Famo`s rear steering .

[Don149]

Looking at the Tamiya Famo and trailer , that I built some years back has set me wondering about the rear suspension/steering unit

with the single cab . Was it self propelled ? as it would have to move aside to load / unload the trailer , Did the same unit lower and

raise the rear of the load deck ? , in which case it must have had some sort of power .Looking at the model , which must be one of the

best bargains on the market for the amount of plastic for money , set my old Mk 1 computer running !

                                                                                                                                                                Don ..

[Kingsman]

There's no sign of a donkey engine on the rear dolly for independent power nor any drive mechanism to the wheels.  About the only real explanation of the process I have found is on this site.  http://www.barmagi.de/baubericht-sd.ah.116.html.  I'm sure others out there know more.

 

This site talks of the rear dolly being "pushed" into position for hitching-up.  When loaded, the Famo winch would be obstructed by the load - but could presumably be used for hitching-up unladen, perhaps using the 2 prominent hooks at the front of the dolly chassis.  The rear winch drum on the dolly may have a purpose here.  However, this photo clearly shows manpower in use to push the dolly away.

 

It also talks of the trailer bed being lowered by a chain, presumably therefore on some sort of winch.  Hitching up must have used the same process.  But with no power available that must be a manual task: manually winching up a deck with up to 25 tonnes on it?  Big biceps!  But there doesn't seem to be any obvious sign of such a winching mechanism on the dolly either, so it must be hidden underneath.  Here's a photo of one of the crew attaching the winch lifting chains to the trailer bed extension under the dolly.

 

This next photo shows an operation to connect or disconnect the dolly.  The guys clustered around the back and sat on top are clearly doing something, but hard to make out exactly what.  I would say that the 2 guys in coveralls with their backs to us, and perhaps the guy at far right, are probably turning crank handles.  The guy on top is perhaps controlling a brake mechanism or the coupling clamps.  The large stowage box is open, so it clearly has something to do with the process: winding handles etc I imagine.  The NCO is of course just wandering around "supervising"........  So this indicates that there was a crank-operated manual winch mechanism under the dolly, operated by horizontal crank handles at the rear.  I don't have the Tamiya kit, but from photos on the web it doesn't seem to represent this.

 

 

I notice that the front of the trailer stowed 2 standard tank jacks.  I wonder if these were the back-up mode for lifting the deck, or just for tyre changing on the trailer.

 

The trailer attached to the dolly under the centre of the dolly, between the wheels.  This photo appears to show that the dolly could pivot vertically on those attachment points on uneven ground.

 

I believe that Bruce Crompton found most of one of these (or maybe it was the smaller version) in a barn in Austria and was planning to acquire the bits.  I imagine that restoration will require a lot of 1:1 scratchbuilding.

[Don149]

Thank you , D.A. I think your post and pics . answers my questions . These vehicles must have been hard graft for the

crews ! . The bod who cranked up the load deck must have been the original Dribollick Jack , ( very old joke ) .

                                                                                                                                                                Cheers

                                                                                                                                                                           Don .