LAAT production: F30, C30, F60S only?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here is some LAAT contract info by the late David Hayward.

Note his remark: "So it would appear on the face of it that the switch from 30-cwt to 3-ton swb was using Ford chassis, whereas they stuck with the C30S. Interesting!"

Originally Posted by David_Hayward (RIP)

H 4999629 to 4999724 SM 2573 TRACTOR 4 X 4 LT. AA ARTICIZED. Known C.30- 444-M LAAT 2 Serial # 2844122313 Built 20/8/42

E.G. H 4999629 IWM PHOTO KID 1416

On checking my 1942 DND War Contracts file I see that 48 trucks were delivered by October 1942 to S/M 2573. So, these were built summer '42 onwards.

Then we have another batch:

H 5582513 to 5582612 SM 6065 TRACTOR 4 X 4 LIGHT AA
POSSIBLY IWM PHOTO KID 2923 Erroneously captioned 'S/M 6106' which was an articized Tipping C60S.

On F30 chassis we have an earlier contract:
H 5589105 to 5589404 SM 2487 Tractor 4x4 Light AA e.g. IWM PHOTO KID 1968 then

H 6100201 to 6100448 & H 6243634 to 6244553 SM 6111 Tractor 4x4 Light AA e.g. H6100380 assembled by Pearson’s, Liverpool
1944: photo Diamond T book P.27 ..I believe[d] that this was a F60S chassis
and also

H 6100505 to 6101404 SM 6143 Tractor 4x4 Light AA



E.g. FORD F 60-LAAT-1 CHASSIS F 60 CAF/3
CHASSIS SERIAL 197541 ENGINE SERIAL 4G-47804
SM6143 BUILT JULY 27 -44 [F60S Model C29QF]

So it would appear on the face of it that the switch from 30-cwt to 3-ton swb was using Ford chassis, whereas they stuck with the C30S. Interesting!