CF HLVW Photo reference gallery

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

I spent some time up on a tall ladder in a field to get these shots

Only a scale modeller would think of that! What a great idea and it certainly paid off here, makes a fabulous change from the usual eye level shots. I'm now thinking of carrying a folding ladder in the car! Nice work Robin, you've showcased these two vehicles beautifully.

[Robin Craig]

Dear Tony,

Thank you for those kind words. The model maker in me demanded many images that wont be shown here for lack of space. There were 3 rolls of 36 exposures shot on the Fire truck alone. If you only knew where these boxes of these pictures have been and how much of a miracle it is they have survived the over 15 years of being a stateless nomad then you will understand why I want to show them to others.

[Robin Craig]

When the folks at the Newburg Fire Department won the bid on the truck they went to the factory at UTDC to collect it. They were told to drive around the building very slowly and keep going round and round, "just do it" is what one person recalled.

So, in the vehicle they got, and duly drove around slowly, as they did people opened doors and walked out and stopped them carrying boxes of random spares and were told "better you have these than they go into the dumpster".

They got quite a haul in the end.

The vehicle if I understand, was the prototype for the wrecker and I think has a different rear axle spring set up than the Karsons water truck.

The folks at Newburg built the whole of that tanker body themselves. After finishing the work they approached Dupont, another local Kingston business in an attempt to cut costs and get some free paint for it. The reply was swift from Dupont. "No, we wont supply free paint", the next sentence floored them, "But give us the whole truck and we will paint it for you" which is what happened. The vehicle went to Dupont and duly returned in a paint job better than they could have ever done.

I will try to link up with them over the winter and see how the truck has survived.

Curiously that photo shoot turned up a weird cargo body section that got turned into a civvy trailer, must look that up..

The Karsons truck is an unknown to me, I never did get anyone within the company willing to speak nor did I have the resources to chase them. I think Eagle Eyed Eric (Booth), the editor of CMP magazine, was the first person to alert me to its existence. As it has a provincial licence plate that could reveal some data.

[Ed Storey]

These two civilian HLVWs could have been CFRs 80924 and 80925 as both of those vehicles were disposed of in April 1993.

[Robin Craig]

ED,

That is great news, I'm thinking that if they had CFRs that you can quote they were crown property by then?

Do you have any pictures of either of those two vehicles when they were still in use by the CF or trials team? Can you post them them?

Thanks

R

[rob love]

I believe that CFR plates could be applied to an "on-loan" vehicle in order to provide accounting and liability. I think I have seen CFRs on some armour that was borrowed for testing and trials.

[Frank v R]

this makes the future for the fleet look very good ie. when DND is done with them as 2 are on the road and plated,