FAT cab 13 No 9 resto

[Mike Cecil]

Gina,

ARN 134804 had the original engine number (and therefore, chassis number) 3G47304F. The vehicle was taken on charge in Queensland. It was disposed of from 2BOD (Moorebank? Liverpool?) in July 1957.

My notes concerning the entry are interesting: like many of the No.9 FGT, the model is listed as an 'F60S'. Also, the chassis number entry is left blank: only the engine number was listed, a common occurrence when the engine and chassis numbers were the same - particularly with Ford jeeps, for example.

The AWM example follow's the AMF's post-August 1944 markings scheme, in this case, for 2/12th Artillery Regiment - 2-12 being the unit marking (the '2' indicates a unit originally raised as part of the 2nd AIF) and 74 being the unit type marking, in this case, a field artillery regiment. The background colours of red over blue, divided horizontally, are the arm of service colour code for artillery. I don't remember the Formation to which the regiment was assigned in the late 44, 1945 period - that symbol is only just visible on the flat in front of the left side windscreen, painted in white on a black background. The cam scheme approximately follows one of the issued patterns (as per the instructions at the time) for the period when the vehicle was built/delivered.

The 9/6 is the bridge plate, with 9 being the class when laden with towed load, and 6 being the class laden without the towed load.

It's a long time since I dealt with the instructions to the restorer, so my memory of the specifics is a bit dim. Unfortunately, I departed the AWM on LSL prior to the completion of the two vehicles (F15A and FGT), so the latter stages (of assembly and painting) were under the direction of a conservator.

'T' numbers are generally not listed in AWM126: there are exceptions to that statement, but not for M3 Light, which is the area I think you are most interested in?

Regards

Mike

[Mrs Vampire]

You never cease to amaze me Mike!!

If the scheme on the AWM veh is 1944 why not over all KG3 as per the instructions...or is the supposition that in 1944 it may not have been over painted??

you previously told me the Unit sign for the 21 Field regiment was a red blue horizontal square as in the AWM shot with the number 76 on it....now to decide if that is on the vehicle or on convoy plates...

Hmmm I can't find a 1942/43 shot with convoy plates and which side does the division sign go ...same as the Tank?? which appears to be on the port side on the front and stbd side on the rear....

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Gina,

From memory, we decided at the time to stay with the 'as issued' scheme which follows the classic period images of the No.9, especially as there was no guarantee that the tractor would have been repainted in subsequent schemes as they were issued - often, they were not. The tractor is a type example with no known provenance, hence the above. The cam and markings are simply a generic set.

21 Aust Field Regiment were attached to 1 Motor Division in 1942. In June 1942, the issued signage was 62 in white on the artillery background of red over blue.

By May 1943, the unit formed part of 3rd Armd Div (the re-formed 1 Motor Div) with the unit sign 76 on the red and blue background (as per my previous info to you).

Both 1 Motor Div and 3 Armd Div used the same formation sign of a greyhound over a boomerang, in white, on a black background.

I don't have a record for 21 Fd Regt after August 1944, so don't know where they ended up after 3 Aust Armd Div was disbanded. However, the unit sign would have been 21 over 74 in white on a red over blue background.

All the artillery Unit sign Arm of Service colours red/blue referred to above were horizontally divided, top half red, bottom half blue.

Location of signage is as per the AWM example: front left, rear right. Cannot remember if the No.9 has plate holders on both sides of the rear or not, but generally, the Formation sign was painted directly on the vehicle, usually above the location of the unit sign, while the Unit sign was on the removable plate (which had the word 'PASS' painted on the back, in black, on the vehicle base colour KGJ or KG3).

Regards

Mike

[Wayne Henderson]

I think this truck was represented as 9 Div from memory.
Truck on its own at 6 tons is very full.

[Mrs Vampire]

absolute fabulousness Mike

I will do the 76 over red and blue ...

I cant seem to find any sign of the three holes for tac sign holder... either on the rear or on the front bumper.

I have a few NOS 1942 holders and nothing lines up with what is on the truck.

The 3rd armoured sign on the Tank is the knight on a charger ...were the trucks different?? and would all the same stuff be on the gun??

Its all coming together wonderfully thanks to you..

I figured the AWM paint was most likely a series of overlaid provenance issues with the best representation the outcome.

On my FGT I cant seem to find any evidence of disruptive...much as I want to put that on it.
Given it was first issued to QLD it is nearly fair to place it with the 21st...without toooo much of a stretch.

The gun has had the living hell blasted out of it...so not a trace of any original finish ...but will paint it to match the tractor.

Plan is for blank firing at iron fest next year. So FGT up and running and a job on the 25 pdr...it will be a stretch and a half and we might borrow another 25pdr if ours isn't going.

[Keith Webb]

I cant seem to find any sign of the three holes for tac sign holder... either on the rear or on the front bumper.

On the rear the holder was on the right hand door...

While on the front it was attached to a bracket which bolted onto the truck using the two lower front bolts which also hold the inner part of the mudguard.

[Mrs Vampire]

excellent Keith

I will bolt the front one on the bracket must be in the dwgs


that also resolves some of the cleats I have on the back...but what are those two handle like brackets for ??