[Mike Cecil]

Gents,

The image per Harry Moon listed as 'possible collection in Europe' was taken inside the Melbourne Tank Museum, Australia, and is on a CMP based wrecker. The tyre carrier of this design is unique to Aust production. Note also the Centurion ARV Mk2 in the background.

The period image with the tyre ramp and 'conventional' wheels is of an Australian tipper, viz, 'Truck, 3 ton, Tipper, 2-1/2 to 3 Cu Yd'. There were four main marks (and a number or sub-marks, depending upon the hoist fitted): the early timber bodied version had standard CMP wheels, later versions had 8.25x20 tyres on conventional rims: singles at front, duals at rear. The front wheels could be 'dualled' if the terrain required it. The latter wheels were also retrofitted to the early version from time to time, so there is no hard and fast rule about their fitment. In Australia, the tippers were the only CMP during the war to be fitted with conventional wheels and 8.25x20 tyres as standard that I'm aware of.

The 'Tractor, Artillery, Aust No.6' (the Aust LAA tractor) was originally fitted with standard CMP wheels, but post war (they lasted until the late 50s), many of those remaining in service were converted to dual rear wheels. In 'Take Post', the story of the 18th LAA Regt, there is a 1955 colour image of two No.6 tractors: one with, and one without dual rear wheels.

Early Aust CMP 20-inch wheel stowage did not include a tyre/wheel ramp: this was a modification introduced in late 1943. Earlier production mounts not fitted with a ladder were not modified. It is therefore concievable that at least early production No.6 tractors were not equipped with any form of ramp to assist with stowage of the spare.

The Aust CMP 16-inch wheel carrier was not fitted with a ramp.

There is also the complication that a number of tactical trucks were designed without stowage for a spare, on the basis that they were to be fitted with RF tyres. When the fitting of RF tyres was discontinued (rubber shortages), the dilema was where to put the spare. The 'Tractor, Artillery Aust. No.8' is a case in point, and you will see images with the spare slung onto the roof. Apparently, there were enough men in a gun crew riding in the artillery tractor to achieve this by brute strength! The No.9 tractor was fitted with both a spare (carried inside the rear body, right side) and a stowage ladder (stowed on the outside on the right).

Mike C