How To: C15a Wire-3 restoration

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by rob love

I don't consider the seats as being over-engineered. It seems to be just about the minimum amount of parts to do what is required.

I was working on a copy of the Universal carrier antenna bracket at work the other day. Now that is over-engineered. You would think the British were winning the war when they made that monstrosity. The alemite button grease fittings on what should have been simple hinge pins were especially superfluous.

I know nothing about the antenna bracket in question except that it was probably designed in the mid-1930s for Wireless Set No.1 and that was the closest a radio got to the front line - Battalion to Brigade and within artillery regiments. So they would not have needed very many of them and they were expected to last forever.

Best regards,
Chris. (Who now has yet another post-WW2 variation of Aerial Base No.9, this time without the moulded-in stores code and a different "flat surface" mounting - for civilian purposes (Fire, Police & Ambulance VHF radio, I think).)

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Hi Chris, have you seen my question here? I'd love your input.

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showpo...0&postcount=46

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Hi Chris, have you seen my question here? I'd love your input.

http://mapleleafup.net/forums/showpo...0&postcount=46

I hadn't (and it's Oh God o'clock here (0220A)) but it certainly wouldn't have had a crew of five, I don't think.

Trades were: Driver/Electrician, Operator Wireless & Line, Operator Keyboard & Crypto, etc.

Depending on size of station, the truck would probably have a crew of two, plus extra operators supplied separately if required. (If it was attached to a signal office there would be a lot more people required: office staff, cypher clerks, despatch riders, security, etc. and you end up with a small village.)

I'll give it some thought. (During daylight!)

Chris. (Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...)

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

I hadn't (and it's Oh God o'clock here (0220A)) but it certainly wouldn't have had a crew of five, I don't think.

Trades were: Driver/Electrician, Operator Wireless & Line, Operator Keyboard & Crypto, etc.

Depending on size of station, the truck would probably have a crew of two, plus extra operators supplied separately if required. (If it was attached to a signal office there would be a lot more people required: office staff, cypher clerks, despatch riders, security, etc. and you end up with a small village.)

I'll give it some thought. (During daylight!)

Chris. (Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...)

The puzzling question is that if the crew was four (or less) then why did all three CMP wireless trucks (HUW, WIRE-3 and WIRE-5) have two seats in the cab and three in the back. Maybe it's as simple as the co-driver selecting the cab seat vs. the rear body seat based on need. I wonder however because it's not like the army to let a driver go solo without a co-driver and the rear seats (save one) seem more suited for travelling rather than operating the radio equipment.

[Jordan Baker]

Today I got the seat pan assemblies all painted. Taking advantage of the lovely high heat and humidity, the seats were painted in POR15. After about 1.5 hours the POR15 was slightly tacky and I painted on the top coat of the final colour. I find if I can time it right the top colour gets chemically bonded to the POR15 and once everything sets up you’ve got a very tough layering of paint. I also painted up the seat base mounting hardware. More on this below.

[Jordan Baker]

I also made up a stamping die to make the front seat retaining strip. I only had one original and it was quite heavily pitted. The piece needed an offset bend in 1/8” plate. The 10ton press was maxed out but thankfully I was able to do the pressing in stages working along the length.

[Jordan Baker]

And one can’t forget the 9 rings and 24 springs per seat. Once the springs were mounted I gave them all a quick spray with the paint. The cab seats were also mount to the bases.

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Chris Suslowicz

I know nothing about the antenna bracket in question except that it was probably designed in the mid-1930s for Wireless Set No.1

Not sure what it might have been designed for, but it was the 11 set mounted in the early carriers. I have seen a few of the mounts which kept their #11 set accoutrements including the large antenna base right through the war in domestic service, so I think they may have well come with the carriers from the factory, and had never been upgraded to the WS19 sets.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by rob love

Not sure what it might have been designed for, but it was the 11 set mounted in the early carriers. I have seen a few of the mounts which kept their #11 set accoutrements including the large antenna base right through the war in domestic service, so I think they may have well come with the carriers from the factory, and had never been upgraded to the WS19 sets.

All Mk.1 Canadian produced carriers up to the end of 1943 and perhaps early 1944 (?) when they stopped making them had factory equipped 11 set bases and that folding 11 set aerial bracket on the rear right side. It's completely incomprehensible given that the 11 set faded from view in 1942 replaced by the 19 set. All 19 set installations in Mk.1 carriers were 'after market' installation kits. According to Ford I guess a contract is a contract.