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Old 6 November 2009, 07:26 PM   #4 (permalink)
Dan_San_Abbott
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Ceres, California
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Motor Transport Park

Hi firblatz;
Chock If I may add to what have said. Each Jasta had motor vehicles, which were, 1 motorcycle, 2 staff cars, 2 personnel trucks, 1 maintenance truck, a lighting truck to provide electrical power for the hangar lighting, etc., water truck, a fuel truck, and shop truck with lathe, drill press other shop equipment, and a tent truck and several trailers, one for hangar tents. Each truck would tow a trailer on the move.
When a move was to be made within an Army, such as moving forward to an advance airfield or in retreat to a rear airfield, additional trucks (lorries) would be provided by the Army Transport Park to complete the move. The Adjutant would generally command the advance ground party, which would take down the hangar tents, if they were being used, and load the on the tent trailers, along with all their spares and parts on the transport trucks. The rear party would be under the command of one of the officers who functioned as an Armament officer, Technical Officer, or whatever. Half of the aircraft ground crew would go with the advance party to set up operations at the new field. The remaining ground crew would stay to service the aircraft until they move to the forward or rear airfield was made. the rear party, would then move to the next airfield under the command of another officer, such as the Paymaster.
If the move was to be made by railway transport, this was the usual case when to move was made to a different Army. All the aircraft would have the wings removed and loaded on flatbed railway cars along with all their trucks, shop truck, fuel truck, motorcycle, staff cars and trailers. In some cases personnel were provided with coaches for all the personnel. If not they road the on the flat beds with the equipment. The rolling field kitchen would provide meals for all personnel.
Blue skies,
Dan-San

Last edited by Dan_San_Abbott; 6 November 2009 at 07:43 PM.
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