fv1609

Nope.

Nope.

Nope.

What's all this stuff about?

Dave yes that would be fine. I expect I have a photo of you somewhere if not on the Hornets but on Sqn group photos. I have most from Cyclops & SRS through to RAC Para Sqn proper.

Ok Dave, I believe there were 32 or 33 Hornets ranging from the wooden mock up in 1958, through the various prototypes to give 12 operational vehicles & 12 in reserve. Unfortunately the Hornet was not mine; I had it on loan from the Tank Museum for 14 years. It was not the one on display but the non-runner stored outside behind the Museum. I spent many thousands of pounds getting it driveable & keeping it roadworthy. I had to replace the clutch, fly-wheel, alternator, starter motor, complete braking system, ignition system, carb, generator panel, switchboard, all the hub seals, some track rods + ends. I had to make the battery tray, IR headlight boxes & new tilt ram. I got the hydraulic compressor to run & the rotary converter going with the transistor PSU. I never manage to accumulate enough valves as it was my intention to get the on-board simulator to run. I returned it when I retired as it was all getting a bit too much in expense & time. I then also had 2 Pigs, 2 Shorlands & a Rover. I now just have a Pig, Shorland & Rover. I also had a collection of Vigilants & the Shorland was Vigilant equipped at one stage. I used to be in contact with someone from the Vigilant sales team & Col Val Cockle who commanded 20 Trials Unit who rejected it twice! So I saw things from both viewpoints. Indeed I have been in contact with Fairey/BAC people who worked on Malkara & saw things from their perspective not just from the user. Your avatar is from a picture taken by Capt Peter Russell who was Cyclops EME. He was a great source of help & information, I have his archives. But when he died & I returned the Hornet I lost the impetus to attend reunions. http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?14228-R-I-P-Capt-Peter-Russell-1923-2009&highlight=peter+russell I never served but was made an honorary member of the OCA. I wrote a couple of articles about the formation of the Sqn in Tank & Pegasus. An expansion of that article is here: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?617-Development-of-the-Hornet So I wonder which years you were in the Sqn? I probably know a number of your contemporaries. Col Radford was here last year taking copies of some of my archives & Griz was in contact a few weeks ago about making a model of a Hornet.

Welcome Dave that's an impressive career with AFVs. I wonder have we ever met at RAC Para Sqn Reunions? I used to bring the Hornet along.

The info on that first link seems to have come from Mark Cook's book. Both my LtWts were in fact LHD but I've long since lost all the details.

Yes that serial number does seem right for a LHD Lt Wt. That number plate, I would expect the vehicle description, contract, code no. all to be printed on the plate just the unique things stamped on.

That it may not be the original plate. The numbers are all over the place & it is screwed on not riveted. PS It says contract no. as FVE22A/87 to be specific it was FVE22A/87/4

That looks a super layout, but am I missing something, where do military vehicles fit in?

Steve there is an original UHB here: http://www.ekmpowershop5.com/ekmps/shops/greenmachines/bv202e-full-tracked-articulated-carrier-user-handbook-2192-p.asp He has a copy for about £5 less & there is also a copy of a RM training manual if you browse his site. As for EMERs your best hope would be the REME Museum. It would be best to contact them to establish if they have the EMER TRACKED VEHICLES C 300-309 series then pay them a visit. They don't provide a postal or email service so you have to go there. Unfortunately some of the EMER collection has undergone an extraordinary re-arrangement of contents within their respective file/binders rendering it quite difficult to find what should be in a particular file. Although the EMERs in the Corps Archive library still retains the logical structure & layout of documents as it was originally conceived.

User Handbook - Army Code No. 22166 1967 Maintenance Schedule - Army Code No. 60404 July 1981 Asset Code 1260-2976 CES - Army Code No. 31100 Nov. 1972 Asset Code 1260-5976 CES - Army Code No. 34172 Nov. 1972 Asset Code 1260-6976 CES - Army Code No. 31100 Nov. 1972 Asset Code 1260-4942 CES - Army Code No. 31223 Jan. 1979 Asset Code 1260-4942 User Handbook Army Code No. 22298 EMER TRACKED VEHICLES C 300-309 /1 Cargo/personnel /2 Emergency Ambulance /3 2 Stretcher Ambulance /4 3 Stretcher Ambulance /5 Command post /6 Wombat role /7 Mortar detachment role /8 Fitter role /9 Recovery /10 FFR role /11 GPMG mounting kit /12 Skis for 105 mm pack Howitzer & 3/4 Ton Trailer Fv2361 /13 Infra-red filter assembly

Tony yes its a Humber 1 Ton FV1601B (ie with winch)

Wayne never seen anything similar before or aware of any written instructions to do it. I suspect the original plug was lost or severely graunched up or the rather short thread on the sump was damaged, then this thing found to go in. If it is an ad hoc repair there is no guarantee that the repair thingy is exactly the same thread. The thread on my sump is not very good & I found that the plug had been covered with thick wraps of PTFE but was by no means secure. For the time being I fitted a new plug but it still needed lots of PTFE. It can only be tightened to limp-hand tight. As a precaution to losing the plug I have fashioned a bracket to support the plug from underneath. Not beautiful but gives peace of mind.

Couldn't resist this for £1

Merlin that's interesting. One tends to think of it as just a WW2 system, but that pamphlet was dated 1950 "Tactical Employment of Movement Light" I wonder when it was discontinued as a viable arrangement? I suppose the most famous use light like that was crossing the Rhine towards the end of WW2. It was also recorded that LVTs were equipped with Tabby, which they didn't actually use for navigation but relied on DF fixes from 19 sets. Anyway here are the two preceding pages from the pamphlet.

Ah well I know nothing about 6-cylinders let alone V8s, mine's just got a 4-cylinder

Mike thank you for posting those. SB301 Mk 3 that's what I said at first, then corrected myself as I thought the radiator was forward suggesting a V8 making it a SB401. But isn't that a V8 engine on that chassis?

Don't be so modest Bernard. Yes well done biding your time with a well placed googly.

Nope.

Nope Richard not a sound issue.

A pre-existing book actually Phil. I thought it might be too obvious, only just started on the new one. All I've learnt so far is that corporal punishment must not be done on Sundays & drunkenness is not a great offence, it is only so when it is "habitual"

Nope, Tony I think that's a favourite one of your suggestions