Ivor Ramsden

I've been pondering on the design of the hood for the Morris CDSW LAA Tractor and have got myself very puzzled with the windows. Photo 1 shows windows in the hood over the rear cab but photo 2 reveals that these "windows" don't transmit any light. I am very puzzled. It's not just the angle of the second photo; none of my CDSW pictures show light coming through the windows. 2 questions: What are the "windows" made of? Wire gauze? Celluloid? In most in-service photos the windows aren't as bright as I would expect celluloid to be, which is why I suspect brass gauze which tarnishes. Do they have a curtain inside? Forgive the pun, but can anyone shed any light?

I spent five hours looking at these photos last night! Now I've got a stiff neck, but it was worth it. There's something for everybody - get yourself a beer, take your time and you'll find: Morris C9/B SP Bofors (my own favourite for obvious reasons) Schwimmwagen in Polish Military Police markings Scammell Pioneers, both gun tractors and recovery Steyr 1500s Archer 17 pdr SPs - the best pics I've seen of these Staghounds M10s RSOs Canadian stuff More pictures of an M31 recovery vehicle, as mentioned above in this thread, but upside down! Ace detail for modellers Diamond Ts Radio gear REME workshops Auster AOPs Morrises, Austins, Jeeps etc etc. What else is in the Sikorski archives? There's all of NW Europe still to go. I wonder how an Italian website found the photos but I'm glad that they did.

There are some cracking photos of LCM IIIs and LCVPs on Diamond T transporters in Allied-Axis No.6, by Ampersand Publishing. There are also some LVT IVs on the same type of transporter. The photos are credited to IWM, but without reference numbers. A search on their website might turn them up. It will be cheaper to try and find the book though, but I think it's out of print. The photos are copyright, which is why I haven't scanned them and posted them.

I don't know if these actually went into production. I have never seen an in-service picture and I haven't come across C9s in the Chilwell census records. Over to Les...

The final, final set of ancient Mat photos. Earnshaw's of Midgley. I've got several more photos of all the vehicles in these last few posts. I'll post them if anybody's interested but I don't want to bore you!

Final set of ancient Mat photos. The green one was in Malton and appeared to have been recently demobbed. The red 6x6 was at a fairground in Bradford. Where are they now?

This one is still around, I think. Whilst taking these photos around 1970 I had my first ever encounter with an archetypal Jobsworth, a tw*t in a uniform and a peaked cap who strutted over to me and said, "What are you doing?" I guess this was an indicator of his cretinousness, because if you're standing and pointing a camera at a Mat it's pretty bleedin' obvious what you're doing. However, being a well brought up 15 year old I told him I was taking pictures of the Mat. "Have you got permission?" "Er, no." "Well you can't." "But I already have." This phased him a bit but there followed a cantankerous rant and, after he'd got it off his chest, "Well don't do it again." I know now that my first reply should have been "F*** off" but you live and learn, don't you. Since then I've made it my life's work to wind the silly sods up whenever I come across them. Trouble is, as you get older, they don't pick on you any more.

I've found all my Mat photos from the early 1970s. Does anybody recognise any of them? This is the first batch, the second one down belonged to Central Garage in Mirfield. The owner had a Dingo as I recall. Burnhill's (the grey one) were in Cleckheaton or somewhere around there.

A couple of showman's Hippos, early 70s, Dewsbury.

Aha! After a year or more of searching I've tracked down some ancient MV photos that I knew I'd got hidden away. This QL is one of the Blackpool ones, taken around 1970. I'll never forgive myself for not getting my dad to take more photos, especially of the Morrises. Come on, lads, somebody must have some!

In 1989 I actually did build a military-spec 1949-50 model 80 from nearly all NOS parts for Jacksons. The bulkhead and axles were from an ex-MoD stripped-down demonstration chassis but as far as I can remember everything else was new. I rebuilt the axles with nearly everything new other than the diffs and the casings. I'd be surprised if this was still possible now. Dunsfold bought all Jacksons parts stock but I know that many of the parts that I used were the last ones that Jacksons had, which they'd kept specially. Happy days ...

Aye, even in the Isle of Man we've managed to acquire our own brand of scum in recent years. Stealing a poppy collection box from inside a church - what can you say? http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=48562

"Don't say anything, Sir, but I think we clipped the plane that we've just passed" I've never seen an 86 modified like that. What is it carrying? Do you know what unit it's with?

The aircraft is a Short Stirling. It's got a distinctive mud deflector on the undercarriage and the undercarriage door is attached to the main frame of the u/c. Both of these are visible in the photo. Some, if not all, Amazons had a stowage frame on top of the cab. I think this is what you can see. The Amazon in your photo is a short wheelbase one. I think the Airfix kit is reasonably accurate but it could be a couple of mm out.

I've only just seen the recent posts here with photos. Yes, they are the ones; thanks for your help, chaps . Next question - who can spare one to go on the Morris C9/B?

None of your parts are immediately recognisable to me but have a go at straightening out the part which is on the left of your second and third photos. It looks to be a complete part, although crushed. It will have all its numbers and AID stamps on it and these should identify the aircraft type. They are definitely from a British aircraft.

Heh heh, good plan. Unfortunately my memory is so bad that I'd forget where it was buried.:nut:

Thanks Richard but I'm looking for a period one with a patina of age to it. The new and repro ones are too shiny.

I've got hold of a parts book for the CDSW which is going to be very useful. It's dated July 1940 and covers the very last CDSW sanction fror 620 Bofors tractors. That in itself is of help, because it helps to date our CDSW which is from the second-to-last batch, sanction number 1753. I now know that ours must date from early 1940 at the latest, and more likely from 1939. The tractor doesn't have a contract number plate anywhere which would help to date it. I found the original census number for the C9/B with perseverance and help from a fellow-HMVF member, so with a bit of luck I might be able to do the same for the CDSW. The sanction number system is a bit of a mystery to me - it seems to be a Morris in-house batch number. Can anybody explain it or even better, link numbers with dates? I've spent a couple of hours this afternoon scratching about in the corner of a remote field where a Morris-Commercial C4/WT was buried in about 1970. There's a big mound from which poke many bits of metal but I haven't found any evidence of the Morris yet - mainly because I wasn't prepared for the overgrowth of brambles, gorse, nettles and other prickly or stinging things. Next time I'll find it. After 40 years of burial I don't know what will remain but it's got to be worth a look. After I've found it there's an amphibious Jeep buried somewhere else on the Island so that will be the next military vehicle archaeology project. I'm still looking for any CDSW parts. Has anybody got a spare Lucas SF4 fuse box?

This has got me wondering what the actual time was to make a Wellington. If you look closely at the geodetic structure it consists of a vast number of components riveted together. Each individual component is made, inspected and AID stamped - often several times following different procedures and all this must have taken thousands of hours in total. Then the individual components are assembled on a jig and riveted, then inspected etc again. These assemblies are then combined and so it goes on. Has anybody got any idea how long this would take?

And here's a stowage diagram

It would be nice to have a central source of CDSW information on here. I'll start with some Manx Regiment photos. I think I've posted most of them before but here they are together. If anybody wants to use them, please credit the Museum of the Manx Regiment. Any more?

I've still got patience but the bl**dy eyes aren't up to it like they were.:nut:

I've just got back into modelling in 1/35 scale after many years doing aircraft. The CMP 8cwt ambulance was started in 1976 ... my longest-ever build. And yes, I know it's got too many wheel nuts. The Humber ambulance is converted from a Wespe resin kit. They all need final detailing and weathering. They'll be finished in maybe another 5 years or so!

Whatever you do, keep the LAATs! I'm into LAA stuff and it's good to find somebody else. This is the right place for inspiration and help with your restorations. Maybe somebody on here will even come up with some ideas for getting your wife on board too. The Maple Leaf Up forum's good for CMP stuff - http://mapleleafup.org/forums/index.php Good luck, and let's see some photos!