Rear view, left side

Picture courtesy of Belgian Federal Police Historical Service

In 1948-1949 a test of the Ford F-6 COE was organised by the Belgian Ford Company for the Danish army. Besides Denmark countries like Belgium and Swiss had shown interest in the vehicle. The vehicle was powered by a 6-cylinder 3.6 liter engine (Rouge 226 six) developing 110 HP and had a 4 x 4 conversion produced by Marmon-Herrington.

Deliveries of vehicles had all ready taken place place to the Luxembourg army (Trucks chassis), the Belgian Air Force (Ambulances and sedan cars), to the Belgian gendarmerie (Radio trucks) and to the Belgian army (Radio trucks).

The Belgian army used numerous Ford F series trucks (1200 in total - F3 COE, F4, F5, F6 en F6 COE models). The F-6 COE was used in the following versions : artillery tractor, general service flatbed, ambulance, crane and repair shop.

The bodywork of the artillery tractor was produced locally, by EFA of Hoboken, on Antwerp-assembled chassis and like the wartime "Quads", it featured a sloping down rear end. These tractors had a wheel base of 3400 mm and measured 5750x2250x2580 mm overall. Tyres were 8.25 - 20, dual rear, and unlike the truck versions they had Westinghouse air brakes. The weight was 4.830 kg and a winch was fitted with fairleads at front and rear. Later in their life, they relegated for driving instruction.

The Belgian gendarmerie (kind of paramilitary state police disbanded in 2001) used the crane and repair shop version of the F-6 C0E. They also used the F-3 and F-3 COE as radio van in various versions, the F-5 as general service flatbed and as riot water cannon and the F-6 as semi-trailer tractor (gasoline).

In the fifties, a single prototype of an armoured car based on the F-6 chassis was made by Les Forges de Zeebrugge of Herstal, but the matter was not pursued.

Whether the vehicles were intended as a supplement or to supersede the newly delivered second-hand Morris-Commercial C8 FAT is not known, but no F6 ever made it into the Danish army.

Rear view, left side

Picture courtesy of Belgian Federal Police Historical Service

The vehicle carried both Belgium licence and Danish trail licence plates. Clearly visible is the driven Marmon-Herrington front axle.