Can anyone identify this RAAF crane

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hello Goncalo,

You are doing a great bit of research here!

But would you please be so kind to attach the pictures to your postings? This is part of our policy as you can be sure the links to the pictures will disappear one day, sooner rather than later, and then all your research will have been fruitless.

Thanks in advance!

Hanno
MLU Administrator & Moderator

[Goncalo Mendes]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Hello Goncalo,

You are doing a great bit of research here!

But would you please be so kind to attach the pictures to your postings? This is part of our policy as you can be sure the links to the pictures will disappear one day, sooner rather than later, and then all your research will have been fruitless.

Thanks in advance!

Hanno
MLU Administrator & Moderator

Hello Sir,
Ok, I will try to do that this weekend.
G_Mendes

[Tony Wheeler]

spotted this one recently in Parkes NSW

TONY8349 - Copy.jpg

[Goncalo Mendes]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

spotted this one recently in Parkes NSW

Attachment 72584

Hello Tony, thanks! It it very interesting as thase old cranes keep being used and attached to "new" truck bases!

[Goncalo Mendes]

Some more at the Australian War Memorial


source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/MELJ1511/


source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/MELJ0972/


source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/122472/


source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/127230/

[Goncalo Mendes]

A few more: from flickr, maybe someone konows their whereabouts and actual status?
The album name is "Tractors at Col Kliens sale", from Flickr member "Robert Elgindale".
https://www.flickr.com/photos/20960256@N04/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/209602...9394780/page2/


Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/209602...57625429394780


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/209602...57625429394780

The first one (as some other in that album) looks to be the one thats was for sale sale at the "Heads Up: Pittsworth QLD clearing sale" post, looks like it had some parts restored and repainted.


http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=22076

[Goncalo Mendes]

One of the big recovery cranes, based in a GMC truck surviving at least in June 2013...
From Flickr album, "Military Relics", by sandy1618 "Geoff Green"
source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1...n/photostream/


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1...57634074410403


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1...57634074410403


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1...57634074410403


source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandy1...57634074410403

One note, it seems that this crane frame has a oval plaque with the "Fowler" inscribed. On other truck photos with the other side of the frame visible, the same area there are only two rectangular plaques. It could be that this as had a civil origin (doubtfully) and had the standard manufacturers plaque, and others were from military origin and only had military ID plaques, could bee a later "add on" by some previous owner, (if only as a ornament, why to put one of a different manufacturer? or maybe he had no knowledge of it) or there is the real possibility that on one side of the frame there is the standard manufactures name plaque and on the other the manufacturers data plates. In the rare photos that show this side, on the place that this one has the name plaque, I could see a hint of a blurr, pointing to this possibility (maybe on this case, as it was a military order?). Anyone knows if old Fowler cranes usually have a name plaque on both sides of the crane frames, or they have the name plaque in one side (left? right?), and data plates in the other side of the crane frames? On some pictures of Fowler cranes we can see that they seem to have name plates on both sides of the frames.
At first I tought that they were probably made by "Peter Bros Pty", as the front crane frame share many of the caracteristics of their hydraulic G-Well crane, that was adapted for CMP trucks too, so a larger version was perfectly possible. The Fowler possibility wasn't considered, as their cranes of this era, tractor based, as despite also using a cable and winch system (later models would use hydraulics too), they had a strong design resemblance to the Rapier mobile cranes, nothing related to this crane in question, (despite the many truck conversions, more or less "homemade" that I believe to have been made later on, and not original machines). However, having seen the plaque on this last one, I think it is a real possibility that they were the manufacturers, possibly as a result of fullfiling a military order (using a frame design developed by other manufacturer, and a boom design resembling a railroad or navy type crane)

The photographer must be comended for taking these! they are priceless! Maybe someone takes it for restoration or for a museum! If anyone knows where it currently rests (and perhaps a clue on future destiny), a few more photos would be very welcome!