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combat dealers on now chan 167 quest channel


griff66

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I have mixed feelings on the show. On the hand I like it because of the items that come up on the show that I would otherwise not be able to see. On the other it's getting past Bruce's accent, I originate from south London and have been around quite a bit of it. Is this really his way or is it just a show for the camera's. Just seems to put on to me. Would also like to know exactly long some of these restorations take. But the show does highlight some truly fascinating stuff.

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I have mixed feelings on the show. On the hand I like it because of the items that come up on the show that I would otherwise not be able to see. On the other it's getting past Bruce's accent, I originate from south London and have been around quite a bit of it. Is this really his way or is it just a show for the camera's. Just seems to put on to me. Would also like to know exactly long some of these restorations take. But the show does highlight some truly fascinating stuff.

 

This is exactly how he is in real life.

Edited by earlymb
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The sale of the Hetzer, I must have missed the bit where he tells the audience how much he paid for it and the massive price he sold it for. Can anyone enlighten me?
both in S1 and I think in S2 the term "half million quid" is used in talking about the value of the real, war-time Hetzers , (as opposed to Swiss G13's).

However to me that sounds unreasonably low, I would expect 3 to 4 times that much, or more. Any running war time panzer is in the millions.

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Just been watching the latest episode, where Bruce was in Australia to deliver the Hetzer to the museum in Cairns. He also visited one of the HMVF forum members if I am not mistaken. Tim, who has a Ferret, took Bruce to see the remains of some of the WW2 coastal defences in a remote area of North Queensland.

 

 

Good pick up Richard. I was sitting here quietly waiting for someone to make the connection too OZITIM! Yes, well thats me. Tim White from Cairns. I had the best fun with these guys. The footage of us driving to the fort, does it no justice. The road is crazy and at one point the co-producer stated that he thought he was going to die. James, the Vietnam Veteran, was a two time veteran of Vietnam, initially as an M113 driver and then on his second 12 month tour, crew commander. He is an absolute champion and is a good mate of mine. Their was so much footage taken and stories told while they were here, I wouldnt have wanted to be the producer. The whole thing was just adlibbed as we went, so I was surprised it came together the way it did.

 

And most importantly, thats one of my Ferrets.

 

The Twins are genuinely outstanding mechanics. They are really oldschool and have an incredible eye for detail. Bruce, never stops. The man is one million miles an hour. A very nice and funny guy. I tried where I could to give him as much stick about the paras, but he gives as good as he gets. While heading to the forts, the co-producer was coming down the winding road in the pooring rain in the hire toyota van, and some how, in a moment of panic, sliped the auto into park, while the vehicle was doing about 80 klm an hour. The transmission made the most amazing noises. I suppose you get that when your driving expereince comes from the greater London area.

 

All in all, are great experience. I hope it gets good ratings.

 

Tim from Cairns. AKA OZITIM

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I have mixed feelings on the show. On the hand I like it because of the items that come up on the show that I would otherwise not be able to see. On the other it's getting past Bruce's accent, I originate from south London and have been around quite a bit of it. Is this really his way or is it just a show for the camera's. Just seems to put on to me. Would also like to know exactly long some of these restorations take. But the show does highlight some truly fascinating stuff.

 

Agreed, That is how Bruce is. On camera or off camera. I saw him in private, spending time with his lovely daughter and wife and he is a very genuine bloke. That guy Tim White from Australia, he is a awesome guy too! haha

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Good one, Tim. I take it you have seen the programme on the web already.

 

 

I just watched it now. Looking forward to when they come back. Maybe the tank museum here will purchase the completed Tiger one day. Tiger, Panzer, Hetzer, Im proud of my Ferret. As you guys all know, Ive built every nut and bolt on that little machine. Money is always tight, but it is sites like this that enable the swapping of parts and information and thats worth more than coin. I only dabble in buying and selling the odd artifact, purely for the purpose of funding a restoration. As you guys know, I post a few things on here from time to time, so it was nice for Bruce to take an interest in the little guy too.

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Wow, he must be quite a character. Larger than life, would love to meet him.

 

He had a stall at the latest W&PR for the promotion of the show's new season where he talked with fans. Bruce is a genuinely nice and friendly guy, very approachable and always interested in people. Ofcourse he has to act a bit sometimes on the show, but in general what you see is how he really is. The same goes for the Twins. I completely agree with Tim that they are extremely skilled mechanics that have perfectly restored a lot of hard projects. You see them in the show as they really are. :)

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I really like this show, so much I've watched most of the episodes twice. You can't help but like Bruce, much respect for him when he turned away the Red Fezz of the 13th Waffen SSHandschar division as being "too dark, not my thing".

I just watched it now. Looking forward to when they come back. Maybe the tank museum here will purchase the completed Tiger one day. Tiger, Panzer, Hetzer, Im proud of my Ferret.
Tiger or Panther? or both?

Episode 4 peeps is talking about some swap of 251's for a Panther project?

 

 

Military equipment collector Bruce Crompton takes on a huge project to restore and rebuild a German Panther tank. But to do so he must part with some Second World War 'halftracks'

 

 

Edited by draganm
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He had a stall at the latest W&PR for the promotion of the show's new season where he talked with fans. Bruce is a genuinely nice and friendly guy, very approachable and always interested in people. Ofcourse he has to act a bit sometimes on the show, but in general what you see is how he really is. The same goes for the Twins. I completely agree with Tim that they are extremely skilled mechanics that have perfectly restored a lot of hard projects. You see them in the show as they really are. :)

 

I don't know him personally but when we asked if we could go on a photo with him he said Yes right away.

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so it looks like we're still 2 days away from season 2-episode 4, which means it's not too late to engage in some useless speculation :D

Any guesses on where this Panther in episode 4 is coming from. Is Mr. Wheatcroft (who made an appearance on Season 1), giving up his 3rd machine, the unfinished Ausführung A ? Or is this a "previously unknown" machine that was recently drug out of a Russian swamp?

Edited by draganm
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Combat Dealers certainly broke new ground in the 'any tank on a bit of film will do' clip tonight. After banging on about building a jagdpanther, a random clip of wartime film was shown with a brief clip of a panther and then a hummel firing its 150mm gun..

 

But the best was yet to come. On a trip to Lorraine to find parts for the broken down half track there was a montage of footage representing the battle for the said place. Not only T34s (knocked out) but blink and you would have missed it, a Vickers Medium speeding past the camera....

 

What ever will it be next week?

Edited by Whittingham warrior
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so it looks like we're still 2 days away from season 2-episode 4, which means it's not too late to engage in some useless speculation :D

Any guesses on where this Panther in episode 4 is coming from. Is Mr. Wheatcroft (who made an appearance on Season 1), giving up his 3rd machine, the unfinished Ausführung A ? Or is this a "previously unknown" machine that was recently drug out of a Russian swamp?

 

 

We don't know................:whistle:

 

- but it is an amazing story:D

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Combat Dealers certainly broke new ground in the 'any tank on a bit of film will do' clip tonight. Not only T34s (knocked out) but blink and you would have missed it, a Vickers Medium speeding past the camera....What ever will it be next week?
knocked out T-34's in the battle for Lorraine! I hope it's better than that ? You would thnik Quest would at least put 1 person on the editorial staff with a clue about history.

 

We don't know................:whistle:

 

- but it is an amazing story:D

AARRRGGHHHH , this is as bad as waiting for pics from the Nazi train in Poland. Tell us it's the Tiger, I mean Panthers are cool but the World really needs another running Tiger-A.
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knocked out T-34's in the battle for Lorraine! I hope it's better than that ? You would thnik Quest would at least put 1 person on the editorial staff with a clue about history.

 

AARRRGGHHHH , this is as bad as waiting for pics from the Nazi train in Poland. Tell us it's the Tiger, I mean Panthers are cool but the World really needs another running Tiger-A.

 

Didn't the Germans useT34 beutepanzers in France?

 

Isn't it the flat-pack Jagdpanther in kit form - apparently using 1945 era factory cut and prepared (but unused and subsequently buried) flat plates as well as salvaged bits?

 

Looks like its a case of attach part A to part B and then attach that to part C, then continue until you have a complete hull

 

Quite a project

Edited by simon king
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Didn't the Germans useT34 beutepanzers in France?

 

Isn't it the Jagdpanther in kit form - apparently using 1945 era factory cut and prepared (but unused and subsequently buried) flat plates as well as salvaged bits?

 

Looks like its a case of attach part A to part B and then attach that to part C, then continue until you have a complete hull

wow, never heard of either of those. Did they really ship captured T-34's all the way back to the Western front? It would make sense in that friendly-fire /fratricide incidents would be greatly reduced this way.

 

I also never heard of them burying steel after the war, with the exception of individual vehicles in hard to recover areas. You would expect steel plates at a factory to be re-melted down? At any rate, even shot up range wreck would be a better starting point that random plates.

For one, It doesn't appear that Axis Track services has the equipment or facility to handle such large pieces? They called in a crane to install the Hetzer cannon after all, and lifting a Tiger or Panther Turret would be more than that.

 

It's too bad, I was really looking forward to a reveal in S2 episode 4, looks like they just put out out a tease.

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I also never heard of them burying steel after the war, with the exception of individual vehicles in hard to recover areas. You would expect steel plates at a factory to be re-melted down? At any rate, even shot up range wreck would be a better starting point that random plates.

For one, It doesn't appear that Axis Track services has the equipment or facility to handle such large pieces? They called in a crane to install the Hetzer cannon after all, and lifting a Tiger or Panther Turret would be more than that.

 

 

Unless those plates were buried just before the war ended to keep them out of Allied hands?

 

If needed, a large crane is easy to rent or buy...:D

Edited by earlymb
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alright, finally saw S2-E4, good episode. Savored it in bits, like tea and crumpets :D

 

Unless those plates were buried just before the war ended to keep them out of Allied hands?
could very well be, even the Germans themselves might have done it to keep it out of enemy hands.

 

If needed, a large crane is easy to rent or buy...:D
my brother was a Supervisor on Carpentry crew, anyone whom missed "crane-day" while putting up roof trusses was fired because the crane was so expensive to have on site. I expect the cost of this Jagdpanther will include a 20 ton gantry crane in one of the workshops, it's a must really. If you have to call one in every time you lift a plate the cost would be untenable.

 

We still don't know where any of the panther parts came from, some of the metal crates look like they could have come from the Wheatcroft collection, but they're a different color than the ones on his web-site? I hope they talk more about where and how the parts got there.

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Finding all those factory fresh armour sections is the biggest hurdle, a wreck such as that from Weald would give you many of the little bits and the running gear is sure to be available from the East. I would imagine the biggest issue would be gearbox and transmission. After so many years rebuilding his three Panthers, KW will have the best panther parts network on the planet.

Two years ago someone offered me a complete take out Loyd engine and gearbox removed form a Loyd that had been used in a quarry in the UK, the rest of the vehicle had been scrapped by the developer who brought the land....its all out there somewhere, just given time and money!

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Finding all those factory fresh armour sections is the biggest hurdle, a wreck such as that from Weald would give you many of the little bits and the running gear is sure to be available from the East. I would imagine the biggest issue would be gearbox and transmission.
What about the HL230 engine, are those being manufactured new now? I know some parts like Pistons and cylinders but blocks and heads?

Also, most Jagdpanthers used the newer AK 7-400 transmission gearbox/final drive designed for the king tiger and Panther II, that must be a bear to find.

 

 

After so many years rebuilding his three Panthers, KW will have the best panther parts network on the planet.

 

is he doing all 3? I really wish he would update his site. According to last known info he was doing a D model and one of the A's.
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[video=youtube_share;qSv6y3pKFeE]

 

Aaaaaaarrrrggghh....when will people realise a TV or computerscreen isn't placed vertically.....tilt that damn camera phone horizontally...:angry

 

 

Still, the person filming is on a Tiger and I am not.:-(

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