David Brown VIG Airfield Tractor

[3DStewart]

I want to try my hand at scratch building and a little subject like this seems a good way to start.

Can anyone tell me if plans exist for the tractor (type 462, to be exact). Ideally in 1:72, but other scales if not.

And yes, I know Airfix used to include one in their Stirling kit, but I want to try and improve on it.

Regards

DP

[RussTnailZ]

I dont have plans but my dad restored one of these i will dig out pics of it and scan em up for you tomorrow if its any help

Russ

Edited August 24, 2010 by RussTnailZ

[cynicaljohnny]

Accurate Armour do one in 1/48 scale - maybe their website has some usable pics? I have the kit unbuilt, but as I've in NZ and the kit is awaiting shipping from a friend in the UK (and has been for the last 12 months), I can't dig it out to see what sort of plans/instructions/photos it has.....

[3DStewart]

Russ, thanks for the offer of photos. Any you've got of the less common views such as the drivers position, rear winch or chassis would be really useful.

CJ, I didn't know about Accurate Armour's 1:48 kit. It's on their website and I'll check it out later.

Regards

DP

[RussTnailZ]

I can only find a couple of it my dads was a bomb trolley tower so had no winch gear and he restored it in david brown factory red rather than RAF scheme and it was yellow at some point he tells me. it would seat four crew two on the bench seat and there were 1 position each side of that with seats

other couple of pics ive dug out of his magazines

sorry i dont have better pics i will keep hunting hes restored loads of david browns hence photos every where lol

Russ

[Pete in Lincs]

Useless trivia,

Up until someone crashed it in the late 70's. We used to have one of these

at RAF Odiham for towing the Wessex & Puma's around.

The gearbox could be a pig! That one had been built in 1943.

There is a real one at Newark air museum, I saw it last in the restoration shed

a year or so ago.

Pete

[3DStewart]

I didn't realise they continued in RAF use for so long. A diorama of one pulling a Puma would be interesting.

What did the tow bars look like?

DP

[Pete in Lincs]

Sorry, it's been too long since I worked on Puma's.

I can't remember!

Ask on the modern thread, I'm sure someone has a pic or two.

We used the tractor in & around the servicing hangar (ASF)

On the squadron's at the time they used short wheelbase 'para' land rovers for towing.

All the best

Pete

[TonyT]

Pete we had one on the OCU for towing the chinooks and that was mid 81, have the odd photo with a little bit of it. but the steering was on the right not in the middle, we also had them in Germany later than that on the Sqdn with a steerable brush on them for sweeping the aprons whilst I was on Jaguars. there was a seat on each rear mudguard and a damn great slab of steel across the back.

Edited August 27, 2010 by TonyT

[Phil W]

There are several preserved examples including one at Hendon, there is another at the Yorkshire Air Museum.

http://www.yorkshireairmuseum.co.uk/exhibi...ircraft-tractor

[davidelvy]

Isn't there a David Brown in the Airfix Sterling kit? I don't know which model, though.

[TonyT]

think so dragging a bomb trolley ?

Edited August 27, 2010 by TonyT

[Nobby57]

While researching potential vehicles for a late 50's carrier diorama, I came across a photo showing David Brown a/c tractors aboard HMS Albion; needless to say I'm hooked as the photograph has great potential for a carrier deck section diorama.

There are several tractors, Hawker Sea Hawks, DH Sea Venoms, Whirlwind helicopters and Skyraider AEW a/c...my question is this, and I know F-4K Models have one down for manufacture.., were these deck tractors yellow?

Does anyone also know where further information can be found about RN use of these tractors, as there's a distinct lack of information...as if modelling Senior Service items wasn't hard enough. (Although to be fair...a lot more interest seems to be shown nowadays)

1st Photo showing round down:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/backchat2000/6933894806/sizes/l/

2nd Photo Showing part of fly 2 with the said vehicles:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66120915@N05/7079967811/in/photolist-bMCFLx-co3yd9-e5btys-eYtMNd-c1Dyyb-c1DyCb-c1DypS-9YU7kQ-bV13xR-e55Qit-e55QkB-9YU7eh-9PEsm6-9PErBc-8y74q3-8y74yq-8y41MF-8y79sb-8y426T-8y42n2-dafK2a-kMuLiq-kMsFdv-kMsEu6-8ygkVG-dvA2Eo-dsu1Gd-koJQUR-dstR3i-cyi3MJ-dK8xxC-cYt5hG-8xWckv-8BZmYg-8HoNqB-8BZfha-8Cbwe5-8C4e25-8C8sxT-fmouBi-jycveP-cyi44m-9Y5GBQ-8xZdPh-drHbHj-drHbGs-aUNuLr-aUNuBP-eeG7aU-dvzhSV-dvurNx

Apologies for the links, but the poster has disabled copying...shame really, but it's their choice.

Thanks for taking the time to read and hope FAA modellers like the pics.

Nobby57