robin craig

Met Jack on Saturday in person. Nice bloke. Bears a resemblance to this guy funnily enough http://www.dickstrawbridge.com/www.dickstrawbridge.com/Dick_Strawbridge.html I mean this as a compliment as I think Jack is equally as smart, in case there is any confusion. R

Can you show us more of your "tool" for the distributor please Jon, am very interested R

Having only just discovered this thread and read it completely I think the one person who has not been congratulated is Richard Farrant who was the one who raised the alarm about this vehicle in the first place. Robin

Bumpity bump R

Dear Jon, Nice row of Fox engines, is one of those ours? Thanks to all who have contributed in this. I feel it so very important to air these issues so that other newbies to the game understand what you old sweats know. I feel vastly more wise now, I will go look at that Belgian Spartan engine that spat out a rod and see what type it is, perhaps that will explain why. Thanks R

And so the plot thickens R

Chris, thanks for the response. Is there any longevity issues associated with these engines ie desireability of one versus the other? R

I was speaking with someone yesterday who stated that there were variations in the design of the J60. I am told that some had dry liners and some did not and there is a way to tell the difference by the engine serial numbers. Can anyone shed some light on this subject? R

It gets shunted outside every summer. It will likely never fly again, sadly. Glad to know that a treadhead like myself can alert a flyboy like you to something that wasnt known! Best regards R

Gents, neither of you managed to answer the one salient question I set, was it ever made or was this a drawing board fanatsy? R

From my memory, the NI patrol boots and gloves were always looked upon as being "Gucci" kit to have and wear. Most units would not allow such "non standard" kit to be worn outside of theatre ie NI. Some units were more liberal. I remember an RCT friend turning up at another unit to unload a vehicle and being spotted wearing his NI boots by the RSM of the unit he was unloading at. Needles to say the RSM went up one side and down the other of my mate as he was not wearing regulation army kit and this "wasn't Belfast ya know laddee". There then followed a torrent of abuse all based on the theme that the RCT were less than a "real man's" outfit in the modern army and how if my mate was in a real fighting unit things would be different. A number of years later my mate was out of the RCT and in a local Police force and by amazing chance happened to pull over a speeding civvy car being driven by an off duty Captain . . . . wasnt it the one and only RSM now commisioned. Not to make a pun out of it but "the boot was on the other foot" and someone got a very long lecture on his driving habits. The once RSM never clued in who my mate was . . R

That action shot makes the vehicle look very arse end heavy or perhaps it is under massive acceleration forces . . . That turret affair looks very familiar but can't quite place it, somehow the 432 missile variant is where I think I have seen that before. R

Well, just when you think you know a thing or two life shows you otherwise! I found this on evil bay today. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alvis-Streaker-Military-Excavator-Manufacturers-Specification-Sheet-/300659515867?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4600b421db#ht_2870wt_944 I'm wondering did it ever get past the drawing board stage? Wouldn't that be a blast at Beltring and around home. How could the missus deny you owning an MV that was also useful for something? Robin (not "Rob" fyi)

After years of speculation as to what happened to the RCAF Salamanders, I have tonight been informed by an impeccable source that one survives, complete, in a dry heated wharehouse in an obscure backwater location near to me. I have been given an introduction and plan to photograph and document it, sometime this winter hopefully. More when I have done the deed. R

While some of you may actually it seem know "mr plod" aka Jim, those of us in the colonies do not! Is it possible that Mr Plod could introduce himself a bit better so we can know who he is? Thanks R

I tend to agree with others that a long as you don't pass it off as genuine but note is as a replica there is noting wrong with your worthy venture. Who knows, with all the film work around you may even get a paid gig out of it. The glory will be in the details, if you want a good answer, take a black and white picture of your finished vehicle and look at it compared to the black and white photos posted around the web, that is when the likeness will really come out. What does the domestic partner think of it? R

Welcome from along the St Lawrence in Gananoque. Presume you know about the Canso / PBY here . . . R

Good luck with the project. By the sounds of it you have some work ahead of you. Please post pictures as you go. R

wow, grand response, glad I posted this. Wonder if we can take pictures of the variations and find the relevant emers and document these for posterity. R

Ooooohhhh Ahhhhhh, nice scoop there Mike. What changes will you be making over the next two years to this one?:whistle: R

While working on our Sabre last night, I suddenly realised that I was unaware that our Sabre has extra protection under the hull for the driver and turret areas. As we dont have a Scimitar or Scorpion I can't compare them. I know our Spartans don't have it. Was this an upgrade when the vehicle was re roled into a Sabre? Regards R

The second and last photos Tony come from Suffield, Alberta, Canada at BATUS Robin

Bucher Duro EOD vehicles R

Yes, I absolutely will set it up and test it on water, there is enough water around here as I live close to and work completely surrounded by water, namely that small crick the St Lawrence! I intend to have some fun with it, for sure. Will also be taking it to a couple of MV events when I get it back and well sorted. Thanks guys R

Well, I have to set the scene. Many years ago at the RE's school in Kent there was a classroom with a Bailey Bridge training set that was being used by a class as an aide to understanding how the how system worked on the field. It was a thing of beauty and made with such precision. I have been trying to find one ever since, we will not mention a mate of mine who saw one being disposed of, for free, that he let slip through his hands. We will not mention that I am really not a fan of American military vehicles or militaria. Anyway I digress. A number of weeks ago I found listed on ebay in the United States a Pontoon bridge training set. Infact it was a pile of boxes, 12 in all, most partially incomplete, it appears to be somewhere between 1:6 to 1:12 scale. The seller had recognised them as having value to someone and had bought them as part of a much larger purchase of parts. There had been a couple of auctions with no takers. I contacted him and said that I was interested and would he be able to store the pallet weighing some 1,300 lbs until I could get it moved. The pertinent detail is that I live in Eastern Canada and he is in the western upper US in Oregon. That is a distance further than the UK to Canada. So, thus far, I have liquidated an asset on hand to a fellow collector. My partner had made it very clear that this had to be self financing as we have already put our neck out for two Ferrets and a 3 acre chunk of land that we will be building on this year. The funds have now been despatched to the seller and now we are saving our pennies for the shipping to bring it back and the customs clearance. The freight costs are actually quite a bit bigger than the purchase price, this had been the stumbling block for many other people. You might ask why given my opening statements have I bought this. From what I can see in the photos I have bought more than one set and with the rarity of such kit I felt that I would acquire it and make up the missing parts, I have a friend who has a casting and moulding business who has said he can make some of the parts. There may you see be an opportunity to complete two sets and set one of them off. As the Bailey sets are so rare I understand these are just about as rare. Who knows where this will lead but I know a full 1:1 scale set would not go over well at home so a few boxes are bearable. I am would like to post some pictures but as the file sizes are too big I have to post a link here, hopefully this is ok with the moderators. http://www.g503.com/ebay/bridge/ hope you guys enjoy this. regards Robin