Handy Bendy Crossley!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

From the mid 1930's re-armament of the British forces started and Crossley again became heavily involved with its previous customer the Royal Air Force. As the number of RAF squadrons grew so did the need for ground transport and this was at first satisfied by the IGL3 petrol engined truck with over 700 being supplied. In 1935 a new War Office specification was issued for a medium 3 ton 4 x 4 truck that was to replace the 6 x 4 IGL type and in 1938 an order for a prototype was placed. This vehicle was of an advanced design with independent suspension, the new 38/110 bus engine and a 5 speed gearbox. It performed well but in the end because of pressures to get production underway and ease of repair the War Office requested a simpler vehicle. The final design, known as the FWD or Four Wheel Drive, had an 11 foot wheelbase and used a conventional suspension, the drive train of the 2 axle IGL and the proven 30/70 engine. The name often used for these, the Quad or "Q" type, is not strictly correct as "Q" was the specification title used by the War Office and so could be applied to vehicles from several manufacturers of differing designs.

This is a RAF crane in France with Poclain crane apparently. Given the above information, what are the thoughts on the chassis above having independent suspension or not please? Looks conventional type to me!

The considered opinion is that the COMMERCIAL MOTOR photo truck is indeed a late model because of the step on the front mudguard that was not in the early models, Also, as I said it appears to have conventional rear suspension!