Naval Bomb Carriers

I came across an airforce bomb carrier for sale and fully reconditioned in the UK a few weeks ago.

I remembered these photos of the Naval Bomb Carriers that the Hilliam Bros used in Dargaville, New Zealand in 1962. Bill Hilliam has given me permission to share them with you.

The carriers were used for spreading fertiliser on the paddocks.

Also Trademe (Fleabay equivalent in NZ) had an old bomb loader in really good nick advertised recently, someone had been using it as a yard crane.

I was wondering if anyone had any information or photos on commercial uses of the carriers in Australia after the war.

There is one in Brisbane which was used as a yard crane at a wrecking yard. It is still in good order but has sat for 15 years because the son of the now deceased owner "is going to do it up".

The Ford GTB is a very interesting vehicle. It has the 6 cylinder engine (as compared to nearly everything else Ford made with the V8). They were known as Burma Jeeps.

They came mainly in two styles. The first is the bomb carrier with crane and the other as a general cargo with normal tray. They have not been very popular as restorers with the military collectors as the passenger sits sideways in a very uncomfortable position.

There were not as many of them as the common 1 1/2 ton Chevrolet bomb carrier which is a very nice truck to drive.




This is the Chevrolet version - a much better truck all around.



Lang

Wonderful picture's, thanks for sharing them, always surprising what great stuff comes up on this forum.