The Registry Of Ex-Military Land-Rovers Au, NZ, etc REMLR Timeline


The history of Land Rovers and other vehicles in the Australian Army can be a muddled one, so in order to help people understand what happened when, we are establishing this timeline page. If you have any dates that should be on here, please contact us on the forums, or by email at webmaster@remlr.com


Land Rover Timeline

1951, December 8: 81" The Australian Army begins trials of the Land Rover B40, Holden powered Series 1 Land Rover, Fordson Truck and Blitz Truck.

1952, April 30: Trials vehicles return to Monegeeta.

1954: Queen Elizabeth takes a tour of the Commonwealth after her Corination.Some Royal Review Land Rovers used in Australia.

1958: The Queen visits again in 1958, but this time with 6 Royal Review Land Rovers, 2 of which find their way in to Army service some time later.

1958, June: Australian Army Representative shown the new 109' Land Rover during a Liaison visit to the United Kingdom. This vehicle was due to be sold on the Australian market in February, 1959.

Late 1950's: Rover Australia Pty Ltd formed as a result of winning the Australian Army Contracts for the Series IIs which were built/assembled from partial CKD kits by PMC. Prior to that, various distributorships in the various States imported vehicles as well as PMC ate Enfield assembling CKD. Rover Australia acted purely as a sales organisation with all manufacturing and assembly being performed by PMC

1958: Trial Series 2 Delivered to the Army

1958 - First Series 2 Command Reconnaissance vehicles delivered

1959, February 27: Design Establishment (ADE) views a Mock up of 3/4 Ton ambulance.

1959, Late that year: ADE & PMC build 2 prototype Ambulances

1959, December 18: Prototype Ambulances viewed by ADE and enthusiastically received.

1960, January 6: Prototype Ambulances and 2 ½ ton GS truck leave for Hot-Wet testing at Innisfail and Hot-Dry testing in central Australia.

1960, April 8: Ambulance and Truck prototypes return to Maribyrnong.

1960, August: Contract C100021 for 30 Series 2 Ambulances issued. Delivery expected in June 1961. This later increased to 31 vehicles.

1960, Late: FV119, Saladdin and Bombadier Muskeg begin trial with ADE until 1961.S

1961, April 12: First reconfigured Trials Ambulance heads for Innisfail for trials. Rear body painted Gloss White to test temp vs Bronze Green.

1961, April 16: Reconfigured Land Rover Ambulance arrives at Innisfail and begins Hot-Wet Trials

1961, April 28: Land Rover Ambulance Finishes Hot-Wet Trials and begins Hot-Dry Trials. as do FV119, Saladin and Bombadier Muskeg.

1961, May 31: Land Rover Ambulance arrives back in Melbourne having finished Hot-Dry trials, and after covering 6,000 miles.

1961, June: 31 Series 2 Land Rover Ambulances Delivered.

1962 - Series 2a Land Rover enters service

1962/63 – FV432, M113 M543, Series 2a Forward Control Land Rover, and Automotive Repair Land Rover (Wrecker?) on trial with ADE

1963 - June the first Series 2a models were delivered

1963 - Tracked "Cuthbertson" Land Rover Trialed

1964/65 – M114A1, M113, Ferret Mk.2 Inter F1 and F2 and other wheeled vehicles on trial

1965 - One Ton Amphibious Land Rover tested in Australia for the Australian Army.

1966 - ENTAC missile mounted on a land rover as part of a trial

1971/72 – XF4 on trial

1971 - Some "Late" series 2a vehicles with headlights in the guards delivered to the Army.

1971: Leyland Australia formed.

1972 - Last Series 2a vehicles delivered to the Army.

1973 - XF4 One Ton Truck Cancelled

1976 - Two 101 Land Rovers delivered for Trials.

Mid to late 1970's: Leyland Australia took over responsibility atthe Enfield factory, transferring Mini & Moke production from the closing Zetland main plant (ex BMC). At that point Leyland transferred the responsibility for engineering to its reformed Land Rover Engineering team (ex BMC/Leyland with 1 PMC Engineer )from PMC.

1977 - Beginning of delivery of Series 3 vehicles to the Army and RAAF

1978 - Last 101 Land Rovers delivered to the Army

1981 - End of production of Series 3 vehicles for the Army and RAAF

Late 1970's: There was drive in the Civilian sector for a Land Rover with a bigger diesel to compete with Japanese offerings. The result was the Isuzu being put into a Land Rover Stage 1. A Number of development vehicles were built, but there was no military interest. Perentie 110.

1980/81: Leyland was interested a replacement for the Series 3 in use by the Defence Department. Leyland decided that the Isuzu SIII Stage 1was a good starting point, but realised 2 Ton capacity also needed. Various schemes were considered (including widening 101) but 6x6 configuration chosen. Perentie 110.

1982 - July a tender released for vehicles to compete in Project Perentie

A 6x6 Sandringham was purchased from The UK. Trials proved chassis and rear suspension/drive unsuitable. Perentie 110.

One of the Isuzu 4x4 development vehicles subsequently converted to a development 6x6 (not trials). This also proved that the UK chassis extension impracticable in strength and cost. A second 6x6 was built from a 4x4 for company trials from Stage 1. Perentie 110.

UK Sandringham was converted to an Australian 6x6 narrow cab chassis with coil front suspension and definitive 6x6 driveline and rear suspension. This is in effect the first definitive 6x6 prototype. (This is why the poms claim to have designed the Australian 6x6, they don't realise it was totally rebuilt but retained it's original VIN and even the ACT registration number). Perentie 110.

4x4s are not as clear, but photos indicate the development of company trials vehicles (as opposed to the delivered Army Trials Vehicles) followed a similar path. Certainly Stage 1 Series threes were involved prior to the importation of the first 110 into Australia. Perentie 110.

1987 - Land Rover 110 and 6x6 Production Started

1991 / 1992 Land Rover Australia Pty Ltd created from the ashes of British Aerospace Australia ownership of Land Rover

1992 - Land Rover 110 and 6x6 Initial Production Finished

1994 - Additional Land Rover 110 and 6x6 vehicles began being built under project Bushranger

1994-1998: Additional vehicles built under Project Bushranger (Phase 1). These vehicles have rego numbers from 200-000 upwards and include existing designs, and new designs and improvements. Perentie 110.

1998 - Additional Land Rover 110 Production under project Bushranger finished.

1998 - "Phoenix" 110 Trialed with TD5 and Auto Gearbox as well as UK spec Wolf.

2000: 33 Remediation Land Rover Defender TD5 Militarised vehicles Entered Service. TD5

2003: a 2nd batch of 17 Remediation Land Rover Defender TD5 Militarised vehicles Entered Service. TD5

2013: Auctions of the Land Rover Perentie 110 and 6x6 vehicles start signaling the beginning of the end of their long military service.

 

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