Aust. One Ton trailer info. required

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Richard,

That trailer is almost a direct copy of the British FV2401(A) 1 ton cargo. The main visual difference is mudguards and wheels. Weight laden for our version was 1.78 tonne, which would be 1,780kgs.

regards, Richard

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Centre of Gravity, I was so close with City of Geelong.... Thanks Keith, explains why there is one of these on each side, near the axle.
Thanks Hanno, bridging signs are just one of those things I never took much attention of, this is the first time I have had a "vehicle" with one, so now I have to play catchup.
Of course Richard, forgot the link to the English trailer, even though I have told people about the mudgaurds in the past. It is in my "54 Chertsey catalogue, and does have the weights.
Plenty more boxes to be ticked off if anyone else wants to have a go.
Rich.

[Mike Cecil]

Richard,

Corio Air Engineers = manufacturer. Not sure about the number they built under contract, as it appears they may have commenced chassis numbers at 1,000. Seems to be about 500 trailers, which would be about right for the Aust army requirements at the time.

U/L C of G: Unladen Centre of Gravity, which is about the same as Keefy said. In other words, the plate marks the CofG point when the trailer is unladen.

5434 and the 'pyramid' above the 'roo: Embarcation code for the Unit, in both numerals (5434) and colour bars, above the Australian National Symbol. No, it does not mean the unit/trailer went overseas.

100849: the Australian Army registration number. This would have been carried on an AMF number plate affixed to the rear/number plate bracket. Black plate, white numbers, letters 'AMF' above in the centre.

3 in yellow: Bridging Plate. The Bridge to be passed over must have that number or higher before the trailer can be taken over that bridge. '3' denotes that the GROSS (fully laden) WEIGHT may be up to 3 tonnes, but that does not mean that the gross laden weight of this trailer is 3 tonnes, just that it doesn't exceed that weight. Gross weight for this trailer would be 1650 pounds plus 2,240 pounds = 3890 pounds = 1.763 tons

50 = Tactical sign of the 1970/80s of 16 Air Defence Regiment, based at Woodside South Australia. They were armed with RBS70 VLLADS and Rapier missile systems at that stage. Also carried by 16 AD Regt Workshop RAEME, so could be configured as serving with either.

Pic 3: a sub-unit sign. Only a former member of 16 AD can tell you what it might be! Whatever 'it' is might be cradling/holding a spanner (ie workshop) or a missile (ie the Regt itself): who knows!

C104356: Commonwealth Contract Demand/Contract number against the manufacturer for the supply of the trailers.

Chassis 1356: manufacturers number. In this case, it corresponds to ARN 100849.

Unladen weight: According to the listed data, 1650 pounds (in unmodified form. A proportion of these trailers were modified with wider wheel rims and mudguards which may alter the weight slightly upwards).

Nomenclature: 'Trailer, 1 ton, Cargo, (Aust) No.1 Mk.1' but changed in late 1959 to:

'Trailer, Cargo, 1 Ton, Aust. No.1 Mk.1'

Acquisition: 1959-1960

Disposals: Mostly 1970s and 1980s.

Regards

Mike C

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks Mike, think you have ticked most of the box's for me. Very happy to have the ARN
I appreciate that enormously.
Somewher along the line I will have to do a repaint, how much of the artwork I will carry over remains to be seen. I can see some of the original dark green underneath, and I favour this (as a match with the Humber), which predates some of the markings.
Regards
Rich.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

I like the Bilby idea, other than that I guess we can narrow it down to an animal with big ears, two feet and a tail. I must admit that this figure has really bugged me for the last 3 years, it had some longevity as it appears to have been painted on twice.
Rich.

[Mike Cecil]

Bilby sounds good, and the weapon is most likely an RBS70 VLLADS missile pod: it has the right look, and is with the right Regiment (16AD).

Mike C

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

Thanks Diana, I think REMLR has come up with the goods on this one, A loaded Bilby it is.

Mike, Never heard of a RBS70 VLLADS missile pod, had a look on the web, if this is what you mean:
http://future-weapons.org/rbs70_air_defense.php
it strikes m that this would be a well armed marsupial indeed.
Case closed
Rich.