Gun tractor database

[Keith Webb]

I'm compiling a database of all known CMP (and other) gun tractors in Australia, so if you know of any, please let me know the details. They don't have to be restored, but already I have over 25 of them ranging from 7A2 Cab 12s (2 Ford, 4 Chev), Aust number 8 (4 Ford, 2 Chev), Aust number 9 (8 Ford, 3 Chev). There are also the remains (but none intact) of 3 Guy Quad Ants so far.
Very few of these are restored or even intact, but they all count.
Bob, I have counted the number 8 in your museum, but there must be others.
Max Hedges told me about a 7A2 in a museum near Townsville... there must be more somewhere.
Please let me know

[Mike Kelly]

Keith,

Are you including the No. 3 and 3A Marmon - Herringtons ?
There must be at least ten or more of them around .

I have heard of at least six of the Guy Quad Ants , an old fellow up near Tumbarumba told me of two that were used in the logging game in his area . This old fellow had a wreckers yard at Laurel Hill , it had many CMP's on site when I called by in 1976 . The saw mill next door had blitz's running around everywhere , all painted a sickly blue .

Mike

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Mike Kelly
Keith,

Are you including the No. 3 and 3A Marmon - Herringtons ?
There must be at least ten or more of them around .

I have heard of at least six of the Guy Quad Ants , an old fellow up near Tumbarumba told me of two that were used in the logging game in his area . This old fellow had a wreckers yard at Laurel Hill , it had many CMP's on site when I called by in 1976 . The saw mill next door had blitz's running around everywhere , all painted a sickly blue .

Mike

Thanks Mike
I think we should invent a time machine so we can secure the most desirable vehicles! Surely between us all we can do it??!!??:
Good idea about the 3 and 3A tractors. I'll also include the LP6 Bofors tractors, although there aren't many of these - I've only seen bodies - not a restored one yet. I even filmed one being crushed.
What are the details for the Guys? My details for those are ont in Eltham, one at Belfields and one more seen in a NSW sawmill in the 1980s.
Are there any of the Morris Comical (sorry, Morris Commercial) tractors surviving in Australia?

[Mike Kelly]

Hi Keith

We didn't get any of the Morris gun tractors , but New Zealand did , there are a couple of restored examples over there .The pic is of one at a tractor pull in the South Island . Thats a lump of concrete its dragging along the ground !

There is a Guy Quad in NSW with the body intact I have been told , but its location is a secret . The problem for restorers is finding parts for these rare vehicles . hence , people shy away from them like the plague.

Mike

[Tony Smith]

There are some great surviving examples in New Zealand of Aust Pattern 3/3A Marmon-Herrington gun tractors, like this one I was privileged to drive for a weekend. I know of two others still complete, but surprisingly, the later CMP based FAT's seem to be of the standard "Beetleback" body and not Aust pattern. I don't know why they didn't continue sourcing FAT's from Aust, perhaps it has something to do with the Kiwis continuing to serve in the Medteranean theatre and on to Italy with the Canadians and British?

[Mike Kelly]

hi Tony


Yes, the procurement of vehicles during WW2 in NZ seems to be quite a different story to us . They got a real mixture of stuff . In some ways it is more diverse than here . Ford GTB 's is one example not seen here . I didn't even know some of the Aust. 3 - 3A gun tractors were sent to NZ .

On the negative side , I have noticed the prices of ex military vehicles over there are about twice what you would pay here .


Mike

[Keith Webb]

Well, located some time ago... this is a picture from Bruce Wiltshire's album taken in South Australia in the 1980s. It's a C15 chassis with a cut down CGT #9 mounted.
Anyone seen it since? Salesman Bob?

[Keith Webb]

Not including the rumoured ones, or a cache from the West, the tally stands at around 30 made up of 7A2, number 8 and number 9. You can add another 4 or so Guy Quad-Ants.

Can anyone supply me with a list of 3 and 3A tractors, please? Also any other sightings of CMP 7A2, LP6, 8 and 9 tractors...

[Mike Kelly]

Keith

Also consider the No. 4 LAA tractor , it was a variation of the No. 3/3A , set up for towing the bofors gun , with provision for the ammo boxes etc.

Mike

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Mike Kelly
Keith

Also consider the No. 4 LAA tractor , it was a variation of the No. 3/3A , set up for towing the bofors gun , with provision for the ammo boxes etc.

Mike

Mike, do you have any pictures? Are there some around?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Can anyone supply me with a list of 3 and 3A tractors, please?

Not a complete list, but here's a start:[list=1][*]"KU2196", already introduced to us by Tony Smith. Also see the article on The New Zealand Military Vehicle Collector's Club for a picture of this restored 1939 Ford/Marmon-Herrington "Tractor, Artillery (Aust) No.3", owned by a member of the Manawatu Branch.
[*]Col Anderson's 1939 LP3, auctioned last March, don't know where it went.
[*] Robert Stafford has two rough but restorable examples of 1939 and 1941 M-H Ford gun tractors.
[*]Two examples at the Melbourne Tank Museum (Robert: are these two now owned by you?)
[*]Sand-coloured '41 model No.3A tractor as photographed by Mike Kelly (see below), owner unknown.[/list=1]

Hope this helps,
Hanno
Marmon-Herrington Military Vehicles

[gordon]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting

An ad on e-bay featuring these things...

Gordon

[Mike Kelly]

Hanno ,

The ex C. Anderson 1939 model is now in Sth Australia .

The Pic above ( unknown ) is of Ian Styles No.3A Marmon , Ian is a keen Ford man and has another Marmon, a 1941 6X6 breakdown under restoration . He has a nice collection and really restores his vehicles rather than being a " GUNNER " type .

He also has restored the following : M3A1 White scout car ,
M2 Cletrac airfield tractor , 1941 Ford ute ( military ) , a WW2 caterpiller bulldozer .

There is a restored No.3A in the AWM collection , it was restored by Bob Schutt of Monto QLD . Bob owns the ex Dutch NEI LD? Marmon 1/2 ton .

Mike

[Robert Stafford]

Hanno,
No, the two M-H GTs at the Melbourne Tank Museum are not (yet?) owned by me. I got my '41 in SW Qld and my '39 in Sydney. I also have enough parts to build a '40. Plus I have the '42 M-H 6x6 breakdown truck.

[Robert Stafford]

I forgot to mention that there is a recently surfaced 1941 M-H GT model 3 at the Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, Qld, being restored by an artillery regiment there. They acquired the truck as a donation from Muttaburra, Qld.

Len Watkins of NSW, whom I met at the Col Anderson sale, has several M-H GTs and a soft-cab M-H 6x6 that he says was used for heavy artillery. I have misplaced his phone number, but he is well known in Australian military vehicle circles so someone should know his details.

I am also on the track of another '41 M-H Model 3 GT in far western Victoria, but I've not yet been able to ascertain its exact location, though I have photos. Very frustrating, this.

[Max Hedges]

must be the one Mike Kelly was talking about

Max