The Fordson WOT was a family of military trucks built by Ford of Britain during the Second World War. Around 130,000 were made at Dagenham between 1939 and 1945, and the same 3.6-litre V8 engine powered every model in the range.
Fordson WOT at a glance
| Maker | Ford of Britain, Dagenham |
|---|---|
| Production | 1939–1945 |
| Units built | around 130,000 |
| Most common model | WOT2, almost half of production |
| Models | WOT1, WOT2, WOT3, WOT6, WOT8 |
| Engine | 3.6-litre Ford sidevalve V8 petrol |
| Power | 85 hp at 3,800 rpm |
| Transmission | four-speed manual |
| Drive layouts | WOT1, 2 and 3 rear-wheel drive; WOT6 and 8 all-wheel drive |
| Cab position | behind the engine on WOT1–3; cab forward on WOT6 and 8 |
| WOT1 layout | 6×4, 164 in wheelbase; WOT1A 178 in |
| WOT8 role | artillery tractor, also supplied to the USSR |
This page is based on the English Wikipedia article on the Fordson WOT, a single source.
History of the Fordson WOT
The name WOT came from War Office “type” or “truck”. Ford of Britain built the range at Dagenham, where Fordson tractors for the British market had been made since 1933. From 1939 to 1945 around 130,000 WOT trucks were produced, and almost half of them were the WOT2.
Five models were built. The WOT1, WOT2 and WOT3 were rear-wheel drive with the cab behind the engine, while the WOT6 and WOT8 were all-wheel drive with a cab-forward layout. The same engine was used across the range: a 3.6-litre Ford sidevalve V8 petrol unit delivering 85 hp at 3,800 rpm. The transmission was a four-speed manual, with an additional reduction gearbox on the four-wheel-drive models and the WOT 3D.
The WOT1
The WOT1 was a 6×4 truck on a 164-inch wheelbase, and the WOT1A was a longer 178-inch version. Both used the 85 bhp V8 with a four-speed gearbox and a two-speed transfer box. The WOT1 and WOT1A were mostly used by the RAF, for example as fire tenders, and a heavy 6×4 ambulance body was also built on the chassis.
WOT2, WOT3, WOT6 and WOT8
The WOT2 was the 4×2 15-cwt model and appeared in many forms, from the first WOT2A to the WOT2H, which with a flatbed rear and a 20 mm gun became the “Truck, 15cwt, 4×2 AA”. The WOT3 was a 4×2 30-cwt truck used by the RAF. The cab-over WOT6 was a 4×4 60-cwt (3-ton) model built from January 1942 to September 1945, with a cab top that could be removed to reduce height for shipping. The WOT8 was a 4×4 30-cwt derivative of the WOT6 on a 9 ft 10 in wheelbase, used as an artillery tractor in North Africa and supplied to the Soviet Union for Katyusha rocket launchers.
Design and features
- One engine range-wide: the 3.6-litre sidevalve V8 produced 85 hp at 3,800 rpm in every model.
- Two drive layouts: rear-wheel drive with the cab behind the engine, or all-wheel drive with a cab-forward cab.
- Reduction gearbox: fitted to the four-wheel-drive models and the WOT 3D for low-speed work.
- Body versatility: fire tender, ambulance, general service, anti-aircraft and artillery tractor bodies.
- Wartime volume: around 130,000 trucks built at Dagenham in six years.
Fordson WOT versions
- WOT1: 6×4, 164 in wheelbase, mostly RAF fire tenders and heavy ambulances.
- WOT1A: 178 in wheelbase version of the WOT1.
- WOT2: 4×2 15-cwt range from WOT2A to WOT2H, including the anti-aircraft version.
- WOT3: 4×2 30-cwt truck used by the RAF.
- WOT6: 4×4 60-cwt cab-over truck built 1942–1945.
- WOT8: 4×4 30-cwt artillery tractor derived from the WOT6.
The WOT was one of the military models built alongside the Fordson truck range. The Ford Thames brand later took over Ford of Britain’s commercial vehicles. More Fordsons are in the Fordson collection.
Video: 1941 FORDSON W.O.T 2H ARMY TRUCK
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Fordson WOT, English Wikipedia: models, engine, production, body types
