Fordson WOT2 15cwt truck

[Rlangham]

Hey all, just wondered if you had any photos of the Fordson WOT2 15cwt truck you'd be willing to upload and show? Always been interested in this truck ever since I saw one in bomb disposal markings at a military event at a preserved railway years ago. Unfortunately, apart from a few photos I found on the IWM database I found by typing in 'Fordson', I haven't seen any photos of them in service, so i'd be interested in seeing any photos of the vehicle. Would also love to own one one day, so if anyone in the UK has one they'd be willing to give me a ride in i'd be very grateful

Cheers, Rob

[Les Freathy]

Hi Rob
Just happen,d to see your request flash up on the screen and just to my left is a box of photos to be sorted on 15cwt trucks which includes some of the fords

1. WOT 2 A
2. a drowned rat the WOT 2 E

[Les Freathy]

Nice WOT2E in Mickey Mouse paintwork

[Les Freathy]

Early model most likely captured at Dunkirk

Model 2E in the mud bath

[Les Freathy]

I believe this nice FFR is or was owned by Jim Baxter of the IMPS and was seen about 4/5 years ago at War and Piece

[Les Freathy]

Finally at Duxford must be atleast 10 years ago is this superb WOT2E

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Survivor in Holland:

[Mike K]

Here is a WOT2D I half owned in the early 80's with a fellow MV lover .

It came from Redbank , up near St. Arnaud , in central Victoria . We restored it over 3 years . its fitted with a later windscreen , it should have aero screens . The D model was fitted with the fixed side body , it was a VAN model . The GS version ( A,C,E,F,H ) had the drop side body .

This pic was taken at Corowa in 1983 , we drove it up on a stinking hot day , it boiled , but we got there . It was very fast , cruised at 50 MPH easily . Didn't like hills though .The engine in it ran sweetly , didn't need a rebiuld . It had been a CFA fire truck . We actually got two of them at Redbank . both D models

I owned another one , I ( found near Canowndra in NSW) , a H model . I towed it to Cargo to store , its now owned by a guy at Cambeltown NSW .

there are around five restored ones here now .

Mike

[Mike K]

Here we are in Dec. 1979 at Redbank , the day we bought the above WOT ...... Its painted blue here , thats me ( the hippy ) in the background . The seller also had a mint F15 , very low miles, dead straight cab . $200 .

Mike ( the hippy )

[Mike K]

John Neville's WOT2 E ? at Corowa last year . I first saw this vehicle back in the mid 1970's . It sat for many years just Nth of Melbourne , Sunbury .

Mike

[Keith Webb]

In storage at the AWM in 2000.

I have a few on this page.





Tony Smith inspecting the Army Museum's restored example at Bandiana.

[Mike K]

Here is a link to a WOT2 restoration article :


http://www.geocities.com/vmvc1au/Duke.html

Mike

[Ian Pullen]

We have just finished a set of tank guards for the Fordson in the Museum and will be fitting them in the near future. In addition we have finally found a set of original switchgear that will also be fitted when it's cleaned up. The little touches make the difference.

[Rlangham]

Cheers for the pictures guys - first time i've ever seen one with the slatted grill before. Looking for a Fordson WOT2 or other 15 cwt 4x2 in any condition in the UK, if anyone knows of one please let me know

[Mike K]

Originally posted by Ian Pullen
We have just finished a set of tank guards for the Fordson in the Museum and will be fitting them in the near future. In addition we have finally found a set of original switchgear that will also be fitted when it's cleaned up. The little touches make the difference.

Hi Ian ,

I recall going on a club trip to Bandi in 1978 , we attended the opening of the then new Bandiana transport musem . In those days , before insurance problems , we were allowed to crawl over , under , and get inside all of the museums vehicles . A friend filmed the trip on super 8 format home movie . They had Gen. Morse's van there then , the one he had used in the Western desert . Our club convoy was a motley collection , including a Blitz with a perkins diesel in it , every time it stopped , oil would pour out of the transfer case , so the driver would place a tin underneath to catch the oil ! The Jeep I was in ran out of petrol just before Wodonga . An army Acco stopped to assist us, and we tried to get some petrol from its tank with a empty soft drink can , on the end of a length of wire . At the time, the museum had a running WW2 Jeep that two army MP's were using around town , it was funny seeing two modern soldiers in the old Jeep . The mokes were still in service at the time too , they had them on the base .

Mike

[Ian Pullen]

Mike,
The Morsehead Caravan is now in the AWM and as for Jeeps, the last count we had four of them.
In fact our fleet is over 150 vehicles ranging in size from Centurions (Leopards also in the near future) to push bikes. We have over 50 Arty pieces and a few hunderd small arms from Martini Henrys to Current sniper weapons and general service rifles.
I recommend a return visit as we still allow close up inspections of vehicles, you can open doors look in etc. If you want to get under the bonnet though ask the staff and generally it's no problem. We are open every day except Christmas, New Years, Easter and ANZAC Day. To get in it's $5 for adults, $10 for families.


This message brought to you by the Army Museum Bandiana

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here's one that was offered for sale on Ebay: 1941FORDSON WOT2H TRUCK Item number: 140028027608

HERE IS MY FORDSON WOT 2H TRUCK UP FOR SALE, I HAVE OWNED IT FOR 5 YEARS AND QUITE SIMPLY FANCY A CHANGE, IT RUNS LIKE A WATCH, STARTS FIRST TIME EVERY TIME, I HAVE REPLACED ALL THE BEARINGS AND SEALS IN THE GEARBOX AND VARIOUS OTHER BITS AND BOBS, IT IS M.O.T AND TAX EXEMPT AND READY TO DRIVE ANYWHERE, IT HAS BEEN RALLIED FOR 5 YEARS WITH NOT A SINGLE COMPLAINT, IT IS A GREAT RELIABLE WW2 BRITISH TRUCK WHICH IS NOW QUITE SCARCE, IT HAS ITS ORIGINAL NUMBER WHICH WAS ISSUED TO IT IN 1946 ON ITS DE MOB FROM THE SERVICES, THE HOOPS AND CANVASES DROP DOWN TO LET IT FIT IN A SMALLER GARAGE WHICH IS QUITE HANDY. IT STILL HAS ITS ORIGINAL WOODEN BACK WHICH HAS HAD SOME PLANKS REPLACED, BUT NOT BAD FOR A 64 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. THIS IS READY TO DRIVE AWAY OR PICK UP. THERE ARE ALSO DOOR TOPS WHICH ARE STORED BEHIND THE SEATS.

[Rlangham]

Saw that when the auction was still running, very nice example, just wish I had the money for it! I'm currently looking for one to restore, although have no idea if there's any still in storage or just lying about in a scrapyard, farm etc waiting to be restored. Recently found a photo taken years ago of the first Fordson WOT2 I saw, it's in bomb disposal markings with the red wheel arches, i'll scan it in sometime soon and upload it here

[Keith Brooker]

Captured wot 2 truck. Photo from my collection

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Keith Brooker

Captured wot 2 truck. Photo from my collection

Great pic showing details of the cab. Is that a battery between the seats ? Looks like it is a D model . I recently found a workshop manual for the WOT2 trucks.

The Vokes concertina air filter: Hughes yard at Coburg in Melbourne had a large pile of these filters, all of them were rusted but repairable - I believe they were scrapped during a cleanup.

[Mike K]

Keith's pic . Apparently it is a C model . Should have spotted the drop side body.

I spotted the shiny instrument bezels. Driver's seat is from a Bedford MW maybe ?

[Mike K]

I have only seen one or two pics of these WOT2 trucks in army wartime use within Australia. The British W.D. type trucks must have been issued on a limited basis to certain Aust. army units training in Aust., and the newspaper article indicates some of the trucks were considered to be released for essential civilian use as early as 1944.