RecyMech

Bilbo, I fully agree with ferretfixer...speaking as ex-REME....unit mods were very much a law unto themselves. The Bren in the picture though would be .303", easily identified by the flared flash eliminator on the muzzle & curved magazine.......whereas everything (apart from SMG & pistols & .30cal if you want to count that as a personal weapon) in the 70's was already 7.62mm a'la GPMG/SLR/LMG The latter model 7.62mm LMG (often but slightly incorrectly referred to as a Bren) is instantly identifiable by its staight SLR style magazine & slotted flash eliminator (like an SLR) H

Les, The more pics & details I can aquire the better....so yes please, put them & I'll save them. Other variants....nothing actually 'planned' for other variants at this stage but never say never.... everything depends on sales really (as always). I know the truck modelling customers will go for it due to the number of Mats converted to civi wreckers, logging tractors, fairground motors etc. Look forward to you pics....many thanks. Howard.

Many thanks for both replies John & Sharky. Now then...Sharky...(grins & scratches chin) what you've just said sounds very interesting. Would you be willing to approach 'the boss' & pose the question for me please ? :cool2::cool2: Drop me a line on Howard@kitformservices.fsnet.co.uk & maybe we can tie something up for me to pay a visit & do the deed if the boss is willing that is. Talk to you soon, many many thanks again. Howard @ KFS

Evening all, Sometime early in the new year I'll be starting to gather info for our forthcoming 1/24th scale Matador & 5.5" gun kit. Now, for the Matador we`re pretty confident we have all we need already...it's the pattern makers all time favourite motor & he's well genned up on it. The gun however is a little more difficult. I believe Duxford has one presently & I dare say we could get in there to measure & photograph it to death. But I thought I'd ask the question on here first with the people 'wot is in the know' if there are any other good clean complete examples in private hands anywhere ??. (I have a handbook so far but that's all... Ordnance B.L. 5.5" 1941) The owners of which might be willing to help out with the odd piccy, measurement, advice, info & input ??:cool2::cool2: Any comments, advice etc, truly welcome:D Howard @ KFS http://www.kitformservices.com (lots of vehicles in my collection...trouble is they're all 1/24th now :cry:)

Can I throw one in please ? (actually surprised no one else has mentioned it) is there not a Leopard 1 crossing the bridge at one point in 'A Bridge Too Far' ?? H

Sidewinder..... I'm not trying to do AA out of a sale here by any means.....they have some great subjects & plenty of accessories to go with them....but if you're looking for something REALLY detailed, & REALLY special, & are not in too much of a hurry, then you might consider waiting (& saving up) for the KFS 1/24th scale (half inch to the foot) FV432. This is a forthcoming release for 2011. By really detailed I'm talking about metal tracks, a complete & fully detailed interior that you can actually appreciate with the naked eye due to its larger scale, working hatches & door, lift off engine decks & a complete lift out power pack. To get a feel for what I'm talking about have a look at the others in the same range on www.kitformservices.com (click Military Range in the left side bar menu) The 432 is not there but you'll get the idea. Howard @ KFS

Quote;- Emergency cut out in the event of accident or a fault on equipment. Very depressing to see a loom burst into smoke. I'm very much with Clive on that suggestion, damn good idea,....I did the very same thing on my Champ many years ago. But don't do what I did & put it under the seat with the batteries ....when the loom bursts into flames while doing 40mph, under the seat makes it tricky to get at....especially with a passenger sitting on it. My loom went up like a demolition fuse.....flame appeared through the bulkhead inside the right pigeon hole, burnt along the loom & disappeared behind the dash....took about 3 seconds & everything died. H

Pardon me for being the thick'o here (Saxon was well after my time & that's the excuse I'm sticking to) But;- What are the two box like devices on the end of the projections coming off the front ?, & why would they have been deployed somewhere desert like & retain (what appears to be) their fold out riot shield wings. Educate me someone :undecided: H

Thanks Andy :-D Just put a taster picture & few details of the forthcoming 1/24th Saladin kit too. "I love Deep Bronze Green" ??.....obviously, what's not to love !! :cool2::cool2: H

Pictures of the completed kit now on the site. Anyone here visiting IPMS Nats mid November ? I have a small stand in Hall 2 plot 42, would very much like to get modellers face to face views on all the kits. Cheers......Howard @ KFS

Bazz, Many thanks for the update on the RAC as it is today. Whilst arguably we live in safer times (not withstanding the wider terrorist threat) now that the former USSR is no more, it is very sad to see it all fits on one page now. Times change eh ? Personally I'd prefer to see my tax money spent on keeping a few regiments alive rather than some of the daft projects British governments (of both colours) toss money at. Nuff said. As for the towel, yeah it survived pretty well. No moth holes, just a couple of dirty marks along where it was folded for 37 years. I was afraid to wash it though....just in case. I have another with every regimental cap badge of the British Army of the day (73) printed on it at life size. Just black & white though & not as impressive as the RAC one. As a matter of scale....the RAC one is 36" tall. Thanks again. H

A little artifact I bought back in 73 in the WRVS shop, Roundhouse, Hohne. It's actually an Irish linen tea towel thats been folded up & stored away since the day it was bought. Recently had it framed & I wondered how many of the regiments depicted still exist. I know there are some cracking historians on here. Howard.

Must confess I did`nt really do a whole lot with the AEC after leaving the UK for BAOR. Did my HGV 2 in a Mk3 Miltant wrecker, so drove it quite a bit obviously (nice drive). Trained on it on slab common along with the Leyland.....not much jib work involved there though, mainly winching & cross country suspend tows. Only ever got to use 1 more AEC while in Germany & that was because the Martian was laid up waiting for parts. For me though I found the Martian a delight to work with as far as the crane & winch are concerned. It had a very good reach & was a nice stable platform. You could creep the controls, which was a real bonus for the A mechs when inching a pack back in. They would always prefer to work with the Leyland rather than the 434 (up inner-down outer & all that stuff) I also felt very isolated when winching from the cab of the AEC, could`nt really see what was going on down the business end on the rope. Whereas standing operating the winch from the back deck of the Martian I felt 'part of the job'. You could also watch the winch drum from there & make sure it was all paying back in properly....the AEC I recall gave some problems with slack coils & coils coming off the drum if you did`nt get things operated in the right order. Just my memories mind. H

Many thanks for posting those. Enjoyed very much indeed. Have assisted the 'A' Mechs in many a pack lift back in the 70s, both Chieftain & 432....but always from the 'clean end' of a Leyland Martian jib :cool2: Thanks again for the flashbacks. H

Quote;- "Oi hevent a cleuw wot yiz er on aboit." :rofl::rofl::rofl: Steady on, I married one of those I found on a tea stop....seemed like a good idea at the time. The interogations in the Fort at tin city were a proper laugh. Mate of mine was into weird hippie stuff at the time (1975) Having been 'arrested' he was questioned;- Interogator "Whats your name then son" Andy "Arnold Lane" Interogator "How did you get here" Andy "By plane" Interogator "What plane" Andy "Astral plane....aaa-um...aaa-um" at which point Andy adopts the mediation position & switches off to the world. Great days,. H

Quote;- That's assuming you dont fall off you own while doing it, as someone said earlier on, must be 30 years ago, the age monster is chasing us all. You have a very good point.......36 years in my case & I doubt I could lift the leg high enough now. On a visit to REME museum (vehicle collection Bordon) to get reference pics a while back I could`nt resist a crawl over their Cent ARV.....& a crawl is exactly what it was...practically needed step ladders to get aboard & then found all the hatches had got much smaller over the years. Odd that ! H

I was in schtuck with that same WO2 again (I said CSM earlier & meant SSM) on the night I threw a jerry can in temper after the refueling hopper I put it in (& many many others like it), leaked (lots of) petrol in the belly of my Cent ARV. Despite the fact that I was refuelling alongside 15 Chieftains, all with their engines running, as they also drew fuel, also in cans, from a line of Stollies......apparently my can throwing exercise was causing too much noise. Happy days though.....if I see him again I'll kick his zimmer frame from under him :cool2::cool2: H

We flew out to Batus in VC10s from Guttersloh...remember those ?...seats facing backwards for some odd reason. Anyone here see the Northern Lights while in Batus....what a FANTASTIC sight that is:nut: I came back with the kit in a Hercules though & was deaf for a month afterward. Nothing like the scene in the Wild Geese at all (where they are having a quiet chat in the back while in flight.....my ar%*) Hercules....never seen a plane with so many hydraulic leaks either. I waved down the load master who walked along the top of the kit to get to me....I pointed out the leaking pipes overhead...got the message across & he shouts "let me know when it stops leaking, ...cause then we`re in the sh*t". He did come back some time later & attempted a repair with two adjustable spanners though bless him. Site Guard....ah yes, long periods of boredom & then a quick adrenaline rush & the chance to drive like a friggin nutter with 20 blokes hanging on for dear life in the back. I was a master MK thrasher you know ? :cool2: As 2ic of the guard & in a state of boredom, :yawn: I answered the phone in the compound guardroom one afternoon with a "Yo" instead of the proper response. Bad move...B Sqn CSM removed my testicles with words not previous encountered by self.:blush::blush: On the Command GO...`Chaaaange`....`SANDBAGS`. H

Afternoon all,....I know we have a section for models, but as several people from this section of the forum helped me out with the MK kit, I thought I'd just let you know theres a temporary picture of said kit, with further details, now at;- http://www.kitformservices.com/tq.html near top of page, just below the Stalwart limber kit. Best Regs. H:thumbsup:

Afternoon all. Just posted a taster picture of the 1/24th Bedford MK 4 tonner kit. It's just a temporary picture of most of the kit, decals, vac glazing & lights not shown at present. Test builds now underway. See ; - http://www.kitformservices.com/tq.html near top of page just below Stalwart Limber. Cheers..........Howard @ KFS

BIG public thankyou to both VOR (for the above pics) & Bran D for a monster set of detail shots just received by e mail of the turret interior. Great work fellas,...your pictures are worth a bazillion words.:drive: very best regards. Howard @ KFS:D:D:D:thanx::thumbsup:

Hi Brad, Ahhh, another star is what you are :cool2:. Dont think there is a problem with file sizes, so just go for it please. Cheers much in advance. Howard.:banana::banana::thanx:

And here was me thinking they were just draining the oil, in a Soviet servicing stylee :rofl: H

VOR "These any help." You're not kidding they are !!! :cool2: these show all the 'right side' bits that are missing from the one I photographed & where they belong. The bits of the puzzle are falling into place now. Nice one mate those are a BIG help :thanx: Andyroo Let me get these pics above to the pattern maker, see what he thinks. We might just have enough now but failing that I'll definately take you up on the offer of pics of various bits. Superb work gents one & all. I knew I was coming to the right place. Howard. PS. For those who helped out on various Bedford MK queries a few weeks back, the test builds of said job are now underway. Ta for you help again also.

Hi Bran, If that publications is dated 67, then it must be referring to Mk2, which all ties in with the above posts nicely. Just curious that the left seat is referred to as the "loaders seat" on early vehicles. But anyway, that is all by the by. Gunner on the left & commander / loader on the right is accepted. Now....pictures :cool2::cool2: always worth viewing, can never have too many pictures....main question though is;- Is you breech & related levers & other gubbins etc up the right side more complete than the one I photographed belonging to Andy Jeffrey in Derby ?? (cheers again Andy:kiss:) Sadly can't make MK this w/e....dog having a bladder operation in the morning (£££) so dare not be away this w/e. But any pics you can take are worth a mint, so yes please, anything of the breech & around the breech is dead useful. (howard@kitformservices.fsnet.co.uk) Ta very much Howard.