Canadian gun tail light

[rob love]

I found a bunch of these at my favorite surplus store today, and right away noted the difference form the British model, which I already have. The lamp itself is made from the standard CMP tail light, notched to give light down to the white circle painted underneath it. Photo is of the best one, the remaining ones were a bit rusty.

[Ron Pier]

And my British one. Ron

[rob love]

A few differences then. The cable on the Canadian one is just the cloth loom over the two wires, while the British one uses wire loom. The Can one has the white circle built as part of the lamp, the British is an add on. And of course, the CMP taillamp on the Cdn version.

[tankbarrell]

The white circle on the British one is not added on, it is just paint like the Canadian one. The bolt is for fixing the lamp itself.

[rob love]

Ah, yes, I see that now. They even dimpled the metal for the bolt.

[Ron Pier]

I thought I might as well take a reference photograph of the back of my Brit lamp with armoured cable. Ron

[Tony Smith]

Q: Electrically, where did these connect to on the vehicle? Was there a socket at the rear of the Gun Tractor body, or did they remove a taillight lens and fit it in place of the lamp? The socket used has no weather cap (unless you stick a cork in it!). Are these the same plugs that are used on the body wiring harness that plug into the back of the 11/12 Cab rubber taillights, and therefore with a modicum of weatherproofness?

If there is not a socket at the rear of the body, would it explain the presence of the power sockets fitted in the dash panels of the Cab 12 Chevs in THIS THREAD on dash layouts. I note that the dash pictured by Dick Wheat and those by myself in that thread are all of CGT/Portee vehicles. Connecting a trailer (artillery piece) wiring harness to the dash of the towing vehicle would be a major embuggerance. Perhaps an "Extension lead" was used to run from the dash to the rear of the vehicle, where the Gun lead connected? This would keep the exposed socket well within the vehicle to keep it out of the weather.

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Q: Electrically, where did these connect to on the vehicle?

Most (if not all) british WW2 vehicles had a 2-pin socket, usually located at the rear of the vehicle. Maybe the Canadians had something similar?

The first two photos are two different types of socket I've encountered, the third photo is the corresponding plug (which as you correctly guessed, also fits the 11/12 cab rubber tail lights). The last two photos are the sad remains of a 2-pin socket that was fitted to my C15; bolted to the rearmost crossmember, and oriented upwards (so located between the chassis and rear body).

Owen.

[Lynn Eades]

Owen, just for clarity:
There are "pins" and there are "contacts"
SBC identifies a bulb / plug with two contacts.
SCC means the bulb or plug has one central contact.
These items have two parallel pins which means the bulb or plug can be fitted two different ways.
Im not sure about this but I believe SCC stands for single center contact. This makes sense. (to me)
However along with that goes SBC or single base contact(s)??????.. which doesn't make sense. The only conclusion I can think of is that it differentiates from a double base bulb like a festoon bulb? Anyone clarify?

Anyhow a gun tail light assy would use double contact plugs and sockets to allow for a feed and an earth return.

Then, just to stop it all being too easy "they" made (single filament) bulbs, plugs and sockets with offset pins

[tankbarrell]

I think SBC stands for small bayonet cap.

[Lynn Eades]

Thank you for that. Adrian.
So if it's Small Bayonet Cap, what is the SCC? Small Cxxxx Cap?
I guess we need someone to post up some documented info.

[Richard Farrant]

SCC stands for Small Centre Contact

[Grant Bowker]

Images attached of a trailer connection socket (at least, that's my assumption since it's an electrical connector mounted with the tow hook) found on a C15A frame.

[Grant Bowker]

More socket photos

[Tony Smith]

Would anyone have one of these connectors and the mounting plate they would be willing to sell?

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Would anyone have one of these connectors and the mounting plate they would be willing to sell?

Plugs and sockets are available here:

https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/pr...lb-holder-plug
https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/pr...end-bulbholder

No connection to the vendor...

Owen.

[rob love]

Those sockets look like the same ones used on the Canadian bren carrier convoy lamp as discussed here: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=16162

Here is a link to the photos I posted of my convoy lamp. They used an adapter nut to go from the socket up to the typical cmp tailamp housing.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...536#post143536