Can anyone identify this RAAF crane

[Larry Hayward]

Can anyone identify this RAAF crane in the attached photo taken at Balikpapan Borneo in 1945?

By the way I think the crane is behind the GMC and not fitted to the back.

[Tony Smith]

It looks like a Peter's Bros Articulated "G-Well" crane, and that it is actually mounted into the deck of the GMC. They were made in a range of capacities and I haven't seen one of this size/capacity before, but we have looked at a CMP CGT and Inter W-9 ones before.

[Larry Hayward]

Thanks Tony,

It is similar to the photos you posted but the crane part at the end seems to be different

I'm wondering if this is a civilian crane used by the RAAF in Borneo or whether it got produced specifically for military use.

[cliff]

The truck is one of the Holden modified Aussie Airbourne GMC's as well. Good find as I missed this photo during my search for photos of the Aussie Airbourne GMC.

I would say the crane set up is a field modified job probably when the cranes regular mover either packed a sad or was destroyed before the war finished. It could even be a piece of Japanese equipment modified for use.

[ozm29c]

Fellows,
My father purchased the remains of a hard cab GMC a few years ago that may have been a crane version. Attached is a photo showing how the rear springs had been replaced with 'Beams' (I am not sure how to properly describe them) which may have been fitted to better support possibly a crane. Anyway please enlighten me if this is indeed a post war mod? The workmanship in these beams was second to none. BTW This GMC had a very early chassis serial number as well.
Cheers
John W.

[ozm29c]

Try the beam photo again

[Col Tigwell]

Just goes to show you cannot trust the notes on the picture.

The aircraft was written off on the 22/12/44 at Wama strip at Morotai.

The r/h mainplane was damaged beyond repair. The aircraft was returned to Australia for repair but was instead put up for disposal.

FWD's by the way did not fully come out of RAAF service until the very late 50's and were very highly thought of. A lot were disposed of by the two airfield construction squadrons, which would have meant that many would have ended up in Victoria and Darwin

Regards

Col

[Larry Hayward]

I wonder how the AWM came to have this as a 22 Sqn aircraft and said to be pictured at Balikpapan? I suppose that the guys with the Beaufighter wreck somehow picked up on this and painted it as a 22 Sqn machine.

Looking at the photo the ground does look too smooth to be Balikpapan compared to other shots I have. I thought this was the crane operated by my Dad when he was there in 1946 with the RAF.

However in discussing what his crane looked like with him he says the crane he found there was completely different to the one in the photo in that it was self propelled, on four wheels, jointed in the middle and steared by hydraulic rams on the side. It was ideal for engine changed on Dakotas etc as it could be positioned with a fair amount of accuracy when lining up retaining bolts on the Dakota engine.

So any clues as to what this crane was and whether it was RAAF or even a US design?

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Larry Hayward

So any clues as to what this crane was and whether it was RAAF or even a US design?

Tony Smith said "Peter's Bros Articulated "G-Well" crane, and that it is actually mounted into the deck of the GMC". and I agree with him.

I originally thought the GMC may be one of the rare Aussie Airborne models BUT it could be an early closed cab GMC-CCKW 353 that has had it's cab roof removed when the crane was fitted.

EDIT: It could also be a type of LE TOURNEAU crane as well.

[Col Tigwell]

The aircraft concerned never served with 22 Sqdn. And in actual fact never served with any other operational units. Served with OTU's and only served with 30 Sqdn for a few weeks until written off.

There was a surplus at that time of Beaufighters and I suspect that it was written off because they could not find another r/h wing for it. Aircraft as it stands at Harold Thomas's today is fitted with a replacement Beaufort wing.

Have had a fair bit to do with this airplane until Harold died, and really it could have been returned to service if they could have found the parts with some speed. The fact the airplane was shiiped back to Australia tends to support this.

As for the photo be labled wrong well I would back the aircraft history card every time.

Regards

Col


The crane could have been borrowed, as when I joined the air force in 1957, we were still using Federal and Fowker cranes, may have been loaned by the Yanks.

[Justin Pollard]

Thanks for clearing that up Col,
It certainly didnt make sense to me that it would be a 22 SQN Beau.
Happy that i was spot on with 30 SQN.

I wonder how many more pics are captioned wrong in the AWM archives?.

Justin.

[Lionelgee]

G'day MLU-ers

A couple more photos of cranes from the Australian War Memorial - details

ID number 125221 This shows a CMP Crane and also an early forklift
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Collection Photograph
Description MOOREBANK, NSW. 1946-01-30. NO. 5 BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT. DEPOT STAFF OPERATING A MOBILE CRANE AND FORK-LIFT TO LOAD A CONSIGNMENT OF HESSIAN ONTO A RAILWAY TRUCK. THE HESSIAN WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO WALLANGARRA IN QLD. (PHOTOGRAPHER L. CPL E. MCQUILLAN) Accessed Tuesday, 26 January 2010 from, http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/125221

The second photo is a dozer mounted crane

ID Number 124188
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Collection Photograph
Description MOROTAI, BORNEO 1945-12-08. NO. 5 PORT OPERATING COMPANY. AN HD7 ALLIS CHALMERS MOBILE CRANE LOADING A NL PONTOON (USED IN WHARF CONSTRUCTION) ONTO A TRUCK. THESE CRANES WERE SPECIALLY DESIGNED BY THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN ENGINEERS (RAE) AND USED EXTENSIVELY FOR BEACH WORK ON MOROTAI AND BORNEO. (PHOTOGRAPHER SSGT R. L. STEWART) Accessed Tuesday, 26 January 2010 from, http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/124188

Kind Regards
Lionel

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

G'day MLU-ers

A couple more photos of cranes from the Australian War Memorial - details

ID number 125221 This shows a CMP Crane and also an early forklift
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & white
Collection Photograph
Description MOOREBANK, NSW. 1946-01-30. NO. 5 BASE ORDNANCE DEPOT. DEPOT STAFF OPERATING A MOBILE CRANE AND FORK-LIFT TO LOAD A CONSIGNMENT OF HESSIAN ONTO A RAILWAY TRUCK. THE HESSIAN WAS BEING TRANSPORTED TO WALLANGARRA IN QLD. (PHOTOGRAPHER L. CPL E. MCQUILLAN) Accessed Tuesday, 26 January 2010 from, http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/125221

Kind Regards
Lionel

This is a Peters Crane mounted on what is probably a CGT chassis which were used for this purpose.

[Ian Fawbert]

Hi Cliff,

Thanks for that info! Interesting about the LWB testing too.

Not sure on the history of the truck you pictured, but i have word that there is (another?) airborne truck in the brisbane (or somewhere up there ) area which has been recovered and in line for resto. It would be great to see one in running condition in the flesh one day!

Cheers,
Ian.

[Jared Archibald]

G'day Everyone,

this has been a very interesting thread!

I have been collecting images of engineering machinery that was used in the NT during the war and it would seem there was at least a couple of these used in the Darwin area.

However, the ones I have photos of up here were mounted on C60X chassis, rather than the GMC 6x6 or FWD (as Lang mentioned). See attached images. These came from a book called "Restore To Service - A History of 4RSU" by Walter Venn. This is a fantasitic book and contains images of vehicles you will not find anywhere else.

It is easy to see in these photos that the crane is mounted on a turn table on the tray - they must have been an interesting jigger to operate!

Jared

[Jared Archibald]

G'day again,

I knew I had seen a pic very similar to the one in the first post. I just found it at the end of the book "Whispering Death" by Parnell - a history of the Beaufighter in RAAF service.

Once again it is a GMC being used as motive power. This is in 1955 so the RAAF kept them on strength for quite some time.

The scene in either photo would make a great model diorama.

Jared

[Jared Archibald]

I have just gone through my files and found this collection of images that saw on epay some years ago. The album sold for a ridiculous amount but I did download the few scans of pages that were placed on the auction site.

This page shows a bogging mishap with the 10 Ton C60X crane at RAAF Base Darwin. This would have been during the Wet Season. It is interesting to see the Cletrac aircraft tug (I have the remains of one of these) and also the pic showing the Blitz (tipper?) and the Jeep towing the crane in tandem from the rear.

Have a great weekend,

Jared

[gjamo]

Australian War Memorial examples.

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/P02270.008 check the refuelers in the background.

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/125221