RAAF Derrick Trucks
 

G'day everyone,

I have a mate who is chasing what I believe to be a Chevrolet RAAF Derrick Truck.
I have been trying to find some info on these but have come up with very little so far. I believe they are a mid-wheel base CMP truck with a large winch mounted behind the cab (above the chassis), all controls going to the driver, and a large crane - vertical mast with cable operated jib - worked by the winch. I believe the jib could not slew, but I may be wrong about this.

I have found a small picture on Rod Diery's site but he states that it is a derrick off a ship. I have however seen other photos of these vehicles. I was sure there was at least one on OldCMP but I cannot seem to find it now. It was taken from the rear and was in South Australia from memory.

Can anyone supply any pictures or information about these very interesting trucks?

Jared

Here you go.

Oh dear....
 

OK, I will 'fess up now.

I searched all over the net and came up with nothing on RAAF Derricks - the few hits I got would not open (one being OldCMP). I tried a few times to get onto MLU but couldn't get in. Then, when I did, I didn't do a search but just fired off a new thread.
I have now done a search (RAAF Derrick) and found the pics I remembered from OldCMP - they were also posted on MLU by Keith. There is also a great pic of a derrick in QLD loading a Ford V8 onto a truck from the AWM.

I was also wrong about the slewing. They obviously do slew but I do not see how this works (a hand crank..?).

Now, if there are any other pictures or information about these unusual trucks I would love to see them/read about it.

Jared

Try that thread: 3 Ton Derrick

You may be talking of cross purposes here as the true derrick truck had a detachable boom that attached to the rear of the body and could come apart and store in the rear body, with a winch mounted on the body floor behind the cab. This did not slew but was rigid. These were originally 134inch wheelbase C60S or F60S chassis.

here is a model of it I made.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...MPDerrickC.jpg

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...MPDerrickD.jpg

The second was more a mini crane on the back of a truck.

I do have a few official pics of the fixed boom one here that have been put up on MLU before but I am not sure where.

How about this type?

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/ID087571.jpg

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/ID127765.jpg

:salute:

Hi Jared, I have just had another look at the original of the pic on my site and I still think it is a ship's derrick fitted to it. However, I have seen a truck with a derrick on it similar to the one that Tommy K has in his post. I'll go through my pics in the next couple of days and have a look.

Cheers
Rod

Rod

I have seen the photo you are talking about on your website. The crane setup is original ex RAAF and not off a boat/ship. Whats interesting about this crane is that it has had two 'stabilizers' mounted on each side of the boom. Not sure if this is a civvy or military mod..

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q...e/bulimba1.jpg

There are two of these cranes here in Perth. A 'pyramid base/mount' and the boom are sitting in a yard not far from me and another complete derelict example awaits rescue nearby.

:salute:

Derricks, or pole trucks
 

Well the ones with the vertical booms I know nothing about, so I'll just ignore those.

The ones with the tripod booms are configured like the Chevrolet (US) K 43 Signal Corps Telephone truck - the pole setter, although the booms are longer and higher.

The Signal Corps truck had the same winch setup, tripod boom (with the centre part two sections with a sliding joint for different rake angles) and the same drop down rear supports as you see dangling beneath the CMP trucks.

It's definitely the same sort of kit, and would collapse and store the same way, just not sure if the extra height on the CMP trucks is significant or if it is just another version of the pole-setter truck.

Is this what you're looking for?
 

http://www.oldcmp.net/Images/collect.../Derrick_1.jpg

http://www.oldcmp.net/Images/collect...Derrick_10.jpg

This was based on the long wheelbase chassis.

More pics here.

Thanks to Everyone....
 

G'day again everyone,

Thankyou to all that have posted so far.

I realise now that I should have been more specific as to what I was looking for. I was after the crane type truck that is in the pics that Keith, Rod, and Tommy K have posted. I used the word derrick as that is what I remembered them being referred to. But having thought about it, it really is a crane truck and the term derrick probably fits the fixed pole/tripod type crane the best.

The specification sheet posted by Keith is the same as the truck that is up here.
Now, some more questions:-
I assume that the winch lifts the load up, but how do you lower it? Can you reverse the PTO direction? Does it have some sort of brake mechanism you engage to lower the lifted load?
Thr Trinity Beach picture shows a hand winch(?) near the base of the mast. This looks to me like the mechanism for lifting or lowering the jib - before a load is lifted by the winch. Is this correct?
How does the crane slew? It looks like you just push it around once you have lifted your load - not nice if you are not on level ground.
There does not seem to be any provision for stabliser legs - can anyone see any in the pics?
What was the Safe Working Load/rating of the crane?

Crikey, that is enough for now! I welcome any more input about these cranes.

Jared

You probably used the term "Derrick" for the crane type trucks as that is their official Aust name!
Here is a data plate off one, marked "1 1/4 ton Derrick Truck" with D^D and 1945:

Derrick
 

Jarred
It appears from looking at the picture of the derrick lifting the engine that it operated from with in the cab of the truck.
If it was a blitz with a transfer case then the winch would be driven off the t/case pto which would give the winch forward and reverse speeds by using the truck gearbox. A braking device would also be available for the operater to hold the winch in any position.
I am sure some sort of slew locking device would also be used.
Outriggers do not appear to be in use on the blitz , but looking at the picture of Ford truck with derrick one can see outriggers and looking at the nearest outrigger a chain and pin can be seen dangling and holes on the outrigger bar so it can be pinned in the appropriate position , I am sure these would be available in the other pictures but not in use at that time.
Regards
Jim S.

Luftwaffe derrick truck
 

Not RAAF, but for interest's sake I thought I'd post this rare colour picture of a German derrick truck recovering a crash landed FW 190, ostensibly in Russia. Not sure of the make of the truck but it has an interesting rig. Derek.

Looks like...
 

... it's lifting just the engine first. It's a Ford I think.

I have a RAAF crane truck
 

Hi there, this is a very old thread. Anyway I have one of these crane trucks. mine is almost complete. I have photos if you want me to post them.

cranes
 

Welcome Malcolm to MLU, photos are always in demand here. Go for it.
I'm just west of geelong too.

Please post them Malcolm as I am always interested in these odd ball trucks :thup2:

derrick trucks
 

Hi Jared,

I think some of this might help you. The crane was designed to lift 3 tons originally, later increased to 5 tons by the addition of braces from the boom to the chassis rear and extra ground supports at the back as well.

Cheers,
Allan

derrick trucks
 

Here's some more to add. As you can see in the documentation, it is definitely called a derrick truck. Issued to engineers and the like, it would have been used, among other things, to load/unload the semi trailers that bridging platoons used to carry pontoons, bailey bridge sections, etc.
As for slewing control, there are 2 attachment points just behind the the tip of the boom. I think that simple ropes were tied here and used to pull the crane around.

Cheers,
Allan

Hi and thanks Allan, the photos of the pages are fantastic, as I have finally got really started on this project and am making progress. Next week its chassis painting and from there we start the fun parts.
All the best and here are some old and some newer photos, I will take more as I go along for your interest if you like.
Cheers Malcolm.. Geelong Vic Australia

CMP RAAF Derek truck
 

Hi Keith, I was wondering if you could please repost the photos that were here as I a would like to compare them to what I am restoring. Many thanks Malcolm.

RAAF Blitz Cranes
 

There were a couple of these cranes up for sale at about the same time earlier this year. The ads were posted on this forum. Both were fairly complete, one was a Chev and the other a Ford.

Refer page 4 of 'For Sale Or Trade', Clearing Sale Yass Gap Range.

David

Thanks, yes I did hear about them. But only some time after... thanks though

Built by G H Olding (Plate tag: GHO). The RAAF, in typical fashion, had to call it something different to the Army!

Mike C

RAAF Derek
 

Thanks Mike Cecil, I did not know what GHO stood for. I bet you are surprised I am actually going to finish it.. after almost 20 years! Do you have any inservice or other photos?
All the best, Malcolm

Pictures of Derrick Truck
 

Jared,

I have a Derrick Truck then from the looks of it. If you need any information, please let me know, it is relatively intact.

I shared some pictures and information about it on a previous MLU thread:

C-60S Engineers CMP

Check it out! Cheers and welcome to the Derricks Club.

Regards, Richard

RAAF Derrick Truck, spotted recently in Australia by a member of the Dutch HMVCG Keep Them Rolling.

Attachment 62658 Attachment 62659 Attachment 62660

H.

Also on the vehicle data plate. The fact is these are the ONLY CMP derricks produced - the so called Derrick in pic 3 is not, repeat NOT, a derrick. The defining feature of a derrick is a pivoting boom which rotates around a vertical axis.

Sorry, Tony, but to a Canadian, the truck in Pic 3 is officially defined as a 'Lorry, 3 ton, Derrick' or 'Lorry, 3 ton, 4x4-134"wb Derrick' and they were only built (in Canada) on Ford chassis.

There were various body configurations: 3A3 on Cab 12; 3A5, 4H2, 4H4, 4H6 on Cab 13. The Canadian DND vehicle model suffix was DRCK-1 through to 5, depending on fittings, winch type, etc, (where DRCK stands for 'Derrick').

The DND description of the vehicle and its use also uses the term 'derrick' several times.

So I suppose we are seeing yet another difference of word definition and usage between English speaking nations. OK, OK .... so it seems the Canadians don't know the difference between a 'Lorry' and a 'Truck'....

Mike C

Hi Mike,
The Lorry, Derrick configuration in Pic 3 that you relate to was also built in Canada on the Chev chassis. Steve Stone had one, but I thought it was on a C30S chassis, same wheelbase as a '60S, but his was a Cab 12. Looks much the same as a 3 tonner.

You can talk to him about it in July !

regards, Richard