Hello, this is my first post on here, I'm still learning some of the history on these CMP's so beg my pardon if i quote something incorrectly or assume something to be be true when it may clearly not be, happy to be corrected... and so;
Some years ago in the late 1980's my Dad (some IMPS members may know him - Mark Palmer) purchased a "rare" 1943 Ford F15 cab 13 A/A mk II platform from Robin Cecil. The adverts of the time in Wheels & Tracks read:
Very Rare 1943 Ford F15 20-mm AA platform truck (FVD page 227). Genuine 10.930 miles. 95% complete (alas no gun!). Easy restoration. ₤550 or exchange good quality Jeep parts, especially capstan winch. Tel. (daytime only) 01-253 0791 - Robin or 0732 70278 - Claudine.
Another interesting CMP F15, now a 1943 C291WQ (s/n 110574) with AA platform body, was recovered from a garden in Surrey last year (and the subject of a Wee-Tee in issue 23). It still has the original British WD numbers [Z5196119] and was modified only in being fitted with flasher and plywood sides and tailboard. Paul Sutton of Kent submitted some photos and full details of the ID plates. Built January 18, 1943, it was shipped under Contract SM2485 as an F15412-M-VAN-6, the conversion to AA being done in Britain.
It was around this time during the tear down for restoration that another F15 came up for sale in a far worse state and we were going to buy it for spare parts. A chap named Dave Ballard bought it, heard we had this original and somewhat complete one and spent a day photographing, measuring and documenting it to replicate what was missing on his. I've read a few threads on here so am aware that Dave is a known entity who restored an astounding F15 4x2 AA complete with a 20mm Polsten that went to a museum in Belgium but here he is many moons ago in our old garden collecting his thoughts/plans for his chassis
As with most projects, other opportunities came up and Hilda as we call her was shelved. Fast forward a few years and my Dad and I have had snippets of time to restore her to her former glory and we're now tantalisingly close. The GS body has been built as we dont have the AA gun mount bits but who knows, one day perhaps.
Paint is all done but our next mission is to work out what battalion/markings etc are required.
Thanks for reading,
Dudley