RAF vehicles

[Barry J. Cox]

Sure looks like my 1941 Ford Panel. Also looks like a Ford flathead engine.

[Larry Hayward]

Interestingly, this photo was taken in 1939 or very latest 1940, so I guess the van had a production run of a few years.

Its in RAF Blue-Grey, with gloss black fenders, which were a feature on their Fordson Sussex and other civi models. I wonder how they got away with that paint scheme, when every other manufacturer from 1937 had to paint the entire vehicle in RAF Blue-Grey?

Any idea of the exact model?

[Larry Hayward]

Here is another problem photo. This van is said to be a signals van and was shown in relation to a story of a Halifax that crashed in 1944, that was in need of some direction finding assistance but sadly crashed. The RAF Type number confirms it was taken after Type Numbers were introduced circa Jan 1944, and yet it has black front mudguards. So is this particular to a type of Ford van as in my previous post or perhaps the use of gloss black before it was ordered in 1946?

As for the colour it looks to be rather dull with traces of camo behind the passenger window, as if the roof is black or dark brown over SCC.2 brown - and yet the mudguards are left in gloss!

[George McKenzie]

I have to my knowledge the only 42 Fordson bomb hauler left with dual tires .A fellow that was in the RCAF brought to Canada after the war as a collector .I have the fuel trolley for it .It is painted light blue .Also have a 42 RCAF ford half ton pickup ,same color .In Canada a civilian could not buy a half ton ford truck during the war. ,only a 3/4 ton . Was there a different color between the RAF and the RCAF vehicles ?

[Larry Hayward]

Yes there was a difference in colours; presumably 'RAF Blue Grey' was permitted in Canada in WW2 but not the UK when it was gradually replaced with Army camo colours from 1939 to 1941 when the factories stopped using RAF Blue Grey. I guess any vehicle imported to Canada from the UK post-war would mean the vehicle had returned to RAF Blue Grey colours. As for my RAF Ford Van photos there is circumstantial evidence to suggest that they were delivered with gloss black mudguards and whatever camo was on the body, the mudguards stayed gloss black throughout WW2!

[Larry Hayward]

Obviously the Type number 1500 means this is not a Signals Van and this number was also used for an RAF Jeep, so its just a basic van.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Larry Hayward

Obviously the Type number 1500 means this is not a Signals Van and this number was also used for an RAF Jeep, so its just a basic van.

Larry,
According to Bruce Robertson's book, "Wheels of the RAF", the Type numbers were introcuced in early 1944. Type 1500 is shown as a '15 cwt van', so correct for the Ford van. But the jeep would have been Type 1900 which was allocated to '5 cwt 4x4 car'.

regards, Richard

[Alexey Blaschuk]

Originally Posted by Barry J. Cox

Sure looks like my 1941 Ford Panel.

Right, but it's a model 1939. Three lines on a door and panel (mod 1941 had two).