F60S Tipper RAAF markings -help

[Darrin Wright]

After some help in identifying the markings on this Ford tipper. Appears to be RAAF ??997?
Any clues? What other markings would a RAAF construction unit/squadron have had and where to look?
Will have to go out and lightly sand the top layers of paint away when it is warmer.

Thanks

[Ian Mastin]

Hi Darrin,

I think it's XX9978


Ian

[Mike Cecil]

If it was RAAF XX9978 it would be either 209978 or 219978, but neither fit an F60S tipper.

219978 is too late (1960's acquisitions)
209978 is an F60S wireless van.

The curious thing is the truck is fitted with an Army MVFS plate, which the RAAF did not use.

My guess, in the absence of readable information from the dash plate, is an Army issue tipper transferred to the RAAF, so possibly in the 214XXX group.

Can you clean up the dash plate to make it readable?

Mike

[Tony Smith]

Are the 2 pics of the upper cowl from the cab that's on the truck itself, or the cab in the rear tray? I don't see the lichen and general green colours of the truck's cab in the cowl's pics, unless you've pressure washed it and removed some mould and lichen.

[Darrin Wright]

The cabin fitted to the truck was pressure washed. I have since lightly sanded the top layer of paint and moss away to reveal 209975.
The cabin in the rear will become a garden ornament (wife's choice), but it does have some nice brackets on it; it is also a Ford, possibly was fitted with a winch. Its chassis was turned into a towed grader.
Undecided on what I am doing with this truck, finding some history will assist in that decision. I do like Tippers as they are usable.
Will check & inspect the plate to see what is states.

Thanks

[Mike Cecil]

Something odd going on here: 209975 was an RAAF F60S radio van, taken on charge May 45, disposed of 1958.

Perhaps the data from the dash plate will tell us more.

Does the garden ornament cab have any dataplates or a registration visible?

Are the MVFS plate and the tipper hoist instruction plates on the engine cover? That image has no RAAF blue paint visible.

The vehicle is, in the Army's nomenclature, a 'Truck, 3 ton Tipping 2 1/2 cubic yard, Aust No.4'. The No.4 by both Chev & Ford was the only model Aust CMP tipper fitted with the Trojan hoist and 8.25x20 tyres with duals at the rear and off-set front wheels with a spacer.

Mike

[Darrin Wright]

Interesting and thanks for your input & knowledge Mike.
Data plate is 24 Apr 45.
Cabin nose section has Ford Canada stamped into it.
Under all the paint on the truck, there is a nice coat of green, the RAAF 209975 is painted twice on the cabin in different fonts by stencil and brush. The truck has green, black then gray as an overall paint job. It was owned by a business in Moorabin at some point, then up to Dartmouth dam, then to this farm and after 20-30 years sold.
Main base section of cab has the artic heater/ventilation slots & holes, but no kit ever fitted.
No data plates on the tipping body.
Data plates for the tipping body located on the engine cover.
Spare cabin has no data plates or markings. I believe there were only 2 Ford blitz trucks at this property, the tipper and the other converted into a towed grader.

[Mike Cecil]

The dataplate should have other markings besides the date of assembly, such as a raised set of numbers often taken as the chassis number.

Does the current cab have the slots in the floor for the hoist controls?

Mike

[Darrin Wright]

Hopefully the 2 pics with changed light conditions will highlight any info.
This is not the plate that I have seen in other Ford tippers.
Not much on it and this is the only plate, located on top of the dash with round gauges.

Top left stamped F60S
Top right stamped 13
Bottom left stamped ENGINE
Right side lower stamped 5559
botom stamped Apr - 24 45