les freathy

A couple of rare photos for the Stalwart fans, these were taken in 1962 of the type C commercial model based on the MK1 hope you enjoy them

And what do we know about this beast, one of the early prototypes for the recovery contract. This one has many different features to the truck that won the contract the most obvious here are the longer wheel base, larger cab and the recovery unit which is by the looks of it a underlift and a body similar to the Scammell Crusader

Fodens produced a set of brochures for the low and medium mobility trucks the covers featured some nice artwork such as this one for the gun tractor

If you go by coach try the tunnel as the other option the coach operaters usually get good rates but that depends if you want a quick trip over or would prefer a breakfast on the ferry anbody from our end could be picked up from various junctions along the M20 Motorway

Interesting pair here, a Federal wrecker with flat bed semi and a shorter version with a dolly attached on the back and a White or maybe even a Corbitt 6 ton part of the ground mobile radar chain operated by the US airforce

Thanks for the confirmation guys, jules your not a million miles away from me would you be interested in coming on a road run we plan for commercial and military on the 28th sept the runs first stop is lydd airport so you guys could meet us there as will a few others from the Marsh. Let me know and i can send you some details, is old Dick Benge,s yard still on the opposite side of the village long ago he had a lot of old military plant and trailers stacked up cheers Les

What name was on the Diamond T it was obviously used as a civvy wrecker i will have a look through my DT files, see if anything turns up

Gotta ask this question last week whilst sitting on the computer i heard a familier sound coming down the A259 looked out the window to see a Milly MK1 and Explorer heading towards Hythe then low and behold the same pair came back heading to the Romney Marsh on sunday evening (last night) any of you guys have any thing to do with it. The Milly had what looked like a standard 4 ton truck container in the back

I have just been watching our local Meridian TV and the MODs attitude to the old guys return to Normandy next year, i think unbelievable is the word i will have to choose, i can can think of a much more appropiate word for them. They as it was reported have refused to support these guys next year but have offered to provide finance for the 100th anniversary Jesus Christ none will be around then one chap said well thanks i will 124 years old then so that will make it interesting, as i have said elsewhere on this site when it comes to the UK defence its ever forwards and down wards. Jack i am not in a very good position financially due a bad road accident 3 years ago which put the mockers on working but will contribute what i can , i notice some people placing items for auction to raise money would any body be interested if i made a model to be auctioned it would be mounted on a suitable base and a subject that is open to discussion let me know your thoughts cheers Les

One more for luck a Federal wrecker on its way back to the US being loaded at Liverpool, information tells me it came out of the Burtonwood storage depot

Found a few more interesting photos, see if i can get it right this time Autocar U8144T, Mack NJU-1 Mack NJU-1 with ponton trailer, crane is a Coleman/Quickway and a International M426

it helps if the photos are included

A couple more photos of U.S heavies a Biederman F1 tractor and 2500 gall tanker in use by the airforce as a fire truck and a Sterling/Cardox foam tanker

What happened there then, looks like something gave the back end a nasty smack

Good idea to start a photo gallery on any military vehicle so here are some early photos to help this one on its way 1. 2 shots from the body builders Marshalls of cambridge 2. i believe this ambulance was designed for the luxumburg army 3. prototype trials vehicle at the 1970 Aldershot militar show 4. trials vehicle with trailer missile resupply

Dont think its been mentioned but the gate prices i thought were very reasonable and that goes a long waywhen families are concerned lets hope the lads can keep to these rates for next year some of the entrance fees at some shows i think at times are well out of order and i know a number of people with kids who have decided its not affordable any more so hopefully MM will change there minds next year

Seen photos of them loaded both ways CW i will dig out some photos of one on a rogers turned 180degrees for launching ,yea i thought i had placed the bonnet sides further out still you didn,t need them out there cheers Les

A few of my models of the heavies 1. the BW models Explorer in markings of 51 MT company, the cable is hanging loose while i decide what to dangle from it not the easiest of kits to complete but nice when finished. 2. Leyland Drops with sultan on the back, the truck is a multi media Kit from CMSC and the load a resin model from the Cromwell range. 3. I like heavy loads on my transporters as seen here on the Academy M26 a very nice and reasonably easy kit to complete, the landing craft is the old faithful from Airfix. 4.Anoter BW kit the Antar MK3A this kit is very heavy for a 1/76 scale model so i reinforced the axles to take the strain. 5. A Wespe resin kit of the Mack NO tractor, i made mine as a post war Royal Engineers truck in the late 1960s. the other photo of this with trailer and load failed so will have to have another go at it. 6. By now you will have gathered my fondness of big loads heres another on the Diamond T from Matchbox now issued by Revell the load is a armageddon model

Just for interest here are a few from my golden oldie album, these were made over 25 years ago and i still have a couple in boxes somewhere Les

I popped in on Sunday, christ was that hot and sticky even more so when the explosions went off like a massive heat wave in the face, nice starting show bit sad about the lack of support from the vehicle media.I think we are now aware of the massive fuel costs involved for the gas guzzlers so it makes sense to me and I believe it will have to be a thing of the future that vehicle owners support the local shows we all know there are now a lot of military vehicles for instance within a good striking distance of the Faversham show so I look forward to a lot more supporting the efforts of the organisers next year

One way to give your DT a good wash

Heres a few in service photos picked up from various sites

This may be a strange coincidence but i took this photo about 35 years ago i think in the same location, it was parked up at the back of a row of buildings and in front of a small workshop i presume in use as a store. this was the time before the current route of the A13 when from London you took the road past the Essex arena which if i remember was the A13 at the time would this have any connection with the farm

Finally before i turn in a couple more of my models a CMP Ford 6x4 gantry recovery and a Matador in one of the more unusual roles in the desert, note i have replaced the airfix kit wheels and added a lot of detail to the kit, it is still a good base model to start with but requires a lot of extra work to make a good model

These photos are not my models but were built by a fellow modeller Barry Sharman from Southampton and i include them to show you what can be achieved in 1/76 scale. Barry achieved what i have always wanted to, build a LST only his layout includes a setting for the Nomandy landing with other landing craft and the piers and spuds etc plus loads of vehicles i got as far as a working drawing and the damn thing was 3ft long my intention was to have it water line like Barrys but show a side cut away with all the decks loaded, this is modelling at its very best i have some more shots i took at the time and will try to locate them