Sunshade!

[Euan McDonald]

Thought I would share a recent swap meet find that I bought for the buckles, I was going to scrap the rest untill I worked out what it was for while standing beside Tony’s truck at Corowa.
Has anyone ever see one fitted in service?

[cliff]

what a neat find. I have never seen a photo with this fitted.

[Mike Cecil]

Nope. Never seen one, let alone one fitted.

Great find, and well done for working out what it was for.

The Australian Cab 13 VOL had two - one for each windscreen, and they were a bag, secured by straps that went through the footman loops on the front edge of the roof. Reason being the Aust windscreen opened to 90 degrees.

Mike C

[Euan McDonald]

The cab 12 cover has straps that secure it through the footman loops on the outside of the screen and a long horizontal strap on the inside to keep the wings tight.
Problem now is I still need some figure of 8 buckles for my carrier if any one has any spare. It would be a shame to cut up this cover!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Euan,

Very nice find! Didn't know this existed.

Hanno

PS: moved to it's own thread

[Yeo.NT]

I am wondering if it this is a early type of Hasteful Camouflage, which is used to keep sun light from reflecting off the Windscreen. The attached pictures are from the Iltis Hasty Cam kit.

[Ganmain Tony]

Originally Posted by Euan McDonald

Thought I would share a recent swap meet find that I bought for the buckles, I was going to scrap the rest untill I worked out what it was for while standing beside Tony’s truck at Corowa.
Has anyone ever see one fitted in service?

Made a BIG difference to the temperature in the cab as well..

[Mike Cecil]

... maybe its for driving blind!??

....or maybe 'driving in blackout condition'???!

.... for keeping crews 'in the dark' perhaps??

Mike C

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by euan mcdonald

it would be a shame to cut up this cover!

Don't. You. Dare.

[David Dunlop]

With the cover installed, can the windscreen be placed in it's "closed and locked" position at all?

If it only works with an open windscreen, then my first guess would be it was intended to stop reflections being spotted by aircraft, when the windscreen was in open mode. The "sunshade" was probably a secondary benefit. Military muckie-mucks were more likely to approve design of things to protect valuable vehicles, and less so to protect the troops who may have run out of their favourite SPF 40 tanning oil!

Did GM Holden ever issue a Master Parts List for the Blitz? Maybe this cover shows up in an edition of it?

Terrific find none the less, and to think you would have missed it if you had stayed home!

Cheers,


David

[Mike Cecil]

David,

I think the cab 12 windscreen was only able to open to 30 degrees (?), so couldn't be driven with the canvas cover on? Hence, the cover was for stationary cammo purposes to prevent the windscreen reflecting at passing aircraft, etc. A cam net was not enough to prevent this: it took a solid cover over the glass to prevent the reflection in such cases, and is the same these days. Heavy hessian is part of the cam stores issued for trucks, to cover the glass and to hang around the lower parts of the vehicle when fully concealed in a static position

The majority by far of Cab 12 vehicles in Australia were Fords, not Chev. Blitz trucks, no matter what make or model, relied almost always on Canadian parts and maintenance publications. (The exceptions appear to have been driver's handbooks, which were produced as Australian military publications). In some instances, the CDN manuals were provided with a 'stick on' Australian cover - this is particularly the case with those issued by the RAAF that were assigned a unique RAAF publication number.

Mike C

[David Dunlop]

Thanks, Mike.

It always amazes me how many of these kinds of old things keep turning up over time, that take us by surprise. When I was younger, I sometimes thought my parents generation was not that smart, and yet here they are with their work continuing to amaze me!

David

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

The sun shade is of great interest, someone will have to go through the North Africa Campaign Photo archives to see if some thing shows up. I don't remember see it but I do remember seeing photos of trucks with the windshield apparently painted out then an area as if the windshield wipers had cleared an cleared arc on the glass.

As to could such a shield be used on a Pattern 12 with the window fully opened I think they could be driven take a look at these two figures and though with the window fully open the average driver could not look straight ahead to the horizon they would have pretty good visibility as long as they were not 6 foot tall.

Cheers Phil

[cletrac (RIP)]

The M2 Cletrac like I have came with a canvas windshield cover. When you were operating in a hostile environment you folded the windshield down and covered it to stop the gleam from reaching incoming aircraft.
Now it looks like I'll have to make some covers for my Cab 11s.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

I do remember seeing photos of trucks with the windshield apparently painted out then an area as if the windshield wipers had cleared an cleared arc on the glass.

Yes I've seen a few such photos too Phil, however I believe the windscreen has been oiled and dusted, not painted. Following instruction is from HQ 1 Aust Div circular G1862 of 8 Nov 42. Mechanical Vehicles: Disruptive Camouflage Painting.

10. Certain vehicles have hinged windscreens. When these screens are opened they are to be either:

a) Fitted with a canvas cover where such is provided.

b) Lightly oiled on glass and other reflective surfaces and dusted with sand or earth, except that sufficient clear apertures will be left to allow for necessary vision when in the closed position.

Very annoying for the driver no doubt, but better than getting strafed!