Bedford QLR - 4x4 wireless truck - case report (2024)

Although Bedford Vehicles only started producing utility vehicles under its own brand in 1931 and did not supply its first military vehicle until 1936, this company was probably the most important manufacturer of military trucks in Britain during World War II, reaching wartime production numbers of more than 250,000 vehicles.

Variants:

• QL1:
• first prototype, made in 1940 (see pic above).

• QLB:
• Bofors gun tractor.Approximately 5,500 QLBs were built. Several QLBs were fitted with shortened GS bodies and recovery cranes to be used as wreckers by the Danish Army (Used until late 1960s).

Bedford QLB (Aussie) towing a 40mm Bofors AA gun

Bedford QLB Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, Brussel

• QLC:

  • Used as fire engine, fuel tankers and tractors for semi-trailers (Dromedary)and 6pdr. gun portee (normally with soft cabin).

Bedford QLC fire engine, one of the tenders of 104 Fire Fighting Company (Army Fire Service), stationed in Caen - Normandy.

Bedford QLC fire engine without tarp upper rear view

Bedford QLC fuel tanker (RAF) refueling a Tropicalized Hurricane with gasoline - Italy

Bedford QLC tanker, refueling a C47 in Brussels, 1945.

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary

Bedford QLC 4x4-2 Dromedary rear right view

Bedford QLC 6 pdr. gun portee (without the gun) Notice the wide cargo bay and soft cabin

Bedford QLC Portee with 6pdr unloaded, crossing a captured location in Tunisia (source: British Pathe newsreel)

Bedford QLC 6 pdr. gun portee converted to troop-carrier, with a QLT bay cargo and soft cabin

• QLD:
• General service (GS) cargo truck and was the most numerous version in the series.

Bedford QLD (GS) - Notice the metal bay cargo

Bedford QLD (GS) with "Mickey Mouse" cammo

• QLR:
• Signals vehicle. Originally Originally mounted on the QLC chassis/cab, special QLR chassis were soon put into production, which differed from the standard type in having special electrical equipment, radio suppression, fitment of a 660 W auxiliary generator driven by the transfer case power-take-off and, like the QLT, two 16 gallon petrol tanks instead of one behind the cab. The interior furniture, partitioning and radio equipment varied from the different functions. On vehicles installed for the wireless role, a tent could be erected at the rear and sides. Between cab and man body were lockers for aerial masts and other equipment. Beneath the body were further lockers and racks for cable drums, batteries, tyre chains, 20 gallon drinking water tank, rectifier box, tools, fuel tank for the auxiliary engine, jerrycans and other items. The basic body shells were produced by Duple, Lagonda, Mulliner, Tickford and others. A revised body was introduced during 1944 for the Command High and Low Power and Wireless High Power roles. This body had an improved "L"-shaped tent which could be erected alongside the left-hand side and rear of the body.

Abrand new Bedford QLR in England

Bedford QLR

Bedford QLR with tent erected in the right side of the body.

Bedford QLR wireless

• QLT:
• Troop carrier, with extended body for an intended load or 29 men and their equipment. 3,373 Bedford were produced before the war ended.

Bedford QLT - 3/4 front view

Bedford QLT - rear view showing the seats for troops

• QLW:
• This winch equipped model had a 2,3 cubic meters Edbro tipper body. About 1000 Bedford QLWs were produced of which the last 600 were designed to be air-portable, the Bedford QLW, APT version.. Entering service in 1944, with a 5 ton winch and 52 meters of cable they were used by REME and RAF construction units. When used with a Tilt Cover they were also deployed as a General Service trucks. Broken down into two loads the Bedford QLW could be shipped in two C47 Dakota's.

Bedford QLW (winch) chassis

Bedford QLW with the tipper bay fully raised

Bedford QLW with tipper covered with tarp. They were also used as a General Service trucks

Bedford QLW with tipper covered with tarp, transporting troops and towing a trailer.

• Lorry, 3 ton, GS Bedford half-track (Bedford-Bren - prototype only)
• Following the fall of Singapore rubber was scarce and so at the request of the Ministry of Supply a Bedford QL was adapted using a Carden Lloyd suspension taken from a Bren Gun Carrier. While the Bedford-Bren was capable of impressive feats of tractive power (which could have been easily produced in its own right as a prime mover) British authorities, unlike the Americans and Germans, did not favour the half-track. The shortage of rubber was not as severe as anticipated and official interest in the project waned. Not only did this British parallel to the German Maultier not go into production, the single prototype was converted back into an all-wheel vehicle.

Bedford half-track (Bedford-Bren - prototype)

• Lorry, 3 ton, 4 x 4, Bedford, experimental (Bedford Giraffe - prototype only)
• An attempt to make a motor vehicle capable of deep wading for river crossings and amphibious landing, the Bedford Giraffe was developed as insurance against the shallow wading kits under development did not prove effective in deeper water. As a 'plan B' Vauxhall adapted a Bedford GL by mounting its engine, cab and gearbox on an elevated girder frame some seven feet high, with a chain drive transmitting power to thepropshaft. The ungainly but effective vehicle demonstrated it was a viable solution should hastily extemporised waterproofing kits fail but they proved effective and so no specialised type was required.

Bedford Giraffe - prototype Front view

Bedford Giraffe - prototype Rear view

• Bedford-Vauxhall BT "Traclat"

• In 1943, after German medium half-tracks had been captured in Africa & tested in Britain, it was decided to copy it for the British Army as a towing vehicle for the 25 pdr,17pdr and 40mm AA guns.un. The German SdKfz.7, 8-ton version was decided on as the one to produce & Vauxhall Motor's Bedford Truck Division was told to copy it as closely as possible. Vauxhall insisted on large orders before starting production so the Army ordered 7,500 for 1944 & 5,000 for 1945 delivery. However doubts were expressed about thevery time-consumingproduction of the high-quality needle-bearing track components & disruption to Tank production. By June 1945 only 6 prototypes had been built. Testing showed that the Traclat was superior to all other vehicles being considered for the job but it was cancelled due to its cost.

  The bodies & front wheels were standard Bedford items. The Traclat was powered by two Bedford six-cylinder 140 hp engines (with their radiators) mounted side-by-side - the cooling system for each engine was seperate. These engines drove via shafts into a coupling gearbox. The track bogie-wheels were of German pattern but seem to be taken from a mix of German half-track types (hole patterns) - the outer ones from SdKfz-11 / SdKfz-251 while the inners from a DB-10 (12 ton) final type. Vauxhall re-engineered everything was for imperial measurements - imperial nuts & bolts etc used. This meant that the track bogie-wheels were new, even though they retained the Germanic styling, thus accounting for the strange (non-German) hole patterns, very conical centers & hubs.And to top it off, the vehicle had a right-hand drive. (font:https://www.nevingtonwarmuseum.com/)

Bedford-vauxhall BT "Traclat" prototype no. 6 (font: Vauxpedia)

Specs:

The kit:

Cutting the front and rear walls. The screws keep the parts together and, with that, they are identical after cutting. I use the same system for the side walls: maintaining symmetry is very important to avoid twisting the construction of the shelter.

For this project,I chose the following markings, on a "Mickey-Mouse" type camouflage: Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck number 2, belonged to Divisional Headquarters of11th Armoured Division (part of VIII British Army Corps), in the battles of Operation Epsom, in department of Calvados, Normandy - France, in 27 June 1944.

11th Armoured Division insignia: the "Charging Bull" , but the Divisionwas also known as the "Black Bulls".

Unfortunately, I missed the photos of the initial stages of painting, but I remade the photos of the final result of the work. This is my Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck number 2, belonged to Divisional Headquarters of11th Armoured Division(part of VIII British Army Corps), in the battles ofOperation Epsom, in department of Calvados, Normandy - France, in 27 June 1944.

Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck number 2 - Divisional Headquarters 11th Armoured Division- VIII British Army Corps Operation Epsom-Calvados, Normandy France - 27 June 1944.

Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck with Kojak and Rover, the dog.

Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck with Bedford haltrack prototype

Bedford QLR 4x4 wireless truck number 2 - Divisional Headquarters 11th Armoured Division-VIII British Army Corps Operation Epsom-Calvados, Normandy France - 27 June 1944.