RecyMech

Quote "Repro rat packs......!!!!!:-( I never thought it possible to replicate that level of culinary incompetence" :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl: Seen it all now. Will the 'living history display' include a shovel stuck in the ground, bog roll on handle, next to a shallow hole at a discreet distance.???????:cool2::cool2: What about those magic compo tin openers though ?. After getting married we had several of those in the KFS draw at home. Fancy high street tin openers came & went by the dozen but those things were indestructable. I do believe we had one for 30 years & it still worked just fine. Not bad for a 24 hour throw away item. H

Don't forget the Tiffin bars & boiled sweets in a tin (hmmmm).....in 4 man & 10 man packs if memory serves. As we worked as a 3 man crew on the ARV we always had spare rations to go round....quite convenient really ! Your right though, that fish soup was diabolical. Could'nt face the AB biscuits myself unless seriously hungry....the the imitation Gardibaldi (dead fly) biscuits were great. Cheese possessed reputedly fired down range by Cheiftains of QOH at Hohne...in lieu of SABOT & with similar effect on the target. No one has mentioned the highlight of the 10 man pack though....Oatmeal Blocks (HMMMMM big style). The cause of many an argument if not shared fairly on the ARV. Don't mess with another mans Oatmeal Block Our 'scheme box' always carried a good supply of Andrex Luxury bog roll too. Oh for the chance to do it all again :-D:-D H

And so it begins......we`re in for good days to be proud of.... & bad days we remember for other reasons. I remember it being an emotional roller coaster. Just could'nt get enough news. Speaking of air strikes....did'nt we also strike the runway with Buccaneers at some point ? Maybe thats to come in a few days. Still riveted. H

This is a great thread......all the little bits of detail that I'd forgotten about being re-freshed. Looking back on it now we can see what a close call it was to pull it all off. Two enemies...Argentina & the weather, but at least the Argentines would give up...not so the weather ! H

Sorry to hear about the break in....been there had that. Hopefully the scum will get theirs in a head on with a truck. The pause was actually quite in keeping with the time though....I recall there was a very very quiet 5-10 days while the TF sailed south & not much was reported. I'm still in, daily. H

Reckon I'd get discount on 10 ?.....could cover all roads into the village. A Bren gun would be more personal though ! H

Keep going Paul, I'm still checking in daily. Its bringing back all the knotted gut feelings & memories.... "Hope they've got all the kit they need....hope they make it ashore ok.....hope the politicians don't foul it up....etc etc" Do I recall correctly that at the time we were having trouble getting small arms ammo ?....something to do with it being made in Belgium & they refused to supply ??? anyone else recall such a report at the time ?? H

This thread has me hooked. Brilliant idea....please keep it going to the end. Me & a couple of others at the place I worked at the time were reservists & had it gone badly could have been recalled (gladly)....I remember during every BBC radio news update you could here a pin drop in the workshop while blokes gathered around the radio for a 'listen in'. H

Never mind N.O.S. only another 7 to go..... 5 on your Matador & 2 on the 5.5 gun you're bound to need to put behind it (ahem):cool2::cool2::-D H

Hello Gents, Picture of the kit layout for the new 1/24th scale AEC Matador kit now in the Military Range on http://www.kitformservices.com. Well most of it anyway, not shown are the various light lens & the various plastic/brass rods & strips etc....these all get worked out as the first test build goes through. But you can get the idea of whats included in the main I think. Test build & instructions underway from tomorrow. (& the 5.5 inch gun for it is now also finished & goes for casting next week) Best regs........Howard @ KFS

And with a five & half in tow too........how gorgeous is that ? My thanks also for posting the picture. H

Quote "Just noticed A Smith models have added an AEC to their range ! Looks very smart !" Smarter still in 1/24th scale though:whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle: H http://www.kitformservices.com

Ah, yes....the good ole RL Bedford.....another legend. Shades of 'Ice Cold In Alex' in that second picture eh :cool2: H

Quote;- Could it be sowing the seed of thought for your next model? The Martian to go with the howitzer.... So many great subjects to choose from so little money, & so little life left to do them all ! Martian is quite high on the list, but then so is the 432, 434, Antar & trailer, Conqueror, Bedford RL, Humber 1 Ton, Saxon, Militant Mk1, 2 Land Rovers & a 105 light gun ........its a very top heavy list:D:D If only the wife would stop picking the wrong lottery numbers. Its all her fault. H

Cracking set of pics Duncan, cheers. Stamped another couple of confirmations with those, many thanks.....i.e the two reflector brackets on the front of the carriage. I'd got pics of the brackets but without the reflectors...this proves what the 3 bolt holes are for. Good pic of the handspikes in use also. Smashing set of Martian pics too........I like how the Martian dwarfs the 5.5. :cool2: Thanks again.....crackin.:thanx: H

Many thanks again Rob,:thanx: Pictures confirm 3 different forms of boxing involved......including the long slender steel box, one which I was curious about. I can also see the rarely seen 'Box No4 Stores' on the left trail leg of one gun & the bottom picture shows a spade & a shovel...both listed as carried stores in my book but rarely ever seen in a photo. I'll bet that lot was a sight to behold when they all let rip at once.:cool2: Best Regs. Howard @ KFS

Many thanks for those Rob. That has answered several conundrums & the pictures actually offer more info on stores stowage too. So thanks for those also. Re the bag charge, yes I was fairly happy with that side of it & the tubes/containers they came in. It was the shell store/transport thing that had me well confused. Regards.........Howard @ KFS

Hello again chaps......it appears there are no takers for the above:cry: So can I just throw open a question please, about a specific point on ammo carriage/storage for the 5.5" in the hope someone will know & can enlighten me......... My reprinted handbook (1941) for the 5.5 inch states in the general description page 102 "Shell are issued plugged & unboxed". Does this mean literally that ?...i.e 5.5" shells are not carried or stored in traditional ammo boxes ? Sounds a bit odd. Further reading suggests they are filled with Amatol at some point in the field (presumably in a rear area) & not as I assumed, in an ammunition factory, again this sounds rather odd. Are the shells then boxed after filling ? (visions of a pile of unboxed cylindrical shells sliding & rolling about in the back of a gun tractor) I would have thought the filled shell & its fuse (detached for fitting before firing) would be box packed at the factory & virtually ready to use. Can anyone shed any light on it please:confused: Best regs........Howard @ KFS

Morning Gents, Is there a knowledgable person or maybe even a 5.5 owner out there who might be prepared to lead me by the hand through a number of questions & queries on the beast please ?:blush: Master patterns are virtually completed for our 1/24th kit now but I could do with some extra info on a few things before it goes for casting. Especially on the make up of the ammo, & details on CES stowage. Things like..... Is there a definative method of easily identifying marks of gun....I've seen flared & straight muzzles for example:undecided: On the stowage its things like what is stowed where & how this might vary from mark to mark On the ammo I just want to make sure I'm understanding it correctly & wanted to ask about how the shells & bag charges are stored, box size, qty per box & things like that. If anyone could help out I'd be eternally grateful...we could do this offline if anyone can help out. kfs1@btinternet.com Thanks in advance guys. Howard @ KFS

Martyn.... The link works fine many many thanks.....my god there is miles & miles of it :wow:....everything I could possibly want for the ammo & box markings. But unfortunately I could'nt down load it without a facebook account, so the pop up message said. Any chance of that e mail copy you mentioned ? That would be brilliant if possible. Peter, cheers for alerting me to the publication in the first place & I'll keep you in mind for copies if sending the pdf by e mail does not come off.....just a matter of figuring out which page applies at this time :undecided: Very best regards both. Howard @ KFS

Yes please Martyn.......I'd find that hugely useful if you could. It would save me pestering Peter for scanned pages. Many thanks in advance. Howard @ KFS

Peter, I certainly did`nt know such a publication existed.........but what a blinding co-incidence:cool2: I was just about to post up here regarding any available info on box & shell markings for 5.5" howitzer ammo. Our 1/24th 5.5" howitzer kit is almost finished & this is one of the last few details to tie up now. Could I twist your arm into pasting up any pics of said ammo boxes & or ammo if its included....or even e mailing them to me kfs1@btinternet.com Please, pretty please with bells on even:yay: Very best regards.........Howard @ KFS

Well I have to stand up & defend the Martian heavy wrecker, it was (IMO), speaking as an early 70s Recy Mech, a superb machine & not a pile of s**t at all. (48-BM-14 where are you now). She never missed a beat in the 3 years that I had the pleasure of thrashing the nuts off it. (Which I did with gusto & at every oppourtunity) She started first time everytime, in the coldest of German winters. Great fun to drive & no recovery task was too much for it, winching, lifting or towing. Changing gear in the main box & the transfer box at the same time (two sticks two hands) was a trick I could perform to the amusment of younger recymechs (which in itself sounds odd being only 21 at the time). Definately a nicer machine to operate for recovery purposes than the Militant Medium (IMO). I once came across a yellow Martian wrecker in civilian hands at the Driffield truck show. Of course I had to have a shuftie around it. I was dismayed to see the operator had got the rear spring locks engaged for no apparent reason, when I asked him why he stared at me blankly & asked me what I was talking about. It says more about the operator than the vehicle. H

Been looking through my research pics on the smk dischargers, I have pictures of Mk5 with 3 & 4 tube & Mk6 likewise with 3 & 4 tube. Luck of the draw ! The vehicle the kit was actually based on was a Mk6 with 4 tube launchers. Found an overhead shot of the 3 tube type which suggest they are the same as Ferret & if I had any spare oily would be more than welcome to them FOC. Best regs all. H

Hi Matt, Nice one, looking forward to your progress. Remember, if you hit any problems or need any clarification or help on the kit whatsoever, just drop me a line or give me a call. Re the Smk dischargers.....nearest thing I would have had would be the Ferret 3 tube type. Not sure if they're the same. But I've checked the spares box & cupboard is bare anyway mate, sorry. (All casting is done professionally out of house) Best regs......Howard @ KFS