Incredible testing photographs from Monegeeta

Keith Webb · #1 13-12-05, 20:03

These were sent to me by Darrin Wright and show some testing times for vehicles at Monegeeta.
I'd like to thank Darrin for allowing us to see these wonderful images.

A C60L in the mud, and another previously unseen pic of the tracked CMP:

These (and more!) can be seen here.

Fo those with a taste for armour, there are more here such as these gems:

and

A wild braking test? I think not!

This is one of my favourites: A Dingo scout car:

And this mysterious carrier... any ideas?

Eric Korhonen · #2 13-12-05, 20:22

Great pictures Kieth, i love looking at good pictures like that. If you have more it would be nice if yoy could post them for all of us to enjoy. The half track CMP i really love . Was that a factory installation of the tracks or was it a home project.
My dad had a 1947 Mercury that he shortened the frame on and made a small set of tracks from a carrier . He used the double wheels with the idler on top so the track was small for it . In the winter he would take off the rear wheels and put on the tracks and head off into the bush with it .
I still have the old truck and the track s he made for it . Some day i am gonna try getting it running again and give it a try .

Eric

Lynn Eades · #3 13-12-05, 21:14

I had heard of the "air born invasion", (2496) but have not seen it like this.
nice pictures,
Thanks,
Lynn.

Keith Webb · #4 13-12-05, 21:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Eric Korhonen
The half track CMP i really love . Was that a factory installation of the tracks or was it a home project.
My dad had a 1947 Mercury that he shortened the frame on and made a small set of tracks from a carrier . He used the double wheels with the idler on top so the track was small for it . In the winter he would take off the rear wheels and put on the tracks and head off into the bush with it .
I still have the old truck and the track s he made for it . Some day i am gonna try getting it running again and give it a try .

Hi Eric

The halftrack has appeared on the forum before and is indeed interesting. It's also an official prototype and was a one-off. There are a few other images from Darrin - I'll post them soon.

As for your dad's conversion - great idea to get it running again! Can you post some pictures of it?

I've made a page with some more pictures of the vehicle here.

Alex van de Wetering · #5 14-12-05, 00:07

Great Pictures, Keith!

Especially the halftrack!

But.....Where is the frontwheel on the carrier?

Alex

Tony Smith · #6 14-12-05, 01:45

The driver of carrier 2496 may as well grin like a cheshire cat now, as I don't think he'll have any teeth left after the carrier lands!

The Halftrack is interesting as there are several small detail differences with the other more common series of pics. Could there have more than one made/trialled, or is this the same vehicle after being reconfigured or had a "testing " life?

Tony Smith · #7 14-12-05, 01:58

As for the Dingo being held up with chains to inspect the axle drain plug, this is just normal Australian Army practice! It's the Infantry that rolls around the mud and dust, rear echelon chaps have to keep up appearances and not get dirty.
2/77 LAD Lae, New Guinea, 1944:

Tony Smith · #8 14-12-05, 02:03

The unusual "Mysterious Carrier" is Hull 159,an experimental closed hull version. Listed as an LP1, along with Hull 160 with open top, they were a trial to overcome some of the problems of the standard LP1 steering and braking. It has track warp steering and a steering wheel. With a welded hull, it is more similar to the LP2s.

Tony Smith · #9 14-12-05, 02:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Alex van de Wetering
Great Pictures, Keith!

But.....Where is the frontwheel on the carrier?

Alex

The sunlight makes it hard to see behind the steering arm. This is the front steering modification that was later to appear on the Australian LP3 carrier and Tracked Truck,1 ton which

Alex van de Wetering · #10 14-12-05, 09:42

Tony,

Thanks for the clarification. This steering arm configuration is new for me. Nie to see these sort of tests.

regards,

Alex

Keith Webb · #11 14-12-05, 19:55

Here's another beauty - a Lynx emulating a Harrier:

Amazing power in those sidevalve V8s!

Richard Farrant · #12 14-12-05, 20:02

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Here's another beauty - a Lynx emulating a Harrier:

Keith,

I can now see why they were nicknamed Golfballs !

The latest pic appears to be taken a split second before the previous one when it broke through the fence.

Richard

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #13 14-12-05, 20:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Keith Webb
The halftrack has appeared on the forum before and is indeed interesting. It's also an official prototype and was a one-off. There are a few other images from Darrin - I'll post them soon.

As for your dad's conversion - great idea to get it running again! Can you post some pictures of it?

I've made a page with some more pictures of the vehicle here.

Someone with too much beer and not enough common sense should recreate this vehicle...

(Yes, that's a dare...

)

Richard Farrant · #14 14-12-05, 20:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Someone with too much beer and not enough common sense should recreate this vehicle...

(Yes, that's a dare... )

Geoff,

You supply the vehicle then

Richard

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #15 14-12-05, 20:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Geoff,

You supply the vehicle then

Richard

Someone will have a piece-of-crap C60S someplace and we can borrow a set of carrier running gear (what do you think the beer's for?) from one of our unsuspecting members...

David_Hayward (RIP) · #16 14-12-05, 20:44

Compare the tracked C60L (which I mentioned in VINTAGE ROADSCENE a while back) with this one-off tracked Matador. Of course there was also the Bedford-Bren...must find a photo of it!

charlie fitton · #17 15-12-05, 13:35

Quote:

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Someone will have a piece-of-crap C60S someplace and we can borrow a set of carrier running gear (what do you think the beer's for?) from one of our unsuspecting members...

I'll loan the running gear - who has the beer?

Les Freathy · #18 15-12-05, 16:42

David
this ones for you on the matador/valentine semi track
Les

Les Freathy · #19 15-12-05, 16:45

And yep, they even tried it on the Austin K5. To me it always seemed to be an excessive waste of time and materials to replace two tyres, even though there was a shortage of rubber

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #20 15-12-05, 23:39

Hi All

Just to carry on Tony's post a bit further, Carrier 2496 was a 1942 South Australian Railways manufacture and according to Mike Cecil's book was converted to front idler steering.

Carriers #159 & #160 were Victorian Railways manufacture.

Bob

Keith Webb · #21 16-12-05, 22:34

I've just added some more pictures to both pages - such as:

This sad Dodge D60L

A nasty Mack accident.

Page 1

And page 2

There's now a page 3

With post-war shots such as this:

Max Hedges · #22 17-12-05, 01:27

Good to see the old photos .
Max

Lynn Eades · #23 17-12-05, 11:17

genetic link between page 1 and the bull dog?

Bob Carriere · #24 18-12-05, 07:10

Hey Charlie......

You got the tracks/running gear..... I got the C60 frame and front axle.......

....when do we start????? would need parts to complete the cab 13.....

....... I understand we can get beers free for offering rides to the guys!!!

Man that would be a hoot!!!!

Bob C.
...better go to bed before the wife sees this crazy stunt!!!!

Hanno Spoelstra · #25 18-12-05, 21:35

Excellent pics, Keith!

As for these grousers...

...there was a set up for auction at eBay very recently!

Quote:

The item up for auction is a full set of tracks for a WWII military 6X6. The trade name "Tyr Trac" is on each one along with the manufacturer, "Galanot-Watson, Alliance, Ohio" and the part or casting number "T1342". The owner got them from his uncle who bought them as surplus many years ago. He installed them one time and then stored them away. There are 17 track blocks for each side of the truck. Each track block is approximately 15 X 7 ¾ inches. The chain connectors are male and female on each end of the block. There is a large bolt that is accessed on the grouser side of the block. This bolt moves the connecting chain up or down inside the triangular shaped center guide allowing for adjustment at each block. The guides ride between the dual wheels. Each block weighs 17 lbs.

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #26 19-12-05, 05:47

Hi Keefy
Brilliant stuff again. I particularly like the image of the two wheel Bren Gun Carrier recovery trailer on your web site. It's the first decent image I've seen and is the one we want to replicate. This particular trailer was the type that the late Kurt Johannsen bought after WW2, 23 of them, that he converted to the first self-tracking cattle train trailers.
Bob