Bedford radio truck

[Mark Oddy]

This is to be my next project. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the colours? The picture was taken in the 1950’s so I’m guessing RAF blue/grey? The bonnet is possibly Yellow but I’m not sure. The canvas cab roof seems to be a similar colour but it’s difficult to tell. Can anyone shed any light on these?

[AlxBNE]

Sorry can't help with your colour enquiry but keen to follow your progress, this be an interesting subject.

Will you do a WIP?

Good luck with the research.

[Selwyn]

20 minutes ago, Mark Oddy said:

This is to be my next project. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on the colours? The picture was taken in the 1950’s so I’m guessing RAF blue/grey? The bonnet is possibly Yellow but I’m not sure. The canvas cab roof seems to be a similar colour but it’s difficult to tell. Can anyone shed any light on these?

The Number plate on this vehicle begins with RAF. this format was used up to 1948.

In 1949, a new six character format was introduced. It featured 2 numbers, followed by 2 letters, and another 2 numbers. This suggests that this image is a wartime or just postwar picture, and not a image from the 1950's.

 

Selwyn

 

[Mark Oddy]

12 hours ago, AlxBNE said:

Sorry can't help with your colour enquiry but keen to follow your progress, this be an interesting subject.

Will you do a WIP?

Good luck with the research.

I’m probably not going to do a WIP just yet. I have a 1/76 resin body that I’ll modify and see how that turns out. If it looks ok then I may try the Airfix kit and scratchbuild a back for it. My skills at scratch building aren’t great!

[John Tapsell]

In the immediate post-war period, after the RAF vehicles had gone back to blue/grey, the fenders/mudguards were painted black - difficult to tell in the photos but the nearest front fender could be black. I tend to agree that the roof and bonnet are yellow because it is a different shade to the white lettering and (presumably) white bands on the road marker. No idea what colour the 'H4' on the bonnet might be (black maybe, or perhaps less likely, red).

 

The stuff below shows different vehicles but all from the same era - I'd suggest that the Morris(?) truck probably has a red/white roof. Interestingly, they appear to be camouflaged (so not blue/grey), so your Bedford might also still be in wartime camouflage.

1950 newsreel from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EbntORRLls

Link to an Alamy page/image: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-harpur-hill-buxton-raf-rescue-team-at-work-l-to-r-lac-austin-walkie-20442290.html

 

 

 

[Mark Oddy]

5 minutes ago, John Tapsell said:

In the immediate post-war period, after the RAF vehicles had gone back to blue/grey, the fenders/mudguards were painted black - difficult to tell in the photos but the nearest front fender could be black. I tend to agree that the roof and bonnet are yellow because it is a different shade to the white lettering and (presumably) white bands on the road marker. No idea what colour the 'H4' on the bonnet might be (black maybe, or perhaps less likely, red).

 

The stuff below shows different vehicles but all from the same era - I'd suggest that the Morris(?) truck probably has a red/white roof. Interestingly, they appear to be camouflaged (so not blue/grey), so your Bedford might also still be in wartime camouflage.

1950 newsreel from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EbntORRLls

Link to an Alamy page/image: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-harpur-hill-buxton-raf-rescue-team-at-work-l-to-r-lac-austin-walkie-20442290.html

 

 

 

Thanks for the pics the top one is one I don’t have. I was led to believe the ambulance was a Humber but it could well be a Morris. This would make building this one easier if it is a Morris as the only Humber kit I’ve found is by Firing line and only seems available in the US. I have a few friends on a RAF mountain rescue site who are looking up some more details for me.

[Circloy]

Firing line are manufactured in the UK

 

https://www.djparkins.com/home.php?cat=262

[T-21]

The Bedford MWV  radio servicing truck was overall dark green in wartime RAF use. No.109 Squadron at Little Staughton  had one serialled 119239 on the doors. They were used to service the Oboe units in Pathfinder Force  DH Mosquitoes and generate the test signals normally received from the ground stations. A lot of mileage was put on these vehicles servicing all the aircraft. Normally one radio van per each Squadron Flight. No.162 Squadron at RAF Bourn had 2 allocated  One Signals Tender Type 316 the other a Signals Tender Type 422.

[Ted A]

The ambo is a humber. they were used by several of the late war early post war teams as both an ambo and a wireless truck. Those roof marking was black and yellow. During my service i had several MRS. friends and i had access to the diaries and logs of one of the long standing teams.  The colours had much earlier been confirmed by a founding team member and were incorporated into the illustration on the cover of a book about the RAF. MRS.