Photographed at the 12th Annual Cool Cruisers/New Berlin Fire Department Car Show in New Berlin, Illinois on July 28, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

The G-502, WC-51 and WC-52 Truck, Cargo, 3⁄4-ton, 4x4, Weapons Carrier (T-214 - from early 1942) had largely redesigned bodies and frames, compared to their ½-ton, 1940–1941 forebears, yet retained mechanically as much as possible, improving what was necessary, while maintaining supply, logistics, and training continuity. The design was now blatantly more jeep-like, with a much shorter, lower, wider, versatile, open cab pickup body. The hood became flat and horizontal, and the windshield could now also be folded forward, flat on it. With the top and bows down, the WC-51 and WC-52 followed the low-profile design doctrine of the time. Engine and drive-train were almost completely carried over from the T-215 ½-tons, except for the uprated, wider track axles 5 ft 4 3⁄4 in, which were now 18 in closer together, for 8 ft 2in wheelbase.

The WC-51 and WC-52 could be fitted with an optional M24A1 machine gun mount, or other devices. The M24A1 mount bolted across the front of the bed, and could carry the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, the M1919 Browning machine gun, or the M2 Browning machine gun. Lack of a winch gave the WC-51 a 10 in shorter front overhang, and thus a better approach angle. The WC-52 not only differed from the WC-51 by having a power take-off driven Braden MU‑2 7,500 lb capacity winch on the front bumper, but to accommodate it, the WC-52 was actually built on its own, longer frame. With about every third unit carrying a winch, these were thus rarely ever retrofitted.

Almost three quarters of Dodge's 255,195 total 3⁄4‑ton, G-502, WC series production, were built as WC-51 and WC-52, cargo, troops and weapon carriers. 123,541 were built without winch as the WC-51, and 59,114 with a front winch as WC-52, for a total of 182,655 units. When adding the 5,380 WC-55, M6 Gun Motor Carriages, that were later downgraded back to WC-52 specification, it brings the total number to over 188,000 of these models. Although nearly a quarter of that (44,229) were passed on to allies, mostly through Lend-Lease, once the 1939 U.S. Army reorganization from 8‑man to 12‑man (rifle) squads got tied more closely into troop-car procurement, Dodge received orders for a similar amount (43,224 built) of the stretched, 12‑troop (one squad) capacity, WC-62 and WC-63, 11⁄2‑ton, 6x6 trucks.

A substantial amount, almost a quarter of all the 3⁄4‑ton Weapons Carriers (a total of 44,229 WC-51 and WC-52 trucks) were provided through Lend-Lease to various Allies:-

▪︎24,902 to the Soviet Union, who used some to pull their ZiS-3 76-mm anti-tank guns.

▪︎10,884 to Great Britain

▪︎3,711 to China

▪︎3,495 to the Free French Forces

▪︎954 to Brazil

▪︎204 to other Latin American countries.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS -

▪︎Type: 1⁄2-ton / 3⁄4-ton 4x4 truck / 11⁄2-ton 6x6 truck

▪︎Place of Origin: Warren Truck Assembly, Michigan, United States

Conflicts: World War Two / Korean War / Various post 1945 conflicts

▪︎Manufacturer: Dodge / Fargo

▪︎Produced: 1940 to 1945

▪︎Number Built: Total = 382,350 excluding variants consisting of: 1⁄2-ton 4x2 models = 1,542 units / All 4x4 Models = ~337,600 units – across: ≈82,390 1⁄2-ton units (1940 to 1942) and 255,195 3⁄4-ton units (1942 to 1945) 11⁄2-ton 6x6 Models 43,224 units

▪︎Variants: D8A 1⁄2-ton, 4x4 (1941, Canada) = 3,000 units / D3/4 APT 3⁄4-ton, 4x4 (1945, Canada) = 11,750 units / VF-401 – VF-407 11⁄2-ton, 4x4 (1940) = 6,472 units / T-203B 11⁄2-ton, 4x4 (1941) = 1,500 units / WF-32 - G-618 11⁄2-ton, 4x2 (1942 to 1944, Iran) = 9,600 units

SPECIFICATIONS (WC-51 / WC-52) -

▪︎Mass: 5,250 lb empty / 5,550 lb with winch

▪︎Length: 13 ft 10 7⁄8 in / 14 ft 8 1⁄2 in with winch

▪︎Width: 16 ft 10 3⁄4 in

▪︎Height: 6 ft 9 7⁄8 in

▪︎Engine: Dodge T-214, 92 hp

▪︎Payload Capacity: 1,500 lb

▪︎Transmission: 4 speed × 1 range

▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles on leaf springs

▪︎Ground Clearance: 10 in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 30 U.S gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 240 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 55 mph.

Information sourced from - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_WC_series

Photographed at the 23rd Annual Ansar Shrine Classic Car Unit Car Show in Lincoln Park, Springfield, Illinois on June 12, 2011.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs thoughtfully organized into albums, and presented by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

International 4300 chassis with Altec boom at the Mystic Beach Place Shopping Center.

1:64 DG Productions

Photographed at the 17th Annual McLean County Antique Auto Club Exhibition on the grounds of the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, Illinois on August 3, 2013. The event is co-sponsored by the David Davis Mansion Foundation.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find over 10,000 car and truck photos organized in albums by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

The AEC Militant (aka ''Milly'') was a post-war development by AEC of the AEC Matador Artillery Tractor used during World War Two. Externally the most noticeable development was the cab, which was considerably enlarged. Unlike the Matador only six-wheel versions were produced. Four-wheel versions are extant, but they are probably conversions and one is a Matador with a Mk.I Militant cab. Other changes included the fitting of a larger, 11.3-litre 6-cylinder, diesel engine and the use of a steel frame for the cab, rather than the ash (fraxinus) wood frame of the Matador. The Militant Mk.I was produced in 6x4 and 6x6 form. Although primarily intended as a replacement for the Matador Artillery Tractor, other variants included an Articulated Lorry Tractor Unit, a General Service or Cargo Lorry with a longer wheelbase and as a chassis for mounting various Cranes, usually supplied by Coles.

The Militant served with the British Army and some other Armies in most parts of the world, it was intended as an improved Artillery Tractor, but after World War Two, the development of large Artillery Pieces was gradually dropped in favour of more effective Rockets and Missiles, making this role largely redundant during the Militant's service life. Crews had mixed views of the Militant, because it had no power steering, it took considerable effort to turn the steering wheel at slow speeds and in difficult conditions. However, it was credited with a good cross-country performance and was often used to recover the six-wheel drive Alvis Stalwart Amphibious Lorries that bogged in difficult conditions. (The Mk.III did have a power assist Steering Ram). Most variants were fitted with a chassis-mounted winch that was driven through the gearbox, this was intended for manoeuvering of the Towed Field Gun and for self-recovery of the vehicle, proved extremely strong and reliable. The Militant gained the nickname ''Knocker'' from its Military Crews which may have been due to the rhythmic sound of the slow-revving engines.

The ''Knocker'' was the nickname of the Mk.I and the one Mk.I CALM was still in service with each RCT Transport Squadron until the AEC fleet was replaced by the Bedford 14 Tonne 6x6 in the early 1990's. AEC Mk.III Recovery Trucks were replaced by Foden GS Recovery 6x6. Many Militants were sold off by the Army in the 1970's and were purchased as Heavy Recovery Vehicles or for forestry use by civilian operators. They were not as popular for forestry operations as their predecessor the Matador because the extra length and an extra axle made them less manoeuvrable in confined spaces. However, some users simply shortened the chassis and removed one axle, effectively creating a more powerful version of the Matador. AEC MK.I Militant's were still in service as late as 1985, the MK.III's were still in service as late as 1990.

▪︎Type: Medium / Heavy Artillery Tractor / Multi-Purpose Support Vehicle / 10-ton Cargo Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Designer & Manufacturer: AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

▪︎Produced: 1952 to 1964

▪︎Number Built: 3,200

▪︎Variants: O859 (6x4) / O860 (6x6)

▪︎Mass: Unladen 10.3 to 10.5 tons / Length: 24ft 1in / Width: 8ft / Height: 9ft 8in

▪︎Powerplant: AEC A223 straight-six diesel engine, 150bhp

▪︎Drive: 6x4 or part time 6x6

▪︎Transmission: 5F1Rx2

▪︎Suspension: Live axles on semi-elliptical multi-leaf springs inverted at the rear

▪︎Maximum Speed: 25mph.

Information sourced from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Militant#:~:text=The%20AEC%20Mi...(or%20%22Milly,six%2Dwheel%20versions%20were%20produced.

Motorcar 1063 + goods wagons + motorcar 1064 as a special convoy on depart. These motorcars (type railbus) are mainly in use for internal transportation (utility) or bringing maintenance workers to their spot.

Photographed at the 29th Annual Old Settlers Association Open Car Show in Hillsboro, Illinois on August 12, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 2012 International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois on September 21-23, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

The Ural-375 is a General Purpose 4.5 ton 6x6 Truck, which has been produced at the Ural Automotive Plant in the Russian SFSR since 1961. The Ural-375 replaced the ZIL-157 as the standard Soviet Army truck in 1979. It was itself replaced by the Ural-4320. The Ural-375 was used, for example, as a platform for the BM-21 Grad Rocket Launcher, Troop Carrier, and as a Supply Carrier. The Ural-375 comes in a variety of models, the list is very exhaustive:

▪︎Ural-375 - Base model, it has a canvas roof, and no steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375A - The same but has a slightly longer chassis.

▪︎Ural-375D - The most produced 375, which has a proper all-steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375E KET-L - Recovery Vehicle equipped with a front-mounted and a rear-mounted winch along with a jib crane.

▪︎Ural-375S - 6x6 Tractor Unit.

▪︎Ural-377 - A 6x4 civilian truck.

▪︎Ural-377S - 6x4 Tractor Unit

▪︎Ural-375DM - Modernized version of the Ural-375D, built at least until 1991.

General characteristics:

▪︎Manufacturer: Ural Automobile Plant, Miass

▪︎Production: 1961 to 1964 (Ural-375) / 1964 to 1983 (Ural-375D) / 1982 to -1991 (Ural-375DM)

▪︎Production End: 1993

▪︎Powerplant: ZIL-375Ya 7.0 litre V8 petrol (carburetor) pushrod engine, 174hp

▪︎Transmission: 5-speed manual + 2-speed transfer case

▪︎Length: 24ft 1in) / Width: 9ft 8.5in / Height: 9ft 9in (with tarpaulin)

▪︎Curb Weight: 8.3 tons

▪︎Predecessor: Ural-355M

▪︎Successor: Ural-4320

▪︎Crew: 3 or more

▪︎Payload: 4.7 tons

▪︎Maximum Permissible Mass: 13 tons

▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles, leaf springs

▪︎Gearbox: 5x2 speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 47 mph

▪︎Brakes: Pneumatic drum brakes

▪︎Fording depth: 4ft 11in

▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 3in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: tank: 65 gallons + 13 gallons

▪︎Fuel Economy: 4.7 to 5.2 mpg.

Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural-375

Motorcar Tv 210-M 3043 + flat wagon (utility) (Type: Ty 210 - Gold Eagle) just arrived at the station.

The Ural-375 is a General Purpose 4.5 ton 6x6 Truck, which has been produced at the Ural Automotive Plant in the Russian SFSR since 1961. The Ural-375 replaced the ZIL-157 as the standard Soviet Army truck in 1979. It was itself replaced by the Ural-4320. The Ural-375 was used, for example, as a platform for the BM-21 Grad Rocket Launcher, Troop Carrier, and as a Supply Carrier. The Ural-375 comes in a variety of models, the list is very exhaustive:

▪︎Ural-375 - Base model, it has a canvas roof, and no steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375A - The same but has a slightly longer chassis.

▪︎Ural-375D - The most produced 375, which has a proper all-steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375E KET-L - Recovery Vehicle equipped with a front-mounted and a rear-mounted winch along with a jib crane.

▪︎Ural-375S - 6x6 Tractor Unit.

▪︎Ural-377 - A 6x4 civilian truck.

▪︎Ural-377S - 6x4 Tractor Unit

▪︎Ural-375DM - Modernized version of the Ural-375D, built at least until 1991.

General characteristics:

▪︎Manufacturer: Ural Automobile Plant, Miass

▪︎Production: 1961 to 1964 (Ural-375) / 1964 to 1983 (Ural-375D) / 1982 to -1991 (Ural-375DM)

▪︎Production End: 1993

▪︎Powerplant: ZIL-375Ya 7.0 litre V8 petrol (carburetor) pushrod engine, 174hp

▪︎Transmission: 5-speed manual + 2-speed transfer case

▪︎Length: 24ft 1in) / Width: 9ft 8.5in / Height: 9ft 9in (with tarpaulin)

▪︎Curb Weight: 8.3 tons

▪︎Predecessor: Ural-355M

▪︎Successor: Ural-4320

▪︎Crew: 3 or more

▪︎Payload: 4.7 tons

▪︎Maximum Permissible Mass: 13 tons

▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles, leaf springs

▪︎Gearbox: 5x2 speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 47 mph

▪︎Brakes: Pneumatic drum brakes

▪︎Fording depth: 4ft 11in

▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 3in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: tank: 65 gallons + 13 gallons

▪︎Fuel Economy: 4.7 to 5.2 mpg.

Tropospheric Scatter, also known as ''Troposcatter'' is a method of communicating with microwave radio signals over considerable distances, 310 miles and further depending on frequency of operation, equipment type, terrain, and climate factors. This method of propagation uses the tropospheric scatter phenomenon, where radio waves at UHF and SHF frequencies are randomly scattered as they pass through the upper layers of the troposphere. Radio signals are transmitted in a narrow beam aimed just above the horizon in the direction of the receiver station. As the signals pass through the troposphere, some of the energy is scattered back toward the Earth, allowing the receiver station to pick up the signal.

Normally, signals in the microwave frequency range travel in straight lines, and so are limited to line-of-sight applications, in which the receiver can be 'seen' by the transmitter. Communication distances are limited by the visual horizon to around 30 to 40 miles. Troposcatter allows microwave communication beyond the horizon. It was developed in the 1950's and used for military communications until communications satellites largely replaced it in the 1970's. Because the troposphere is turbulent and has a high proportion of moisture, the tropospheric scatter radio signals are refracted and consequently only a tiny proportion of the transmitted radio energy is collected by the receiving antennas. Frequencies of transmission around 2 GHz are best suited for tropospheric scatter systems as at this frequency the wavelength of the signal interacts well with the moist, turbulent areas of the troposphere, improving signal-to-noise ratios.

Sourced from:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropospheric_scatter

Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural-375

Photographed at the 62nd Secretary of State Antique Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on September 10, 2011.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival Car Show in Lincoln, Illinois on August 29, 2010. The event is sponsored by the Railsplitter Antique Auto Club.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at The Vintage Times Street Rod Club 37th Annual Rod Run in Springfield, Illinois on September 3, 2011.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 16th Annual Plaza Car & Semi Show in Central Park Plaza, downtown Jacksonville, Illinois on June 9, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 62nd Secretary of State Antique Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on September 10, 2011.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 17th Annual McLean County Antique Auto Club Exhibition on the grounds of the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington, Illinois on August 3, 2013. The event is co-sponsored by the David Davis Mansion Foundation.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find over 10,000 car and truck photos organized in albums by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 8th Annual Lincoln Land Community College MotorSports Club Car Show in Springfield, Illinois on July 9, 2011.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs thoughtfully organized into albums, and presented by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 1st Annual Scheels & Shields Fundraiser Emergency Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on May 5, 2012. The event is sponsored by Scheels, Quaker Steak & Lube, and the Police Car Owners of America, and benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

D-loco DHF 21.001 + DHF 21.017 coupled a goods train and are ready for depart into the direction of Kunming.

My brother, one of my sons, and I spent a couple of days putting in new fence-posts and paving around my mother's home.

The Leyland Hippo 10 ton truck entered military service in 1944 and eventually proved its worth hauling supplies during the closing stages of the Allied advance across Western Europe albeit of a top speed of only 25mph !

It was the British Army’s largest truck for several years after the war and some where still in service in the 1980's. Their huge bodies have a well-type floor giving a lower loading height which was an advantage as much loading was done by hand. Steel hoops and a canvas tilt gave weather protection to the stores carried.

The initial version had an open cab with canvas tilt and fixed windscreen, while the Hippo Mk.2 had an all-steel cab. It's 27 foot length was often a handicap in the days of narrow roads but it had good cross country capability and could be fitted with snow chains. The Museum's example remains in running order and has only minor restoration.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Leyland 6-cylinder diesel, 100bhp

▪︎Speed: 25mph

▪︎Range: 520 miles

▪︎Gears: 5 speed + 2 auxiliary gears

▪︎Brakes: Hydraulic servo assisted

▪︎Weight: 8.8 tons

▪︎Load: 10 tons.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

Photographed at the 2011 International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois on September 23-25, 2011.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Seen at the Land Warfare Hall, this example of a Morris Commercial CS8 is the ''Compressor Truck'' version, the Truck was also known as the ''Morris 15 cwt'' was a Light Military Truck used by the British Army during World War Two. Introduced in 1934 it was the most numerous vehicle of that size in the Army at the start of the war but was replaced by other vehicles.

In 1933 the War Office issued a specification for a new type of purpose-built Light Trucks able to carry 15 cwt loads, the specification stipulated a short wheelbase, good ground clearance, a semi-forward driver's position and the use of commercial components as much as possible but with the usual cabin eliminated to simplify production. It was planned to issue one 15-cwt truck to every Platoon in a re-equipped mechanised British Army to carry Personnel and equipment. Morris, Ford, Commer, Guy and Bedford all tendered vehicles to meet the requirement and in 1934 Morris was the first to produce a design, the CS8, which used elements of Morris' civilian C range, the S denoted a 6-cylinder engine and 8 referred to the nominal wheelbase in feet.

The CS8 was a two-wheel drive two axle Light Truck designed to carry 15 long cwt loads, it was powered by a 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol engine that delivered 60bhp at 2,800rpm and driven through a four-speed transmission, its suspension was by live axles on multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs, unladen weight of the vehicle in standard General Service Cargo form was 18 cwt (1.94 ton) it was 13ft 10in in length and 6ft 4in in width with an 8ft 2in long wheelbase. Early models featured open cabs with aero screens (small sections of glass to deflect the wind from the driver) folding canvas canopies and roll-up canvas doors, these were later replaced with full windscreens and metal-skinned half doors.

The CS8 was produced with a number of bodies, the majority were the ''General Service'' Cargo variant but there was also a Water Bowser, Fire Tender, Wireless Truck, Fuel Tanker, Compressor Truck and Command Post (''Office'') truck bodies. Additionally there was also a variant that carried the 2-pounder Anti-Tank Gun ''Portee'' on the rear body. The CS8 had a maximum speed of 40mph. Some of the bodies were too long and heavy for the standard wheelbase which caused severe handling problems, particularly the Wireless Truck. There was also a variant rated to carry 8 long cwt loads, called the 'PU8' which shared the same engine and drive line but had improved performance, a four-wheel drive version of the PU8 was also produced called the PU8/4.

In the years leading up to World War Two the CS8 was the most numerous 15-cwt truck in service with all branches of British Forces, and was also supplied to Commonwealth countries. A large number of CS8's were left in France after the Dunkirk evacuation and captured by the Germans, in Wehrmacht service they were sometimes fitted with new bodywork. In 1941 Morris ceased production of the CS8, in favour of their C4 model which used a 4-cylinder engine but was otherwise similar to the CS8 except the wheelbase was increased to 9ft to rectify the handling issues of the CS8. Early in the war the Army decided it no longer needed 8-cwt trucks and production of the PU8 also ceased in 1941. A stretched CS8 chassis was the basis of the Morris CS9 Armoured Car.

▪︎Type: 15 cwt Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Used By: British Commonwealth / Germany (captured)

▪︎Conflicts: World War Two

▪︎Designer: Morris Commercial Cars

▪︎Manufacturer: Morris Commercial Cars

▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1941

▪︎Number Built: 21,319

▪︎Variants: General Service Cargo / Water Bowser / Fire Tender / Wireless Truck / Fuel Tanker / Command Post ''Office'' / Compressor Truck

▪︎Specifications: (General Service Cargo body) / Mass: 1.94 ton / Length: 13ft 10in / Width: 8ft 2in

▪︎Powerplant: 212.7 cu in 6-cylinder inline sidevalve petrol, 60bhp at 2,800rpm

▪︎Payload Capacity: 15 cwt

▪︎Drive: 4x2

▪︎Transmission: 4F1R

▪︎Suspension: Multi-leaf semi-elliptical springs

▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_CS8

Photographed at the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival Car Show in Lincoln, Illinois on August 25, 2013. The event is sponsored by the Railsplitter Antique Auto Club.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find over 10,000 car and truck photos organized in albums by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

The Fiat 15 is a Light Military Truck produced by Fiat Veicoli Industriali and used by the Royal Army in the Italian-Turkish War and during World War One, it was produced under license by the Russian ZIL as F-15. In 1909 the Royal Army requested a Light Multirole Truck to transport Personnel and materials. This is how Carlo Cavalli of Fiat Veicoli Industriali designed the Fiat 15, which entered service in 1911 and was heavily used in the Italo-Turkish War. In 1911 the Fiat 15 bis version went into production, also called Libya because it was intended for use in this colony, replaced in the same role, in 1913 by the Fiat 15 ter. This version was produced under license with 6,285 units by the Russian AMO / ZIL, who named it F-15. During World War One, its production for the Armed Forces was joined by that of the Fiat 18.

The chassis of the civilian truck was used, among the innumerable customized fittings of the many body shops, also for the preparation of buses and fire engines for the civic firefighters.

The chassis is on 4-spoke wheels, the front steering wheels and the rear driving and twin wheels. The front engine on the Fiat 15 is a 3053 cm³ four-cylinder petrol Fiat Brevetti 15/20, innovative due to the presence of a fuel pump instead of gravity feed. The Fiat 15 bis maintains the same engine, while the Fiat 15 ter is fitted with a more powerful 4398 cm³ Fiat 53A petrol engine, with speeds up to 25mph, and steel disc wheels.

The Fiat 15 was the absolute protagonist of the first motorization of the Italian Armed Forces and the Royal Army acquired all versions of the truck in many configurations, including Aambulance, Garage, Autofotoelectric and Fire Engine. Alongside its use as in logistic means, Italy was the first country to use the motor vehicle directly in Combat. In fact, the Fiat 15 bis was used as the basis for the construction of the Armoured Car Fiat Arsenale, used in the Italo-Turkish war together with the Bianchi. After the Great War, on the chassis of the Fiat 15 ter it was produced by the Terni steelworks the bus Fiat-Terni Tripoli, which found employment in Tripolitania during the reconquest of Libya in the Armoured Car Squadrons of the Hunters of Africa, during this Campaign the Squadrons were also motorized with numerous Fiat 15 ter Trucks (defined at the time as ''Tanks'') handcrafted protected with armoured metal plates and armed with three Schwarzlose Machine Guns with 15,000 shots, conducted by a crew of 4 men.

▪︎Type: Light Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: Italy

▪︎Designer: Carlo Cavalli

▪︎Manufacturer: Fiat Industrial Vehicles

▪︎Introduced: 1909

▪︎In Service: 1911 to 1940

▪︎Main user: Italy / Soviet Union

▪︎Variants: Fiat 15 bis / Fiat 15 ter

▪︎Weight: 3.95 ton / Length: 14ft 10in / Width: 5ft 8in / Height: 8ft 8in

▪︎Powerplant: Fiat 53A petrol engine, 4-cylinder in line, 4398 cm³, 40hp at 1400rpm

▪︎Drive: 4x2

▪︎Maximum Speed: 25mph.

Taken from Wikipedia it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_15

Photographed at the 1st Annual Scheels & Shields Fundraiser Emergency Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on May 5, 2012. The event is sponsored by Scheels, Quaker Steak & Lube, and the Police Car Owners of America, and benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 2013 International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois on September 27-29, 2013.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find over 10,000 car and truck photos organized in albums by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the 63rd Secretary of State Antique Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on September 8, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at Press Preview Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield on August 4, 2011.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs thoughtfully organized into albums, and presented by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

The Vickers-Armstrongs Universal Carrier was one of the best loved of all Light Armoured Vehicles used by the British Army, it was developed from a requirement in 1921 for an Armoured Tracked Ammunition Carrier to avoid using horses to carry ammunition across bullet swept battlefields.

The first Universal Carriers were armed with a single Bren Gun so they quickly became known as the ''Bren Gun Carrier'' regardless of their purpose. This one is fitted with a ''Boys Anti-Tank Rifle''.

The first of the Carriers, the 'Bren Carrier' and the 'Scout Carrier' with specific roles, entered service before the war, but a single improved design that could replace these, the 'Universal Carrier' was introduced in 1940. The vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth Forces during World War Two, they were usually used for transporting Personnel and Equipment, mostly Support Weapons, or as Machine Gun Platforms. Approximately 113,000 units were built by 1960 in the United Kingdom and abroad, it is probably the most produced Armoured Fighting Vehicle in history.

The hull is made from a simple steel box with the engine mounted mid centre. The Driver and Commander / Gunner sit in the front near the radiator fan, the noise from which would make conversion impossible so headphones were used. Men or equipment were carried in the rear either side of the engine with other Weapons such as Mortars. The front set of wheels are mounted on a shaft which can be moved side to side to give gentle turns while sharp turns are done by brakes on each track. Driving controls are conventional so minimal specialist training was needed. By the latter part of World War Two most Universal Carrier's would more weight than they were designed for so it was not unusual to see a spare wheel strapped to the front glacis plate.

British variants:-

**Carrier - Machine Gun No.21937

**Carrier - Bren No.2 Mk.I and Mk.II Seating for three Crew, armour plate on front and left hand side only

**Carrier - Scout Mk.I Carried a No.11 Wireless set, armour plate on front and right hand side only.

**Carrier - Cavalry Mk.I used for carrying Personnel of Light Tank Regiments in Mobile Divisions. A total of 50 were built by Nuffield, discontinued with the reorganization of the Mobile Divisions into Armoured Divisions. Seating was provided for six Passengers on benches.

**Carrier - Armoured Observation Post for carrying Royal Artillery Observers under protection, the Machine Gun Position was fitted with an armoured shutter instead of gun slit, 95 built in two Mk's.

**Carrier - Armoured, 2-pounder A Carrier, Machine Gun converted to mount a 2-pdr gun with fixed armoured shield protecting the crew

**Carrier - Armoured 6-pounder:-

*Universal Mk.I initial model

*Universal Mk.II updated stowage and layout, battery moved behind the divisional plate, towing hitch added. Welded waterproofed hull. Crew of four. 2in Mortar or 4in Smoke Mortar beside Gunner. Spare wheel on front hull. weighed ½ ton more than Mk.I.

*Universal Mk.III welded hull as Mk.II modified air inlet and engine cover

**Wasp - (FT, Transportable, No.2) A Flamethrower-Equipped variant, using the "Flame-Thrower, Transportable, No.2". The Mk.I had a Fixed Flamethrower on the front of the vehicle fed from two fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 imperial gallons, 1,000 produced. The Mk.II had the projector in the Co-Driver's position. The Mk.IIC (C for Canadian) had a single 75 imperial gallon fuel tank on the rear of the vehicle outside the armour protection, allowing a third Crew member to be carried.

Specifications:-

▪︎Type: Armoured Personnel Carrier / Weapons Carrier

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Conflicts: World War Two / Indonesian National Revolution / Indochina War / 1948 Arab–Israeli War / Costa Rican Civil War / Korean War / Suez Crisis / Biafran War

▪︎Produced: 1934 to 1960

▪︎Number Built: 113,000

▪︎Mass: 3 ton 16cwt laden / 3 ton 5cwt unladen (Mk.I Universal Carrier)

▪︎Length: 12ft / Width: 6ft 9in / Height: 5ft 2in

▪︎Crew: 3

▪︎Armour: 0.27in to 0.39in

▪︎Main Armament: Bren Light Machine Gun / Boys Anti-Tank Rifle

▪︎Secondary Armament: one Vickers Machine Gun / M2 Browning Machine Gun / 2in or 3in ▪︎Mortar or Projector Infantry or Anti-Tank carried

▪︎Powerplant: Ford V8 3.9-litre petrol, 85hp at 3,500rpm

▪︎Transmission: 4 forward / 1 reverse

▪︎Suspension: Horstmann

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 20 Imperial gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 150 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 30mph.

Photographed at the Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival Car Show in Lincoln, Illinois on August 25, 2013. The event is sponsored by the Railsplitter Antique Auto Club.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find over 10,000 car and truck photos organized in albums by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Photographed at the Sixth Annual Cantrall Car Show in Cantrall, Illinois on July 10, 2011. The show is a fund-raising event for the Cantrall United Methodist Church Men's Club and is held in cooperation with the Cool Cruisers Car Club in Springfield, Illinois.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Motorcar 3034 amongst all other sorts of utility vehicles on a sidetrack. The track on the right side is the main line towards Kunming.

The AEC Model 850, also known as the 'FWD R6T' was available in two versions, as an Artillery Tractor and a Recovery Vehicle both used by the British Army, it was in production from 1929 to 1936 and 57 units and one prototype was produced. In 1928 several truck manufacturers were asked by the British Army to develop a Six-Wheel Drive Artillery Tractor. In addition to English companies such as Guy Motors, Leyland and Scammell, the American company FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) with a branch in Slough, was also invited. The vehicles had to be able to carry a trailer load of approximately 6 tons.

FWD came up with the R6T, which was the manufacturer's first Six- Wheel Drive Vehicle, it was equipped with a Dorman JUL six-cylinder petrol engine with side valves, a 6.6 litre engine producing 78hp. All wheels were driven via a four-speed gearbox and an additional reduction gearbox allowing them to operate in high and low ranges could be used (4F1Rx2) In 1929 the prototype was delivered to the British Army for testing. At the end of that year, the vehicle came back to the factory. FWD was given an order for nine vehicles, but some changes were necessary. In 1929 FWD and AEC entered into a partnership, components were replaced with AEC equipment. The engine was replaced by an AEC A136 with overhead valves, which had a smaller displacement of 6.1 litres, but with 95hp it had more power. The gearbox was also exchanged for a version of AEC. Adjustments to the driver's cab and superstructure were also made, the most notable being the position of two Crew members next to the engine slightly ahead of the Driver. The cabin and cargo hold were open, but could be covered with a canvas roof.

In 1932 the English branch of FWD was taken over by AEC, the type designation of the vehicles changed from R6T to AEC Model 850. A total of 24 units were built at FWD in Slough and 33 units at the AEC factory in Southall between 1932 and 1936, a total production of 57 units. At the outbreak of World War Two, a number of vehicles were sent to France between 1939-1940 with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Many of them were left behind during the evacuation of the BEF in May 1940. The only surviving example is this one at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, which was fully restored in 1970.

▪︎Type: Artillery Tractor / Recovery Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎In Service: 1939 to 1940

▪︎Used By: British Army

▪︎Conflicts: World War Two

▪︎Designer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company)

Designed:

▪︎Manufacturer: FWD (Four Wheel Drive Lorry Company) / AEC (Associated Equipment Company)

▪︎Crew: 1 Driver + 8 Crew

▪︎Produced: 1929 to 1936

▪︎Number Built: 57

▪︎Mass: 8.7 tons / Length: 19ft 3in / Width: 7ft 6in / Height: 8ft 7in

▪︎Powerplant: AEC A136 6.1 litre 6-cylinder petrol engine, 95hp

▪︎Drive: 6x6

▪︎Transmission: Four speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 20mph.

Taken from Wikipedia nl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AEC_Model_850 and other sources.

The Ural-375 is a General Purpose 4.5 ton 6x6 Truck, which has been produced at the Ural Automotive Plant in the Russian SFSR since 1961. The Ural-375 replaced the ZIL-157 as the standard Soviet Army truck in 1979. It was itself replaced by the Ural-4320. The Ural-375 was used, for example, as a platform for the BM-21 Grad Rocket Launcher, Troop Carrier, and as a Supply Carrier. The Ural-375 comes in a variety of models, the list is very exhaustive:

▪︎Ural-375 - Base model, it has a canvas roof, and no steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375A - The same but has a slightly longer chassis.

▪︎Ural-375D - The most produced 375, which has a proper all-steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375E KET-L - Recovery Vehicle equipped with a front-mounted and a rear-mounted winch along with a jib crane.

▪︎Ural-375S - 6x6 Tractor Unit.

▪︎Ural-377 - A 6x4 civilian truck.

▪︎Ural-377S - 6x4 Tractor Unit

▪︎Ural-375DM - Modernized version of the Ural-375D, built at least until 1991.

General characteristics:

▪︎Manufacturer: Ural Automobile Plant, Miass

▪︎Production: 1961 to 1964 (Ural-375) / 1964 to 1983 (Ural-375D) / 1982 to -1991 (Ural-375DM)

▪︎Production End: 1993

▪︎Powerplant: ZIL-375Ya 7.0 litre V8 petrol (carburetor) pushrod engine, 174hp

▪︎Transmission: 5-speed manual + 2-speed transfer case

▪︎Length: 24ft 1in) / Width: 9ft 8.5in / Height: 9ft 9in (with tarpaulin)

▪︎Curb Weight: 8.3 tons

▪︎Predecessor: Ural-355M

▪︎Successor: Ural-4320

▪︎Crew: 3 or more

▪︎Payload: 4.7 tons

▪︎Maximum Permissible Mass: 13 tons

▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles, leaf springs

▪︎Gearbox: 5x2 speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 47 mph

▪︎Brakes: Pneumatic drum brakes

▪︎Fording depth: 4ft 11in

▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 3in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: tank: 65 gallons + 13 gallons

▪︎Fuel Economy: 4.7 to 5.2 mpg.

Tropospheric Scatter, also known as ''Troposcatter'' is a method of communicating with microwave radio signals over considerable distances, 310 miles and further depending on frequency of operation, equipment type, terrain, and climate factors. This method of propagation uses the tropospheric scatter phenomenon, where radio waves at UHF and SHF frequencies are randomly scattered as they pass through the upper layers of the troposphere. Radio signals are transmitted in a narrow beam aimed just above the horizon in the direction of the receiver station. As the signals pass through the troposphere, some of the energy is scattered back toward the Earth, allowing the receiver station to pick up the signal.

Normally, signals in the microwave frequency range travel in straight lines, and so are limited to line-of-sight applications, in which the receiver can be 'seen' by the transmitter. Communication distances are limited by the visual horizon to around 30 to 40 miles. Troposcatter allows microwave communication beyond the horizon. It was developed in the 1950's and used for military communications until communications satellites largely replaced it in the 1970's. Because the troposphere is turbulent and has a high proportion of moisture, the tropospheric scatter radio signals are refracted and consequently only a tiny proportion of the transmitted radio energy is collected by the receiving antennas. Frequencies of transmission around 2 GHz are best suited for tropospheric scatter systems as at this frequency the wavelength of the signal interacts well with the moist, turbulent areas of the troposphere, improving signal-to-noise ratios.

Sourced from:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropospheric_scatter

Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural-375

My brother, one of my sons, and I spent a couple of days putting in new fence-posts and paving around my mother's home.

C. and our youngest son also helped with the demolition of the old fence/paving.

Delivery driver benefits from the improved and upgraded roads in Nepal. The Road Network Development Project helped build and upgrade 613.5 km of roads linking the hills to the plains, remote villages to schools and hospitals in towns and cities, and small and medium farmers to markets all over Nepal.

Read more on:

Nepal

Transport

Road Network Development

The Bedford OY is an Army Truck built by Bedford for the British Armed Forces and introduced in 1939, it was based on Bedford's 'O-Series Commercial Vehicles' with a modified front end and single rear tyres. It was designed for a 3 ton payload. The OYD was a General Service Vehicle, while the OYC was a Tanker version for carrying water or petrol. These vehicles were widely used during, and after, World War Two but were later superseded by the Bedford RL.

The OX was a short-wheelbase version of the OY, designed for a 30 cwt (1.5 ton) payload, it had a semi-forward cab that resembled the 15 cwt Bedford MW. The OXD was a General Service Vehicle with a 8ft x 6ft x 2ft 3in tall body, while the OXC was designed, in association with Scammell, for use with a Semi-Trailer. In the early part of the War, the addition of an Armoured Body to the OXD gave the Bedford OXA (official designation "Lorry 30cwt Anti-Tank") these were used for Home Defence duties.

Variants:-

**OYD - General Service Truck

**OYC - Tanker / Bowser

**OXA - Armoured Body

Derived Non-Military vehicles using OY and OX chassis

**OWS - 5 ton short wheelbase

**OWL - 5 ton long wheelbase

**OWB - 32 seat Bus

.Specifications :-

▪︎Manufacturer: Bedford (General Motors)

▪︎Production: 1939 to 1953

▪︎Number Built: 72,385 (1940 to 1945)

▪︎Assembly: Luton

▪︎Class: Military Vehicle

▪︎Body Style: Flatbed / Tanker / Bowser

▪︎Powerplant: Bedford 6-cylinder type WD petrol, 3,519cc 72hp at 3,000rpm

▪︎Transmission: 4-speed manual

▪︎Mass: 6.46 long tons / Length: 20ft 5in / Width: 7ft 2in / Height: 10ft 2in

▪︎Electrical System: 12 volt

▪︎Brakes: Hydraulic with vacuum servo assistance

▪︎Tyres: 10.50x16

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 32 Imperial gallons

▪︎Range: 280 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph

▪︎Successor: Bedford TA

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedford_OY

Photographed at the 63rd Secretary of State Antique Vehicle Show in Springfield, Illinois on September 8, 2012.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

Railbus 0603 taken out of service and parked at the end of the track. This kind of vehicles are in use to transport maintenance workers along the line and for intern services. The building behind belongs to the railway too according the sign with number and area measure.

The Ural-375 is a General Purpose 4.5 ton 6x6 Truck, which has been produced at the Ural Automotive Plant in the Russian SFSR since 1961. The Ural-375 replaced the ZIL-157 as the standard Soviet Army truck in 1979. It was itself replaced by the Ural-4320. The Ural-375 was used, for example, as a platform for the BM-21 Grad Rocket Launcher, Troop Carrier, and as a Supply Carrier. The Ural-375 comes in a variety of models, the list is very exhaustive:

▪︎Ural-375 - Base model, it has a canvas roof, and no steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375A - The same but has a slightly longer chassis.

▪︎Ural-375D - The most produced 375, which has a proper all-steel cabin.

▪︎Ural-375E KET-L - Recovery Vehicle equipped with a front-mounted and a rear-mounted winch along with a jib crane.

▪︎Ural-375S - 6x6 Tractor Unit.

▪︎Ural-377 - A 6x4 civilian truck.

▪︎Ural-377S - 6x4 Tractor Unit

▪︎Ural-375DM - Modernized version of the Ural-375D, built at least until 1991.

General characteristics:

▪︎Manufacturer: Ural Automobile Plant, Miass

▪︎Production: 1961 to 1964 (Ural-375) / 1964 to 1983 (Ural-375D) / 1982 to -1991 (Ural-375DM)

▪︎Production End: 1993

▪︎Powerplant: ZIL-375Ya 7.0 litre V8 petrol (carburetor) pushrod engine, 174hp

▪︎Transmission: 5-speed manual + 2-speed transfer case

▪︎Length: 24ft 1in) / Width: 9ft 8.5in / Height: 9ft 9in (with tarpaulin)

▪︎Curb Weight: 8.3 tons

▪︎Predecessor: Ural-355M

▪︎Successor: Ural-4320

▪︎Crew: 3 or more

▪︎Payload: 4.7 tons

▪︎Maximum Permissible Mass: 13 tons

▪︎Suspension: Live beam axles, leaf springs

▪︎Gearbox: 5x2 speed gearbox

▪︎Maximum Speed: 47 mph

▪︎Brakes: Pneumatic drum brakes

▪︎Fording depth: 4ft 11in

▪︎Ground Clearance: 1ft 3in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: tank: 65 gallons + 13 gallons

▪︎Fuel Economy: 4.7 to 5.2 mpg.

Tropospheric Scatter, also known as ''Troposcatter'' is a method of communicating with microwave radio signals over considerable distances, 310 miles and further depending on frequency of operation, equipment type, terrain, and climate factors. This method of propagation uses the tropospheric scatter phenomenon, where radio waves at UHF and SHF frequencies are randomly scattered as they pass through the upper layers of the troposphere. Radio signals are transmitted in a narrow beam aimed just above the horizon in the direction of the receiver station. As the signals pass through the troposphere, some of the energy is scattered back toward the Earth, allowing the receiver station to pick up the signal.

Normally, signals in the microwave frequency range travel in straight lines, and so are limited to line-of-sight applications, in which the receiver can be 'seen' by the transmitter. Communication distances are limited by the visual horizon to around 30 to 40 miles. Troposcatter allows microwave communication beyond the horizon. It was developed in the 1950's and used for military communications until communications satellites largely replaced it in the 1970's. Because the troposphere is turbulent and has a high proportion of moisture, the tropospheric scatter radio signals are refracted and consequently only a tiny proportion of the transmitted radio energy is collected by the receiving antennas. Frequencies of transmission around 2 GHz are best suited for tropospheric scatter systems as at this frequency the wavelength of the signal interacts well with the moist, turbulent areas of the troposphere, improving signal-to-noise ratios.

Sourced from:

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropospheric_scatter

Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ural-375

Utility car Nº 13 (did it bring any luck?) for carrying tools as the description on top says. Collection Rail Asia - photographer unknown.

Photographed at the O'Reilly Auto Parts 2nd Annual Car Cruise and Cookout in Taylorville, Illinois on June 1, 2013.

Please visit my Motor Vehicles Collection on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs that have been thoughtfully categorized into dozens of sets, and carefully organized by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.

To speed up and improve Troop movement in the high mountains and the Barracks located at the bottom of the valley, at the beginning of the 1930's some Light Vehicles were designed and put into operation, such as the 6.5 ton Lancia 3Ro 4x2, also used as a Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the Fiat-SPA 38R 4x2 and the Fiat Dovunque 33, the most versatile and used vehicle was the OM Autocarretta.

In 1927, the newly established Automotive Technical Inspectorate of the Royal Army, in order to improve and speed up the connections between the troops operating in the mountains and the Barracks located at the bottom of the valley, issued a competition notice "service in the mountains" for the design and construction of a small truck capable of operating on Military Mule Tracks in the mountains. Four companies, Ansaldo, Ceirano, Fiat, and Lancia were invited to present their projects. The last three were already companies that had supplied numerous excellent vehicles to the Royal Army, such as the 6.5 ton Lancia 3Ro 4x2, the Fiat-SPA 38R 4x2, the Fiat Dovunque 33 and the Ceirano 50. The Ansaldo company of Genoa had passed, in the same year, under the control of Macchi of Varese, which had acquired control of the majority of the shares. President of the company the mayor of Milan, Ernesto Belloni, had just been appointed.

Ansaldo Automobile SA of Turin commissioned the engineer Giulio Cesare Cappa, who had left Fiat to open his own technical office, to design the new vehicle. In response to the "mountain service" call, Fiat presented the 1014 model, the Ceirano the 1015 model, while Lancia refused to present anything in the first six months of 1931. Unexpectedly in 1930, and out of the official competition, Moto Guzzi presented an elaboration of the Three-Wheeled Machine Gun, first transformed into a Light Tractor for towing a 65/17 Mod. 1908/1913 Artillery Piece up the mountain, and then in a Tracked or Wheeled Truck with two rolling trains released from the chassis.

The prototype of the Ansaldo Mountain Truck was tested in the valleys of the Pinerolo area in December 1929, and on the 13th of the month, starting from San Germano, it reached Ruata di Pramollo advancing on a very narrow Mule Track. Due to the financial difficulties facing Ansaldo, the project was sold for marketing to the company OM of Brescia, which increased the engine displacement from 1,350 cm³ to 1,615 cm³. Thus modified it was presented in three copies to the homologation tests which took place in the second half of 1931, but a production order for a first batch had already been placed in the first half of the year. The homologation took place in the first half of 1932, and the messenger was officially designated Autocarretta 32, while all competing models were abandoned. In 1933 OM became part of the Fiat Group, and a special body was tested for the transport of Personnel, and a Bowser version for the transport of water.

In the first six months of 1934, a vehicle modernization project was started, by installing a Bosch dynamo capable of powering the central headlight and the two side lights, which previously operated on acetylene, the track was increased to 3ft 7in to try to improve the driving behavior, which was difficult, and improvements were also introduced to the suspension and steering linkage. These modifications gave life to the truck version 35, and were later adopted retroactively on the model 32. The use of a pre-selector remained at an experimental level Wilson, while in the course of a second order for the 32 model, 20 examples of a Personnel Transport version called the ''Mountain Reconnaissance Car'' were built.

With the adoption of the Baistrocchi order, the Royal Army established the first two Motorized Divisions, the ''Trento'' and the ''Po''. The adoption of pneumatic wheels and a multiplier on the 35 model gave rise to the version called 36mt Truck, from which the 36 P or DM with torpedo bodywork were derived for the transport of a team of Riflemen with two Breda Mod. 30 Unit Arms mounted on it on Chiappi-Soriani candlestick supports. At an experimental level, the installation in single or twin carts of Fiat Mod. 35 6.5mm Machine Guns remained for shooting against Low-Flying Aircraft. In 1937 the 36mt model was revised by abandoning the pneumatic wheels, while maintaining the hydraulic shock absorbers, this variant was called the 37 Truck.

▪︎Type: Military Truck

▪︎Crew: 1 to 11

▪︎Designer: Julius Caesar Hood

▪︎Manufacturer: OM Autocarretta

▪︎Designed: 1930's

▪︎In Service: 1932

▪︎Main User: Royal Army

▪︎Variations: Mod. 32 / Mod. 35 / Mod. 36 DM / Mod. 37

▪︎Weight: 3560.5lb / Length: 12ft 5in / Height: 7ft

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 8.8 gallons

▪︎Powerplant: petrol 4 cylinders of 1616 cm³ 20hp to 23hp

▪︎Weight / Power: 12.38hp to 14.24hp per tonne

▪︎Traction: 4-wheel drive and steering

▪︎Suspension: double crossbow

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 8.8 gallons

▪︎Maximum Speed: 25mph

▪︎Range: 99.5 miles.

Taken from Wikipedia it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/OM_Autocarretta

When the UK MoD procured the current military Land Rover fleet in 1996, the coil-sprung turbo-diesel inter-cooled engine Defender HS/XD or ‘Wolf’ version which primarily replaced the last of the leaf-sprung and petrol engined Series III fleet mostly built between 1971 and 1984, they also had on strength several thousand naturally aspirated diesel engine pre-Defender (mostly) long and short wheelbase Land Rovers mainly built around 1985-87. As these mid-80's vehicles had a planned service life of 15 years plus an expectation of a few more years in reserve stocks, only 8,000 of the Wolf model (plus 800 similarly engined stretched wheelbase Pulse Ambulances) were procured. However by 2006/7 the roughly 4,000-strong pre-Wolf fleet was both overdue for replacement and also assessed as being no longer compliant with the latest road safety regulations. Tithonus was a means of temporarily solving these issues without buying a fleet of new vehicles.

There is no doubt that UK MoD got its money’s worth with the pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet, which saw active service in quantity in the 1991 Gulf War and on following operations in the Former Yugoslavia, though it was mostly the Wolf which stepped up to the plate for the later conflicts in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq, but by 2007 the now 20-year old fleet was getting a little jaded and most of the short wheelbase models had been replaced by their younger Tdi-powered siblings. However the option of buying more Wolf Land Rovers was no longer on the table, as not only had this model only ever been produced for the UK Forces and that part of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps designated to work alongside the Royal Marines, but once the original contract was fulfilled UK MoD expressed no willingness to support Land Rover in keeping the specialist Wolf jigs and pressings in store for future contracts. In 2007 there was no budget available to allow competitive trials, as required under EU rules, for a new vehicle fleet. The option of a mid-life upgrade for the best of the ageing fleet was, however, deemed viable.

It was therefore decided that around £10 million would be spent on cosmetically sprucing up the best 3,700 or so of the remaining pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet to theoretically extend in-service life to over thirty years. That figure, which works out at around £2,700 per vehicle, had to include fitting a new Wolf-style roll-over cage and bodywork strengthening fitments to the rear compartment plus fitting either a new Wolf-style hard top or canopy, and external protection bars also had to be added to the cab as well as a new paint job applied to make the vehicles look a bit smarter. It was suspected that the £10 million figure did not include ABRO staff wages and when the project team were questioned at DVD 2007 they admitted there was no money in the budget for major mechanical upgrades. The brief was simply: To repair the vehicles to field standard, refurbish bulkheads and chassis, renew all brake components, wheel bearings, hub seals and shock absorbers, wax inject chassis and bulkhead, repaint the vehicle and underseal the chassis.

The external inverted safety hoop over the windscreen was bolted to the the door and windscreen hinges and through the wing top and the two welded tubes which ran above and parallel to the door tops were connected through the new hard top to the front internal roll cage hoop by a single bolt. This bolted construction allowed for the top to be removed and the vehicle to be stripped down to waist height for reduced silhouette in combat environments, where safety from enemy attack naturally takes precedence over peacetime road safety considerations. Turning to the rear roll cage cum canopy support, looked quite similar to that of the 1997/8 Wolf model, but it was actually re-engineered by Ricardo to make it stronger. Marketed by the company as ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) the most noticeable internal difference of strengthening was the cross-bracing behind the cab.

Each Tithonus Land Rover was individually selected and fully refurbished by the MoD in 2007-2008 as part of the British Army LEP (Life Extension Programme) The project was to extend the overall service life of the Land Rover's by 10 years, from 20 to 30 years.

Vehicle data -

▪︎Make - Land Rover

▪︎Model - 110 Defender Tithonus Fitted for Radio (FFR)

▪︎Year of manufacture - 1986

▪︎Nationality - British

▪︎Engine - 4 cylinder 2.5 litre diesel, producing approximately 69bhp

▪︎Fuel - Diesel, approximately 25mpg

▪︎Transmission - LT77 5-speed gearbox

▪︎History - Was in military service from 1986 to 2012. The vehicle was bought by the owner in 2015.

(Information from owner).

Informed credited to - www.joint-forces.com/land-rovers/37091-mlr44-tithonus-a-s...

Parked under cover for the night.

Thank you for your favourites. :O)

Photographed at the 2009 International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois on September 25-27, 2009.

Please visit my collection of Motor Vehicles on Flickr where you will find more than 10,000 photographs thoughtfully organized into albums, and presented by model year, manufacturer, vehicle type, and more. This project, which began in 2008, continues to expand with new material added daily.