8cwt 4x2 Field Artillery Tractor

[David Dunlop]

Upon a request from Alex, earlier this evening, I was checking my D.N.D. Special Pattern Bodies Parts List manuals for what was covered in the 8-cwt Group. Unfortunately all of this info is missing, with the exception of Table of Illustrations.

The last of eight illustrations is identified as 'Seat Assembly - 8 cwt. 4x2, Field Artillery Tractor'

To my knowledge, this is the first I have ever heard of such a vehicle. Since this Body Parts List is generic in regards to cabs and chassis underneath the bodies, I have no idea if this was a Chevrolet or Ford designed (or both) 8-cwt 4x2 Field Artillery Tractor.

Does anyone know more about them and/or have any photos?

Addendum:

The Table of Illustrations is dated January, 1942 so this 8-cwt 4x2 FAT would have been a very early CMP, Cab 11, 12 or perhaps both if it proved useful for long enough.


David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Could it be they mean "Seat Assembly - as fitted to 8 cwt. 4x2 and Field Artillery Tractor".

I'm thinking the seat in the back of an 8-cwt radio truck may be the same as the seat in the back body of the FAT?

[David Dunlop]

Hello Hanno.

Although the thought of an 8-cwt, 4x2 FAT is of great fascination, it does make less and less sense, the more one thinks about it. Your idea makes a lot more sense.

The Body Parts List for the FAT shows the four rear seats as being Seat, Assembly, Adjustable, Folding and the Driver/Co-Drivers seats as being Seat, Assembly, Non-Adjustable, Folding. It is the four adjustable seats that are referenced to the Plate 8 illustration that would have been in the missing 8-cwt 4x2 Group.

The Alphabetical Index to the whole manual is present, and of all items related to the 8-cwt 4x2 Group, three quarters of them are readily identifiable are being for a Wireless Body: Aerial Mount, Radio Table, Instrument Panel - Radio, etc. The other items are not so easy to narrow down: Superstructure, Spare Wheel Mount, Box- Tow Rope, Door - Tow Rope Box, etc.

Lastly, in the Table of Illustrations, where more than one body type is referred to, in most cases the list is formatted as:

G.S. (Workshop) (Stores)

One is listed in the format:

Winch and Derrick

And then this 8-cwt listing shows up as:

8 cwt, 4x2, Field Artillery Tractor

The latter is the only description using all commas and the only one that jumps across more than one weight classification. More than likely different people did different updates and there was a breakdown in formatting standards.

Damn! I would love to have seen a little Quad hauling a 2-pdr across a field!

Cheers, David

[Alex van de Wetering]

I agree David...I think Hanno is on the money. An 8cwt artillery tractor....how lovely it would be, doesn't sound very realistic. A C8 doesn't even have a towing hook...nor a winch, so any artillery heavier of bigger than a plastic scale model sounds like a challenge .

After having a look at some factory photos I think the centre two seats in the back of a FAT are of the non adjustable type. They seem to be bolted straight to the floor, seat 1 and 4 in the back are adjustable, as are the ones up front. So, it sounds like "'Seat Assembly" includes the folding seat, as well as the runners. It seems the angled plate to secure them in the bed of a C8/F8 is not included, as this is different from a FAT......the angled plate might even be unique to the C8/F8 (?)



Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

Come to think of it.....maybe the Germans were man enough to use captured 8cwt's as artillery tractors ......

[motto]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Come to think of it.....maybe the Germans were man enough to use captured 8cwt's as artillery tractors ......

Man enough or desperate enough. I worked with an Austrian who had been on the Russian front and well remember his tale of towing a Pak 38 with a Zundapp motorcycle outfit. One particular story was of negotiating a slippery down hill run where the gun overtook him and towed the Zundapp backwards to the bottom of the descent.
Exciting times in more ways than one.

David.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Lastly, in the Table of Illustrations, where more than one body type is referred to, in most cases the list is formatted as:
G.S. (Workshop) (Stores)
One is listed in the format:
Winch and Derrick
And then this 8-cwt listing shows up as:
8 cwt, 4x2, Field Artillery Tractor
The latter is the only description using all commas and the only one that jumps across more than one weight classification. More than likely different people did different updates and there was a breakdown in formatting standards.
Damn! I would love to have seen a little Quad hauling a 2-pdr across a field!

Fascinating thought indeed, but seeing the listing I think we can conclude the type of seat was used in two types of truck, the 8-cwt and the FAT:

DND body parts list illustration index_cropped.jpg

The "Winch and Derrick" is a single body type, so it is not a change in formatting.