Norton 16H! Is that a Talflow filter? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

It certainly looks like a Talflow. The mudguard tail is quite short...I wonder how late the bike is and where they stole it ?

Australian records show a fair number of Nortons heading off to Singapore in early 1941.

At what point did Japan stop advancing and being able to capture equipment ?

Any information on when and where this picture was taken?

Short tail piece but still rubber footrests and speedo left hand so late 1940 and after.
Talflow seems likely, based on its very angular shape.
Talboys patent is from July 1940, approved November 1941.
Serial production very likely started somewhere inbetween as the type shield states "patent pending".

Unknown if Australian troops used the this type Aircleaner. Australia did order Norton/Vokes type tanktop aircleaners in 1939/1940 for their WD16H's.

India Office ordered them in September 1943 and also for their 1946 machines.

Mysterious picture!

cheers

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Rob it's my theory that the Talflow's weren't factory fitted, but shipped out east to be fitted as required. I have three pictures of them fitted to M20's....All out far east. Plus the recent hoard of NOS filters that came to light in Pakistan..... after all these years of most of us never seeing one.

Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Photo is from "Past Daily" the day being 3rd February 1942,due to the wet conditions the British thought that the Japanese could not cross the salween river in Burma. I think that the bike is being used by the photographer, the cushion used as a back rest, looks like a vokes filter, the top comes off a talflow, but can't see that on the photo.

I think you are right Steve? I should have looked at my own to remind me. Although the edges of the filter in the photo look a bit square for a Vokes? Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Many filters were not factory fitted but added in the field.
It looks to have much sharper edges then the Norton/Vokes types so I would still lean towards Talflow more than the other.
I also do not see the weldline across at the rear side which is quite visible on Norton/Vokes filters.
Not being able to see the lid may be through the hazy picture but the light clearly shows fairly sharp edges.
Will remain uncertain I guess.
Likely a 1941 machine but difficult to be certain, contract C7353 already shows a mix of short and long mudguard rear ends.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

I suspect that you're correct about late C7353, Rob. It looks too as if it has a WD taillight and this, combined with the early carrier was a feature of all but the very last of the bikes from this contract, which seem to have been fitted with pannier frame carriers.

Co-incidentally, here is another late C7353 bike, photographed in Burma and with a tank-top filter. Photographed 1944 though.

With some searching I found the original source of the picture. It was part of a commemorative book of the 34th Japanese Infantry Regiment and the caption reads as follows:
"On March 9, 1942 news of the Dutch army's total surrender reached the front lines, and they advanced to the capital, Bandung in the pouring rain."

So this picture was made on Java in the Dutch East Indies (presently Indonesia).
The bike must have been captured somewhere in East Asia.

The Pastdaily information was incorrect!

Will see if a better picture can be obtained but I fear it will be difficult.

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl

Great research Rob,wonder if there are any more photos of Japanese war booty motorcycles,they must have used captured vehicles of all types which fell intact to them,same as the Germans.

It is quite likely there are more pictures but googling in japanese is a bit difficult but I am going to try it.
There must be Japanese enthusiasts as well I assume.
I have no clue to what level Japanese military had the possesion of a camera.
Germans soldiers had much more camera's than even the Allied soldiers!

Cheers,

Rob

email (option): wd16h@telfort.nl