Otter LRC CM4647296 comes home

[Jordan Baker]

Interesting differences in these parts. It’s a shame there is not more photographic evidence to look over for these kinds of details.

One of the projects I’ve been putting off for a while is that of the fenders. They still needed some minor attention to get the ready for painting. I was fortunate that one of the original fenders still had the d flap retaining strap and some canvas mounted. I had to make one mirrored copy for the left front fender. Thankfully Hamilton Bridge seemed to use standard size metal bars. Also thankful in that I had a long piece of the same size in my metal pile. In the past I would have marked out, centre punched and drilled each hole. However I figured I’d use my punch press. It was then pretty easy to line up the original abd clamp it to my new part. Then it I just punched away.

One last comment, I love how dark green the canvas is.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Interesting differences in these parts. It’s a shame there is not more photographic evidence to look over for these kinds of details.

Here are two photos showing details. Both were made in 1947 when in Netherlands Army service (one could even be yours?). They both seem to have the "humpback" (for lack of a better description) door locks.

2001_N0000081-04.jpg 2001_N0000081-05.jpg
Source: https://beeldbank.nimh.nl/foto-s/det...c-dac9b71bad64 and https://beeldbank.nimh.nl/foto-s/det...8-31602a8e6740


Edited to add a third photo made in 1949:

NL-HaNA_2.24.01.09_0_903-2551-groot.jpg
Source: http://hdl.handle.net/10648/a8c455da...8-003048976d84


This fourth photo made in 1946 seems to show your "first" type of door lock?

NL-HaNA_2.24.01.03_0_901-6415-groot.jpg
Source: http://hdl.handle.net/10648/a89bd9d4...8-003048976d84

[Jordan Baker]

Finally made some time to work on the Otter……So off with the doors and off with all the layers of paint….thanks to the needle scaler. Minor repair will be needed on the one door. At some point someone for reasons unknown took a torch to the middle of the door. Lots of layers of paint in its life but underneath the metal is close to pristine.


With regards to welding up the torch damage. Anything in particular I should be mindful of or can I just weld it up with my Mig welder?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

When it was a army running on conscripts, the Netherlands Army vehicles got copious amounts of paint applied to them "to keep the soldiers busy". I wonder if your Otter was ever fully stripped and repainted in Dutch service, or whether the new layers were painted on top of the wartime paint layers.

Have any other markings besides the "W/T" come up?

[rob love]

When welding armour plate, it is normal to preheat the area. As you are simply using it as filler rather than for bonding purposes, you ought to be ok with just mig welding it. But preheating it wouldn't hurt. Preheating will reduce the chances of warping or cracking.

Perhaps you need to talk with a mat tech from the forces. They get some training on welding armour. But in order to retain the armour strength, I'm pretty sure they would be using arc with special rod.

[Jordan Baker]

Hanno. I detailed the other wartime markings found on the Otter in previous posts. I’ve located the original hull number, WD number, Allied star on both sides, CMD number on the rear plate, 1st Infantry Division formation sign and Unit sign. There was also remains of the bridge signs. For Dutch service, there was the orange lion on a black circle,Dutch flag, partial Dutch number along with what I believe to be a string of text for the Military Police.

The paint layers reveal the original factory applied KG#3 with nearly matches US OD 34087. Hand applied SCC1a dark brown camouflage, then a complete overspray with what appears to be SCC15. Then another overspray with Dutch dark green. Some spots have a badly sprayed white and then a very heavy/thick coating of more green.

There was also a multitude of shop markings by Hamilton Bridge found ghosted in both white and yellow once the paint was removed.

To answer your question about being stripped by the Dutch. I believe it to be yes but to a point. As things have come apart I have found near mint KG#3 everywhere. The brighter more vivid Dutch green was found deep inside some assemblies. But once taken apart it was clear things were not completely broken down. An example would be the steering column. Factory is Gm gloss black for the shaft and the wire cover was KG#3. However my example shows the whole thing was over sprayed in white. Then in the engine compartment the steering box has been oversprayed in the Dutch green.

[Jordan Baker]

Thanks Rob for the explanation. Last night I ground out the torch cut and then welded it up. I turned my Mig up to the highest setting and it went very well.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Hanno. I detailed the other wartime markings found on the Otter in previous posts.

Thanks for the reminder Jordan - I wil go back and reread what you shared before.

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

To answer your question about being stripped by the Dutch. I believe it to be yes but to a point. As things have come apart I have found near mint KG#3 everywhere. The brighter more vivid Dutch green was found deep inside some assemblies. But once taken apart it was clear things were not completely broken down. An example would be the steering column. Factory is Gm gloss black for the shaft and the wire cover was KG#3. However my example shows the whole thing was over sprayed in white. Then in the engine compartment the steering box has been oversprayed in the Dutch green.

As far as I can tell the rebuilding process in the Netherlands Army was quite artisanal in the late '40s/ early '50s. No systematic strip down repair and reassembly lines like the French had for the Willys, Ford and Hotchkiss Jeeps. So the result of each rebuild would vary.

2001_N0000282-04.jpg
Source: https://beeldbank.nimh.nl/foto-s/det...d-491b98f9e860