Quote:
Originally Posted by David Dunlop
You are making this really interesting if your C15TA is equipped with that aerial base mounting bracket. Can the previous owner confirm if that bracket was on the vehicle when he purchased it, or traces of its existence were present that made him find one to reinstall? If either of these conditions can be confirmed, then your C15TA was absolutely equipped with a Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian, and the only way that could have happened was if it went to a Canadian Army Field Workshop to have all the installation pieces fabricated and installed. That particular bracket for the Aerial Base No. C2 is found in Drawing No. 1270 of the installation instructions.
There are a lot of Mods that would have been done inside and out to the C15TA to accommodate the installations of the 52-Set and 19-Set HP and the Installation Instructions can point you exactly where to look for traces of each Mod. If the former owner ran across a number of odd things that did not make sense when compared to the basic C15TA manuals for the vehicle, this might explain them.
It is also interesting that the Installation Instructions for the wireless setup related here are part of a bigger modification Instruction package for the C15TA. The other part of the package deals with mods to be done to the vehicle to allow it to be backed into the Hamilcar X Glider. Key Mods here would have been done to the upper outside corners of the windscreen to slightly change the profile of the vehicle to allow it to clear the curvature of the Hamilcar entrance. Wood block would be fitted in these corners when the C15TA was driven out of the Glider to permit proper fitting of the canvas thereafter.
I do not know if all C15TAs fitted for this wireless equipment also got the mods for the Hamilcar, or vice versa, but thought you should be aware in any event.
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Hello David,
You are making very interesting points and I would be very much interested in checking those
Installation Instructions to look for traces of each Mod.
I have made some photos of the antenna mount, and it is actually fitted in a different location. It is fitted more to the rear, over the centre of the rear wheels. The previous owner has passed away so I cannot ask him whether it was original or not. Harry restored it from a range wreck but preserved as much of the original parts and configuration as he could. So the antenna mount, or remains thereof may have still been there. Note the hole in the hull side plate to accommodate the antenna wire to be fed through.
This C15TA was never fitted with the side stowage bins. I've often wondered why that was. Now, if it was assembled to be used as a radio truck, there would be no need for stowage of the infantry's kit riding in the back, would there? Lots of stuff still to find out!
