Another radio box
 

Recently i got to work in the modern equivalent of my Wire -5 truck.

It is about the same size but the technology is slightly different from the 19 sets.

There are a lot more antennae, computers, wires , dishes and coffee cup holders ...

Commas tunnel
 

Coming back to this part.

Does anyone know if there was a door to close off this tunnel inside the cab ?

There is a door inside the box the the radio operatore could slide shut.

I have not seen trace of such a device in the front cab.

No cab door at all.


David

Penthouse tent on Wire-5 truck
 

Thanks for the reply David.

Here is were i store the top part of the penthouse tent for the left side of the box. It stands above were the map table would go . I rolled it up and strapped it to the hooks alongside the edge of the roof.

I stored the poles inside the canvas and rolled everything up . You can see a bit of the tent poles sticking out from the end.

That way the commander or whomever is in charge can peruse the maps out of the elements like rain and sun and call in fire missions or orders and send messages through the cypher and radio/ field phone operators inside the box .

Tomorrow i will post pictures of the lighting and electrical i am working on inside the box .

Wire 5 Black Out Shades
 

Robert,

Good luck on your latest assignment! Canadians teaching the Americans....gotta love it!

Did you get the interior black out shades rebuilt yet? All the mechanicals looked good but the shade material was pretty brittle.

Cheers!

Black out curtains
 

Gents,

Here are the black out curtains for all of the Windows.

It really does justice to the designers of the box. With all curtains down and all lights on inside there is absolutely no light that is visible from the outside.

More to follow.

:thup2:

CMP seat
 

Friends,

Just found an original , intact ( almost ) workable CMP seat for the box.

I fitted it to the original support that i found with Reg Hodgson in Edmonton and voilà !

One front facing seat in the box for the radio operator.

One more to go for the cypher / phone operator behind this one.

Nice looking curtains. Will you be installing the locking hardware for them?

David

Thanks for your good words David.

No my friend, no locking mechanism.

I will leave that for later .

Radio unit and second Chorehorse
 

Friends,

I have installed the No 19 radio unit on a temporary table and the second Chorehorse in the generator box .

Over the course of next winter i will build a proper steel tubing radio table .

The Chorehorses work and the wiring to the Charging control panel is done .

Anyone noticed the Red Indian oil cans in the left background ?

Went to an antique car show last saturday with the truck and i '' stumbled '' on the oil cans at a vendor's stand.

Crew weapons
 

Two deact No 4 rifles in the cab add a nice touch.

:no4:

Radio operators rifles and Bags/ tool box
 

Radio operator No 4 rifles .

Bag Aerial Gear Canadian.

Chorehorse tool and spares box with original foreign aid sticker

Signals equipment
 

Friends,

Now begins the serious (and expensive ) business of furnishing the signals equipment in the box .

In previous pictures we have seen : Chorehorse 12 V 300 Watt generator (2) ;
Rifle, service , No 4 .303 cal ( 4) ; tool box , Chorehorse , Canadian (1) ; Bags, Aerial Gear , Canadian with content (2) ; Antennae 20' & 34 ' ( 1 each ) ; Charging Control panel, Canadian , C-5 (1) ;

In this picture we see : Case, spare valves No 19 set ( 1) ; Case spare fuses and parts No 19 set also containing morse key (1) ;
Field phone , Canadian (2) ; Remote control set , radio, canadian (2) ;
Set radio No 19 working and operational , complete with control boxes and battery cables ; Notice the watch ( original issue ) .
Satchel , signals containing headsets (3) ; Sections of 4' antennae for No 19 set with carrying cases ( 3 ) . Case, map , vehicular (1)

Tomorrow i will take a picture of my storage box containing the different antennae bases for the ''A ''and ''B'' sets that go on top of the radio box .

Not in the picture but ready to load : 1 KM roll of field phone wire with carrier ; ground spike, antennae ( 2) ; various frequency horizontal antennae wires complete kit ; various 2 & 5 Gal Jerrycans for POL for the Chorehorses and truck ; grounding rod;


Q : What am i missing ? Is there a master list somewhere ?

:coffee


Thanks.

Bases, insulators, guys and spikes for the masts if they aren't in the aerial gear bag, 2 pair of 85 AH batteries in wooden cases, hydrometer and case, message pads, cyphers and office logs, equipment working instructions, POL tins, cam net, broom and dust pan, signaler, driver and NCO......

I haven't seen a kit list and suspect it was a combination of everything required for each of the wireless set, remotes, aerial gear, generators and vehicle. Chris S. might know.

Thanks Bruce.

Only things missing in your list is the hydrometer , the two 85 AH batteries in the wooden cases and the NCO's..

What do those batteries look like size wise ?

I might just find a modern equivalent.

I thought there was a thread somewhere around here with the info on how to reproduce the battery boxes. I looked and couldn't find it in my subscribed threads.

Ohhhh here it is i found it: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ss+battery+box

Battery boxes and hydrometer
 

I got Harold Lang's laser cut parts to make up a pair of these (yet another project), but need four for my HUW, you need four and Jordan another four. The inside operating batteries are hidden and could be modern, so what we need is the finger jointed wooden boxes with the lettering and hardware that shows.

If you want to make a list add me on to it too please? I actually need to call and talk to you about some wireless documentation I am looking for on my truck. Randy and Frank keep telling me to get in touch with you but I keep forgetting.

The boxes are easy to make. All you need is a finger joint jig and I will have one coming so I can make some WW1 ammo boxes. Planned on making up some of the battery boxes too. hardware might be tough to procure though.

Thanks guys.

Put me on your list for two boxes please Bruce .

Eric reminded me i already had two !

So tomorrow a picture of the rest of the stuff that goes in the box , and there is a lot !

How the four guys managed living and working in that small box with all the necessary equipment on board is a miracle !

You handle the finger joints...I'll sort out the hardware and dimensions.

Original Chevy doghouse
 

Friends,

Today i fitted an original Chevy doghouse in the driving compartment. It is a perfect fit and brings the restoration closer to original !

In the background we see original wartime advertising by General Motors : '' Keep em' rolling '' , and

the black-out driving light of a Mk II Carrier also .

Wanted : Original spring clips ( 2) to hold the doghouse to the floor of the cab.

Finishing the charging cabinet
 

Today finished painting the charging cabinet and setting up the Chorehorses , wiring and tool and spare boxes .

Antennae treasure chest
 

Here is my treasure chest containing all that is needed to connect the ''A'' and ''B '' sets to antennae on the roof of the truck and on outside free standing masts . Leads, bases, whip, guy cords , insulators etc..

Unfortunately, no. I suspect what you need is the relevant pamphlet from "Regulations for the equipment of the Army" Part 2, Pamphlet 13 (+ a letter suffix), although those may have been readily available at the time. The ones I do have are sections F, J & P and deal with telegraph companies (Air-Line section, Supplementary Reserve and Line Maintenance). They do list all the tools, equipment, and consumable supplies for each type of unit.

As for a signal office, most of the supplies were issued in "Boxes, Telegraph Equipment, Unit 'B'" which turns out to be a standard legal "Deed Box" (lockable) painted the usual green, and holding message pads (C2128, C2130, C2136, as required) Wireless Log, Signal Register (B2504), writing materials, the Stamp, Army Signal Dating (possibly), D/R docket books, and so forth (depending on the size/scale of the signal office).

Needs more research! :)

Chris.

I bought those off Brian Asbury years ago, maybe he still has them.

You're making great progress BTW! :thup2:

Thinking about it some more, the various "Signal Training" publications may help, in particular:

Signal Training (All Arms) 1938 - the sectio on Signal Office Working, or
Signal Training (All Arms) Pamphlet No.8 Signal Office Working (1942 or 1944)

for larger Signal Offices, there's:

Signal Training Volume V, Signal Office Organisation and Procedure, 1938

(I don't have many of the WW2 pamphlets that replaced that, only a couple of the "Procedure" ones, so I suspect the 1938 "Organisation" part was still in use.)

Chris.

Dimensions will be the same as the post-WW2 steel-cased replacements, because those had to be interchangeable with the wooden-cased ones and fit the appropriate trays and clamps.

Chris.

15 cwt truck installation instructions for the No 19 set
 

Thanks Hanno and Chris,

The poster on the wall behind the No 19 set is this in the picture.

It tells pretty much all you have to do to install the No 19 set in the truck.

I will follow up on your references Chris .

Tomorrow , work to make a battery tray to the right front of the box !

Battery tray
 

Friends,

Made a battery tray today for the box. First i started with the base. I had the original 2 ' X 4 ' 's that were already in place. I added a platform. Then i made a sheet metal tray and primed it. Then added the battery boxes and voilà !

Was there just one battery tray in this box / installation ?

You certainly need two sets of batteries, I would have thought, since that's what the Switchboard No.5 is meant for: charge one set while the other set are supplying the equipment. (WW2 radio sets will not take kindly to being supplied by float-charged batteries - you can do it in an emergency but it seriously shortens the life of the valves/tubes. I think the figure is that a 10% overvoltage halves the lifespan.)

Regards,
Chris.