How To: Ford CMP "Blitz" miscellany

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day,

Sometimes when you have been searching for info for a long time it just drops in your lap. The following is a case in point.

I have looked for original dimensions of the bows for a Holden Body Works 15 CWT GS body for my Ford F-15A. Found a few photos of them over the years but was unsure of their originality or the quality was too poor for estimating or scaling sizes. Have seen some with a crank in them where they fit the body and perhaps they are also genuine but a variation. Will stick with these anyway.

On a Facebook group I follow the original photo of a Chev C15-A was posted recently taken from the militaryimages.net website. Probably an archive photo also. It is a wartime photo so leaves no doubt in my mind to the accurate representation of the bows. My GS body is identical to the one in the photo.

On MLU a while ago an original drawing of a 3 ton Australian GS body was posted. It specified 1" gas pipe for the bows. It also showed an outside radius at the bends of 6". A bit of an assumption but I assumed the same 6" outside radius would be used on the smaller body hoops. The scaling was consistent with that size radius which was reassuring. The radiator brush guard is also 1" pipe but heavier Schedule 80. The OD is the same however and a spare one fits well in my holders.

1" pipe schedule 40 is 1.314" OD. That fits in perfectly with the space at the original holders on my body. Knowing the inside distance between the side of the bows, 83" and the distance from the top of the sides to the bottom of the sides, 25-1/2" it was relatively easy to scale up the dimensions. The length of the lines shown are specified at the time of drawing. A bit of reverse model making!

So hopefully this is accurate. At least it is better than the dodgy 3/4" pipe bows that came with the truck. Always happy to accept better info if it comes to hand.

Hope this is of some interest.

[m606paz]

Hi Jacques!
GM H pics belong to oldcmp.net
https://web.archive.org/web/20061212...t:80/c15a.html
Regards

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Jacques,

According to MGO Equipment Order LV6/GEN/MT13/4 issued 11 December 1944, the following sizes apply to the Ford and Chev canopy frame:

Width of main vehicle body: 6 feet 10-1/4 inches (not overall width)

Width of canopy frame centre to centre of frame pipes: 7 feet 2 inches for Aust No.2, 7 feet 1/4 inch for Aust No.1.

Overall height: 3 feet 7 inches
Corner radius 6 inches

Didn't know you were looking for this info.

Mike

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Mike and Mariano,

Thanks for that info. The 6-11" is the actual measurement taken off my body at the pads where the frames rest against. Pads are 1/4" thick steel so pretty close to Equipment order dimensions when added to width of vehicle body. My centre to centre equals 6-11" + 1.315 (one x pipe OD) = 7' 5/16"!

If I deduct 1/2" from the centre height and the side height I pretty well have nailed it!

Thanks Mariano for supplying the source of the photo also. I owe you one too Keith. Looked at that site long ago but didn't remember that photo.

Cheers,

[Mike Cecil]

Bingo! well done, that man!
Mike

[Jacques Reed]

Thanks Mike again for your help.

I have attached a revised drawing for anyone who want to use it.
Took off the 1/2"s at the middle and sides.

As an old draughtsman I should have realized they don't like using fractions if they don't need them!

Cheers,

[Jacques Reed]

Good Day,

I posted these drawings I made a few years ago, recently on the MLU Facebook page. Thought it might be useful to those who are not on FB.

The logbook holder, from which I took the measurements, was on an Australian assembled F-15 built in 1944 based on the data plate. Whether it was the same as other holders fitted to trucks built in Canada I cannot say. The lower rear of the cabin where it attaches was definitely Australian built as was most of the cabin sheet metal.

I did this drawing "Old School" with T square and triangles before I found the Paint.net app. I found it great for drafting. The ability to have separate layers for the object, dimensions, notes, etc make it easy to make corrections and move lines and shapes around. You don't erase things either you don't want erased by having components of the drawing on different layers.

I mentioned on MLU FB I have been a bit quiet lately on MLU. My only brother passed away suddenly 2 months ago. He lived 1200 km away and had no partner or kids, so I have been trying to settle the estate from a long way away. It is doable but time consuming and stressful. Trying to get back to the things I enjoy now so perhaps you will hear more of me in the future.

Hanno, for some reason I can post images again. Don't know what caused the problem but looks OK now.

Cheers,