Radar Van for Corowa event

[Jan Thompson]

KVE was donated a Canadian WW2 Radar Van. It is now back in Sydney and John Oldenmenger has started to look at the restoration project and what is now required.

We have been donated 10 750X20 tyres so we have all the tyres plus 2 spares. We still require 1 spare rim for a tyre this size. if anyone can help please let us know.

When rubbing the van down it was army green on the chassis but it is yellow on the body which indicates it was Airforce. It is possible it was used by the PMG.

Today Dutchie has pressure washed the hubs, springs and wheel arches and has also greased the spring shackles and shock absorbers. The main frame underneath is in excellent condition and the underbody is OK.
The rims were galvanised so there is no need for sandblasting. Any surface rust will be treated and painted.

The original parking light brackets are still on the trailer. We do require army style military taillights eg jeep. If anyone can help by donating these it would be greatly appreciated

After our KVE meeting on the 17th August we will organise a plan for the continued restoration and decide on a day where we would like people to come and help strip out the inside of the van and decide on the final restoration plus fit out inside the Van.

In the back of the van there was a air conditioner fitted when used by the Lithgow City Council. At this stage we will put some glass as a window and cover with wire mesh. Dutchie is going to get 2 covers for the air vent holes along with 2 more wheel clamps and 2 more wheel nuts.

There are some brackets on the roof and he will forward pictures so we can ask some of the experts about what these would have been used for.

Another thing we require is lots of sikaflex so if anyone can donate any this would be appreciated. We already have a paint donation from a KVE member which is greatly appreciated.

[Jan Thompson]

Here are 2 more photos taken today. We are interested in what information people can supply us on these Radar Vans

[Jan Thompson]

Here is a picture of the roof.

[Richard Farrant]

Here is a short history of this type of trailer that I put together for an article in a recent KVE News :

The history of the trailer

The trailer was one of two consigned to a GL3( c ) radar convoy built in Canada. GL3( c ) was an Anti-Aircraft Gun Laying Radar system, the first mobile microwave frequency radar to be mass produced anywhere in the world. It was originated and designed in the UK, but also developed in Canada and the USA simultaneously. The trailer that KVE have been given was the Zone Position Indicator, the other trailer of a different design was the Accurate Position Finder. The convoy sets consisted of one each of these trailers and two FWD HAR1 towing trucks fitted with Cummins powered generators, also a CMP Chevrolet C60L for carrying equipment.

The trailer was built by Truck Engineering of Canada, at Woodstock. The equipment was produced by Research Enterprises Ltd of Leaside, Toronto to a Supply Mech Contract no. 2828. By December 1942, 314 convoy sets had been delivered, much of these sent to the UK for AA gun sites. Due to manufacturing problems this system was not able to be built in time in the UK and they were reliant on Canada to produce them. By the end of 1943 a total of 667 radar convoy sets had been made by REL under the Lend Lease agreement.

[Jan Thompson]

Dutchy has continued work on the Radar Van found the following on a plate underneath the van:
Truck Engineering Limited
Trailers and Truck Equipment
Woodstock Ontario
Model 22FW
Serial number 759

He has put some rust converter on the bottom and the wheel arches. Parking break arm needs welding. One side has tyres on and he has taken the other tyres are off and will be back on next week.

[hrpearce]

Once all the tyres are on I need to know the height from the ground to the bottom of the door and the width of the door. The length of the van and centre of door from either end would also help thank you.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Jan Thompson

Here are 2 more photos taken today. We are interested in what information people can supply us on these Radar Vans

Jan, see THIS THREAD from 2005 on this particular trailer.

[Jan Thompson]

Thanks Tony I had a look at the thread you mentioned today.

It sounds like there were a few people who have been interested in it recently so we feel very fortunate to have it and once it is done up it will be used as our Site Office at Corowa. At this stage we should have it for the 2015 event.

[alamotex]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Jan, see THIS THREAD from 2005 on this particular trailer.

Hi Tony I guess this is the radar trailer you once owned and the subject of e-mails we exchanged in 2005. Nice to see that the piece I wrote for the IEEE Canadian Review issue #69 has been cited in Richard Farrant's post #3. If approached, I will try to assist the project organisers. All the best, mate, Cheers Brian Mendes ( Canada )

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by alamotex

Hi Tony I guess this is the radar trailer you once owned and the subject of e-mails we exchanged in 2005. Nice to see that the piece I wrote for the IEEE Canadian Review issue #69 has been cited in Richard Farrant's post #3. If approached, I will try to assist the project organisers. All the best, mate, Cheers Brian Mendes ( Canada )

Hi Brian,
It is all my fault ...... I was the one who spotted the trailer in a thread on here amongst some other vehicles and as a committee member of KVE, knew there was interest in having our own site office for the Corowa event ....... the ball started to roll ! I think the intention is to try and maintain the outward appearance, but internally fitted out to suit the groups purpose. Jan will no doubt be on here at some point.
Your article was brilliant, up until then I had found very little info. There are several more of these trailers in the locality of where this one was.
regards Richard

[Jan Thompson]

Hi Brian
Wonderful to hear from you. Any help we can get would be greatly appreciated. I am the Vice President of the Australian Ex-Military Vehicle Collectors Society and last night at our meeting I talked about the Radar Van and gave a few people the information from the IEEE Canadian Review issue #69 as it contains some very interesting information. Can I use this article in our AMVCS newsletter and our KVE Newsletter as Richard is the editor of the KVE newsletter please?

One of the AMVCS members offered us some things from his collection including a 50 foot aerial. We would like more information on internal and external items.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Jan Thompson

There are some brackets on the roof and he will forward pictures so we can ask some of the experts about what these would have been used for.

Hi Jan,

The brackets on the roof are probably where the mast was attached and folded down for transport. Take a look at the attached here, pages 8, 9 and 10. Page 10 shows the trailer we have, with mast erected.
http://www.ieee.ca/canrev/cr69/IEEEC...eview_no69.pdf

regards Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Another link to this radar system showing the accompanying trailer and the FWD generator trucks that made up the set.
http://www.rcsigs.ca/ViewItem/1116/

[Chevrolet 41]

Hello Jan,

Here is a link to a local Adelaide lad I know (Andrew Tostevin) who has 2 of those radar trailers;

http://users.on.net/~tosty/3MK7-RADA...arTrailer.html

Perhaps there is some useful info for the restoration.

Cheers

Chris.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Chevrolet 41

Hello Jan,

Here is a link to a local Adelaide lad I know (Andrew Tostevin) who has 2 of those radar trailers;

http://users.on.net/~tosty/3MK7-RADA...arTrailer.html

Perhaps there is some useful info for the restoration.

Cheers

Chris.

Thanks Chris,
I have just looked at Andrew's website and read the story. I am afraid those are post war British trailers, the one that KVE has acquired is the wartime Canadian GL3(c), the trailer looks quite different.
Thanks for the link though, very interesting.

regards Richard

[hrpearce]

Are there any recent pictures of the van.
I still need the measurements so I can make steps or a ramp.

[Jan Thompson]

We are hoping to have a few working bees to get the radar van prepared for 2015. We have tyres so now we can get the measurements to Robert for the steps. I will speak to the person who is looking after it and ask him to provide the details.