Tarland

This thread dates from 2009.......... What is the situation in April 2017 for sourcing replacement sealed beam units for CVR(T)'s etc......?

I think I answered my own question........... Damn FLA's (Four Letter Ancronyms)! Yes it does have a four pin connector. In fact turns out to be a veritable rats nest of BPDU cables (5 in total) obviously tying in user terminals and a GPS

The abbreviation appears on a cable loom recovered from a CET (FV180). Could it be related to BOWMAN and digital battlefield information? Anyone any suggestions? Sensible answers on a postcard to......... Cheers

See here the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html (this one in Australian service in Vietnam)

The Belgian Army operated a fleet of M108 Howizters until the mid 1980's. Possible candidate? Same sort of era as the M113? The M108 was the 105mm version of what is now the M109 Paladin 155mm SPG. There was an M108 up for sale on Milweb a few years ago (plus one being broken up/candidate for gate Guardian)

All, Thanks for all the various responses. Please see below photos of the various external connectors for the searchlight (4 pin) and vehicle lights (6 pin) on a CET. The connection box shown is mounted on the hull alongside the engine bay hatch behind the bucket. The matting connector for the spotlight is a 4 pin connector which looks to be an older version of the current Amphenol connector. Only two pins are wired - a two core cable is used on the searchlight. No obvious NSN ID to assist confirming manufacturer etc.

All, I have managed to acquire a really good condition Ex AFV/Land rover Francis spotlight (looks like an ex CVRT example). Only problem is the power cable has had the connector removed. What would normally be fitted? In trawling the Forum I found the following in the Old For Sale section: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?37750-Afv-francis-searchlight-m9-floodlamp Can anyone advise what the connector is in the photo - Amphenol? Would the cable have the "pinned" connection (male) and the Female/socket be on the vehicle? A keyed 2 pin connection? I work in the offshore subsea business and there are various conventions about when and where male and female connectors are used. Is there a similar approach on AFV's - CVR(T), CET's etc. Normally the pin connections are used on components that are easily retrieved so in the event of damage they can be repaired - pin's being supposedly more vulnerable...........

I was in the Withams yard just before Xmas and there were two Spartans been driven around the site. Didn't note the registrations but seems a bit of a coincidence that theres 2 up for sale on the tender list for 1st Feb. Externally they looked quite neat and tidy.

Niels, I would have to agree with you......it would have been just as worthwhile to save the Swedish APC. Ok not a WW2 vehicle but something equally worth preserving...... The topic has provoked some interesting debate on restoration vs replica's and the use of orignal spares etc. I hope the Marder end product is as faithful as possible

If you're going over to Tavistock go here: https://www.morwellham-quay.co.uk/ Not military but excellent industrial museum with a Mining theme - you can also go underground. If you are heading to Slapton Sands head into Dartmouth - the Castle is worth a look, Tudor, Victorian and WWII fortifications on one site (and a Civil war earthwork on the hill above). There's also a well preserved WWII coastal battery on National Trust land on the Kingswear side and over at Brixham (this one has been partially restored by local volunteers - see website). Brixham also has Victorian fortifications on Berry Head up above the Harbour.

Vickers is probably a good bet. Definitely look like trials vehicles of some form. Vaguely remember a picture of a range test mount/ vehicle somewhere for the 120mm main gun of Chieftain/Challenger. Given Vickers had their own MBT design very possibly test vehicles to support the engineering of these? Was MBT production at Barrow? Whoever has done the design has obviously thought it through and gone to some efforts with the conversion (Note - drivers hatch has been removed). Good luck with the move

http://www.oakfields-ag.com/product/thornycroft-light-mobile-digger

YouTube video - film transfered to video - Film taken by a member of 59 Commando Squadron RE of their action in the Falklands (I think the camera man was the commanding officer - he is in a BBC interview about the Falkalnd minefields) Includes footage of a CET training for beach landing on Ascension Island en-route down south. In doing a bit more research located a mention of the CET loss in Edward Fursdon's book - "Falklands Aftermath". This also mentions in passing the loss and subsequent recovery of the Haulamatic's off the Mexeflote. The blown up CET also gets a mention on the ARRSE Forum - but no photos. (Mexe incident also gets a mention under the Sappers section)

Are there any good sources of information out there on the crawler tractors/bulldozers employed by the Royal Engineers in the 1950's/1960's? Got a copy of Terry Gander's book on the Royal Engineers hardware but this only covers from the late 70's to mid 1980's Theres been various Fowler challengers - 33 and 3M3's - up for sale recently on the various online Auction/Sales Websites. Anyone able shed some light on the subject? Fowlers get a mention on the classic plant websites/forums but not in great detail. A New Zealand article on the Vigor: https://web.archive.org/web/20081014160053/http://www.contrafedpublishing.co.nz/Historical/Rugged+reliability+The+Vickers+VR180+Vigor.html

The FV180 gets a couple of mentions on the Forums of this site under the theme of the Falklands/Op Corporate. It would appear two CET's went down South with the Task Force. There is a good article on the Falklands Airfields and a further article on the Logistics operation on the Think Defence blog: http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/black-buck-runways-1982-falkland-islands-conflict/conflict/ (The TD website is a goldmine of articles on obscure military topics - historical and current if you havent come across it) Theres a photo of a CET laying trackway as part of building the Forward Operating Base at San Carlos. I have read somewhere that a CET was subsequently blown up in the minefield surronding Stanley Airport and I am sure that theres a photo somewhere of the remains of the vehicle but I have not been able to trace it...... Can anyone help with photos of the CET's in the Falklands? Here's two I've located

Another captured CS8

https://servicepub.wordpress.com/2014/10/16/the-ram-kangaroo-armoured-personnel-carrier-part-1/ Link to a series of articles on a Canadian Military History website on the foreunner of the modern APC. Gives a history of the conversion of the M3 Priests to APC's for the first phase of Operation Totalize (the action described in Ken Tout's book "Tank!!") It also covers the conversion of the RAM tank to the Kangaroo proper.

In the HMSO publication "Breakdown - A history of Recovery Vehicles in the British Army" (Baxter 1989) 835 Section get a mention for the recovery of various Tigers etc. during 1944/45. Theres a very grainy photo of the Section members on a StuG III assault gun that had been commandeered and converted into an ARV...... Can anyone suggest any resources for further researching 835? I was going to try the REME Museum at Arborfield Garrison but is there any other publications or sources of information out there on the actions of the REME Heavy Sections?

Diesel1 What was the outcome in the end? Did you acquire the CET and proceed with the registration?

Hi, North is the North East of Scotland........ Not currently an owner of an ex MV but have had a long term interest in military vehicles and in researching various things keep on coming across this forum......... Main interests are the more esoteric vehicles, AVRE, ARV, BARV - yes vehicles recovery and engineering related and also artillery tractors. Also a long term Landrover owner and so-so vehicle restorer so maybe I should take the plunge and take on an Ex Military Landie. Rgds Steve