Aust Army Trailer
 

I keep seeing photos of these trailers in New Guinea and Bougainville (many more than the Aust version of the standard Jeep trailer).

What are they, who made them and does anyone have one?

Lang

Aust Army Trailer
 

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Aust Army Trailer
 

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It's a "Trailer, 1/4 ton, No1 (Aust)". The description is variously given as a 1/4 ton, 1/2 ton, 8cwt or 2wh, or even a combination of the lot! It was a simple trailer able to be dismantled for shipping or air transport and was "made of commercial components".
The No2 was similar but made to carry stretchers.
The Nos 3, 3A and 4 were the Aussie Jeep trailers (made by Ford and GM-H (+others?)).
The No5 was the Land Rover Trailer of the 60s (The RAEME trailer wasn't numbered, just called a "Trlr, 1/2 ton platform".
The AWM has either a No1 or No2 in it's collection.

Aust Army Trailer
 

Thanks Tony.

Wonder why they went to the American style trailer? This one seems much more useful - bigger capacity, easier loading more versatile and probably cheaper. Could have easily changed the stud pattern to use the Jeep spare wheel.

Think I might build a replica.

The amphibious feature of the American trailer is like a hip pocket in a singlet.

Lang

Re: Aust Army Trailer
 

They probably went to the American style for the sake of conformity. There's possibly also the Inferiority Complex at work here, too, as the No 1 looked decidedly homebuilt compared to the Bantam.
The Amphibious feature may have been useless, but a watertight trailer is very useful when disembarking from a landing craft or conducting numerous river crossings and you want to keep the contents dry.
That said, the Aust Jeep trailers had their shortcomings compared to the US trailers. The US trailers were built on a chassis which could bear more longitudinal stress. On Bougainville, the Australians modified US trailers by fitting them with a Jeep Pintle hook on the rear crossmember to enable them to be linked into trains. The Aussie trailers only had a folded, sheet metal, integral chassis and could not be fitted with a pintle hook. In designing the No 5 and RAEME Trlr in the late 50s, the Army went back to the centre tube chassis of the No1 and 2 to enable them to be linked into trains again.

Thanks Tony.

The trailer tandem hitch seems to be a standard mod. There is a jeep trailer site on the web which tells you everything you never wanted to know about US jeep trailers - very interesting.

In amongst all the stuff is an official drawing of the tandem trailer field modification kit. It comprises of two plates which run from the centre rear cross member to just behind the spring hangars each side ie 45 degrees across the back corners. These plates plus a hook which bolts through the cross member and the plates comprise the whole kit.

The light plug is a box which fits on the right side up under where the angle in the body side kick out. I am sure they would not have worried about this fitting in the field in most cases.

Lang

Aust Trailer
 

Identification

Can anyone identify this trailer .

I.D. Plate says 1953 Aust Army

World war II hUBS
7.50 X 18 Tyres

Thanks

Jim S.

Jeep Trailer Website
 

How 'bout posting that URL?

:cheers: Mike

Re: Aust Trailer
 

That is an Aust No4 1 ton trailer (which is not the same as a No 4 Aust jeep trailer!), with what seems to be a farmerised water tank.
What's the serial No of this trailer, Jim? I have a data plate for one in my collection. See this thread

Here are a couple of jeep trailer sites. I will send more later.

Lang

http://members.aol.com/brimiljeep/we...ailerpage.html

http://www.film.queensu.ca/cj3b/hubb...rs/bantam.html

Re: Re: Aust Trailer
 

Tony
The trailer is located some distance away but next time I am there I will take down the details off the plate , this trailer appeared to have some sort of engine mounted on it judging by the oil spills and bolt pattern . I was interested in what it looked like originally or other trailers of the same size and vintage looked like so as to restore the body work .

Perhaps we could persuade Keith W to have a trailer section on his web site .
Jim S.

Re: Re: Re: Aust Trailer
 

OK - I have a few trailer pics scattered through the site - if you send me some I can do it...

Let's see...

One for Aust Jeep trailers

Another for CMP trailers

Another for anything else?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Aust Trailer
 

Yes one for all the 'D series' Dodge detail photos I sent you on disk. LOL :)

Cheers
Cliff:salute:

PS> I will resend the disk if you want but only if you do put them up on your site.:)

Re: Re: Aust Trailer
 

Tony
Finally got around to getting the details off the No 4 trailer.

MAC . Co
Vic
TRAILER 2 WHEEL
AUST No 4
REG No & 350 & 149
1953

Regards
Jim S.