Carrier tail light

[Tom Millward]

Can anyone tell me the correct style of rubber tail light for the early Mk1 Carrier. I bought a Rubbolite no5a, but now I have my number plate I can see that it doesn't fit. Dirk Leedwater has what looks like a Canadian rubber tail light that would fit, but it has no number plate cut out. Should there be a number plate cut out?

I have considered modifying my No5a to fit, but don't want to cut about a rare tail light if I don't have to.

Thanks

[Michael R.]

Are you mounting the taillight on the top centre of the number plate attached to the POL container as mounted on the armoured battery box?

Depending on the production month/year, your taillight could be the rubber housing holding the pinhole lens, or the later all metal housing holding the coloured lens. If you have rubber firing rests, I am of the thought the rubber housing may suit your needs. Plenty of them around as they are quite similar to those found on CAB 11/12 CMP’s.

[Lynn Eades]

Tom, your number plate board should have a single hole at the top for a light. It will either be the "early" rubber light or the "later" small metal type.
There should be a change over switch, to switch between the black out light (facing the diff) and the tail light.
If you wade through Jordan Baker's very good, and comprehensive thread on his carrier rebuild, you will learn some stuff (lots of stuff!) about your carrier.
Then all you will need is for someone like Michael R. to chime in with the change over date of the lights, and you will have what you need.

As always, pictures would help us to understand what issues you might have.
Or to quote Tony, "this thread is useless without pictures".

[Tom Millward]

Hello gents, thanks for the swift reply. I normally struggle to upload pictures as they’re normally too large to upload. Here is the no5a rubbolite lamp which I now understand is the wrong type, and also a style of rubber light which LWD parts currently have in stock for CMPs.Attachment 108831Attachment 108832

My serial no is 5868, March 42, and it has the rubber rifle rests and rest in the gunners aperture. I also prefer the look of the rubber light, so will look for one of those. If the rear light is rubber, what material would the blackout lamp be?

I didn’t know that the light went anywhere other than the rear number plate, so that was interesting information. I have a new number plate from John Bizall, so will fit the light onto that, on the back of the battery box.

[Tom Millward]

For some reason, all my pictures have now uploaded, so I might as well ask my next question; my engine cover seems to be missing the second set of holes for the rifle rest. Is there a reason for this does anyone know?

[BCA]

Hi Tom, I can help you out. Will check in with you tomorrow. Brian

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Tom Millward

... I might as well ask my next question; my engine cover seems to be missing the second set of holes for the rifle rest. Is there a reason for this does anyone know?

A factory modified engine cover top armour plate for a mortar carrier . . . ?
Canadian factory mortar carriers did not have firing rests, pogo stick bases or spring clips. No antenna brackets on the rear passenger vertical engine cover protection plate either.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Michael R.

A factory modified engine cover top armour plate for a mortar carrier . . . ?
Canadian factory mortar carriers did not have firing rests, pogo stick bases or spring clips. No antenna brackets on the rear passenger vertical engine cover protection plate either.

But.... Canadian mortar carriers (Mk.II) were based on Mk.I* hulls and had all the non essential holes riveted shut. Why there aren't holes for the firing rest rear may have to do with this being a mortar or something else rear deck of a British carrier. Those pairs of rivets in the pics are not Canadian Mk.I.

[Lynn Eades]

This carrier was rebuilt many years ago in N.Z. It may well have Brit. carrier parts on it. We had more Mortar carriers than U.C.s

[Ron Pier]

Tom here is some information for the position and bracket for the axle flood-lamp that Michael R sent me for my Mk2 (is it the same on Mk1?) The (CMP) lamps and changeover switch came from Dirk and the little plates came from Brian I think.

The flood-lamp bolts to the inside of the rear plate and points to the white disc which is fixed the the right silencer. Ron

[Tom Millward]

Here's another picture of the engine cover, it has a stenciled part number under the paint. Does this correspond to a UK mortar Carrier?
Attachment 108841

[kevin powles]

Tom, If you got a 3” mortar carrier there, surely you want to restore it to mortar stowage configuration?. I would think 3” mortar carriers are rarer and more desirable?, or am I wrong ?.

Kevin

[Tom Millward]

Not now that you have all my mortar tubes! The rest of the stowage seems to be standard configuration as I have the battery box and standard stowage around the driver. I think perhaps the engine cover has come form a donor vehicle. How else could I tell if it is a Mortar Carrier variant?

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

But.... Canadian mortar carriers (Mk.II) were based on Mk.I* hulls and had all the non essential holes riveted shut. Why there aren't holes for the firing rest rear may have to do with this being a mortar or something else rear deck of a British carrier. Those pairs of rivets in the pics are not Canadian Mk.I.

I agree, the Canadian mortar carrier UC-2 armour top plate of the engine cover we are most familiar with is not usually found with this hole pattern. If the top plate could be British, as Lynn suggests, would those holes line up for the base of a 2” mortar mounting/adapter block?

Before we get carrier-ed away, (K.P.) I am merely suggesting this one atypical part not original to the hull. A part that may have been introduced on the early MK-I* hull. From the previous details I am absolutely convinced it is not a factory mortar carrier.

However... like the “Vera Lynn” carrier... a detailed inspection could show which parts are original to the hull and front armour WD number, serial number and build date.

[kevin powles]

Tom, If you post some side, front and back pictures we can tell you if it’s a mortar carrier. One tell tale is the gunners position fire extinguisher mounting bracket bottom hole will have a rivet in it.

Kevin

[BCA]

Tom, I think this is what you want. As per the Carrier FUC-03 Parts Book: C01Q-13440 tail lamp body. Also specified for early Ford CMP. There is a celluloid insert that forms a window but you’d have to fabricate one. These rubber bodies are essentially the same as the later solid rubber bodies except for the cut-out. Nice flexible, NOS condition. PM me for details. ... Brian

[Lynn Eades]

There are many indicators. but mostly rivet hole closures done in the factory.The holes for the smoke discharger bkt are closed as are all the rear compartment gun mounts and rubber rest brackets. also the battery box mounting holes were closed with rivets. Maybe a previous owner can help?
I believe this was a MkI* U.C., but I have only sighted it a couple of times and trying to i.d. it as something else wasn't the focus.

[Tom Millward]

Attachment 108847

Not the best image for explaining my point... But I've looked over the hull and the holes are all there for Bren mounts, antenna mounts, rifle rubber rests etc, so I'm concluding that the engine cover must be a donor from a UK Mortar Carrier.

If anyone has a Mortar Carrier and wants to trade for a standard Mk1* engine cover let me know, before I start making holes in it. I'd rather not modify it, but want to return mine to standard configuration so will need to put the missing holes in it.

[Tom Millward]

Before purchase a rubber tail light, I'm wondering, if the tail light was rubber, would the axle flood lamp also be the same rubber type? I.e. do I need to get two, one for the tail light and one for the axle light?

[RichardT10829]

Tom.

the light mounted by the rear axle was a pencil type light, it didnt have the rubber surround on as per the number plate lamp / rear lamp.

[Jordan Baker]

Asked and answered already on this forum.

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?p=197225

And a lot more detail

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16162