RAF ground crew

[George McKenzie]

I am restoring a 1942 RCAF Fordson tractor that was used with the bombers during the war. After the war it was brought to Canada. The women drove this tractor hauling fuel and bombs it has a high speed of up to 40 mph. This was a dangerous tractor at that speed because it didn't have fenders. I have not found another one like it. Does anyone have pictures of it working with the planes? George.

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by George McKenzie

Attachment 21590
I am restoring a 1942 RCAF Fordson tractor that was used with the bombers during the war. After the war it was brought to Canada. The women drove this tractor hauling fuel and bombs it has a high speed of up to 40 mph. This was a dangerous tractor at that speed because it didn't have fenders. I have not found another one like it. Does anyone have pictures of it working with the planes? George.

George, I believe this is a picture of a Fordson N tractor, which was the most commonly used tractor on Air bases hauling MG ammo to a Blenheim (obviously either early WWII or the West Coast of Canada). I've included an additional pic, not of a tractor but of a trailer used to load Blockbusters into aircraft, in this case a Canadian Lancaster. There is a WAAF steering the trailer under the aircraft.

CHIMO! Derek.

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by sapper740

I've included an additional pic, not of a tractor but of a trailer used to load Blockbusters into aircraft, in this case a Canadian Lanc. There is a WAAF steering the trailer under the aircraft.

CHIMO! Derek.

Sorry, here's the other pic.

CHIMO! Derek.

[Stuart Kirkham]

Originally Posted by George McKenzie

Attachment 21590
I am restoring a 1942 RCAF Fordson tractor that was used with the bombers during the war. After the war it was brought to Canada. The women drove this tractor hauling fuel and bombs it has a high speed of up to 40 mph. This was a dangerous tractor at that speed because it didn't have fenders. I have not found another one like it. Does anyone have pictures of it working with the planes? George.

Are you talking about one of these George?

[George McKenzie]

Thanks for the pictures .These tracters are a LU, land utility .The last picture is much like mine but for the wheels and breather. Mine is a industrial N .It has 6x36 dual wheels ,5x13 on front ,a dry paper air filter,no fenders .I'll post some pictures to morrow .All the ones I have found have the big wheels .Mine was made in 1942 . george

[George McKenzie]

This looks like it could be like mine

[George McKenzie]

This is another Fordson LU I doubt if it could pull this load .The picture above has fenders and a cab that mine does not have .

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by George McKenzie

Attachment 21590
I am restoring a 1942 RCAF Fordson tractor that was used with the bombers during the war. After the war it was brought to Canada. The women drove this tractor hauling fuel and bombs it has a high speed of up to 40 mph. This was a dangerous tractor at that speed because it didn't have fenders. I have not found another one like it. Does anyone have pictures of it working with the planes? George.

George, here's another pic, this time with a Stirling bomber. Looks like the trailer is full of incendiaries. Derek.

[George McKenzie]

Thanks for the picture . I trucked dinamite after the war . I would haul 7 or8 tons on a small truck .you wouldn't think any thing about it blowing up . These ladies did it in very dangerous sercumstances . It would be interesting if someone would do a book on the ground crews and the equptment used . George

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by George McKenzie

Thanks for the picture . I trucked dinamite after the war . I would haul 7 or8 tons on a small truck .you wouldn't think any thing about it blowing up . These ladies did it in very dangerous sercumstances . It would be interesting if someone would do a book on the ground crews and the equptment used . George

Although not dedicated to chronicling the duties of ground crew, Larry Milberry's book, SIXTY YEARS The RCAF and CF Air Command 1924-1984, has many pictures and pages detailing the life and duties of RCAF ground crew during the war. It's a great book and I highly recommend it. Derek.


CHIMO!

[George McKenzie]

That sounds great , I'll get one .My cousin spent 33 trips in a Lancaster as a tail gunner and was the only one of the original crew left at the end of the war .My other cousin was a spotter for the bombers He was a dare devel of a pilot He flew a small plane by him self low to get under the radar . Finnally got shot down and spent 2 years in a prison camp till the war ended I could have got lots of information from them but we didn't talk much about it as everyone wanted to forget about it . George