Ground Support Equipment in Aviation Museums

[Noha307]

The Museo Militar de Aviación (aka the Mexican Air Force Museum) has a white Clarktor-style tug marked as "[?]361491":
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(Source: Facebook)

Also, although it might not be part of their collection, Tug MC-22 marked as 2362493, was pictured in front of the old museum:
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(Source: Facebook)

As well as the blue example mentioned in a previous post, the Yanks Air Museum also has a yellow tug:
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(Source: Google Maps)

Finally, it's worth noting that Fagen Fighters Restoration recently unveiled their ground equipment product line. Featured in the Warbird News article is a yellow Clarkat with an apparent start cart in the background:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Warbirds News)

[Scott Rose]

German ground crew work on a Heinkel He 111 from Kampfgeschwader 4 with the help of a captured RAF mobile crane, November 1940



Can anybody identify the crane?

[Noha307]

As a potential final entry in the series of Yanks Air Museum posts (1, 2), the Yanks Air Museum also has a rusty Ford BNO:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Google Maps)

[ZRX61]

Always wanted one of those BNO's...

[Noha307]

Two of the Military Aviation Museum's tugs - a camouflaged tug and a white Tug Techologies one - were caught in a single picture:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Google Maps)

[Noha307]

As part of their "Inside the Archive" series, the National WASP WWII Museum profiled their Clarktor 6 tug, which was mentioned in a previous post, in a recent Facebook post:

“You Call, We Haul”
Of the many facets to keep airfield operations running, there are arguably none more appreciated than the aircraft tugs. Avenger Field, being abuzz with the activities of an airfield training pilots, has been equipped with the essential tools for flight operations. This includes the ubiquitous Airplane Tug. In this case, the tugs of Avenger Field were the Clarktor 6 Airplane Tug.

The Clarktor 6 Airplane Tug was an airplane tug that was adequate for the job of airfield operations. Power is generated from an Inline, Water Cooled, 6 cylinder 230cubic inch Gas engine that generated 63 horse power. While this seems meager compared to the engines of the aircraft they were designed to tow the tugs ease of use, and utility, provided the staff at Avenger Field the capacity to move aircraft around the airfield without the need for the aircrafts engines, or the hands and feet of many WASP trainees.

This tug can be spotted in, and around, the grassy museum flightline. Tugging planes to and fro as they’re in the process of being parked, or prepping for flight. So similar to the days when WASP flew the skies.

(Source: Facebook)

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(Source: Facebook)
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(Source: Facebook)
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(Source: Facebook)

On a housekeeping note, I have elected to change the name of this thread. Not too long after creating it, I soured on the "poetic" title I had given it. However, it was only recently that I learned I could rename a thread by changing the subject line of the first post.

[Noha307]

The Pima Air & Space Museum has a Trailer, Bomb, Mark 7, Model 1 on display underneath their TBM:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flickr)

The United States Army Aviation Museum uses a yellow NMC-Wollard tug to move their aircraft:
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(Source: Facebook)
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(Source: Facebook)

[Chris Brame]

Spotted this little '48 Dodge fuel truck which sure looks like an aircraft support vehicle - the ad says the yellow paint was old Shell livery, so probably not military, but I bet it gassed up some surplus Stearmans way back when:

More here: https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/67003482

[JohnB]

How about a rare Crosley Airport "Gasporter"?
It is a 200 gal fuel truck built in 1948 for use at the the (then) growing general aviation airport market.
It was built on a Crosley auto chassis.

The Historic Flight Foundation in Spokane, Washington just acquired one. It is now on display.

Soon, I'll have my 1955 Jeep M38A1 in USAF markings finished.
All M38A1s had the provision for a power port via a indentation in the right front fender. Using a NATO standard "slave cable", it could jumpstart aircraft since the Jeep is 24 volt (standard for post-war M-series military vehicles).
Mine will have an operational port and cable.

Attachments

Last edited by JohnB on Sun Dec 04, 2022 9:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Noha307]

The Sywell Aviation Museum was mentioned in a previous post, but their Mercury tug was not:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Historic Military Vehicle Forum)

Also, the B-24 Liberator Memorial Australia has a Mercury aircraft tug, chassis number 4962:
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(Source: Victorian Collections)

[Noha307]

The Champaign Aviation Museum posted pictures of their GSE fleet a couple years ago. They show that, in addition to the two tugs mentioned in a previous posts (1, 2), they also have a vintage flatbed pickup truck:
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(Source: Facebook)

[Noha307]

The Warbirds of Glory Museum recently had a Clarktor Standard-24 donated to them. It was originally delivered to the Hudson Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan on 23 November 1946 and was later owned by S.C.P. Leasing in Lansing, Michigan in August 1982. The last owner, Larry McKillop, donated it to the museum in July:
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(Source: Facebook)

While we're on the subject of Clark tugs, a few pictures of the one at the Hagerstown Aviation Museum that was mentioned in a previous post were posted to Facebook a while back. Note that the serial number, CT172184, is visible in the last picture:
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(Source: Facebook)

Lastly, the Fort Worth Aviation Museum, which was mentioned in a previous post, has a video showing some of their ground support equipment - including a TA75 named "Big Joe".

[Warbirdnutta]

Couple of crazy looking Australian refueling vehicles.




Engine test unit.

[dhfan]

I'm pretty sure the top Shell contraption is a bowser.
Although I've known and used the term for years I was surprised to find out, relatively recently, that it was named after a Mr Bowser who I believe came up with the idea.

The second one started life as a Bedford CA van but has been seriously got at!

[Noha307]

Although it is not in their collection yet, the Air Force Flight Test Museum is due to receive a LeTourneau aircraft recovery crane:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flight Test Museum Foundation)

Apparently, LeTourneau cranes were used as far back as World War II.[1]

Couple of crazy looking Australian refueling vehicles.

For future reference, it would be helpful if you could indicate where you took the pictures.

I'm pretty sure the top Shell contraption is a bowser.

It is a Thompson Brothers TB P505 mobile refueling tender. Based on the fact that it lacks the shovel nose seen on Mk V versions in a previous post, it may be a prewar variant - as an example seen in a different prevous post is stated to be from 1937.

On the subject of Thompson Brothers, the National Museum of Flight in Scotland also has a refueling trailer apparently built by the company in 1956:
[Link to Image]
(Source: Flickr)