a better look at it.

Phill, remember we had a good look at your cooker not long back, I recon it should be your next project!
Jeff

Wiles Cookers
 

The unit in the 4 wheel trailer set up is basically the same unit as in the Junior but with additional plumbing for the Bain Maries ( I think the spelling is right!).
Bob would be keen to know that they were a South Australian invention.
As for the cooker on the floor at Bandiis, it has been temporarily relocated to another shed while the Catering display is refurbished.

A good friend in Aus Laurie Wright sent me this photo a number of years ago. Laurie took the photo on 20.5.79 at Holsworthy range where it served with 23 field regt
Les

Hey thanks for the photo Les!
Ian, are you saying the two wheel one is not there anymore because I have a photo showing all three, 4wheel, 2 wheel and the stationary one on the floor in 2005. I will have a look an a weeks time anyway.
Jeff