RNZAF GMC 6x6 trucks

[Dave Homewood]

I know that the RNZAF used the GMC 6x6 truck, up in the Pacific at the major bases like Guadalcanal, Bougainville, etc.

However did the RNZAF use that type of truck in New Zealand? Were any ever imported here to NZ during the war?

I have two Italeri 1/35th scale kits of the GMC 6x^ and would like to make both as RNZAF trucks. If possible I'll make one a Pacific based one, and if I find any info on whether they were used here, the other an NZ based example. Bu I cannot find any photos that confirm the RNZAF had them in New Zealand.

This is the type of truck I'm referring to:
www.ipmshpm.org/Builds/Cars/Moore_GMC_6x6/Moore_GMC_6x6.jpg

users.skynet.be/wielewaal/images/IST-GMC_ursel_4304.jpg

hsfeatures.com/features04/images/gmcdeucemg_8.jpg

[Marcus]

Hi Dave

I am just about to finish the Airfix 1/76 version of the same truck. Here are some pics I have taken at the past two “Armistices in Cambridge”. Although not RNZAF they are local and I contemplated modeling one of these before I applied the final "Red Ball" Olive-Drab US-Army color scheme.

Talking about "trucks".... I was given a 1957 RNZAF ambulance and a Jeep a few years ago. The ambulance is apparently one of only eight brought into the country way back. It is presently in a shed just outside Hams on the way to Cambridge. It was WOF’ed and Rego’d up to 2005. The previous owner had taken it down to Wings Over Wairarapa in 2005. Once the “Credit Crunch” eases, takes a lot of money to emigrate, I intend getting her back on the road. I think she would look nice at one of our future forum meets.

Regards

Marcus

[30sqnatc]

My initial answer is possibly. The RNZAF certainly used 4x4 GMC as the gun tractors for the Anti-Aircraft Sqns in the 1950's. The GMC used by the RNZAF provided by the US in the islands were 6x6 however the majority of three axle GMCs used in NZ by the NZ Army were the rather rare 6x4 versions therefore it is likely air used tha same model. One of my things-to-do after Christmas is to visit National Archive and photograph the RNZAF vehicle post war photo albums so I will be able to confirm one way or the other then.

Paul

[Dave Homewood]

Great photos there Marcus. Your ambulance sounds of interest, a definite starter for a future forum meet. What type of vehicle is it? I know the RNZAF used some Landrover Ambulances but they were probably what replaced your one, as they were still around in my time in the 1990's. Were they Dodge's?

I ahve wondered if a lot of the US trucks and jeeps that made its way into RNZAF service came from the US forces who were stationed here? Most of the vehicles I've seen in the earlier war years seem to be trucks and cars impressed from civil life, lots of Befords etc. I know they also used the Canadian Chevy 15CWT trucks a lot too, as did the YMCA people on RNZAF bases as their Joe Wagons, etc.

Paul, I'd definately be interested in finding out more from those albums, thanks. I will look into the 4 x 4, I'm not sure if a 6 x 6 can be converted to that type. Any idea? I assume the 4 x 4 is just a shorter chassis version?

Thanks agin guys. By the way some of the ones in the islands that the RNZAF used had no roof or doors on the cab. They look cool like that.

[30sqnatc]

Not GMC but very much a vehicle used by RNZAF both in NZ and the Islands www.geocities.com/vmvc1au/C8AXstory.html

Paul

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks for that link Paul, that's the 15 CWT truck I mentioned. Italeri make that kit too, or used to. (the 15 CWT is not a designation, that's it's weight, CWT is some olden days Imperial abbreviation for "hundred weight" apparently. Don't know what that is in real weight (kilos)

[shorty]

C=Roman letter for 100, Wt=Abbreviation for Weight,

[30sqnatc]

Dec 23, 2008 23:32:52 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Thanks for that link Paul, that's the 15 CWT truck I mentioned. Italeri make that kit too, or used to. (the 15 CWT is not a designation, that's it's weight, CWT is some olden days Imperial abbreviation for "hundred weight" apparently. Don't know what that is in real weight (kilos)

1 imperial cwt (not the US version) is about 50 kgs. Note the body is made in NZ so is unique to NZ Army and Air Force. It is quite different from the kitset. There is a model in RNZAF pacific colors floating around somewhere. Now who did I give it to ??

[30sqnatc]

I did a check of the reference books.

In The WAAF Book by Bathia MacKenzie pg 92 there is a picture of an RNZAF GMC (roundel on bumper). Unfortunately due to the crowd in front of the front wheel it is not possible to classify as 6x6 or 6x4.

In Wings over the Pacific by Alex Horn there are two pictures of 6x4 GMCs in the Pacific - MT 2175 (pg 210) and MT 1798 (pg 215). It is a fairly safe bet they came from NZ and therefore that the RNZAF probably used 6x4 GMC in NZ. Also see pg 202 which shows the NZ manfactured metal body on the Chevrolet chassis.

By the way tractor unit towing the refueller on pg 204 is not a GMC, it's a 6x6 International (see the mudguard shape) so almost certainly ex US Navy or Marines. A front view of this vehicle appears in Military Wings Vol 2 pg 116 which clearly shows the RNZAF roundel on the bumper and refuel tanker (2000 lt??).

I really must start another database of RNZAF vehicles. My original was on a Commodore 64!

Paul

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Paul. I'll look up those references.

[30sqnatc]

I finally got to the National Archive today and drew out the WWII period photo album of RNZAF vehicles. It is just an album of vehicle phots (and clearly some are not RNZAF e.g. RCAF and various US forces) with no explaination of purpose so I'm not sure how complete it is. Also unfortunately the album has been fiddled with as it includes vehicles that were not made until the mid-1950s and are up in the MT number 4000 +.

It only covers NZ based vehs however does have a few pictures on No 1 Aerodrome Construction Unit earthmoving equipment being guarded by a bored and wet Army guard - possibly in Hutt Valley. There is also a photo of a vehicle group titled 'Mechanical Transport Excepting Floodlight for Unit 20 - Oct 1940'. Appears to be at Rongotai. Shows 1 tractor, 2 staff cars, fire tender, van body trunk, 3 cargo trucks and an ambulance and apparently all impressed civilian vehicles. All the vehicle are two tone cam painted but are shiny??

Anyway back to the original question. There were no pictures of GMC in the WWII albums.

There was one GMC in the c1950-60 albums but is was a tanker. It is not possible to tell if it was water, fuel or fire and even that it is diffinitively RNZAF. Unfortunately someone had ripped off part of the photo surface so it is not possible to tell if it is 6x4 or 6x6.

I will add the info from all the pictures to the RNZAF vehicle database I have been working on over the holidays.

Paul

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Paul. Oh well, it looks like it will be Islands schemes only for my models. Or one might have to be chopped down to become a 6x4.

Yes Unit 20 formed at Rongotai and left for Fiji in November 1940. It's good to know that photo exisits, there's very little extant in the way of records for Unit 20.