Clarktor Aircraft Tugs in Britain and Australia

[jact66]

here are some photos of me old mans new toy, model no fct 16, serial no 14-303-. then the plate on engine are model ind-30. type 1027 then onother number beside that which is 47173. any imformation this would be greatly appreciated. thanks. jack troughton, matamata, new zealand

[Osgood]

So can anyone throw any light on how and where the 3 wheel CLARKAT B tug was used during WW2 in USAAF service?

Just a few survive in the UK, amongst them the one pictured below.

I imagine they would be more suited for warehouse duties on concrete surfacing, and it is reported they were used as fighter tugs on aircraft carriers.

Believe it or not this little tug is rated to pull 40 tons!

[old clark guy]

Pearsons of Liverpool (UK) was very active during WWII prepping Clarkats and Clarktors for the British armed forces.

Here is a link about a book that was published three years about Pearsons: http://www.pearsonsofliverpool.co.uk/

Joe

[Lynn Eades]

Is your "old man" Tom?

[Sam Scholz]

Oh dear!

I think I let one of these Clarkats slip through my fingers on the way to the scrappies last year, for not knowing what it was.

It was derelict, through complete, in SE Queensland.
Hmmmmm. . . . .

Sam.

[gordon]

Originally Posted by jact66

here are some photos of me old mans new toy, model no fct 16, serial no 14-303-. then the plate on engine are model ind-30. type 1027 then onother number beside that which is 47173. any imformation this would be greatly appreciated. thanks. jack troughton, matamata, new zealand

Now that looks to be the same model as I gave to Simon Bromley in Blackburn. The important different is the thickness of the rear wing castings, about 4" rather than the standard 2".

It is as heavy as it looks.

[old clark guy]

Clark's records show that Clarktor serial number FCT46-14-303 was shipped to R.R. Fisher & Co., Ltd in New Zealand on 19 December 1957.

Joe

[servicepub (RIP)]

Here's one in service with the RCAF, dated 1949.

[Lang]

Another Thread revival.

Jared, How is your tug progressing.

Very mysterious. My tug number is BH-173, just a few before yours.

Looking at lots of wartime photos it appears the Australian Air Force had almost no tugs. They used farm type tractors almost exclusively right through Korea before building up their airfield tug collection in the 50's.

Attached is a photo of my tug at Caboolture and the only wartime photo I can find of Australians with a Clarktor in the Middle East (maybe this is yours or mine!). Another photo of the hundreds showing RAAF airfield tractors. This makes sense for my 1941 tug and yours which were delivered to the British and probably issued to the RAAF in Africa who brought them home.

[Mike Cecil]

The first recorded Clarktor tractors in the RAAF were purchased in early 1946. They were Clarktor 6 models with serials commencing with/prefixed with CM33, and were listed as 'Tractor, Stores'.

Only a small number were purchased in a single batch, with no subsequent purchases between then and the mid-1960s (when my 'good' data gets kind of, errr, 'patchy'....).

RAN also operated Clarktor aircraft tugs /tractors on carrier decks (Sydney, Melbourne) and at the RANAS at Nowra.

Mike C

[Lang]

Mike,

The Clark people in USA have sent me all the production info.

As we said Jarrod's and my BH (British Heavy) series CT6 Clarktors are from a British order Government Specification 91-66 in 1941. 690 were bult in Michigan and shipped to UK/Middle East.

The CT6 CM-33 series you mention were built 1944/45 for a total of 3,065 units. They only had single back wheels.

I imagine there would have been many left in Australia by the Americans that finished up in RAAF use. They must have carried on through the 50's mainly with tractors??? Korean war photos of RAAF Meteors all have tractors pulling them.

Lang