Cab 11 C15 and 2A1 body

[cletrac (RIP)]

I posted these period pix on the Bren mount thread but figured they should be here too. I found one of the pogo style mount pix in a magazine and the other in Google's Time Life images. They're the same truck taken moments apart!
I put the swivels and sling on the Lewis and made a cartwheel anti aircraft sight. Now I need to make the eyepiece.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I found this pic on Google Life's western desert collection. It's a Cab 11 with 2A1 box and it's an anti tank tractor. This is the only pic I've come across of the ATT version.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I did a little more on the 2A1. The Lewis looks better all the time. On checking all my Motley mount pictures it looks like the mount and seat get painted khaki and the gun is black. The seat cushion probably was the same brown vinyl as the rear seats on the C8. When I do the truck it'll be khaki with light stone camo.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I made the liners for the steps in the endgate today. The inside and outside pieces kind of wrap around each other in the holes so you have to put them both in and form them to shape with them in place. When I was done I tried them out for size with my felt pack boots and there's lots of room.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I started brushing on a coat of paint. I'm having the camo pattern go across the inside of the box too although I don't know if they did that or not. The motley will be in the middle of the khaki. I figured that way the khaki seat wouldn't stand out so much. The pic I colourised gives an idea of what's planned. I could have done a better job on it but wanted to get on with the painting. Here's a question for you. How do you know when you've got enough runs and drips?

I fixed the colourised pics up a bit.

[cliff]

Looking really good mate. Well done on all the hard work.

[Mike Kelly]

What type of wood are you using ..looks like a softwood of some kind

[cletrac (RIP)]

Mike, I used spruce and fir. That's what was used on the original bits that I found. The sills were hardwood on the original but fir will be lots tough enough for non-military use.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Excellent work Dave. I really like how the 2A1 is coming along.

Regarding the paintjob; I don't know if I can agree on the camo job on the inside of the body. Most examples I have seen only show camo on the outside and on the canvas.

Here's a question for you. How do you know when you've got enough runs and drips?

When it looks like the wood grain suddenly switched 90 degrees?

Alex

[cletrac (RIP)]

Alex,
In Europe the inside of the box was dark since the later camo schemes wanted all upward facing surfaces the dark colour to blend in with the ground. In Africa, however, the solid dark would stand out against the desert. That's why I carried the pattern through the box but I don't know if it was done like that or not. You'd also think they'd want the fold down sides to be camouflaged when down. Another thing, all the other trucks ran with the canvas in place but the AAATs needed the gun in the open.
I guess if I ever decide I did it wrong, it's a simple thing to change.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I painted the seat and installed it. I looked through all my pics again and came up with two camo paint jobs where you can see the inside of the box and no camo. I never noticed on that Morris western desert pic before but they're bolting a motley seat into place.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I have an original top hoop and it has those pins welded in (see picture) and a wire in the cross hole. What would they be for? The pins go through a hole in the pipe and are welded on the outside end. They only list one kind of hoop in the parts manual so they must all be like that. I attached the relevant part of the parts list and it mentions upper and lower rubber straps so maybe they have something to do with the top straps.
There's also a strap and buckle assembly for the front hoopstick which I assume would be used to tie the three hoops together when the hoops are stored at the front of the box.
The parts list says the AAAT doesn't use the hoops but I came across a picture with the front two in place with the Motley seat mounted at the rear of the box. I can see where you might want to keep stuff dry. This was in Europe.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by cletrac

I have an original top hoop and it has those pins welded in (see picture) and a wire in the cross hole. What would they be for?

To me it appears that the canvas hood may have had tie down straps that had an eyelet hole in the end of them which slotted over that pin and then a circlip or similar pushed though the hole to hold it in place. This would in effect been a quick and easy method of holding the canvas in place but also a quick way of releasing it for removal as well.

[cletrac (RIP)]

The 2B1 uses all the same straps as the 2A1 according to the parts list. The only difference is the size of the canvas. You can see by the first pic where the top straps hold the top in place when the sides are rolled up. The second pic is a good shot of the 2B1 with the canvas in place.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I made up some more of the hardware and bolted it on. I also made a spent brass catcher for the Lewis out of a ratty old aerial bag of some kind.

[George McKenzie]

It sure looks good with a little paint Dave George

[cletrac (RIP)]

I had to move the 2A1 out to make room in the garage so I set it on the C15 to see what it looks like. My Photoshopped muzzle flash looks pretty authentic.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by cletrac

My impression is that the benches would go along the sides and over the wheel wells and the CMP seats would be in the middle, but I've been wrong before!

See Troop seats in 15 cwt personnel truck.

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by cletrac (RIP)

I answered my own question about the anti tank tractor. This pic of a 15 cwt pulling a 6 pounder is off Colin Stevens website. I can't tell if it's a 2A1 or 2B1 body but it's one or the other. I wonder if they used a winch on this tractor version. A higher resolution copy of this pic would be nice! The two soldiers near the front must be standing on the tool box.

Here’s a the pic which is similar to the one that David posted. It looks like it was made on the same day and location. Sad to say he is no longer around to enjoy it.

Canadian gunners with their 6-pounder anti-tank gun in the ruins of a town in Italy, c1944. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3607615)

[Bob Carriere]

....it's a 2C1 type.......!!!! on a cab 13.....

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

....it's a 2C1 type.......!!!! on a cab 13.....

Also interesting to see the wooden (?) extension on the top edge of the body.

[Grant Bowker]

I think we have discussed these wooden extensions or seatbacks separately, can someone add a link to tha thread?

[Bob Carriere]

........ the back rest would only cover the space behind the fender box..... the driver must have been from Gatineau.....think snow!!!!

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

........ It looks like a full extension wooden board.......

Yes, exactly; it seems to run the full length of the body, not just the "normal" small board with the two brackets.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by cletrac (RIP)

I answered my own question about the anti tank tractor. This pic of a 15 cwt pulling a 6 pounder is off Colin Stevens website. I can't tell if it's a 2A1 or 2B1 body but it's one or the other. I wonder if they used a winch on this tractor version. A higher resolution copy of this pic would be nice! The two soldiers near the front must be standing on the tool box.
Now I just have to come up with a pic of the AAAT1 with an anti-aircraft setup in the back.
All of these body variants were used with the 2B1 bodies on the cab 12s too. In the body parts list manual it says to use the 2B1 if replacing the whole 2A1 body as it's a direct replacement.
According to the manual, the 2A1 and the 2B1 both use two long and two short U-bolts to hold the body to the frame.

Here's a photo which could well have the previous or next frame in the film:

Canadian gunners with their 6-pounder anti-tank gun in the ruins of a town in Italy, c1944. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3607615)