Australian Airborne CCKW
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:22 am
Things are a bit slow on the CCKW scene so I thought I would post about a very rare truck - the Australian Airborne version of the CCKW 352. From what I understand, the concept was developed by 2 American Ordnance officers in New Guinea and the production was carried out by the GM Holden assembly plant at Pagewood in Sydney. I believe there were both cargo and dump truck versions made. The concept was further refined in the US and a US conversion kit was developed and I believe many trucks were so converted by the Ford Motor Co. Not sure if any rolled off the GM lines as Air portable units.
There was some discussion of these rare Pacific theatre trucks in one of Bart Vanderveen's Wheels and Tracks magazine and there are a few photographs In the Australian War Memorial collection. The Australian versions were all disposed of at one surplus sale in 1955 and then put to typically heavy use by civilian operators. I know of only one reasonably intact specimen and a few wrecks. The one in this story ended up as the garbage truck at Tangalooma Island resort. When the owners decided it was no longer of any use to them, it was sold to a junk yard where I first saw it. As is usually the case, the yard owner wanted a small fortune for it, so I passed. When I revisited some time later, some yob had torch cut the engine and gearbox out and the wreck was about to be crushed so I bought it to save it from destruction. Time passed and I sold it to a fellow who was going to restore it but that never quite eventuated so I bought it back (for more than I sold it to him for!!) As I was never going to be able to get around to it, I was happy to trade it to one of my friends for a NOS GMC grill. I knew if anyone was going to save it, it would be him. I am pleased to report it is well on its way to resurrection. I visited the old girl today and some photographs follow - the major hiccups at the moment are the early power-pedal brake system and spare wheel clamps. If anyone can help with these parts let me know.
Chassis number is in the 28,xxx range. Stay tuned - before and after photographs to follow soon.
There was some discussion of these rare Pacific theatre trucks in one of Bart Vanderveen's Wheels and Tracks magazine and there are a few photographs In the Australian War Memorial collection. The Australian versions were all disposed of at one surplus sale in 1955 and then put to typically heavy use by civilian operators. I know of only one reasonably intact specimen and a few wrecks. The one in this story ended up as the garbage truck at Tangalooma Island resort. When the owners decided it was no longer of any use to them, it was sold to a junk yard where I first saw it. As is usually the case, the yard owner wanted a small fortune for it, so I passed. When I revisited some time later, some yob had torch cut the engine and gearbox out and the wreck was about to be crushed so I bought it to save it from destruction. Time passed and I sold it to a fellow who was going to restore it but that never quite eventuated so I bought it back (for more than I sold it to him for!!) As I was never going to be able to get around to it, I was happy to trade it to one of my friends for a NOS GMC grill. I knew if anyone was going to save it, it would be him. I am pleased to report it is well on its way to resurrection. I visited the old girl today and some photographs follow - the major hiccups at the moment are the early power-pedal brake system and spare wheel clamps. If anyone can help with these parts let me know.
Chassis number is in the 28,xxx range. Stay tuned - before and after photographs to follow soon.