Hamilton's own Armoured Car

Jordan Baker · #1 13-02-13, 04:38

The last batch. Photo credits to Hamilton Public Library.

Jordan Baker · #2 08-04-13, 20:01

Spent the last few nights playing around with Google SkecthUp. Ive just been using some of the photos and basically drawing over top of them in 3D.

servicepub (RIP) · #3 08-04-13, 20:05

Some people have too much time on their hands.

Hans Mulder · #4 09-04-13, 20:49

Only the writer of the article...He's probably the type they wanted locked up, and with good reason!

Jordan Baker · #5 30-05-13, 04:32

Well some more information has come to light on this project. I got in touch with the Hamilton Police Sgt who was quoted in the Hamilton Spectator article from 2007. Luckily we work out of the same station so I was able to meet up with him today and he handed me a shopping bag full of original paperwork. The paperwork includes minutes from the Hamilton Civil Guard meetings and Hamilton Officers clubs. But the best find so far has been what can best be described as the original bill of sale for the armoured car. Interestingly enough even in wartime it was business as usual. Nothing free/donated for the cause. It seems there were a few company's involved in making this car. International Harvester sold the chassis and drive systems. Dominion Foundries and Steel supplied the armour plate. Hamilton Bridge Company is the one who actually designed and built it. However the one that has somewhat stumped me is the involvement of Turnbull Elevator Company Limited of Toronto. They supplied what is called a "Rypa" for the sum of $877. Originally it was an order for 3 "rypa's" but this was changed to only one. I had heard reference to an outside of Hamilton company being contracted to supply one of the turrets. Would this be it?

What I did find really interesting was the actual price of the truck. A grand total of $6527.32 Considering that Universal Carriers cost approximately $3000 to build this was one expensive truck. That probably explains why the other two were cancelled. I guess with that much research and development the initial cost were very high.

Enjoy the documents. As I get more scanned over the next few days as time allows they will be posted.

Mike Cecil · #6 30-05-13, 04:57

RYPA = Rolling Yawing Pitching Assembly. In simple terms, a 'turret trainer' for vehicle turret crews that simulates the movement of the vehicle cross country while they shoot at targets. Not part of the vehicle is represents. Can be either static (usual method) or on a short track. Target can be either static or mobile on a short track.

Mike C

maple_leaf_eh · #7 30-05-13, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

RYPA = Rolling Yawing Pitching Assembly. In simple terms, a 'turret trainer' for vehicle turret crews that simulates the movement of the vehicle cross country while they shoot at targets. Not part of the vehicle is represents. Can be either static (usual method) or on a short track. Target can be either static or mobile on a short track.

Mike C

Correct. In early WWII when the need to identify and train large numbers of aircrew became apparent, a number of training devices emerged. One was the Link Trainer that had a little compartment that rolled, pitched, yawed and azimuthed (?) to the enclosed pilot's commands.

My father once wanted to build one using plans from a late 1940's Popular Science magazine. ("Hey kids! Want to have fun and learn a new career? ...) The idea was two frames connected by an automobile transmission universal fitting of some sort and controlled by a joystick and pedals. It never got built, and I think some of the parts are still in his garage.

During wartime any industry with precision machine tools was given contracts to the limit of their complexity. Turnbull Elevators would therefore have been able to make high tolerance but small production run parts.

@Jordan - this looks like a pamphlet or publication to capture those primary documents. Never mind if the story is thin, sometimes that is all you will get.