Fordson WOT

The Fordson WOT (from War Office 'type' or 'truck') was a military truck produced by Ford of Britain in the Second World War. From 1939 to 1945, around 130,000 units were produced at the Ford Dagenham plant with almost half being the WOT2.^[1]

The Fordson WOT2 had a nominal 15-cwt (3/4 ton) payload

Five models, WOT1, WOT2, WOT3, WOT6 and WOT8 were produced. The WOT1, 2 and 3 were rear-wheel drive and had the cab behind the engine; WOT6 and 8 were all-wheel drive with a cab over the engine. The same engine was used across the range - 3.6L Ford sidevalve V-8 petrol engine delivering 85 hp at 3,800 rpm. The transmission was a four-speed manual with an additional reduction gearbox for the four wheel drive models as well as the WOT 3D.

Models

WOT1 fitted out as barrage balloon winch for the Royal Air Force

WOT3 Model D

• WOT1

6x4, 164 in (4.2 m)

WOT1A was a 178 in (4.5 m) wheelbase version.

WOT1 and 1A was mostly used by RAF eg as Fire Tenders^[2]

• WOT2

4x2, 15-cwt

• WOT3

4x2, 30-cwt. used by RAF

• WOT8

4x4, 30-cwt. Used as artillery tractor in North Africa campaign. Supplied to USSR where it was used for Katyusha rocket launchers

• WOT6

4x4, 60-cwt. longer wheelbase version of WOT8

Notes

1. "Ford WOT2", www.armyvehicles.dk
2. Graham, Chris (27 November 2020). "Fordson WOT 1 airfield tender". Heritage Machines.

References

• Bishop, Denis; Ellis, Chris (1979). Vehicles at War. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd. ISBN 0-498-01699-4.
• Georgano, G. N. (1994). World War Two Military Vehicles: Transport & Halftracks. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-85532-406-7.
• Ware, Pat (2012). A Complete Directory of Military Vehicles. Wigston: Anness Publishing Ltd.

External links

• Ford WOT6
• WOT8