Universal Carrier

[Radek]

Hi to all, could I ask what type is this Universal carrier?
I thing that is Mk. II
More pictures at the spring.

[RichardT10829]

From first glance looks to be mk2 but I can't tell if it's Canadian or Brit... I am saying mk2 on the basis that the square holes on the transom are missing.... It is riveted and has the round armour top rifle rests on and appears to have the four bolts for the smoke discharged bracket on the gunners side armour

Can we get a pic of the engine bay please ?

[Dusonn]

It seems it has casted stacey arms, so possibly Canadian made Mk.II? Just a thought...

[RichardT10829]

That's why I wanted to see the engine bay...

[shaun]

This is a Canadian MK2 , I think it's the one I was offered about 10 years ago . A guy in Norway was selling it at the time . It had the same conversion to the front wheels . He also had a very restorable alloyed carrier with 2 holes in the side from the Pak 36 that knocked it out . I will see if I can find the photos of it on top of another vehicle in the pile .

[Radek]

It is from Sveden. And here are any more photos.

[RichardT10829]

Agree with Shaun it's Canadian mk2, it has the rolled engine rails rather than the right angle ones which I am told the English carriers had.

[shaun]

Ah yes it was Sweden , I am trying to find the photos I had of it years ago.

[Michael R.]

A lower hull production number with a Canadian 'C' beside it should remove any doubt as to where the hull was manufactured. The lower hull production number will point to the production date.

There are a few indicators of later production (May '44 to 22nd Jan '45), such as:

1)the rear upper hull protecton plate has been punched for mounting of the internal 'clevis assembly - hull lifting' brackets,
2)elimination of the R.F.T. support bracket hole with plug assembly C01UC - 105448 in the left hand protection plate.

It is interesting to see the common failure point of both Canadian cast towing bracket arms.

Without additional information, my thoughts are it would be difficult to say if the carrier was produced for a British SM or Canadian CDLV contract.
Maybe the pictures you have, Shaun, reveal some traces of either 'CT' or 'T' WD numbers? Of course the carrier could have seen post-WWII service, with the subsequent change in WD numbering.

[Radek]

Thanks for identification, more pictures after what will arived at home.
I will nead a lot of parts. Any are there but i nead sort them.

[RichardT10829]

You will need to rivet on some new front armour too... I know a guy that can get the rivets and the snaps cough cough (shameless rivet snap plug warning)

[Radek]

Could I ask if somebody has drawings for front MKII armor?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Radek

Could I ask if somebody has drawings for front MKII armor?

I believe Siemon has them....

H.

[Radek]

Hi Hanno,
I have posted PM to Siemon, but I don´t know if he recieved it.
Could you ask him, if he will be so kind and share the drawings with me?

Thanks

[Radek]

The carrier will be at home at monday. :-)
Could somebody help me with spare parts catalog and maintenance manual for mk2 ?
After sorting pallets with parts i will nead help with missing parts.

[Radek]

Now I can say that I am ovner of carrier. :-) Second one is brothers. :-)
The serial No. of the one without front armor is 28791 and complete without is 28765.
Could somebody help me with history of this carriers?

[Michael R.]

Here is the stencil information for the upper rear protection plate. Found at top, centre, between the BREN tripod mounting brackets.

[Radek]

Thanks for info

[Radek]

Could somebody tell me the year of manufacture?

[Michael R.]

The lower hull number you have posted, 28765, can be misleading. However a ball park production date is November, 1944. I believe this is likely a British contract, SM 1447, with a serial number in the 29500 -29700 range. There are multiple existing examples in the U.K. with lower hull numbers close to yours. Some of those U.K. examples also have their original data plates in place, making comparison with their information and lower hull number quite helpful for you.

On close inspection, following your lower hull numbers, you should find a smaller font, upper case letter "C" with a line through it.

As a rough guideline, a C31UCW U.C. NO-2 MKII* production number of 27678 is dated 17 August, 1944, on the 40th Anniversary for Ford of Canada.

[Radek]

Thank you Michael.

[Radek]

Know somebody which kind of wheal are these?

[Ron Pier]

I think the later T16 had disc wheels? Ron

[ajmac]

The disc wheel looks like those used on a German Maultier, the spoked one is normal UC by the looks of it, you could tell from a TL or CTL number cast into it.

[horsa]

Not T-16 wheels. The late disc pattern was a solid disc with no holes in it.

[Radek]

I have to sort "spare" wheels and another parts and check the casting numbers. But now is cold in my shed.

[Radek]

It looks like that is from Ford V3000 http://www.fahrzeuge-der-wehrmacht.d...V3000_SSM.html

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Radek

It looks like that is from Ford V3000 http://www.fahrzeuge-der-wehrmacht.d...V3000_SSM.html

Radek,

Indeed, seems like a Maultier wheel.

Did you ever positively ID the other wheels?

Hanno

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Also, there are engineering differences in track, sprocket and road wheels (see pictures of a surviving Ford V3000S Maultier). Although I have not seen a Maultier in the flesh we did find a Maultier road wheel for sale on one of the stalls at Beltring and noted it was much wider and of entirely different construction than the standard Universal Carrier road wheel - not a surprise when you know Pz.I/II track was used (instead of Carrier track like popular belief has it).
*snip*
Here's a nice picture of the bogie wheels & tracks on a Ford Maultier (source). Now, you tell me these are Universal Carrier parts...

[Radek]

Hi Hanno,

Now I haven´t time sort and check the parts :-( this wheels are on the top.

[Radek]

Just I have pick up all (I think) wheals.