Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra
Thanks Bruce,
I did not realise there were multiple Foxes in your photos.
I think the Foxes with welded on triangles and thin roof hull were not factory seconds, they were likely pilot models. As with other armoured vehicles, pilots were constructed of mild steel and would be used for component testing and ironing out the last manufacturing details before committing to full scale production using armour plate. The early features are an indicator of them being pilot models. |
Hanno, all my stills are of 'THIN ROOF HULL". The video captures are the Fox that eventually became mine, as is the old photo of the hull that Les Fisher posted. For some reason I didn't take any photos of the one Paul has, though I crawled over it many times.
I would agree with you the welded on markings are prototype or pilot, but I can confirm mine at least is made of hard drill bit breaking armour (it had the triangles). My Fox was built in October 1943 at the end of production which makes me wonder how that can be. Is it possible pilots sat at the GM plant and were given data plates at the end so they could be sent to the army? It's a safe bet most of the Fox left in Canada were for training so hard armour, fire suppression, etc. were not that important, though the vehicles would be well marked to indicate that.