Bedford QL Refueller Conundrum

[Andy341]

Hi, I am normally an aircraft modeller, however I thought I would like to try IBG's Bedford QL Refueller.  The kit is posing no problems, however I am trying to make it like the QL in these photos.  These photos were taken by my dad in 1957, at RAF Benbecula, while he was posted there following his trade training as an instrument fitter.

 

The photos show the vehicle to be a variant with only two booms, whereas the IBG kit has three booms.  I have cross referenced the IBG kit with Airfix's 1/76 kit and I have noticed that the plumbing is different as well as there being two comes near the rest of the tank.  

 

Could anyone identify the specific type of QL is in the photos and confirm that it does have the two comes and and different plumbing than what is offered in the kit?  If possible, could anyone please provide either photos or scale drawings of the type?

 

Many thanks.

 

Andy

 

 

 

 

 

[Six97s]

Since nobody else has replied, I'll have a go.   You'll probably get a better response in the WWII subforum in the AFV section.

 

The IBG kit looks to have this sort of arrangement with the pipes running along the outside, although having found photos of some with three hooks, none had three booms fitted:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Second_world_war_Royal_Air_Force_Bedford_QL_aircraft_re-fueling_truck.jpg

 

The Airfix kit has the pipes feeding the booms running down the top of the tank.   Since they're not visible in your photos, I'd guess it was plumbed the same way.  This Hobby Master kit has the same plumbing:

 

http://kitrescue.net/images/DSC_0017.JPG

[Graham Boak]

As far as I can see there was no separate designation for the different tank/hose arrangements on the QL, but the booms were a post-war change.  I understood that the long cylinders on top of the tank were containers for hoses.: wartime examples can be seen with and qwithout these.

 

It is possible that these vehicles were given different RAF vehicle type numbers, which would be painted on the doors, but I suspect not.  It would be very interesting to find a list of these RAF vehicle types, but I've never come across one.  They seem to be most visible on late-war examples, especially those on the continent.