CMP book series

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Yes it's that perennial subject again! It looks as though we are going ahead with the "History of the design of the CMP" book, plus others in similar vein. I need to ask everyone again whether this should be A5 size, and cheap to buy, or better quality A4 size say for coffee tables?

I am also interested if anyone has any photos of CMPs in civvy service, anywhere in the world, that we could use please.

I am all ears as well as to what people want to see in print at last. The "origins" book of course will set the records straight at last.

We have a publisher/printer here in the UK and we could work quickly enough to get something out for Christmas as the first in the series.

[Tony Smith]

I think definitely A4 size and possibly set out in a "Landscape" page format. I know this looks crap on the bookshelf, but it does allow for some really excellent full page photos, like those Glass Negative pictures that showed up on MLU a year or so ago.

[Pete Ashby]

David

A4 is the way to go, I agree with Tony, Landscape would be the best format for your material. Put me down for a signed copy please. Quality of reproduction over cost, however I understand that it will need to show a return for the printer/publisher.
One point to ponder, the spine on Landscape A4 paper backs sometimes is a weak point, this has happened with my copy of Blueprint, it's starting to shed pages, could be too much use of course !!.

best regards

Pete.

PS I have a nice crisp shot of a F15A 12 cab in civies and one or two more of c60's if I hunt around for them, shall I e-mail them to you as samples?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Keep comments rolling in please...and yes anything in civvies please!

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi David

A4, Landscape, spiral wire spine.

Re. civvy service do you mean old or current civvy service as there are lots of CMPs still operating in Oz, mainly on farms.

And I'll be a starter for at least one signed copy.

Bob

[Sean Dunnage]

Put me down for a copy also. Can't wait.
Sean

[Max Hedges]

Dear David,

Keith has quite a number of our photos on his old CMP site if any of them are any use to you it's alright with us, but just check with Keith first. Keith is away at the moment though taking more pictures of aeroplanes.

Are you aware that here in Australia the Blittz cabins assembled here had some Aussie characteristics such as canvas doors, wide back seats etc.

Looking forward to the book


Max

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Thanks Guys....it does seem that your appeals are falling on hearing ears because that's what I am now plugging....A4 size say, left hand binding as per Dr Gregg, with a decent spine or binding [spiral/plastic sounds a good one]. The proposal is for a book every 3 months, and we have a range of photos to delight you with. However if Max and Keith agree to including their photos could they be made available by CD Rom please, expenses paid, etc. etc.?

I really want to esnure that we finally get what we have all been clamouring for and that is decent books with decent pix at decent prices and available mail order.

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by David_Hayward
However if Max and Keith agree to including their photos could they be made available by CD Rom please, expenses paid, etc. etc.?

Happy to oblige, David!

[Rolf S. Ask]

for signed copyes....

and if you want pictures from Norway, I will be happy to help you.

Rolf

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Guys and Gals, please send any pix or CD Roms of DVDs to me:

DAVID HAYWARD
FAIRVIEW
THE DROVE
LOWER COMMON ROAD
WEST WELLOW
ROMSEY
HAMPSHIRE SO51 6BT
UNITED KINGDOM

or inside Europe:
address as before then
GB-Hampshire SO51 6BT

and Rolf ...yes please on all civvy and post war forces pix.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have been told to drum up some publicity...so I have just done that!!

I thought it would be an excellent idea to publish photos of CMPs in civilian cl,othes, but then I thought hang on, I should have considered post-war NATO and other friendly countries, and use in military service. May I ask if anyone could send some photos of post-war service in European, Canadian, S. American. NEI and Australasian service please?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I flew up to Manchester, today and had a meeting with a magazine/book editor and a printer. Basically it is all go we think for a series of books on CMPs, then we will get on to the US stuff, eg Macks, Whites, etc that for instance were used by Canadian and British forces. My eyes popped out when I saw photos of Canadian order trucks and trailers in Liverpool, 1940 onwards...

Now I have written the first book, which will be I guess 160 pages of text plus photos on the origins of the CMPs from 1935 to 1941. You want landscape, so that's the format I think. You want A4 size, so again that's ok. You want good pictures ON DECENT QUALITY PAPER, with a good cover that will not fall apart and enable you to study those pix and read my wordage...and you want it now.

We are possibly going to announce four books immediately, and through a created organisation and that means we will send out updates/corrections for subscribers as more info comes out.

How does this grab you? Book 1: Origins and history; 2. British-assembled CMPs pictorial book; 3. CMPs in civilian and demob service; 4. CMPs in postwar service, and then perhaps 5. CMPs in Australian, NZ, SA wartime service, ie the locally-assembled trucks and armoured vehicles.

I hope that everyone who reads this will contact me with thoughts, and e mail addresses as we want to send you a catalogue/brochure. This is not a for-profit enterprise, but an attempt to get in print what we would like to see.

THE MILITARY VEHICLE COLLECTION series is the working title..

[chris vickery]

David, any thiughts to including some captured CMP trucks in use. I am always fascinated to see our trucks in enemy livery? Just a thought.

[Keith Webb]

I'll prepare a CD or two of images for you.
You might consider a "links" page to inform readers of this and other related sites!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Excellent idea that about captured trucks in German use, and re-captured. Any pointers please as to source of pix? Of course the first CMPs so captured were the 50 F15 trucks captured in France in June 1940...

I had hoped to do a bit more than links into MLU with Mr Boss's consent. Perhaps we could sponsor a forum inside MLU for the series? I will definitely be doign a website and place links into MLU, Convoy etc. And thanks Keith.

[Mike K]

David

The AWM in Canberra have many pics of CMP's in WW2 and post war service with Australian services . The only catch is , they want a rather pricey amount for the rights to print them in books .

Its a pity that these great pics will never see the light of day in books as most hobby / publishers cannot afford these silly high fees the AWM charge .

Mike

[Lars Ulvestad]

David,

I have a set of about 200 black and white photos of GM-built CMP's taken at the Canadian General Motors Factory between February 1941 and June 1943 which may interest You.

I have them from Brian C. Asbury, Ontario. I traded them with him for some sets of Technical Manuals for M24 Chaffee a few years ago. Brian had his negatives reproduced from one of GM of Canada's own albums.

Out of 384 photos from the album (9 was missing) he re-photographed the 208 he found most interesting. But if GM of Canada have numbered their photos from 001 there is a total of 1016 or more original photos to have existed! Brian had 3 sets of his reproduction-photographs printed on 6" x 8" glossy paper - of which I have one.

Some of the same photos are printed in Dr. W. Gregg's books, as well as in Bart Vanderveen's.

If You don't have these photos already, and You are interested to borrow them from me I can send them to You by snail mail to reproduce/scan - but Brian should be asked before publishing.

And maybe a CD with these photos scanned is interesting to sell through the MLU Kit Shop?

[Lars Ulvestad]

I forgot to post the picture I scanned as example.....

[chris vickery]

Might I suggest we contact Mr. Brian Gough, I know he might be able to help with some original GM Oshawa factory pics. Are you out there Brian?

[Lynn Eades]

I have a book titled "Military Vehicles" produced by the Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd, Windsor, Ontario. Inside are pictures of the "various conventional and special type vehicles and equipment supplied or produced by F.M.C.ofC. for military use" It is an extensive pictorial record covering cars, trucks, 4x2, 4x4, 6x4, F.A.T., Thornton, Warford, Rear engined, U.C., Scout car, Tractor, Sawmill, Power plant, inside of amb. wksp, F.A.T. etc.
Covers 1940-43 models,
Is this (hardcovered,blue) book a common item?
(pages are about 8"x10" with nearly all pictures 1 per page.)

Who has one?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I would most certailnly like to borrow the GM of C photos please as we can have themn professionally scanned at higher res and then have CDs burned. However this aspect ties in with another project that is still alive I think regarding Fords. The IWM in London have a pricey policy but it seems that deals can be done and perhaps the museum in Canberra might play ball? We would also welcome NZ distributors please as well as Australian. Perhaps some C8AX photos exist whn the trucks first arrived?

[Mike K]

David ,

It would be great to find some pics of C8AX's in service , but after speaking to varous NZ collectors , they tell me that wartime pics of them are virtually non existant . And of the 50 odd C8AX wireless vans that were built , only one or two bad pics exist.

During WW2 , the NZ army had no official historical unit archiving any material . At least the Aust. army did the right thing and the official historical units did a great job .

Mike

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Is there any evidence of what happened to the C8AX photos as used in Wheels & Tracks?

May I appeal now for anyone who has copies of the official GM of Canada photos to contact because we might just be able to put together a reasonable collection of all the numbered shots. They do seem to be all over the place, e.g. a Canadian museum sent me A4 size laser copies of C15A chassis but I can't remember who sent them! Base Borden Museum didn't send them...so who did?

Although we thought of doing a book on overseas assembly I guess we should do one on Canadian assembly as well. with Ford, GM of C and of course Chrysler of Canada. That reminds me to ask whether any Dodge photos exist please?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Lars, could you please lend the pix to me and I can then scan & return? That C60S Ambulance [I take it that it's not a C30?] is the Chevrolet equivalent of Ford F60S Ambulances that I have photos of being assembled in Goole, England circa 1943. We have now found post-war photos of Chevrolet House bodied Ambulances ready for civilian service.

May I please borrow a copy of the Ford book if anyone can spare it?

[Lars Ulvestad]

David,

I will send You the pictures from GM of C as a registered package as soon as possible (probably tomorrow).

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

...Lars for the trouble you have gone to.

There is clearly many more of these official photos collecting dust around the world. I have some, but does anybody know of any more please?

Are there any offical Oshawa shots in the National Archives? Oh! I scaned the official GM of C War Album and descreened them. I have thus got scanned copies of printed versions of official photos...albeit scanned copies of official prints. I had forgotten about them!!

[Lars Ulvestad]

David,

The pix have been sent to You as a registered letter by air-mail yesterday. Hope You will receive them soon!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Thank you Lars!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I can't remember whose site had the CMP prototype photos on it...please excuse my lack of memory. I was sent some of the Ford 1940 GS trucks and the 1938 Chevrolet GS that was salvaged.

On another note although Dr Gregg published photos of the 1937 Ford #1 I have never seen any photos of the Chevrolet equivalent!