Aec "dorchester" armoured command vehicle

[Allan Currey]

Hi Cliff,

First of all, I'm no expert on Dorchesters, but want to make a model myself, so was doing some research. There seems to be some uncertainty around identifying the different versions.
Having said that, it does appear that one way to tell high power versions is the vents on the left side above the wheel arch, and on the back. These are because HP versions carried an internal 1260 watt charging set, whereas LP versions carried a 550 watt set under the floor (I suspect that may be part C7 in the AFV Club model).
As for radios, apparently LPs carried low and high power No.19 sets; and HPs had a No.19 set and an RCA receiver (I don't know what sort exactly).
The other mystery, for me anyway, is the curved metal sheets over the top edges. It was a disguise supposed to make the ACV look more like a GS truck, but I'm not sure if it was used on LPs, HPs, or both.
One last bit, the RAAC museum lists their ACV as a HP. Maybe all Aussie ones could have been. If HP gave greater radio range, that would make sense for use in Australia.

Hope that helps,
Allan

[eddy8men]

this old girl was rusting away in scotland but has apparently now been saved and is somewhere in the south of england

[Mike Cecil]

Well, it is good to see the former Bob Dimer ACV has been saved, and restored. Looks great! He'd have been proud. He went to considerable expense to drive from WA to Victoria and back again to retrieve the Matador rolling chassis.

Pity the MM's Centurion has a 105mm main armament barrel, but better than nothing, I suppose.

Hi Power and Low Power: there is excellent coverage in Louis Meulstee's Wireless for the Warrior Volume 2. Anyone interested in MVs should have a set of these books and the compendiums that followed. Anyway, there are diagrams for the various internal fitouts of the LP and HP 4x4 ACVs.

Simply, the early LP has no rear or side vents, with the gen set housed under the floor.
The later LP has large rear and side vents, with a 1260 watt set housed in a cupboard inside the rear left corner of the hull, and spare batteries in the underfloor well. Wireless was multiple No.19 sets plus WS No.34.

The HP has smaller side and rear vents for the ONAN 3KVA gen set which was housed inside the rear left corner of the hull in its own compartment, and a battery charging set was housed in the well under the floor. The seating, etc is also very different in its layout.
Wireless sets were No.19, Reception Set No.R107, a Typex cipher machine, and an RCA Wireless Sender unit.

Mike C

[Allan Currey]

Thanks for explaining the detail, Mike. Better than my effort!

Is it safe to say then that all the AECs with visible vents pictured in posts above are HP versions with small vents? None seem larger than any other.

Cheers
Allan

[Mike Cecil]

I assume so, Allan: I have not looked hard at ACVs so I'm not sure how much larger/smaller the two vent types are.

Maybe our 'Englander' friends can enlighten both of us?

Mike C

[cliff]

I have just scaled the vents as best I could from the photos I have. The vents are quite large so I am guessing the Aussie one's were the early type HP bodies so I am going to cut the holes and make the vents for my model plus add the extra aerials to the roof shown in the ex Bob D truck photo.

Thanks everyone for their help

[George Moore]

Somehow I thought I had posted this earlier today, but where it went I know not where.

It came from the David Jane "inkpen" series and shows the camouflage applied to the rear of the Dorchester.

George.