Great War truck

I just came across a cracking picture of a dynamometer being used on a WW1 Holt 120 prime mover. My question is how does it work. Hang on, i will post the picture and then that should make it easier to explain. Thanks Tim (too)

I have never seen one in the flesh. Do you have a photo of it that you can post Thanks Tim (too).

Vehicules Militaire is an excellent magazine. It has motivated me to attempt to understand French. Patrick Sarrazin might be worth approaching for an interview. It would be very interesting to hear how the MV restoration hobby is progressing in France in the light of the recent legislation. Tim (too)

Excellent pictures. I cant think of any of mine that are worth posting. Will just check again though. Tim (too)

I like the SPA. There was one of those quite recently just down the road in Dorset. Running but poor bodywork. It has been saved though. Interesting to hear about the 25pdrs. I saw a photo taken in the 1980's of yard just full of hundreds of 25pdrs and 17 pdrs. I was hoping that they had all been saved. I guess i was wrong. Did any 17pdrs make it into preservation? My understanding of the MV movement in Italy is that it is really taking off now, so i guess that there will be a lot of barn finds to be rescued and restored in the near future. I think that we have just about ran out of barn finds over here and the way the property market is booming, we will run out of barns soon as well as they keep being converted into houses. Anyway, thanks for posting the photos. Very interesting to see them. Best regards Tim (too)

Can anyone confirm whether Alain Roudeix has died? His collection of MV's is coming up for auction in France. In case you dont know Alain was a member of the French resistance and tasked with cleaning up the mess at Falaise in 1944. He kept a great deal of stuff for himself and this is now all up for sale. It is all WW2 german soft skin and it is all original - totally original as he just picked things up and tucked them away in sheds. I will let you know when the auction catalogue is available and will post a link. Tim (too)

Jack Have you not finished it yet? :rtfm: Come on, i want to know all about it. Tim (too)

Sounds like a good question for an argument :computerterror: I would certainly think that we are as a whole more knowledgable and that we no longer accept the ridiculous, ie, painting up green something that was never a MV and then passing it off as somthing it never was, or US stars with 6 points on them as opposed to the usual 5 (seen at Southsea in 1994). Standards are higher, but the number of people able to achieve those standards are in decline, because people with those skills are dropping off the end ( :died:.) Dont get me wrong, we have some incredible restorations being completed, some truly amazing, but I would think that we have more people who undertake professional restorations as their business and less people doing complete ground up rebuilds themsleves. Tim (too)

Actually, looking at the estimated prices i think they are being a bit optimistic. I thought that each photo was one lot, but then they have broken down the items in each photo into several lots. I dont think that you will find any bargians here. Tim (too)

There is an enormous auction of WW2 US Army militaria coming up for sale at Lille. Take a look at http://www.auction.fr/cp/mercierart/ for further details. I have had a look through the lots and there is so much stuff there that i would like. 378 lots in all. Having scanned through them the collection is quite remarkable, but i have not worked out who's it is. Looking a the manequins i presume that it is a museum selling up. A lot of the stuff look slike it was used in the book GI Guide for the collector. Anyone going to go? Can i give you a shopping list. Tim (too)

Interesting to hear that and i am pleased that you know more about him and his experiences. My Uncle was a fireman in the Blitz. I know only one story about his experiences and of course it is too late to ask him anymore. But anyway, he borrowed a fire engine to pick up his girl friend (a nurse and also my Aunt) and take her on a picnic. At the end of their trist, he found that the fire engine had sunk in the mud in the field where they had stopped. Luckily, he managed to wave down a passing truck with German POW's being taken under guard to a camp. Their guards offered the services of the Germans to push out the fire engine from the mud, which they then did. I can imagine that there would have been all kinds of trouble if he had been found out. Tim (too)

My daughter at age 5 studied the first world war. Not in too great a detail, but she understood the nature of trench warfare and the terrible human loss. She asked whether any member of her family fought in WW1 and i showed her a picture of her Great Grandfather in his uniform and told her how and where he was injured. She took the picture to bed every night for about a Month. I am pleased that her school teach her about such things. I think the whole issue is the school itself. Luckily she is in a very good one. Tim (too)

i dont believe that it will ever happen. It will cost a vast amount of money to do and if someone wants one they will want a good replica not a bodge job which this sounds like. If you want just something that looks the part, then there are plenty of T55's about to convert. However, saying that there are all the replica ME262's about and there is that one superb A7V replica which is a perfect copy, including the engine, all the running gear, everything. Exactly as it should be. Not sure what the cost of that was, but in the millions i am sure. I will dig out a photo of it for you if anyone is interested Tim

I Have just received this. Not sure if it is true or not. Hi everyone, Greetings. This came in today from an ex-RAF chum, and it is so typical of the nonsense which has spoiled many of the principals and customs which used to be part of our way of life that I thought it worthwhile passing along. My apologies if it does not fit with your own thoughts nowadays. If it does, however, you may wish to send it on further. "The world-famous Red Arrows have been banned from appearing at the 2012 London Olympics because they are deemed to be "too British". Organisers of the event say that the Arrows military background might be offensive" to other countries taking part in the Games. The display team have performed at more than 4000 events worldwide, but the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have deemed the display team "too militaristically British". Red Arrows pilots were said to be "outraged", as they had hoped to put on a truly world class display for the Games, something which had never been seen before. Being axed from a British-based event for being "too British" is an insult - the Arrows are a symbol of Britain. The Red Arrows have been excellent ambassadors for British overseas trade, as they display their British-built Hawk aircraft all over the world. The Arrows performed a short flypast in 2005 when the winning bid was announced, but their flypast at the Games was to have been truly spectacular. It is to be hoped that common sense prevails If you disagree with this decision, sign the petition on the link below http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RedArrows2012/?ref=redArrows2012 Personally, i wonder if being "banned" would be a good thing as far as i can see the Olympics are going to be a disaster and a massive waste of money anyway so any dissacociation might be a key objective . However, the Red Arrows put on a marvellous display and i think if that there is any opportunity to offend "Johny Foreigner" we should take the opportunity with open arms. Anyway, if they have been banned does anybody have any suggestions of what else might replace them as suitable entertainment at the Olympics? I am torn between a selection of military vehicles from the last 70 years or so (with special emphasis on WW2 tracked armour) with a fly past by the Battle of Britain memorial flight. Or alternatively a battle re-enactment between SBG and the 2nd Armoured Division. Any other ideas? Tim (too)

I have just seen the new film Atonement, which was ok, but depressing. I did enjoy the Dunkirk scenes in particular, which i thought were very well done. At the end of the film they talked about the Balham tube disaster. Not knowing anything about this i looked it up on the web. http://www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk/Online%20Museum/Museum%20Docs/airraidshelterspage9.htm Basically, a bomb blew a big hole in the ground above the station which a bus the crashed into fracturing the water main. The water flowed down into the station drowning and causing to be buried in rubble 68 people. Balham is on the lowest part of the line, so the water could not escape. I knew nothing about this disaster at all. It appears that the British Government didn't broadcast the magnitude of the disaster as it was a concern that people would no longer shelter in the stations. Well there we go. A factual incident contained in a war film that i knew nothing about. I have learned one thing today, so the day has not been wasted. Tim (too)

Just for the record, the message was sent out from the MVT membership secretary to all Area Secretarys (who have given him their e-mail address). Whether they send it out to their local club members, or discuss it at the next meeting is a matter for them. Personally, I sent it out to all the NOCMVT members as soon as i saw it. If you did not receive one then you may wish to take the matter up with your Area Secretary, or check that he has your current e-mail address. Tim (too)

Sounds loveley. What truck is it currently sitting in? Tim (too)

Thanks for adding that one. It seems that the US Army were well geared up for assisting their cartoonists. George Baker (who had worked for Walt Disney) and his character Sad Sack is one of the most known cartoonists. When his talent for cartoons became known he was invited to join Yank magazine, promoted to Seargant and spent the rest of the war armed with a pen and pencil drawing what he described as "the bewildered civilian trying to be a soldier". Certainly his drawings became very well known and he gained a great deal of popularity with the GI's. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/SadSack2.jpg[/img] In the top left corner of the cartoon someone else ahs written "They aint kidding here either". Tim (too)

I came across this DVD in WH Smiths yesterday. I knew nothing about it so looked it up on the web http://www.thefallenmovie.com/FallenMainPage1.html The photos show lots of original vehicles and equipment, but much in the same way as a living history event at the Hop Farm. Anybody know anything about it? It is probably much in the same vein as Saints and Soldiers, but I like a good war film and actually i dont really mind a mediocre one either. Tim (too)

Yes, i like the two types very much as well. I think that the best cartoons are those that relate to personal experiences and as such the people who appreciate them most are the ones who can directly relate to the situation. Here are three more from a chap called Brian Robb, which he drew while in North Africa. The humour of watching empty "flimsies" flying through the air would not be appreciated by the average person in the street, but you can certainly imagine it happening. There are many more, but these ones are certainly based on things that he observed and saw the humour in them. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/Robb1.jpg[/img] http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/Robb2.jpg[/img] http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/3.jpg[/img] Tim (too)

I very much like cartoons that were drawn by soldiers to reflect their experiences during the wars. Barnsfather is probably the most famous WW1 cartoonist and Bill Maudlin perhaps the most known WW2 one. There were in fact many in both wars and this one below is probably one of my favourites. It was drawn by Sgt Wingert who worked with Maudlin and is probably best known for his "Hubert and his tall buddy" series which ran alongside Maudlins "Willy and Joe" series. It makes me laugh everytime i look at it. Maybe i should pin it on my desk at work as i need all the laughs i can get. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/Jeep1.jpg[/img] Tim (too)

He responded to me with this I couldn't find your name and address...i think i lost that email....please resend me your details. Thank you! Now i just have to think of a suitable reply Tim Too

Not this time. It was my cousin who got the free ride. Maybe next time it will be me? Fingers crossed. Tim (too)

This is too good to miss, so i have asked some more questions Yes, i am very interested in buying that. What do i need to do next? When you say full service history does that go back to the date of manufacture. Also you refer to free HP. Is that the sauce that we are talking about. many thanks Norm Tim (too) :evil:

I have had a response from the seller. I wonder who helped him with his English language Hello, The car is in excellent condition, no damage, never involved in any accidents, garage kept, clear HPI, full service history! I am selling this car for £2200 including delivery anywhere in UK. I think this is a low price but i need cash for a family emergency. I have to tell you that I'm currently out of town with some major problems so pick up/view isn't an option. If you want to buy this vehicle email me back with your full name and address to start the official procedure trough eBay. They will send you a notification with ALL the info regarding delivery, purchase protection and refund policy so please provide your details before more questions. You will find 90% of answers in that notification from eBay! Thank you! - hester.daniel4 I shall ask him some more questions when i get back from work Tim (too)