With the nickname pneumonia wagon due to its collapsible windscreen, the Bedford MWD truck was used throughout the Second World War by the RAF. Seen here with both hard and canvas roof options, this vehicle that transported the RAF ground crew was considered to be just as important as the aircraft they flew and maintained.
The Bedford MW series was the smallest of the wartime Bedford trucks and many thousands were produced throughout the Second World War. Early models earned the nickname the ‘Pneumonia Wagon’ due to their small windscreens and open cabs.
These early models helped transport the British Expeditionary Force across France in 1940 and by the end of the summer some had found their way onto airfields during the Battle of Britain. By the middle of the war the MWD had been updated, with an enclosed cab giving better weather protection for the crew. These variants were very useful on RAF bases, helping to transport crews and material to waiting aircraft.