Hi Hanno, the Sawbridgeworth photo is an Albion; The photo has been published many times with the wrong caption,
regards TED

Albion mobile wireless van
 

Hello Ted,

Thanks for pointing that out. I was happy I found another photo of a Commer (as per the caption), I should have checked the picture more carefully.

Can you tell us which exact model this is? I could only find this picture you posted on HMVF.

Thanks,
Hanno

Attachment 108367

Albion A M 463
 

Its an Albion A.M.463 built for the Air Ministry from 1934 to 38. Most common versions were aircraft refueller, G.S. cargo and ambulance. Photos of the wireless body are quite rare. The pic I posted is a crop as the vehicle had a large container on top of the wireless body , possibly for carrying aerials.
regards TED

Is there any known record of 40's Q chassis numbers and dates out there?
Also, what are the 15 Q3's in the Rootes wartime production list ?
I've got a Q2 and a Q3 (or the remains of) as a long term project and not quite sure yet which direction the rebuild will take.
I have done the usual Googleing and can't find much decent info on wartime Commers except this excellent thread ...

Cheers,

Charlie

Albion A.M.463
 

Ted, thanks for the info! Talk about a rare truck...

I will amend the caption later.

Regards, Hanno

Hello Charlie,

Glad to hear you like this thread. Can’t answer your question for now, will do some more digging to see what comes up.

Meanwhile, I leave you with pictures of Mark Bannon’s Q2 8’ w.b. Tractor project - just to let you know you’re not alone working on saving these rare trucks.

Attachment 108382 Attachment 108383

Alex,

Could that drawing be this one?

Attachment 109326

Some more information from modelling magazines or books:

Attachment 109327 Attachment 109328 Attachment 109329

Hanno,

I think the drawing might have been the bottom left one (page 17)....from a Bellona publication(?)

Alex

Les Freathy wrote on FB:

no line
 

Attachment 109467

Gave it a cut and polish

Thanks Rod!

More pics
 

Found high quality versions of two known pictures of a Commer Q15 15-cwt and a Commer Q4 3-ton truck.

Make sure to check out Graham Newell's "Military Vehicle" album at https://www.flickr.com/photos/625327...7630353233450/

Attachment 110034 Attachment 110035

Source: https://flic.kr/p/WF5LMc and https://flic.kr/p/HtcpsP

Les Freathy found a better picture of the Q2 Van in the first post. It is in use with a Polish RAF squadron as the near side wing has the Polish Air Force checkerboard marking. The offside wing sports the RAF Type A roundel.

Attachment 110197 Attachment 110176 Attachment 110178

RAF markings
 

Speaking of RAF markings:

Ted Angus remarked that early vehicles had aluminum RAF letters screwed on the door. Once camouflage came in the RAF they were painted over, as seen on this Commer Q2 Tractor. These letters were done away with when the roundel was introduced.

Attachment 110182

Two photos from my collection.
Keith

Thanks Keith!

another picture of Commer Q4

Thanks Radek, also for sending me this picture. Had seen it before but somehow not posted it here. This Ministry of Food variant is a rare one, it may even be a one off? The Bedford-based one is better known.

Attachment 110462

Source: https://flic.kr/p/fgLYic

Richard Allebone sent me a screenshot, a quick search yielded the original of another Commer Q2 flying food truck. This is another vehicle, note “Jamaica’s Women War Material and Comforts Committee” on the side. It was supplied to UNNRA so this is a postwar picture.

Read more about how Caribbean women supported Britain’s war effort in a variety of ways at http://westindiacommittee.org/caribb.../women-in-war/

Attachment 110481
Source: https://search.archives.un.org/unrra...-flying-squads

Over on HMVF in the excellent thread Guy vix-ants - queens messengers "Runflat" posted two files identifying all the Commer chassis supplied as "Welfare Vans". A total of fifteen Commers were supplied as Welfare Van (pictured here) and Canteen.

I have attached the details of the particular example posted above, as well as the files by "Runflat". Commer Q2 "CUN 351" was transferred to UNRRA where it was registred as "UNRRA-Y9".

Attachment 110522

Attachment 110523

The file with the listing of Ministry of Food & Queen's Messengers vehicles lists the Commer Welfare Van donated by Jamaica Mutual Life Association Society as CUN 353:

Attachment 110527

Glad you appreciate the lists. :thup2:

Here are some more Commer photos from the IWM archive, though you may need to squint a bit.

A1863
Attachment 110530

CH12890
Attachment 110531

CH14815
Attachment 110532

And some more:

CM2230
Attachment 110533

CM2232
Attachment 110534

CM5402
Attachment 110535

H17175
Attachment 110536

ME(RAF)5659
Attachment 110537

Mr Runflat, I presume
 

Alan, I cannot thank you enough for compiling the lists, it is great to add an identity to the vehicles found in the various pictures!

Of the IWM photos, I particularly like:

CH14815: A crew of No 58 Squadron in front of their Halifax Mk II Series IA at Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides, 22-26 February 1945.
Attachment 110541
Source: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205219002


A1863: Nissen huts at a naval base, with Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft off shore. 1940
Attachment 110540
Source: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205136207

Commer pre-heating van
 

Another pre-heating van:

“Ground staff prepare a No. 233 Squadron Hudson for flight in freezing conditions at Thorney Island, 19 January 1942. The 'hot air van' has been brought in to warm up the engines and de-ice the cockpit windscreen.”

Attachment 110845

Source: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205218949

Commer pre-heating van
 

And one more, towing a runway control van:

Attachment 111852

A row of RAF Crossley Q tractors, all sorts of interesting vehicles in the background like a Commer Q2 Van.

Attachment 111850 Attachment 111851

Baths Dept Laundry Van
 

Post-war conversion on Commer Q2 chassis into a laundry van.

The Dunlop Trak Grip 10.50-16 tyres are a give-away this is a former military vehicle.

Attachment 112191

Post 89
 

Ted, regarding your post 89, what distinguishing features of that Sawbridgeworth 'Commer' convince you its an Albion A.M.463?

Regards

Larry

Sorry for the late reply. The vehicle in the IWM photo has a quarter light in the cab, Commers don't have quarter lights. The strip of vents in the side of the bonnet - although only partially visible is too high in it's dimension, the position of the step/running board is wrong for a Commer, the contour or the front wing is wrong So definitely not a Commer. Also the body is the pre-war pattern fitted to Albions. regards TED