Mike - i went to the AWM on Tuesday to look at archive footage for the series of programs we're making for the Temora Aviation Museum and had a quick look at this film... it actually shows the full track truck, not the CMP based one. The footage is excellent though.
Incidentally, the AWM has a reading and viewing area where you can go to look at timecode display VHS copies of many of the films in the archive. A most diverting way to spend a day!
This is the tracked truck in the film, although the pic was take at a different location (AWM pic)
D Number:
069097
Physical description:
Black & white
Summary:
CAIRNS, NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA. 1944-08-30. PERSONNEL OF THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ARTILLERY, THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS AND THE AUSTRALIAN ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS OF THE 6TH DIVISION CONDUCTING TRIALS OF A PILOT MODEL TRUCK TRACKED 1 TON IN ORDER TO FIND THE BEST VEHICLE OF THAT TYPE FOR ACTIVE SERVICE CONDITIONS. FOR A COMPARISON TEST A TD9 TRACTOR WAS SUBMITTED TO THE SAME TESTS. AFTER TESTING THE VEHICLE IN SOFT SAND ON THE BEACH AND IN LIGHT SCRUB AND OVER MARSHY GROUND, THEY WERE FURTHER TESTED OVER TIDAL MUD FLATS. AFTER THE FINAL TEST, CARRYING A LOAD OF ONE TON, THE LOAD WAS REMOVED AND THE VEHICLES WERE DRIVEN STRAIGHT OUT OVER THE TIDAL MUD FLATS IN ORDER TO FIND OUT HOW FAR THEY WOULD PENETRATE THE MUD AREA. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRUCK TRACTED 1 TON WAS ABLE TO VENTURE MUCH FARTHER OUT THAN THE TD9 TRACTOR. THIS PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THE TRUCK TRACKED 1 TON MAKING THE UNLOADED TEST.