Fordson E27, more commonly known as the Standard Fordson. Built in Basildon and Dagenham in the UK and Cork in Ireland. Absoultely thousands of them built up till WW2 . Almost all used as farm tractors.

So the one in RAF colors here would have been a rarity? What would they have used it for?

Willem,
Had this been posted on the RailRoadModeling site, you'd probably get a ton of replies as many model railroaders are familiar with the Fordson line of tractors. The early Fordson tractors (1916-1928) were patented by Henry Ford and manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for agricultural and industrial use. They were widely exported and many were in use during WWI (albeit not in the Fordson N configuration with pneumatic rubber tires the model depicts). The design varied little over the years, and it was used in all types of applications from agriculture, logging, and narrow gauge rail switching (with railroad truck wheels). in 1928, production ceased in the U.S., and was picked up by the two companies in England as mentioned by others. In 1939, Ford Motor Company resumed production in the U.S., and many were used during WWII. literally thousands were made and exported, many for military applications. The Ford 5000 tractor (a 1960s derivative) is the direct descendant of the Fordson N and F models, and was used as a tow tug by the USAF through the Vietnam war and into the 1990's. The oval shaped cylinder across the top which rests on the dash frame on the drivers end and the radiator at the front is the fuel tank. The engine, transmission and steering gearbox below are in a compact, low center of gravity package which made the Fordson maneuverable and gave it an incredible amount of torque for a small tractor.
VR Russ