What truck is that in Rumanian Army Service?

[mihai]

Hall everyone!

What truck is that in Rumanian Army Service?

:?: http://www.hobby.ro/roarmy/auto/ssab1.jpg

Mihai
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Amor crucifixi traxit nos christi.

[aerialls]

Opel Blitz

[Dénes]

QUOTE

What truck is that in Rumanian Army Service?

That truck was in service of the Air Force (SSA=Subsecretariatul de Stat al Aerului).

[dragos]

Another one

[Dénes]

Interestingly, it appears that soft-skin vehicles of ARR retained the pre-May 1941 style tricolour cockade and did not convert to the 'Michael's Cross' style markings.
I have seen more similar shots, taken in the 1941-1944 time period, and IIRC all vehicles sported the cockade.

[SethG]

Were these Blitzes 4x4 or only 4x2? My information, which I don't trust too much, is that these trucks arrived in 6/41, by which time the 4x4 should have been prevalent in production. While on the topic of trucks, can anyone provide info on the use of Thornycroft trucks (Vickers subsidiary, I think)? I think these were older 6x4s, perhaps from the early '30s, but doing websearches on old trucks is unfortunately pretty useless.
Seth

[Bill Murray]

Morning Gentlemen:

Regarding the two truck photos posted, both are Ford 1.5 tonne 4x2.
Most likely 1937 but could be l938/9 too as Ford used older sheetmetal in some of it's CKD plants in Eastern Europe.

According to my references, mostly from Bart Vanderveens publications, Romania purchased several hundred Ford trucks in that time frame, some of which were fitted with Marmon-Herrington driven front axles. I also have one poor photo of a Cab Over Engine Ford towing a 37mm AA cannon. Only one I have ever seen, also ex Vanderveen.

This is my first day on this board and I find it a good one. Already found some really interesting truck stuff. If you run across any other Romanian truck photos, please post them as it is very hard to find any. I have perhaps no more than a dozen out of my photo collection of thousands of trucks.
Bill

[dragos]

Some other trucks:

[Bill Murray]

Thank you Dragos!!

I especially liked the Ford open personnel carrier which I guess would have been used for internal security (Police) duties.

Very interesting site you have here. I did a search on "Ford" and ran across the thread about daily updates in Iraq. My, my, some of the members do get a bit testy don't they.

I have probably posted this elsewhere but I am 63 years old and have been collecting data on soft skin vehicles for almost 40 years and have been involved in hundreds of debates, first in letters and later on the internet about the relative merits of various countries equipment and personnel not even to speak of leadership and tactics. I guess we will never have a real answer whether we speak of the Crusades or the more current wars. Still, it keeps the brain active and I enjoy it but moreso if folks don't get so damned aggressive in their views. It is history, after all and they ain't going to change that.

Again, thanks for the photos and if you run across more please pass them on. I am going through a major change in my computer equipment and am not able to send just now but when it is finished I will start to contribute more than just identification.

Bill

[aerialls]

Sorry for the mistake...the first truck "looked" like an Blitz anyway...

[Dénes]

Mr. Murray, two days ago I sent you a private message regarding some non-Rumanian trucks (off topic).
Please contact me off-board, at your convenience.
Thank you.

[Bill Murray]

Arialls:

Not to worry

In almost 40 years in this hobby I am sure I have mis-identified a lot more photos than I have gotten right. I just keep on trying.

Not to make this boring but I look always for styling cues. For instance the Fords up to 1940 had horizontal grille bars whereas the Opel has vertical grille bars. In 1940, Ford went to vertical bars as well but they were thicker than on the Opel. Other clues are the arrangement of the louvres in the bonnet. On 35-36 Fords they are vertical slanted to the front and more or less from top to bottom of the sides. 1937-1941 they are horizontal. On the 1.5 and 3 tonne Blitz, they are vertical but slanted to the front and are shorter than the Ford of 35-36. Also all Fords had rather more rounded front mudguards, almost civilian, and the Blitzes had the more squared off type mudguards. Then, there are the wheels etc. but that is really boring.

Lt. Denes:

I answered your PM with an e-mail earlier but in the meantime I can mention that I sent an e-mail to Bernadett who is the corporate director of communications for RABA to see if she could help us with information on the "Maros".

Bill