Airborne Service Equipment of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex was – as its name suggests – a well-established supplier of aircraft equipment, when in late 1959 it decided to convert Ford’s Thames 400E ‘forward control’ van into a motorcaravan.
It featured much of the Ford Consul saloon car’s mechanicals. A 1703cc OHV petrol engine is located between the cab seats. Originally of 52bhp, it was later increased to 54bhp and joined by the (cost-option) Perkins 4-108 naturally aspirated diesel engine.
The rear wheels are driven via a three-speed gearbox with column gearchange. The Airborne campervan was considered ‘well equipped’ in period, featuring face-forward rear travel seats, fresh- and waste water tanks, Venetian-style window blinds, and (crucially) a glazed solid-sided elevating roof.
This pop-top was extra special, though: it was the first British example to offer the option of electrically operated raising and lowering. Another Airborne first was to substitute the pictured elevating roof with a GRP boat shaped high-top, which was easily removed for use as a dinghy!
The resulting aperture was covered with a fabric sunroof type of cover to protect the campervan’s interior… and any remaining landlubbers. Sales of the full-sized Airborne were rapidly overtaken by those of a die-cast Corgi model of it, something which could have made a nice gift for a campervan owner.
See what I had to say about the Austin 152 and the Morris J2 too, two significant British base vehicles which are celebrating 70 years this year.
Key information
- Ford Thames 400E Airborne Motorised Caravan.
- Elevating-roof or high-top panel van conversion by Airborne Service Equipment Ltd, Arterial Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
- Overall length: 4.16m (13’ 8”)
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