RCAF vehicles in domestic service

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thread about RCAF trucks in domestic service in Canada:

Ford stake truck towing a trailer with a captured Stuka aircraft during a "Buy War Bonds" parade. In Canada, date and location unknown.

The Ford was built for so-called domestic use, only to be used in Canada and not overseas. Thus it has LHD, a blue/black gloss paint scheme and census number R.C.A.F. 32-937.

For more details on the Stuka see Captured Ju 87 Stuka on War Bonds parade.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

A nice C60S Tipper:

"Truck of the RCAF with a plane beside - ca July 1943."

Source: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-064700

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Nice 1939 Chevrolet panel van in gloss paint, body in blue and mudguards / wings in black. It has LHD so it was built for domestic use (i.e. in Canada).

"Truck - panel Chevrolet, 23 Sept. 1939"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3581420

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Dodge Bomb Loading truck for domestice use, by 1943 it was still painted in the pre-war scheme of gloss blue/black. By that time vehicles used overseas were painted in the relevant Army camouflage colours.

"RCAF Bomb loading truck, 4 May 1943"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3589507

"R.C.A.F. Mechanical Transport Vehicle, Apr. 1943"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3586785

The same type of truck is still in the same colour scheme when in service post-war:

"M.T. vehicle, truck - SC bomb hoist, 5 Jan. 1949"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3584202

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another CMP in service with the RCAF, a GM C60X with census number 37-098.

Are my eyes deceiving me or does this C60X have it chassis and mudguards painted black?!?

"RCAF M.T. lorry, exterior view, 21 July 1943"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3582986

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Are my eyes deceiving me or does this C60X have it chassis and mudguards painted black?!?

I agree Hanno...it looks like the chassis, fenders and even inner fenders and bumper might be painted gloss black.....matching the colour scheme of the other vehicles you posted. But...indeed 1943....seems a bit unusual (late) for this paint scheme. I am not saying the date on the picture is wrong.....I think it's more likely that (some) vehicles for domestic use were still being painted in the pre-war paint scheme(?).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

I agree Hanno...it looks like the chassis, fenders and even inner fenders and bumper might be painted gloss black.....matching the colour scheme of the other vehicles you posted. But...indeed 1943....seems a bit unusual (late) for this paint scheme. I am not saying the date on the picture is wrong.....I think it's more likely that (some) vehicles for domestic use were still being painted in the pre-war paint scheme(?).

Thanks for the confirmation, Alex. It is my understanding that RCAF vehicles for domestic use were painted in the pre-war colour scheme as specified by the RCAF. This could be blue/black, yellow or red for airside vehicles or just plain black for administrative vehicles like light cars.

The gloss paint is easier to maintain and black is carried as a standard colour by all manufacturers. Of course, vehicles like CMPs trucks came in the standard flat Army colours. The C60S tipper shown above still had that colour by 1949 (see below).

So I reckon that GM C60X in RCAF blue/black must have been one of very few thus repainted!


Some samples shown below:

Colour: gloss black
Door marking: R.C.A.F. No 2000 RE
"1941 Chevrolet - staff car with flag, 18 June 1941"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3581798

Colour: yellow with black chassis and fenders
Door marking: R.C.A.F. No 345
"Ford refuelling truck, 4 May 1943"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3589506

Colour: Khaki Green G3 / S.C.C.2 brown / S.C.C.15 Olive Drab (you tell me, but it is flat paint)
Census number: 36-405
"M.T. vehicle, truck - 2 ton dump, 25 Jan. 1949"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3584200

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Some types like this Aerodrome Control Car had a different paint scheme specified for later contracts (or were repainted during the course of their service).

This International Aerodrome Control Car was first painted airside yellow with a black roof to minimise glare for the air traffic controllers.

"R.C.A.F. Mechanical Transport Vehicle,12 Apr. 1943"
Census: R.C.A.F. No 4925

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3586779

The next picture shows the same type of truck in a flat drab paint of some sort with white panels.

"RCAF Station - Aerodrome Control Car, 14 Mar. 1944"
Census: R.C.A.F. 35-725 BY

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3199203

[Hanno Spoelstra]

A nice line up of administrative vehicles in black, RCAF motor transport in blue/black, airside vehicles in yellow and fire trucks in red.

Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, International, and most likely a few other makes thrown in as well. Wish this was a colour photo!

"Group photo line-up of Rockcliffe M.T. vehicles, 04-Jul-44"

Source: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Collec...Number=3583342

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

It is my understanding that RCAF vehicles for domestic use were painted in the pre-war colour scheme as specified by the RCAF. This could be blue/black, yellow or red for airside vehicles or just plain black for administrative vehicles like light cars.

Good point Hanno; that's new to me. I was responding with the RAF "rules" in mind...not realising there is a big difference between domestic UK and domestic Canada.....with UK being under constant threat from the air, especially in the early part of the war!

Andre Gibeault's C60X is painted in RCAF gloss blue and black for chassis. I understand that since Andre's passing, his collection has moved to Borden.
Attached is a picture borrowed from Flickr.


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/736834...43077/sizes/l/

[maple_leaf_eh]

My father's uncle James Earl Findlay (1911 - 1991) was a Merlin engine mechanic in 410 Cougar Squadron during the war. I note that his headstone says he was a Cpl, but he never mentioned that. I do remember asking him about his service and how he got around on the airfield. Did he have a Jeep? No he laughed. He had a bicycle with a basket for his tool bag.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

My father's uncle James Earl Findlay (1911 - 1991) was a Merlin engine mechanic in 410 Cougar Squadron during the war. I note that his headstone says he was a Cpl, but he never mentioned that. I do remember asking him about his service and how he got around on the airfield. Did he have a Jeep? No he laughed. He had a bicycle with a basket for his tool bag.

Ah yes, the venerable bicycle, the most underestimated and forgotten military vehicle....

Could not even find a photo of bicycles used by the RCAF in Canada, so here's one to illustrate their use:

"Pilots of the 353rd “Thunderbolts” fighter group leave a briefing, passing bicycles propped against adjacent buildings. IWM FRE 366"

Via: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/set-of-wheels

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Good point Hanno; that's new to me. I was responding with the RAF "rules" in mind...not realising there is a big difference between domestic UK and domestic Canada.....with UK being under constant threat from the air, especially in the early part of the war!

Andre Gibeault's C60X is painted in RCAF gloss blue and black for chassis. I understand that since Andre's passing, his collection has moved to Borden.

I forgot about Gibeault's blue C60X. I wonder where he got the information about the colour scheme?

Here's another picture of a RCAF CMP. Painted yellow and with census no. 57K63-A43, I'd say this is a post-war truck.


Source: https://flic.kr/p/6eoDC3

[Ed Storey]

Wartime photographs show that a number of different UK bicycle brands were employed on RCAF airfields during the SWW. Attached are two photographs, one showing a stationary type as used in rehabilitation centres and the other of a RCAF bicycle display team during a practice session.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

”RCAF stake truck and trailer recovering an RCAF Lysander after a forced landing near Nobel, Ontario, 1940. Photo courtesy of the Comox Air Force Museum WO CD Cunningham collection via Mike Kaehler.“

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Original Toronto Star caption: "Tractor driving is among various branches of the vehicle operating trade in which W.D.'s replace men in the R.C.A.F.
Pictured above is an airwoman driving the type of tractor used on R.C.A.F. stations to take aircraft on and off the tarmac."


Source: https://digitalarchive.tpl.ca/object...he-vehicle-ope

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Has anyone seen this F15A Crash Tender before?

"RCAF crash tender on 4x4 chassis, 22 Oct 1942."


Source: Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3582294 and 3582259 via https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/pos...-equipment-mse

[Grant Bowker]

A couple of comments on trucks seen in the photos in the page linked to by Hanno above:


The photo of the "refrigerated panel truck" is most likely taken at RCAF station Rockcliffe (Ottawa, and yes, there was a rock cliff just behind the hangar line) as that was where 412 Sqn was based at the time. A probable use for the refrigerated panel truck would have been transport of food from the base kitchen to aircraft (passenger/VIP transport).



The photo of C60L 61K64 interests me as the body appears the same as that on 61K62-A43 which was recovered from very close to the Killaloe/Bonnechere airport (an easy drive from Ottawa - Uplands where 61K64 was photographed) where I understand it had been used (modified) as a runway snow plow. I suggest that the Caterpillar powered generator set looks like it was installed in the truck rather than cargo - supported by the fact that 61K62 has the traces of what might be a mounting frame welded to the floor of the box. 61K62 has a dash tag identifying it as a C60-448-M-GS-15 but there's an additional tag on the lower cab back frame identifying the truck as one modified by Research Enterprises Ltd (among other things they built radar trains mounted on trucks and trailers that would have needed electric power).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

What on earth is the function of this trailer?


"Exterior 3/4 view from front end motor, flaps up, milk tender, U.S. 240"
RCAF files, date 13 Nov. 1944

Source: http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redire...83584&lang=eng

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Postwar, US-built vehicles are becoming the norm.

"Radio equipment"
Date(s): 18 Feb. 1949
Place: Sudbury, Ont.,

Source: http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redire...84220&lang=eng