Has anybody got a spares part catalogue for the RAF contract C/S14218 Ariel W/NG?

I have found five WW2 pictures showing five different RAF Ariel W/NG bikes. None of these has pannier racks fitted. Ariel only had one major (1800 motorcycles) RAF W/NG contract: C/S14218, 09/04/42 demand date, 26/01/43 contract date, deliveries from 15/01/43 until 23/12/43. The Royal Enfield WD/CO RAF contract (2826 motorcycles) was number C/S14219, 09/04/42 demand date, deliveries from 13/01/43 until 15/12/43. The weird thing is that the RAF WD/CO parts list for contract C/S14219 does show the pannier racks! Unfortunately I have no RAF WD/CO pictures to confirm if they were ever fitted...

Cheers,
Jan (rewdco)



“And now it's your turn to get up off that couch and go into the deserts, go into the mountains, go under the lakes, rivers, and seas and search for history. You'll never find a more rewarding adventure!” (Clive Cussler)

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Hi Jan, I will have a look through what we have at work, but that won't be until Monday. I would think you will have the answer before then!
Any chance you could post or email the pics?
Cheers, mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

Hi Mick,

Thanks for your help! Much appreciated!

I've just sent you a PM.

Cheers,
Jan (rewdco)



“And now it's your turn to get up off that couch and go into the deserts, go into the mountains, go under the lakes, rivers, and seas and search for history. You'll never find a more rewarding adventure!” (Clive Cussler)

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com

Thanks for the pics, hope I can help.
Cheers, Mick.

email (option): mick@motorbikemike.org.uk

The RAF maintenance manual, does not show racks in its side photos.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

December 1997 copy of Ariel Owners Club magazine (Cheval)page 20 shows a RAF-marked Ariel W/NG being ridden on the D-Day beaches by LAC Ahern....panniers and bags are fitted.....

Similar photo taken in 1945 in the Far East (June 1991 edition, page 13) shows a Naval W/NG with panniers and bags fitted plus a Vokes filter.....

I have no RAF or RN parts lists for the W/NG....although I do have a fair few for the Army contracts, plus riders manuals, etc. I have a fair bit of info' on Ariel contracts which I think Mick Holmes has similar ?? This gives all the various contract details, including spare engines, frames, forks, pillion kit, etc, supplied alongside each contract...

It's fair to say that many RAF contracts didn't have panniers fitted (for whatever reason) although around the time of Italy/D-Day, etc, the RAF were taking on far more front-line and field roles that required motorcyclist's to carry far more kit around than would have been the case previously. I think we can safely assume that many RAF contracts from 1943 onwards were fitted (factory or retrospectively) with pannier and pillion equipment.....

Steve,

I also have some (late) war time pictures with pannier equipped RAF motorcycles. But I was wondering when they were introduced in the RAF... The late 1941 WD/C Army contract C/8732 was the first Enfield contract that had the panniers listed in the spare parts catalogue. But the early 1942 RAF contract C/12429 didn't have panniers, this is confirmed by contemporary pictures and the spare parts catalogue for this contract.

Unfortunately I haven't got any RAF WD/CO pictures to prove so, but I had assumed that the WD/CO RAF contract C/S14219 had panniers fitted at the factory. At least they were listed in the spare parts catalogue... But then I started to realise that the Ariels from "sister contract" C/S14218 didn't have panniers fitted at the factory! I was wondering if the Ariels may have been the last RAF contract without panniers? Does the spare parts catalogue confirm this?

Jan (rewdco)



“And now it's your turn to get up off that couch and go into the deserts, go into the mountains, go under the lakes, rivers, and seas and search for history. You'll never find a more rewarding adventure!” (Clive Cussler)

email (option): wd.register@gmail.com