1939-1945 fordson tractor

[Jon Bradshaw]

I have been left an old Fordson tractor and I see that it is possible that the tractor might have been used on airfields to pull bombers in England. Can anyone substantiate that a Fordson tractor made in the usa was used to do this? Pictures would be good to see the markings. It is rust coloured now, so I am thinking to paint it green to represent a wartime tractor.
I think it would be a different side of the usual story we tell with our combat and support vehicles.
Any help on this would be great. Those in GB might have more info than us over here. Thanks.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Jon Bradshaw

Can anyone substantiate that a 1939-1945 Fordson tractor made in the USA was ........?

The only Fordson tractors made in the USA were the very early ones ('17-'28). Wartime Fordsons were all made in the UK only. Any American tractors were simply "Ford"; 9N 1939-42, 2N 1942-47, 8N 1948-1953.

9Ns and 2Ns were supplied Lend Lease to the UK for War Service (Airfields as you suggest) but also for Agricultural (Land Army) and Industrial use. UK-made Fordson Standard tractors (Model N) also saw the same use.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Do any of you have pictures of fordson tractors in military use as aircraft tractors? I think this is the only use i will have for the old girl. Markings will be key.

[Lang]

Here Are Some

[Richard Farrant]

Lang,
Regarding the photo of the Fordson with the crane on, I think this is a conversion by Stanhay of Ashford, Kent. They were operated by compressed air and you can see the compressor on the side of the transmission. The company manufactured agricultural machinery and I worked for one of its subsidiaries in my early working life.

[Lang]

Richard

There are quite a few photos of those compressor Fordsons on Mr Google. An intersting conversion.

Lang

[Jon Bradshaw]

Thanks for the pics. That is exactly the tractor I have in the colorized pic with the woman pulling the bomb carts.

[Jon Bradshaw]

I put the tractor on display this summer for an airshow. I managed to get it close to a vintage aircraft for a pic. Not the one I hoped to get close to, but the best I could do. Aircraft owners don't want anything close to their planes...