Aussie Chev 'Indian Pattern' Ambulance

[cliff]

Hi Guys. I am doing a model of one of these Pictured below.

I am wondering if anyone can tell me whether the rear body was in fact canvas clad over composit board or wheather the board was just painted with a canvas cab roof lining and awning at the rear?

I do have some photos of these but not many that are full side on.

Can anyone help please?

(Pic AWM data base)

[nuyt]

What sort of pattern would this be?
McDonald, NT. 4 May 1943. Crew of an ambulance and a fire truck with their vehicles, at No. 18 (Netherlands East Indies) Squadron base in the Darwin area.

[cliff]

That is just a conventional pattern ambulance body on a 1941 Chev chassis and probably built by General Motors/Holden. The RAAF used a lot of these while the army had the 'Indian Pattern' body on a variety of Chassis including Dodge Ford & Chev, although the Chev was more common. The Army also had CMP Ambulances in the 'Australian style' which is similar to the Indian but not attached to the Cab and then The CMP F30 type which were larger versions of the Indian style on a Ford CMP chassis but with double rear doors rather then canvas..

You also then had the Canadian style ambulances with double rear doors and then the British Austin K7's, the American lend lease vehicles etc. and of course the multitude of other Medical type trucks like Blood banks, dental etc.

This still does not answer my original Question so I am beginning to think that no one knows hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Cheers
Cliff

Pic 1 - Australian style Ambulance

[cliff]

Pic 2 - Canadian Pattern 4 berth CMP Ambulance

[cliff]

Pic 3 - 30 cwt surgical unit - Chevrolet

[cliff]

Pic 4 - 3 ton Chevrolet advanced dressing station

[cliff]

Pic 5 - CMP Dental surgery

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi Cliff
I picked up the following images when I was researching a truck for a friend. They are AWM and I may even have obtained them from you. Anyway this first one is a side on and looking closely it appears that it is totally canvas covered over a wooden framework.
Bob

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Offside rear

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hope these help Cliff.
BTW how is your image bank going. You've got to get it public.
Bob

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Ambulance Images 2 is NEARSIDE rear.
Dislexic Bob

[cliff]

Thanks Bob. I had the cammo one. That pic is Malaya 1941 and is unusual as ambulances are normally one color. So my model will be done in the cammo when I have finished it.

It does also appear as though the body was all canvas so I will try and replicate this.

My Photo archives will be reappearing over the next few months back on the same site. This is when I get the time to sort out all I have got and re-upload them all as what was there before was only about half of what I did have.

Thanks
Cliff

[KiwiKev]

I hope these photos are of help. They are of an Indian Patten 1940/41 Ford Ambulance owned by a Museum here in Auckland, New Zealand called MOTAT.
The first shows the rear view and hopefully you can see the internal structure. This vehicle has not been restored to the best of my knowledge and therefore very original, however it has just been given a makeover which can be seen in the second photo.
About 20Years ago a group of us found a second vehicle, however only the deck and cab were original as the body had been removed.

I can also remember being told some time ago that the body is basically a wooden frame with canvas overlaid. The canvas is then coated in Dope. (same as a model plane, WWI fighter etc) and then painted, this gives the structure added strength and as MOTAT's is not around 65 years old it must work.

Regards
kev
----------
1971 S2A Landrover Ambulance (ex BAOR)
1968 S2A Landrover GS
1939 ACK352 GMC

Kevin Frethey
Auckland
New Zealand
kfrethey@xnet.co.nz

Auckland New Zealand

[KiwiKev]

And now the second one

[cliff]

Thanks for the pics mate. I did not realise that Motat had one of these and it is great to see at least one has survived. When and if I ever get back to Auckland (I was born there) I will endever to get there and hopefully view all their vehicles again.

Cheers
Cliff

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by cliff
Can anyone help please?

Related thread: Chevrolet Truck ID Required.

HTH,
Hanno

[rupert condick]

Hi
this may help if I can unload the pics.
I have more but only the one with a rear cover, Weary Dunlop standing in the first pic.






regs
Rupert