WW1 Military Motors - 1916 set x 50 cards

[Rockdoc]

A British ' Peerless ' Lorry mounted with a 13 pdr Anti-Aircraft Gun, painted with a similar camouflage paint scheme.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

According to Hogg & Thurston, this was a one-off, prototype, high-angle mount, designated the Mark 5. The recoil mechanism of the 13pdr 9cwt "A" gun which went with it was altered to greatly shorten the distance needed, which speeded up the firing rate. Development continued into 1918 but it appears the war ended before it could go into production.

Keith

[Lancashire Fusilier]

According to Hogg & Thurston, this was a one-off, prototype, high-angle mount, designated the Mark 5.

Keith,

Interestingly, the AA-Guns shown in post # 2616, are also using a barrel support.

Regards,

LF

[David Filsell]

It must have been the work of those damnable artist chappies with the awful new ideas who went out to help with camouflage and vorticised, cubisisesm and generally mucked about with camouflage the bounders.

[Rockdoc]

Those are normal 13pdr 9cwt guns, LF, and the prop was a standard feature for all mobile AA guns to hold the barrel in place while the lorry was on the move. The difference between that and the "A" variant is in the recoil mechanism (buffer), which are clearly visible over the barrels in Post 2616. On the normal type the recoil is similar to that of the field gun it's based on. The "A" variant is said to have been developed so the recoil was much shorter, meaning the gun went back to the firing position more quickly after each shot. Even with the slow-moving aircraft of WW1, the time available for firing could be quite short - often well under a minute in the Salonika Diaries - so any improvement in the number of shells that could be fired into the path - or, at least, the general area - of an aircraft would have been welcome. Field guns were given a maximum rate of fire to reduce wear on the barrels but I think that the shorter overall episodes of firing of AA guns probably meant that this was less important.

Keith

[Lancashire Fusilier]

The "A" variant is said to have been developed so the recoil was much shorter, meaning the gun went back to the firing position more quickly after each shot. Even with the slow-moving aircraft of WW1, the time available for firing could be quite short - often well under a minute in the Salonika Diaries -

Keith

Keith,

Many thanks for the explanation.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An interesting photo postcard showing the FWD factory in Clintonville, Wisconsin, U.S.A., and a line of new FWD Model Bs leaving the factory to be loaded onto railway wagons for shipment, with many of the Model Bs heading for the Western Front.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

It must have been the work of those damnable artist chappies with the awful new ideas who went out to help with camouflage and vorticised, cubisisesm and generally mucked about with camouflage the bounders.

Regards,

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[David Filsell]

Nice to be right for a change. You really could not recognise that as kiwi until you looked at the hat.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A ' British War Department ' FWD 4-wheel drive Model B truck, which is probably taking part in a war fund raising event or a victory parade.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2 more pages of photographs from the FWD Sales Brochure showing the wide range of body styles offered, I was particularly interested in the Searchlight Truck, with the searchlight mounted on an extendable tower.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A closer look at the FWD Mobile Workshop Truck, shown in post # 2634

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2 photographs of FWD 4-wheel drive Model B truck chassis leaving the FWD factory in Clintonville. With there being just women factory workers shown, these photographs were taken after America entered the war.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

2

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Photographed at a U.S. Army Camp, a U.S. Army FWD Model B high-sided cargo truck, as also shown in an FWD May 1918 advertisement.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

An FWD May 1918 advertisement, showing their FWD Model B high-sided cargo truck.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

As well as being purchased by Britain and France for use on the Western Front, FWD 4-wheel drive Model B trucks were also purchased by Russia, and used on the Eastern Front. The attached photograph, shows an FWD Model B used in Russia.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

In the front centre of this photograph, we can see 2 damaged FWD Model Bs lined up in the damaged lorry park of an Army Service Corps Motor Transport Depot in Northern France.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[BSM]

LF some nice pickings for the WW1 MT restorers in that little lot! On a serious note there appears to be a reasonably well preserved Army/Unit mark on the side of the wooden tray of the wrecked lorry centre left of frame. Do you happen to have access to a hi-res original image? Rod

[Lancashire Fusilier]

LF some nice pickings for the WW1 MT restorers in that little lot! On a serious note there appears to be a reasonably well preserved Army/Unit mark on the side of the wooden tray of the wrecked lorry centre left of frame. Do you happen to have access to a hi-res original image? Rod

Rod,

I shall see if I can enlarge that lorry's marking.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A 1918, U.S. Army Ordnance Department's FWD Model B Ammunition Carrier.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

A beautifully restored FWD Model B 4-wheel drive General Service Truck.

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[GRANVILLE]

It is a beauty! It would be good if whoever has restored it or owns it could come onto the thread to give a first hand description of what it is like to drive and how it performs etc.

David

[Lancashire Fusilier]

It is a beauty!

David

I agree, and here is another superbly restored FWD Model B, the attached photograph of which also shows some nice details of the underside of the truck.

Regards,

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Here is a photograph showing the ' Intake ' side of the engine in a restored FWD Model B Truck, along with a " Brief Description of the FWD Model B-1917's engine " as written in the official FWD Model B Handbook published on July 17, 1918 by the U.S. Army's Ordnance Department.

Considering this description was written over 96 years ago, I am sure many motor vehicle enthusiasts will identify the engine's workings :-

" The engine is located longitudinally of the truck, under the driver's seat, on a sub-frame which also supports the transmission.

It is a ' Wisconsin ' four-cylinder, four-stroke cycle, T-Head of 4.75 inches bore and 5.5 inches stroke. The piston displacement is 389.84 cubic inches. The cylinders are cast in pairs. The engine is supported on a sub-frame by four supporting arms cast integral with the aluminum crankcase ( upper half ), two bolts passing through each arm maintaining alignment.

The engine is of the conventional type with the timing gear case located at the front. The two camshafts are driven by the crankshaft timing gear through an idler gear running on a stud fastened in the crankcase. The magneto and pump shaft gears are driven by the camshaft gears.

The oil pump, located in the bottom of the crankcase sump on the left side of the engine, is driven through bevel gears and a vertical shaft from the exhaust camshaft.

The engine is equipped with a governor, operating on a throttle between the carburetor and manifold, and driven from the exhaust camshaft through bevel gears and a flexible shaft.

The fan, which is located just behind the radiator, is driven by a leather belt from the fan pulley located at the front end of the fan shaft, having a flexible coupling at each end, and driven from the extension of the water pump driving shaft which projects through the crankcase front cover.

Ignition is supplied by an Eisemann high-tension variable spark magneto located on the right side of engine in front of the carburetor.

The carburetor is a Stromberg Model G, size 3 ( 1.5 inch ) double jet fixed nozzle air valve type.

Gasoline is supplied by gravity through copper tubing from the gasoline tank, located behind the seat. "

LF

This image is reproduced strictly for non-commercial research and private study purposes as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.