(Photograph - Donington Park, 12 September 2004) ..................... More Photos
ERA R12B "Hanuman / Hanuman II" 2.0litre
(see also R12C "Hanuman" below)
R12B was a 1936 works car with a 2litre engine and in the works black colour scheme. Raymond Mays successfully hill climbed R12B at Shelsley Walsh and raced at Brooklands.
1937 The works rebuilt R12B to C-type specification with a 1.5litre engine and a long-range fuel tank. Pat Fairfield was to be the main works driver of R12B/C for the year. After a win with R12B/C at Crystal Palace and Donington Park Fairfield was killed in the Le Mans 24-hour sportscar race. R12B/C was successfully used by other drivers during the rest of the year. The Albi Grand Prix was won by Humphrey Cook/ Raymond Mays. The Berne Grand Prix, Switzerland and the JCC 200 mile race were won Arthur Dobson. The Brooklands Siam Trophy was won by Raymond Mays.
1938 The works sold R12B/C to Prince Chula for “B.Bira” to drive. R12B/C was painted with a light blue body and yellow chassis and wheels of the “White Mouse” stable and made the national racing colours of Siam (Thailand). In the tradition of “White Mouse” cars, following R2B “Romulus” and R5B “Remus” R12C was named “Hanuman”. “B.Bira” used R12C to gain wins at Brooklands, Donington Park and Cork, Ireland.
1939 saw “B.Bira” raced R12B/C to win the Nuffield Trophy at Donington Park. Somewhat less successfully Bira crashed R12B/C at in practice for the Coupe de la Commission Sportive at Rheims, France. Bira suffered only minor injuries but the car was badly damaged. NOW THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET A BIT TRICKY ! As happens with many well raced cars repair and modification keeps cars on the track but complicates their history. R12B had been modified to C-type spec. and was now repaired with the only available chassis frame (a B-type, probably from R8B left over from its rebuild up to C-type spec.) so that the cars code letter reverted to “R12B” and its name was moved on to “Hanuman II”. The spare parts from sorting out the mess were set aside – see R12C "Hanuman", below, for what happened to them.
Post-war “B.Bira” was still winning with R12B.
Later R12B was sold to an owner in Rhodesia.
Post “period” history
1968 R12B won the Richard Seaman Trophy race driven by David Kergon.
1994 R12B was owned by W.R.G. “Bill” Morris and being driven in historic events by Duncan Ricketts and John Ure.
1999 - Ownership passed to D.H.Wenman.
2001 17/19th. August - Tony Stephens drove R12B at the "MAC 100" meeting at Shelsley Walsh (where the engine capacity was quoted as 1488cc.).
as at 1/1/2009 - owned by HRH King Bhumibol (of Thailand)
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