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101 Ron
11th August 2012, 08:12 AM
I was talking to a bloke who did national service with 18 LAA.
He was telling me one of his jobs was when riding in the back of a Studebaker 6x6 truck towing a gun was to manually operate the gun brakes.
It was done by tieing the gun lanyard to the hand brake levers and passing them into the rear of the truck where the gunners sits .
This was to help the towing vehicles brakes as most guns do not have inter connected brakes to the tow vehicle.
The guns brakes are usually for man handling the gun when on site.
In my day with a MK 3 International (23 FD REGT RAA) you just towed the gun and didnt worry about the little bit over 2 tonnes of unbraked gun on the back.
I wonder what the RTA/RMS etc would think of the pratice today.

I still learn little gems of information from the the troops who used to use these vehicles.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1229.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/08/1230.jpg

101 Ron
11th August 2012, 12:26 PM
I remember talking to a old transport digger.......bomadier Whitely over a few beers in the time I was ARES and he told me the Studebakers used for towing the 4 wheeled Wiles cookers had a air compressor belt driven in the engine bay used only for the cookers.
I the years I have played with studebaker 6x6 trucks I havent seen this.( a studebaker with air trailer brakes)
The factory option with a semi trailer arangement ( fith wheel ) was vacuum.
Bomadier Whitely was the type of person who said if it was, then you can be certain it was.
Anyone remember this ?
Anyone remember other gems of information or useage ?

Ausfree
30th September 2012, 06:28 AM
That is correct 101Ron, I was a Gun Sargent in a CMF unit in the late 1960's and we used both GMC's and Studebakers as gun towers for our 40mm Bofor's. I was based with 113 LAA Battery based at Fort Scratchley in Newcastle.
The lanyard was usually operated by the No. 5 Gun Number who was the Radio Op. All the other Gunners sat in the back also, I remember it well.:D

The Sargent had a bit more comfort.........he sat up the front with the driver:p

Ausfree
30th September 2012, 06:41 AM
Now that we are on the subject (you have me reminiscing now) I thought I might show a photo of a Bofor at a live firing practice at Fort Wallace at Stockton in the mid 1960's that's me standing on top when I was a Gunner. I was the Gun Number 4 loading number and my job was to feed clips of 4 rounds of live 40mm live ammunition into the Auto Loader. The Bofor had a firing rate of two rounds a second, so I was a busy fellow.:D


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/09/41.jpg

101 Ron
30th September 2012, 08:30 AM
Fort Wallace and the surrounding area has a very interesting history.
I have visted the remains of the old armour testing area and learn WW2 radar was operated there etc and a net work of old tarred roads though the back of stockton beach.
I can find little about the history of the place and nothing about the layout and what alot of the remains left there are.
My father was with 18 LAA in the CMF and long afterwards.
Firing was done from places which would upset many greenies today.
North head Sydney, Bass point Wollongong,Kangaroo hill Tianjarra,Beecroft head Jervis bay......ect.
It took all day to go from Deewhy Sydney to Tianjarra firing range at the convoy speeds and the power advailible from the trucks of the day.
A Studebaker with with a gun and then a load of ammo and gunners with gear would have meant evey reasonable hill was done at a fast jogging pace.
I understand petrol was rationed in the army system and every truck was usually well loaded to get the best out off advailible petrol allowance for a camp.
How easy things are with modern trucks.

PhilipA
30th September 2012, 09:21 AM
When I was in the CMF Qld University Regiment in about 1970, I travelled in a Studebaker with 54 miles on the clock.

It was unbelievable to me that the army would store them for 25 years before use. But someone also told me thay had brand new FC holdens also.

Regards Philip A

Ausfree
30th September 2012, 12:44 PM
Yes, we also had live firing at Wollongong and Jervis Bay as well as Fort Wallace when the Bofor was used for it's intended purpose that is, anti aircraft defence. We also had live firing at Singleton using the Bofor in it's secondary anti tank role. We used to fire at a target made up of calico bags stretched between star pickets. We used AP ammuntion. I really would not like to take on a tank as all the gunners are so exposed!!!:o

When we live fired in antiaircraft mode, we used HE ammunition and fired at a drogue that was towed by a Mustang aircraft, he used to just fly in large circles above us and we could not fire until he was out to sea. The drogue was well behind him so there was no chance of hitting him by mistake. When we finished, he used to fly low over Stockton beach and drop the drogue, which was retrieved by us. The drogue was VERY hard to hit as it used to whip around.:D

Back on subject, I have enclosed a photo taken at Singleton Army Barracks in the mid 1960's (I was still a Gunner) showing me taking out the breach Mechs of a Bofor and in the background you will see a Studebaker Gun Tower.Note the Cammo netting over the rear of the truck.(looks like a dark band).

By the way, the Army Barracks was the old one not the posh new airconditioned one they have nowadays..:p

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/09/33.jpg

Ausfree
1st October 2012, 04:05 PM
Well, what a beautiful public holiday today.:D My wife and I decided to visit Fort Scratchley in Newcastle, which we haven't been to in years to have a look at the "open day" put on by the Fort Scratchley Historical Society. It was great to catch up with people that I served with here in the 1960's and who do volunteer work here now. They were dressed in uniforms relating to the different era's that the Fort was under the command of the army. I am still working full-time and when I retire (not too far away now) I will spend time there also as a volunteer.

Because the subject of this Thread is about Gun Towers I have some piccies of the trucks we used in the 1960's.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/1734.jpg

A Studebaker truck bearing the colours of my unit.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/1735.jpg

Details of the Truck.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/1736.jpg

A general picture of some of the vehicles on display on the parade ground, next to the Studebaker is a Series2 LandRover which the officers used to swan around in. The Jeeps, of cause were never used by 113 Battery.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/1737.jpg

The International 4x4 replaced the Studebaker/GMC's in the late 1960's, but they were never as good as a Gun Tower, frequently getting bogged. They were replaced by the International 6 wheel drive which were much more effective as a Gun Tower.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/10/1738.jpg


Off topic, I know but this is a view of the two six inch guns at the Fort.

We had a good day and it was good to catch up with people that I have not seen in years.:D

Ausfree
1st October 2012, 04:36 PM
Actually as an aside, I notice in your piccies Ron, the Studebaker you have has clearance lights above the doors whereas the Fort Scratchley example does not. I remember using them as "handholds" when I swung into the cab.:) Not a big deal, I know but just a useless piece of information!:D

101 Ron
1st October 2012, 05:16 PM
All australian studebakers originally had roof top clearence lights witch are swung into the centre of the roof when off road to stop them being damaged.
They also had on the righthand of the front of the cabin/engine cowl a cable operated from the cabin , stop, right turn signal yellow signal hand.
Mirrors were changed slightly and vacuum wipers were replaced by 6 volt electric all in the interest of safety.
There were afew other detail mods only done in australia , as they were assembled here from crates in 1959.
You will find all Studebakers in Australia are 1945 built as they were all delivered at the same time at the end of the war....in crates.

Ausfree
1st October 2012, 05:25 PM
Yep, the lights did swing in to the centre of the roof, I remember having to grab their arm carefully!!:)