Adrian Dwyer

Thanks Ron - a bit more application of the wire brush required to reveal all the detail! Did you take a view on the kick start issue? A

You may have to stare at this for a while until the 42 (the stamping of the 4 and the 2 still filled with black paint) emerges!

Yes, good material for friction: nice smell when riding over cobbles, too! I had assumed they were a man-made material - which I think is what the girders use.

The other interesting discovery - to me at least - is that the material used in the 1940s friction dampers on the elastico is close-grain hardwood.

Under the Italian black, under the primer, under what's left of the green, '42 emerges!

Morning all. Is it a known problem with the 3HW gearbox that the kick starter jams when the quadrant fist begins to engage? This has become an issue with the 'elastico' 3HW (see previous post for more detail about the '42 Italian Triumph): a good swinging-kick starting from the fully-upright position of the kick start routinely causes it to lock solid. Should I be gently prodding it to a more horizontal attitude before I apply the downward force of my ever-increasing bulk! Or is the jamming-up symptomatic of a gearbox issue, as yet undiagnosed? The two images show the resting position of the kickstart and the point at which the quadrant just starts to engage (and at which it sometimes jams). Many thanks in anticipation! A

Morning all. As has been noted, this is such a useful piece of work (much used by those treading the wary path through ebay sellers). I know Edward has achieved his aim but I thought the following images might be interesting as they give dates. NI combat glove dated 1984 Braces, dated 1980 Both sides of the folded tag on helmet 'sock', dated 1983 Anti-mine goggles case , dated 1973 All the very best and, once again, many thanks to Edward for the original legwork! A

Morning Larry - an authority on the history of SD-2s made the comment (copied below) on the RE BD facebook page. I think he hopes to join HMVF so may be able to add even more! 'Beaverettes were also used by the RAF to clear airfields of SD2s in another way: a long thick rope or chain was dragged between two Beaverettes, rather like minesweeping ships.'

Larry, there is some support for the SD-2 theory. I think there will be a post here giving more detail. No mention of brylcreem as yet... A

Done! I await the side-splittingly humorous responses suggesting its function was brylcreem-related! A

Morning all. The term used in the caption 'airstrip cleaner' is not one I've ever encountered as a euphemism for UXO tasks. I do know the fear of the SD-2 'butterfly bomb' certainly taxed the RE BD units, particularly from '43 onward: not least of all because, by visual means, it could be problematic to determine if the fuze was a failed impact fuze, a time-delay variant or an anti-disturbance option. The first airfield to be attacked by the SD-2 was Harlaxton ,Lincs, on 18 August 1941: 70+ were deployed with only 11 impacting on Air Ministry property. However, between June-October 1943, almost 10,000 SD-2s were dropped. The late Arthur Hogben (in this excellent book 'Designed to Kill') noted that in the August of '43, 3000 SD-2s were dropped by Luftwaffe fighter-bombers that followed allied planes back to their airfields in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk. A tactic repeated thereafter elsewhere: so, the problem certainly existed and minds must have been focused! In terms of the family of incendiaries known as Elektronbrandbombe, they would typically burn to nothing relatively quickly or remain inert. The incendiary with the high-explosive element (in the nose or tail) was much less common than the straight pyrotechnic type. As a former Royal Engineer I know very little about WW2 RAF BD, but using such a thin-skinned vehicle to 'push' enemy UXO off an airfield would no be my first guess. The theory about dealing with unarmed bombs that detached unexpectedly from our planes may be right, but still sounds a bit odd. However, someone must know. I'm happy to post the question - with the photo - on the RE BD EOD history page - if that would be considered helpful? All the best. A

One of my favourite artifacts (of which there are many) from his scrapbook.

Thanks Ron. I have found an ally fluent in Italian, so will try a more personal approach. It is, of course, entirely possible that the Italian nation is more than a little embarrassed about making a Benelli out of a Triumph! And, as a result, rather wishes these WD-elasticos didn't exist. As a clichéd character from an '80s sitcom once said, what-a-mistake-a-to-make-a. Vermouth anyone? All the best. A

No response from MotoCiclismo d'epoca. I will try and locate someone who can translate my question into Italian!

Flying 'The Hump'. I refer you to my previous comment: what a man.

Not quite as long as the multi-stage flight from Canada to China but a good tally of flying hours.

Something deeply satisfying about 'new-old-stock'!

Morning all. Just came across these photos of the original owner of the original Mk8 goggles. He was an instructor on the B-24 and B-25 and a contemporary of Blag. He finished his war in the far-east: having flown his B-24 there from the west coast of Canada to China (I have his logbook recording the epic). What a man!

Not that I plan to wear it but I do like things to be complete; has anyone got neck/brow padding pieces for the Dan Dare helmet of the 70s-80s? They are attached by velcro and make the helmet no less uncomfortable but do help to limit wobble! Images attached. Many thanks. A

Morning all, Re: the Dan Dare helmet, does anyone know if it is possible to acquire the replaceable padding pieces for the brow and the neck? I've attached a couple of images for anyone who has no memory of almost removing their ears pulling these things on and off in a German winter! If anyone has any suggestions of where I might try, please let me know. All the very best. A

I have abstracted the following that may or may not help! A

Afternoon Colin - the attached page may help. Good luck! A

Morning Colin. Are you still on the hunt for Mk7 Wheelbarrow bumf? I used the Mk7 and Mk8 (and, indeed, REDFIRE) operationally. This was during the 1980s and I have some of the notes (genuine MoD quality, straight off the RONEO machine - or similar...). There are only a few pages but they may be of some use. All the best. A

Springs and bungee! No wasps.