RecyMech

I believe (if memory serves from last year) Sharky has both real & fake versions down at Armourgeddon. Over to you Iain ? H

Thanks LJ...I said it was a long shot.....small world, but not that small eh ? I recall the aforementioned Bob 'Noddy' Elder had a connection with a Hillman Hunter in Hohne.......well, he rammed one broadside with a 3 series Landrover during practice for exercise June Bug. Ah....happy days:D It was a bigger firm back then. H

LongJohn......its a longshot I know but I don't suppose the name Bob 'Noddy' Elder means anything to you from those days with the Shah ?? (REME A Mech, would have been last posted to QOH LAD Hohne) H

One of my best mates who left the army (REME) just before me went to work on Chieftains for the Shah. He was there about 3 years & then the 'bearded one' took over....him & his missus had to leave everything behind & run like hell when it all kicked off. Got back to blighty with a sun tan & bugger all else. Re the Chieftain getting hit though....looks to me like it copped it from behind dont you think ? Friendly fire maybe ?...or a 'tactical withdrawl' ? H

Andy, Cracking stuff mate, very nice to see it turn a track under its own power again. Brill. H

quote;- some of the 1st batch of conquerors to come into Germany I for one would definately like to see those...oh yes !! :cool2: H

Nice one Andy, well done. Looking forward to seeing (& hearing) the vid. H

Quote;- You swines you have overpowered my thread on camo........FOR A LAND ROVER Ah yes, sorry about that....mind you Land Rovers are easily overpowered....by Champs !! (gets coat & leaves quick):box: Seriously, thanks for starting the thread cause I was about to ask the same question but in relation to Saladin. Damn, another overpowering offshoot:banana: H

There is a photograph in my one of my Tankograd books of a 43 with no swim kit at all fitted, claiming to be taken in Soltau 1978. Having said that...the same book is riddled with inaccuracies on other photographs, so it's no hard & fast guide. (Bit of a useless answer I know) H

Thanks for straightening me out on this Andy & sirhc. I confess I just learned something new:red: You may now do me with the wrong end of a rag mans trumpet:nut::nut: H

Quote;- The Mk 2/1 was certainly around in 1967 when we withdrew from Aden. Granted it appears a Mk2/1 with that flatter NBC pack on it. I'm just genuinley surprised that the Mk2/1 was around that early on.(67) I thought (until now) the flatter NBC pack was only introduced around 1980....live & learn I suppose ! H

I'm still bemused by the NBC pack on the right side which 'appears' even in this second photograph to be the much much later slimmer Mk2/1 type. I only recall seeing the large bulky version with the large angled fore plate on Mk1 & Mk2. H

Hmmm, the whole cam/no cam thing is a bit of a can'o'worms but very interesting non the less. I also did`nt think that 432s reached Aden....now, with a bouyancy aid on the front it suggests an early one as these were disposed of later on in service... & yet the NBC pack on the right side looks (to me) to be much slimmer than I remember on the Mk1 & Mk2 & looks more like the one fitted MUCH later on the MK2/3 Anyone agree ? H

Co-incidentally I'd like to ask the same question about Saladins in Cyprus & Aden...I have a couple to build (models that is) & am having the same trouble making up my mind on the colour scheme. Anyone ? H

To let a Martian fall to bits like that is just plain criminal. I hope it's not 48BM14....cause if it is I'll want it back...just to give it a decent burial. H

Looks brand spankers now...nice work ! H

Nor THAT'S more like it :laugh::laugh:....give it some...it's only happy while it's howling. Many thanks for that...dead good. If any of those dead Cent ARVs out there carry the number 03ZR59, then it's mine...& I want it back please. Best regs.....H

The Cent I had for a month in Canada used to start great from cold, but would burst into flames on a hot start. We did the last 2 weeks of the scheme with the decks part open & my gun fitter standing over the engine with a BCF bottle...got through quite a few of those. It later transpired that the metal float chamber overflow pipe on one carb was broken at the carb & this would leak petrol into the hot V during starting instead of sending the excess fuel down into the hull. This particular Cent seemed to have no guvenors either, it was a proper racer but you could not rely on engine braking while towing....a bad thing consider its poor brakes. On return to Batus an A Mech did a magneto drop test on both mags at once & destroyed the engine so I was told. I was told when it went bang he came out of the winch house like a guided missile. I was in hospital at the time so I did`nt get to see that. Happy days....H

F/fixer...I could tell you a funny story about a certain recy mech that once caught fire & was quite badly burned. Trouble is it was'nt so funny at the time. Mind you I was feeding a Ferret with petrol down the throat of the carb from a plastic cup at the time. It coughed & backfired through the carb & I got the resulting fireball. Looking back on it I was lucky the fuel in Cent hull never went up too. Live & learn. H

Ah, that's a clever move !. I once poured 8 jerry cans of petrol into my hull on a night time replen. I assumed I was putting into the front tank via one of those fold out briefcase fuel hoppers. The hopper had other ideas though. Drove that night with petrol sloshing around my feet....highly dodgy ! (& smelly) H

Quote;-price of fuel makes us very light on the right foot,that and if it breaks we have to fix it glad you enjoyed Valid. I can't argue with either of those points Andy. I certainly would not want to pay the Cents fuel bill let alone the Conq...which I'll bet is a bit thirstier still ? Only ever changed the plugs on my Cent once, & that was once too often. They're not built with the poor bloody A mech in mind eh? Very much enjoyed the trip round the slab though, thanks again. H

Ah, yes. Most excellent !!. Enjoyed that a lot, thanks. A nice steady tootle round the common. This is why I asked if she was a bit tender in her old age as everyone seems to drive her quite slowly & with minimum revs & gearchanges. My instructor (1972) insisted I keep the Cent on the peak of the power curve all the time even when not towing. In other words, drive pretty much flat out everywhere & change gear often. As a result I remember being up & down the box like a jack rabbit watching the rev counter & listening for the guvenors. After a while you could just drive naturally enthusiastically by judging the vibrations going up your bum from the seat. (Mind you petrol was cheaper in 1972 & it was a bigger firm than it is today.) Once you'd got the hang of the stick change, & providing you kept everything properly adjusted it was actually great fun...but knackering after a bit.:nut: Once had a race round Soltau, my ARV & a Cent AVLB from 35 Eng Regt. He won I'm sorry to say. My excuse was his bridge weighed less than my spade.:blush: Any other ex-Cent drivers on the forum? Cheers Andy.....H

Quote Chas, "yours looks ever so detailed" Well, it is, that's the beauty of the larger 1/24th scale...you can get SO much more in & still have it all visible.....plus it helps with the sausage fingers !! Each of the 24 rounds of ammo has 2 decals applied....8 HESH, 8 HE & 8 Smoke, + 6 empty cases. You actually have to lift the turret out & tun it upside down to appreciate whats in there around the walls. David Jane made a fantastic job of the internal detail. Andy, Pop up to SMW (IPMS Nationals show) at Telford in November & see them in the flesh...no picture can quite capture all of it. Best regs.....H

1/24th Scale Saladin Afternoon all, Have just (almost) completed the first test build of the 1/24th scale Saladin kit (just the engine louvre mesh to add) Have pasted up further 10 large pics, here;- http://www.kitformservices.com/standard.html Just scroll down to Saladin & click the little camera icons to view. Hope you like it & all comments very welcome. Best regs....H

Ahhhhhh, cheers Andy. I was away with the fairies there for a minute or two:D:D Driver in the 2nd vid needs to sit closer to the clutch pedal & learn to stick change. Just kidding I know you said the clutch was playing up a bit on the day. Given her years...is she a bit delicate these days or will she still stand up to some thrash & abuse? Cracking stuff, ta......H