MILITARY
I am starting off
with John Corah and Brian Beard's example of the Auxillary Fire
Service K2 towing tender which is signwritten with the correct
period details. This version along with the ambulance were
probably the most numerous type built for service during and
after the second World War.
This following picture taken at the Austin Centenary event, is of an Army version of the K2 towing tender.
This is a picture of
the ambulance which is on show at the Muckleburgh Collection (see
my links page). This particular vehicle again has the correct
style of signwriting and depicts the ambulance that Queen
Elizabeth II drove during the war as a young Princess Elizabeth.
At long last I have been sent some pics of several K3's after being in contact with a military register. I am extremely grateful to these chaps and I will try and use them at different times on the site, meanwhile this first one is of Jimmy Hays K3 which hails from Scotland.
This unusual
shot of a K3 flatbed general cargo truck has been sent to me by
Peter Scally who originally sent me the photo's of his pal Jimmy
Hays' K3 from up in Scotland.
This drawing above is of a K30 which went to Russia on the lend lease scheme during WW11.The ones supplied to Russia had the single rear wheels but they were available with dual rear wheels as well.They were built between 1941 and 1942.
This next
drawing is of a K3/YF 3ton 6x4 GS vehicle built between 1941 and
1942. In 1942 the K3 and the K30 were replaced by the K3 4x2 and
the K6 6x4models. I am hoping to obtain a photo of a K3 6x4 which
is under restoration at the moment here in the UK.
This is a K5 general cargo vehicle which
again originates from WW2. These were fitted with the 3.5ltr
engine and four wheel drive. They were nicknamed 'screamers'
because of the noise they made whilst driving along! It is
believed that there are only about eleven of these types
surviving. This photo was sent in by Rory Macleod and is of his
uncle's truck. I have been informed that this truck was burned
out in a fire during 04/05 winter whilst in storage, a sad loss
indeed as there are so few of this model surviving. (Another
truck has been purchased to replace it and photo's of it will be
sent in due course.)
This is a K6
version which was commonly called the 'Austin Gantry'. These
vehicles were used as recovery and mobile workshops by the
military during WW2. The RAF also used a K6 as a gas carrier
which was used on airfields for extinguishing fires using carbon
dioxide gas. On the Lend Lease site is a picture of a Russian
rocket launcher version, (see links page). The K6 is a 6x4 drive
vehicle powered by the 3.5ltr engine. The front axle is similar
to the K4 'I' beam axle.The third photo is from the REME museum
web site and shows the recovery version with the gantry in the
normal travelling position.
my
thanks to Joe in Malta for this picture of his K6.
On the right of this
picture is a K9 radio van, this is powered by the later 4.0 ltr
petrol engine and has four wheel drive. The vehicle on the left
is a K2 ambulance. The K9's were commonly known as the Austin 1
tonner and after being sold off by the military were very popular
as recovery vehicles, indeed some are still working as such
today! This next pic is of a K9 which is local to me and belongs
to a couple who are renovating it as time and funds allow.
