Danish Army
Specific: The Bedford R-series entered service
in the Danish Army in 1956, and became standard truck in
its class. A batch of RLC5 chassis-cabs were delivered
to GM International in Copenhagen. The vehicles were to
be fitted with locally-produced upper-cabs and bodies.
The bodies were patterned on what were fitted to US Army
post-war deuces. The RL saw wide-spread service as
Command and Control, Office-vans, Switchboards, Teletype
etc.
A second batch of approx. 375 units were bought from 1963
to 1967.
Now superseded by Magirus Deutz 168
M11FAL (IVECO 110
- 16 AWM).
The vehicle shown is carrying Assault Class 30 trackway
equipment as supplied to several NATO member countries by
Laird. It was used on soft ground for wheeled and tracked
vehicles up to 30 tons. A spool contains
32 meters of trackway, which a 5 man team can launch in
approx. 10 minutes. The trackway can be
recovered in approx. 15 minutes.
Historical: Design and development of the
R-series began in December 1950 by Vauxhall Motors Limited. A prototype were
delivered to the Fighting Vehicle Research &
Development Establishment (FVRDE) in May 1951, and the
chassis were designated as the FV13100 series. Quantity
production commenced in April 1952 at Vauxhalls truck division in Luton.
Shortly after the headlights were moved from the original
(higher) position to that shown here in order to comply
with British regulations. Later still the radiator grille
was modified.
A civilian model became available in October 1953. There
were many body styles (tanker, tipper, recovery vehicle, shop van, drone
launcher, fire appliance etc.) and variations like dual rear
tyres. There were also an armoured
open-top cab.
The R-series was based on the civilian 7-ton SLC-chassis,
from which it inherited elements like engine and cab. Besides the RL (L
= long wheelbase) a shorter version known as the RS (S = short
wheelbase) was produced.
The basic cargo vehicle was fitted with a fixed-sided steel body (later
drop-sided) having a drop tailgate and canvas cover supported on a
tubular framework.
The R-range was introduced in the British Army in 1952 to replace WW II
trucks like the wartime Bedford QL, Austin K5 and Ford WOT6.
It was originally rated as a 3 ton load carrier, but was
up-rated to a 4 ton capacity in 1968.
More than 73.000 were produced in Britain from April 1952
to 1969, when it was replaced by the M-type.
Other known users are Belgium, Ireland, Malaysia, the
Netherlands, Pakistan and South Africa.
Length: 6.35 m (247 inches).
Width: 2.45 m (95 inches).
Height: 3.35 m (130 inches).
Weight: 8.025 kg (17.655 lb.).
Engine: Own 6-cylinder 4.930 cm3 (300 cubic inches)
displacement petrol-engine or a 6-cylinder 5.410 cm3 (330
cubic inches) displacement diesel engine, liquid cooled.
Horsepower: 115 hp at 3000 rpm (petrol) or 99 hp
at 2600 rpm (diesel).
Transmission: 4-speed.
Transfer case: 2 speed.
Electrical system: 12 volt, negative ground (early
models, positive ground).
Brakes: Hydraulic brakes, servo-assisted.
Tyres: 11.00 - 20.
Fording depth:
without preparation: 0.76 m (30 inches).
with deep water fording kit: N/A.
Fuel type: Petrol/diesel.
Fuel capacity: 118 liter (25 gallons).
Range: 400 km (250 miles).
Crew: 2.
Additional: Some equipped with a 5 ton
Turner winch driven by a power take-off.
Variants:
Bedford
RLE office van (96
kb)
Bedford RLW GS (105 kb)
Bedford
RLE TTY van (96
kb)
Bedford RLC Facility Control truck (104 kb)
Bedford RLH HF radio truck (120 kb)
Bedford
RLC Radio HF truck
(84 kb)
Bedford RLC cable layer (109 kb)
Bedford
RLC telephone construction (82 kb)
Bedford
RLC telegraph maintenance (115 kb)
Bedford RLC spare parts van (93 kb)
Bedford RLE spare parts van (93 kb)
Bedford RLE Direction Finder Center (53 kb)
Bedford
RLE NBC squad truck
(108 kb)
Bedford
RLE electronic maintenance (84 kb)
Bedford
RLG Tipper (104
kb)
Bedford
R-series Command and Control (100 kb)
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