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Bedford RLE, 4 x 4, 12 V, D (side view, left side)

 
 

Side view, left side

Picture courtesy of Henrik Clausen, Copenhagen

 

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Now superseded by Magirus Deutz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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