FWD HAR-01

Richard Coutts-Smith · #1 21-07-18, 11:43

Pass this truck a couple of times a year up in the hills, no idea what it is. Has fold out wind screen, RH drive, Waukesha engine, 4x4. I'm sure this was also "running when last used" as they say in the adverts... That would be the dash board sitting on the bumper.
Could be post war, but maybe not.
FWD?
Any ideas?
Rich.

Tony Smith · #2 21-07-18, 12:19

FWD HAR-1 with hard-top cab.

These trucks (originally RHD) came to Aust as part of the Canadian Radar Train to tow the Radar Van as used as the Corowa HQ!!

David Herbert · #3 21-07-18, 12:22

Certainly FWD, the axles are very distinctive. I have no idea what model. I thought HAR1 had bolt on wheels.
What a shame it is so far gone.

David

Tony Smith · #4 21-07-18, 12:34

More discussion HERE.

Richard Coutts-Smith · #5 21-07-18, 12:47

Quick and accurate ID, I thank you gentlemen.
It has been in this state for quite a few years, does not seem to be losing any more pieces than when I first saw it.
Shame it is as it is, but on the other hand, it is always nice to see it still there as I go past.
Maybe one of the moderators could tack it on to the discussion as linked by Tony?
Rich.

Hanno Spoelstra · #6 21-07-18, 13:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

Maybe one of the moderators could tack it on to the discussion as linked by Tony?

Merging done.

Always nice to see the rusty remains of mighty vehicles.

Hanno

Richard Coutts-Smith · #7 21-07-18, 13:19

Thanks Hanno, job done.
Rich.

Niels V · #8 21-07-18, 21:49

http://www.veteranposten.dk/visAnn.asp?Id=285210 One for sale here

Hanno Spoelstra · #9 25-06-21, 19:19

Unloading of the ship of the British truck FWD HAR-01 in the port of Murmansk 1941-44

E5D9C169-82D4-4436-AD09-428911A3CB03.jpeg
Courtesy of Andrey Gvozdikovskiy

Mike Cecil · #10 28-06-21, 01:37

Just chanced across some HAR-01 relevant data while indexing paperwork (I'm way behind - some of these documents date back to copying I did 11 years ago!)

At an MGO conference on 4 July 1944, it was decided that the total number of sets for Canadian radar units would be limited to 54 sets - 49 that were already in Australia, and a further 5 then in transit, complete with trucks. No further trucks for radar units would be required from Canada.

If such was the actual case, it would mean a total of 108 FWD HAR-01 arrived in Australia - 54 tractors for the A trailers and 54 for the B trailers. I've only managed to locate a total of 58 thus far, so there may be another 50 FWD HAR-01 lurking somewhere within the pages of AWM126.

Mike

jack neville · #11 28-02-21, 12:42

Does anyone know if this truck still exists?

Tony Smith · #12 03-03-21, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by jack neville

Does anyone know if this truck still exists?

The HAR-01 in post #12 (and the 12 Cab Ford) are no longer at that site. I has been some years, so I don't know if they were sold or scrapped.

The owner from that time has passed away, and I don't know if it's been passed on to a family member or sold to a new owner.

The site has been comprehensively picked clean (or rehabilitated, as they say) of all heavy items, ie the trucks and lots of smaller stuff like spring packs, diffs, drums/hubs, transmissions that were scattered about. The only remnants left are lighter gauge items like corrugated iron water tanks and a couple of severely corroded car bodies. That would suggest to me a scrap dealer, as what is left is not viable to scrap.

Of note, the area was affected by the Dec 2019 Bushfires, and the property clean-up contractors would "helpfully" remove absolutely everything if not told to leave specific items.

Rich Payne · #13 04-11-21, 17:22

I posted this on an FB group as I couldn't ID it... The oddly cropped image is taken from the scrapbook-style 'Chilwell 1939 - 1945' self-published book.

The WD serial number appears to come from a Canadian block.

Hanno Spoelstra · #14 04-11-21, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

The WD serial number appears to come from a Canadian block.

Does it read H427979x?

As per the Chillwell list, that number is part of the block 4200000 - 4299999 "Canadian not on 'B' Census". But not listed on WD Census Numbers allotted to Canadian Forces in England (1942) which only runs up to 423-. That means the number on this FWD was one from a range assigned after July 1943.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

I posted this on an FB group as I couldn't ID it... The oddly cropped image is taken from the scrapbook-style 'Chilwell 1939 - 1945' self-published book.

PS: added the full scan from your FB post

252069625_10226860191480129_8878243615783049823_n.jpg

Rich Payne · #15 04-11-21, 18:36

I agree, that's what it looks like. I'd assumed that it would be prefixed 'CH' for Canadian service...I also hadn't given any thought to Chilwell stocking and maintaining vehicles that were on the Canadian lists.

jack neville · #16 26-03-21, 01:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Coutts-Smith

Pass this truck a couple of times a year up in the hills, no idea what it is. Has fold out wind screen, RH drive, Waukesha engine, 4x4. I'm sure this was also "running when last used" as they say in the adverts... That would be the dash board sitting on the bumper.
Could be post war, but maybe not.
FWD?
Any ideas?
Rich.

All the years this truck has sat in the bush and no one ever noticed the fuel tank sitting in the cab. A rusted out Attack Carrier fuel tank which must have been adapted for this truck and strapped to the back of the cab.

jack neville · #17 27-05-21, 13:57

The truck in post 26 has been recovered.
The truck in post 23 after having languished for the last 9 years as garden art has also been recovered.
Some abandoned but very good sheet metal from Cloncurry in Queensland has been purchased.
I will start a new thread but I am pretty excited to have gathered all these rare relics in a short space of time.

Mike Cecil · #18 27-05-21, 14:44

Well done, Jack, looking forward to the new build thread.

Mike

Bob Phillips · #19 27-05-21, 18:32

I would like to add a few comments re FWD vehicles now that this thread has been revived. I live just a few miles from Kitchener Ontario in Canada where the FWD company had their canadian assembly plant. trucks arrived in a broken down state from the home factory (Clintonville Wisconsin I think) and were reassembled in Kitchener. I have attached a photo from the early war years. The site is long since redeveloped and after the war FWD made a variety of heavy trucks using International cabs. In my 40 years of prowling through junkyards and farmyards looking for military vehicles in Ontario, I can tell you that the FWD was not very common here though I found several o ver the years. Today they are non existent except for a few hoarded away by collectors. I owned a cab over version with a twin boom Holmes wrecker that had been operated by De Havilland aircraft but the wrecker went to Holland and the truck to a collector in the Ottawa area. They were neat trucks with wooden framed cabs that unfortunately didn't survive Ontario weather conditions very well. I also seem to recall that while they were slow moving vehicles ( same as CMPs) the speed reduction occurred in the chain drive transfer case. I still have a NOS transfer case buried in a van body here somewhere. I can post a few pictures of the old trucks that were here years ago if anyone is interested.

FWD-kw.jpeg FWD-coe.jpg

jack neville · #20 31-05-21, 10:43

Serial number of the garden art truck is 147564.

jack neville · #21 01-06-21, 14:22

These AWM photos show truck#147755 (?)
I don't know how many of these trucks came to Australia but as tow vehicles for radar units there would not have been many I would not think.
If someone knows how to decipher the ARN registers could they let me know.
Interesting they only have one headlight-on the right side, as we drive on the left in Australia. Maybe?