Ground Servicing Equipment & Vehicle Manuals from WWII added this week!
Cars and trucks are not something we talk about very often at AirCorps Library, even though who doesn't appreciate a WWII era Jeep! However, airport vehicles are an even more obscure topic, but in a way, no less interesting. Every airport during WWII needed a fuel truck, along with a variety of other tools, to help the ground crews do their jobs quickly and efficiently. Because of our specific focus on aircraft, we don't often get donations of manuals that cover vehicles and ground equipment, but this week we added 21 new manuals that fit into this category that were originally scanned from the Jay Wisler Collection.
The newly added manuals cover everything from WWII fuel trucks, to mobile instrument testing labs, demolition tractors, and auxiliary power plants. Click Here to browse through all 21 new ground servicing equipment and vehicle manuals.
Ground equipment didn't always mean a truck though. For example, one of the new manuals deals specifically with a fuel and oil transfer unit. As the name suggests, this manual deals with the component installed on a truck, that controlled the fuel or oil pump rate when transferring liquid into an aircraft. The manual covers several models, including the D-9 unit that had a flow capacity of 100 gallons at free flow driven by the 690 rpm, 100CV Pump, and the D-17 pump rated at 200 gallons at 430 rpm.
Other manuals in this section include a handbook of instruction for the type F-1 fuel servicing trailer, models ACRF-4B and ACRF-4BX that has some great illustrations about how the trailer, with or without the truck attached can be stored and shipped in a boxcar. The trailer converter dolly manual describes the use of the dolly to convert the F-2A or F-2 semi-trailer into a full four wheeled trailer which could then be towed behind another semi-trailer.
However, my favorite of the bunch is definitely the handbook of instructions with parts catalog for the semi-trailer instrument shop and type A-3 dolly converter. This mobile unit consisted of a U-shaped test bench with cabinets below, a test stand table, fluorescent lights, fire extinguisher, and of course a generating plant through a forward door. If you have one of these sitting around in your backyard, this is the perfect manual to help you get it up and running again!
Many of these vehicle manuals also include images of the placards that were installed in them, which is very unique. The image below is from the mobile instrument lab manual, and shows two types of placards from the Keystone Trailer & Equipment Company, along with the Air Corps placards.
Auxiliary power plants are also included in this set of information. Essentially engines on wheels, these components could be wheeled or towed anywhere on an airport for use. Interesting fact, the manual for this particular model - the operation, service, and overhaul instructions with parts catalog for the type B-6A electric gasoline driven portable power plant, lists the manufacturer of this powerplant as the Detroit Wax Paper Company. An odd connection to say the least! This is just another confirmation of how involved in the war effort smaller businesses were, and how many were producing products that were well outside their regular repertoire.
If you would like to read these manuals, and more, consider becoming a member of the AirCorps Library website. For just $9 per month or $75 per year you can read these manuals cover to cover, view our collection of over 499,000 warbird engineering drawings, and receive a 20% discount on any manuals that you download! Click Here to sign up today.