The Diecast Zone · Model Car Club Since 1994
Diecast Collector Forums
Eight forums, every scale, and thirty years of shop talk — new arrivals, restorations, reviews, and the finds you won’t see posted anywhere else, with the full archive back to 2002 restored and searchable. Free to Register.
8Forums
195,000+Topics
1,276,000+Posts
10,000+Members
Notifications
Clear all
Model-Related Handicrafts
10
Posts
7
Users
32
Reactions
708
Views
Topic starter
30/01/2025 6:33 pm
Here is an advertising picture of a big Diamond-T/Shell aviation gasoline tanker, operating at an airport (possibly Midway Airport - just south of the Diamond-T factory) which was a couple of miles away.
It is a big, good-looking cab-over engine truck and my Grandpa, being an Assistant Chief Engineer at Diamond-T likely drove to the airport to see how this truck did on the job fueling the big 4 radial piston-engined aircraft.
You could NOT be scared of heights if you worked for Shell Oil fueling one of these giant airplanes ! 
30/01/2025 6:55 pm
Good looking rig and NOT for the faint of heart!
Tony Perrone and michaeldetorrice reacted
30/01/2025 9:24 pm
Great picture. Thanks for sharing.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
30/01/2025 9:49 pm
I don't recall ever seeing such a late model Diamond-T. Very few of that marque in Canada.
Christopher Moroni and Tony Perrone reacted
Topic starter
30/01/2025 11:31 pm
During World War Two, Diamond-T (which first built cars in 1905 and then generally trucks since about 1911 or so) built many trucks for the Army and giant prime mover tank transport vehicles in World War II.
They were also in a group that all built standard half-tracks for the military. They were around until about 1960 independently or so and then became part of Diamond Rio trucks into the about late '60's. Their remnants I think became part of Volvo Trucks later but I am not sure.
31/01/2025 2:32 am
really interesting pic and background story thanks Mike
Topic starter
31/01/2025 6:41 am
You are welcome, Geoff !
Christopher Moroni and Tony Perrone reacted
31/01/2025 6:49 am
GREAT story of Grandpa and pic of truck!
Christopher Moroni and michaeldetorrice reacted
31/01/2025 12:46 pm
Love the colors on that tanker! Is that airplane a Constellation?
David Vandermeer
Corinth, Texas
Topic starter
31/01/2025 3:44 pm
It could very well be a Lockheed Constellation or perhaps a Douglas 4-engine transport ..... perhaps a DC-6. It seems to be a big radial aircraft engine that happily gulped some Shell aviation gas !
Here is a picture of another Diamond-T cab-over "Tilt-cab" hard at work in the Chicago area.
