Anyone recognize this truck?

[luc désormeaux]

I came across this picture of a 1/35 model kit. It says it is a Ford. Anyone know something about this truck? Did Canada use it ?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Luc,

Nice model, isn't it? The truck is a Fordson WOT3D. I don't know if they were used by the Canadians.

I tried to gather some information about these trucks a while ago and wanted to know if they were used in Western Europe from D-day onwards. Sadly I only found two pictures in two seperate publications of Bart Vanderveen. One displayed a Fordson WOT3 in RAF service, with a different body and the other displaying a field of WOT3D's which were about to be sold from the British Army.

Alex

[Les Freathy]

A nice clear photo of the Ford WOT3 for you guys circa 1942. the Canadians would possibly have used them around this time in the UK but by June 44 the army had phased them out. The RAF still held them on stock and some did venture across the channel with 2nd TAC
cheers
Les

[Larry Hayward]

Hi Luc,

The Ford WOT3 was used mainly by the RAF and I can't say that I have ever seen a photo of one in use with the British Army (except for the photo that Les just happened to post seconds before me!). The Ford WOT3 was 4x2 and only 30 cwt so it was good enough for the RAF to use around the UK but not good enough for the British Army- as from 1944 the British & Canadian Armies declared 30cwts obsolete, though many remained in service. However the model has the '74' unit serial of a Royal Artillery unit in an Armoured Division and yet appears to have the 43rd Wessex Division sign on the opposite side, so I doubt this is based on a real vehicle!

[Larry Hayward]

Other RAF WOT3 types

[Larry Hayward]

And another

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
Hi Luc,

The Ford WOT3 was used mainly by the RAF and I can't say that I have ever seen a photo of one in use with the British Army. The Ford WOT3 was 4x2 and only 30 cwt so it was good enough for the RAF to use around the UK but not good enough for the British Army- as from 1944 the British & Canadian Armies declared 30cwts obsolete, though many remained in service.

Larry,

The WOT3 pic posted by Les is part of an Army contract for 1100. There were other contracts. The reason the 30 cwt trucks, and that includes the Bedford OXD, were phased out was because the work effort put into make a truck of this size was not economical when you can build a 3 tonner for nearly the same. I seem to remember the OXD GS truck was not produced after about 1942. Saying a 4x2 was not good enough for the army, does not take into account the ubiquitous Bedford OY, which although only 2 wheel drive and with a 3 ton payload, served the Army extremely well.

Richard

[Larry Hayward]

Hi Richard,

It was the 30cwt capacity AND the 4x2 of the WOT3 that made it unsuitable to equip new Divisions in 1944, that I was referring to and not 4x2 trucks in general!

Incidently has anyone got a photo of a WOT3 in Army service outside the UK? I would be interesting to see one in North Africa, Italy or even NW Europe for that matter

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Larry Hayward
...and not 4x2 trucks in general!

Incidently has anyone got a photo of a WOT3 in Army service outside the UK?

Larry,

I understand, it was just that I was aware of the Bedford 30cwt GS, not being produced after 42, I think, and can see the point, when the OYD would do the work of two OXD trucks. The Ford WOT's other than the WOT2, did not seem to feature much in army service, but the RAF were well equiped with them. There was even a shortened WOT3 called a Trucktor, used by the RAF. I know of a preserved one.

I think I have a pic of a WOT3 in N.Africa, but cannot seem to find it at present.

richard

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Guys,

Great pictures.

I would also be very much interested in pictures of the WOT3D in army service outside the UK as I haven't been able to locate any pictures yet.

Can anyone confirm that the cab on the WOT3D is the same as the one fitted to the Fordson WOT1? They certainly look the same, but I have also seen cabs with a split-windscreen and than ofcourse there is also the other type cab which was used on the Fire tenders, like Les showed in another tread.

Alex

[Les Freathy]

G,day guys
Now, just to get your clockwork ticking here are two ealier WOT3 here with civilian pattern wheels note in the second shot only a single wheel is fitted could be to save on rubber or just for the photo. Richard can you check in your number files for us also written on the door rib is 20 ?? 42
For interest a demobbed WOT of HW Motors
Les

[Les Freathy]

2nd

[Les Freathy]

sod it try again

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Les Freathy
sod it try again

Les,

H.W. Motors truck........that appears to be involved with the HWM motor racing team, at that time equivalent to todays Formula 1.

Note this one has a two piece windscreen.

Richard

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Les Freathy
2nd

Les,

L203392.........now this is an odd one. According to the census list, and the single rear wheel bears this out, it is a 1 ton 4x2 GS, Contract no. V3861. I am not at all sure this is a WOT3. To my knowledge, the WD did not have a 1 ton weight class, born out by the War Office Data book of Wheeled Vehicles and also Vanderveens bible.

One for David, he has all the Ford production info

Richard

[Les Freathy]

Thanks Richard
we will see if David has any awnsers to the numbers, i,m afraid ive been a lazy old sod over the years and tended to go more for the images rather than the info and data. Its changing now but i have let a lot slip through in the past.
A couple more items first from the handbook and second, the ministry of supply issued a large number of WOT3s for civilian emergency use, this cutting from firecover shows a row for the overseas column

[Les Freathy]

NFS

[Les Freathy]

Found another shot of the 30cwt in army service, not that clear but possibly in the UK.
Les

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

i,m afraid ive been a lazy old sod over the years and tended to go more for the images rather than the info and data

women? They tend to cloud the brain!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

My ears were burning! Found you guys have been mentioning my name!

L 203377 to 203393 Contract V/3861 Lorry 1 ton 4x2 GS

However there were various types of W0T3:

1. WOT3A MINISTRY OF SUPPLY 1 TON OPEN LORRY 32 X 6 TT SINGLE TYRES ALL ROUND 30 HP V-8
CAB-STEEL CLOSED TYPE
FLOAT-WOOD FIXED SIDES; 3" TILT AT FRONT END FULL LENGTH LOOSE SHEET 2 TUBULAR SEATS UNDER TILT, LURCHING RAILS FRONT AND SIDES, CHAIN REAR.


2. WOT3A MINISTRY OF SUPPLY 1 TON OPEN LORRY 9.00 - 16 TYRES ALL ROUND 30 HP V-8
CAB-STEEL CLOSED TYPE
FLOAT-WOOD FIXED SIDES; 3" TILT AT FRONT END FULL LENGTH LOOSE SHEET 2 TUBULAR SEATS UNDER TILT, LURCHING RAILS FRONT AND SIDES, CHAIN REAR.


The W0T3B was a 30-cwt GS Lorry 'FIRST 750 JOBS' , tyres as per 1. above but with duals at rear
The W0T3C was also a 30-cwt GS Lorry 'previously known as MODIFIED 1 TON TRUCK 2ND CONSTRUCTION JOBS'
The W0T3D was a 30-cwt GS Lorry as per W0T3C with 10.50-16 CC tyres
The W0T3E was also a 30-cwt GS Lorry with 2 fuel tanks '(BUILT AS 2/3 TONNER FOR INDIAN ARMY)' with tyres as per W0T3C and helper springs!

I still have no evidence as to my suggestion that it is a 1940 Model hence '0' and not an 'O' for 'War Office'...the Romanian cancelled orders were clearly R then '0' for 1940 Models.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

L 207467 to 208466 to Contract V/3734 Lorry 30 cwt. 4x2 GS is presumably for W0T3B.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

L 4306743 to 4307851 to Contract V/3861 Lorry 30 cwt 4x2 GS is presumably for WOT3B? Bodies were wood obviously or alternative steel apparently.

[Les Freathy]

ITs Dagenham and the factory giving birth to a line of wot3s, plenty of staff on board for the photo shoot

[Les Freathy]

Oh and a big brother at the rear

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Why on earth did they use the same poses for the staff whenever the official photographer was taking pix? I have seen some variations which really are so banal that they deserve to be in a caption competition.

Nice photo though, thanks!

[Stefano Ruggeri]

Originally posted by Les Freathy
sod it try again

Indeed, it is without doubt an H.W:M. team lorry (Hersham and Walton Motors), although possibly dating from before 1951 (and their involvement with Alta engined cars) when George Abecassis was still racing an ERA. Incidentally, Abecassis was an RAF Lysander pilot, so maybe that explains the Ford connection!

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Stefano Ruggeri
Indeed, it is without doubt an H.W:M. team lorry (Hersham and Walton Motors), although possibly dating from before 1951 (and their involvement with Alta engined cars) when George Abecassis was still racing an ERA. Incidentally, Abecassis was an RAF Lysander pilot, so maybe that explains the Ford connection!

Stefano,

Just the truck to turn up with at Goodwood Revival meeting, with an ERA in the back

I see the is the ERA logo on the door.

Richard

[Les Freathy]

A couple more interesting photos of the Ford WOT 3 in use by the National Fire Service Kent based mobile columns in WW2

[rewdco]

A couple more interesting photos of the Ford WOT 3 in use by the National Fire Service Kent based mobile columns in WW2

Les,

Would you have any more pictures from this NFS series, showing motorbikes? I have a theory that Royal Enfield has made a batch of Burman gearbox equipped WD/CO motorcycles, but cannot find any pictures of these to prove this theory...

On that second picture, the bike nearest to the camera is definitely a WD/CO, but I can't work out which gearbox it has. Would you have a finer resolution scan of this photograph?

Thanks,
Jan