mark m uk

Wasn't there some controversy about the bodies being found wearing life jackets ? and someone figured that at night the desert could have a look of waves, they thought they were over the sea ?

Yes I remember the film - it featured a B-25 in the remake. Cant for the life of me remember what it was called - try looking or searching horror Genre, rather than War, because I believe it ends with the revelation that all the characters are in fact ghosts. I think I remember that they all hang around the plane wreck - but gradually they dissapear one by one. they are dissapearing as their 'real' bodies are found. The one guy that does not dissapear but is condemned to an eternity alone at the crash site is the tail gunner - because his body is never found. It remained hidden and buried under the tail section. ...............er yeah, I think thats the one.

Very interesting stuff, thanks for posting, Regards Mark.

Dave an Baz,................Thanks pals, that is very kind. Not sure if it's quite as good as you say, but it is very kind, and I do really appreciate it. Best Regards Mark.

Mental.....................springs to mind, but a lot of fun, and a great thread. Regards Mark.

Agreed - it does take a bit of restraint - but if you really have to do it, there are plenty of old $hitty $uzukis SJ's out there.

Thank you Wolfy and Willy. Wolfy, you are well informed. The GPA is universally regarded as one of the most challenging restoration projects to undertake. It was a S.o.a.B in more ways than are imaginable. I think I got mine water tight, but have to confess it has never been swum - thats why it still looks almost as good today as when I first finished it :-D It is too much work, and too valuable to ruin for the sake of a bit of fun. I am sure you are familiar with my VW166 replica thingy build ? well, this is why - 'cos I wanna play in the water!

Thank you, thanks to Chev and private too. The data plate orders that top speed is 55 MPH, but no, the top speed isn't mechanically restricted. The big 6.2 V8, revs like a good 'un, it whips the lightweight aluminium body up to an incredable speed in a matter of seconds. The wheel/tire combinations are too heavy to be braked at the hub, so they have discs next to the diffs breaking the shafts - no feel at all, its off or on. Those combinations make for a disaster useing sand tires on wet tarmac at speed................never again will I drive over 30MPH on a wet road in one of these. They really are the absolute dogs gonads on rough terrain, but need to be treated with a lot of respect when they are on the road.

Here is one I did earlier - much earlier! In fact about 10 or 15 years ago I'd guess A few pictures of my GPA, before and after. I hope you can see for yourselves which are the before shots ! Well, I hope you have not been too bored by my pictures, sorry about the quality of the shots but they were taken on a regular camera and scanned. One picture shows the original military unit numbers, It is always such a buzz when that happens. Best wishes, Regards Mark.

Thank you, G.i.E, I agree - the design is quite different to the usual, and very clever. I guess the idea of pushing the chassis right up high through the centre of the truck, hanging the wheels off stations indipendantly is not that new, but hanging the seat wells off the outside of the chassis clever because it reduces the height again. Off road - these really do what they say on the tin - and do it well, with comfort.

And here we have a few snaps of the truck so far. I hope you guys approve, the next stage is phase 2 - getting the slant back, roof etc blasted and painted ready for fitting. Regards Mark.

I am pleased that my son has been helping with the work. The amount of that filthy red fine desert dust just gets into everything ! The paint stripper had limited success, for the most part it just took some yellow not all, and some carc, and some primer.............in short, it made a mess.

Here is one I done earlier ! This is the easiest truck I have ever restored, To be honest it was nice to not have to get too involved. The truck is a 1986 1026 uparmored, armorment carrier - a veteran of Gulf war 1, imported to the UK from Saudi. It had been registered for civillian use, painted bright yellow and used for eagle hunting in the desert. It was running when I got it - but badly. I used it for about a year while I sorted out the brakes, steering, wheel bearings, exhaust, electrics - in fact a whole lot of niggleing repairs. Then I had to acquire original seats, seat belts etc, etc, etc. Unfortunately, having sorted it out mechanically, I crashed it rather hard. Stoved in the bonnet/hood, ripped of the fittings down the sides (mirrors etc) and bent the tail gate. But, at that point I figured it was a good oppertunity to put it back to military trim. Just a cosmetic restoration. It involved cleaning off loads of dreadful yellow paint, cleaning the chassis up a bit, and puffing some paint over it. The most demanding task was the bent tailgate. A fresh hood had to be found for the project, and this one came from 'Black hawk down' - it needed a little work, but turned out just fine. Here are a few pictures. Tailgate repair, I cut off the top frame, drilled out the rivets then machined a length of hardwood to the exact dimensions and drove it inside to act as an internal splint. That held it straight while I re-riveted the two sides and top into place. Then I got our local welder/magician to 'glue' it back together. A little filling,(unfortunately the 'A' and the 'M' took a bash) coat of etch primer followed by CARC. Then the hood. It needed rebonding on many of the panel joints. I refitted the aluminium frame from the smashed yellow donor, switched over all the light fittings wireing etc ( boy, arn't those rubber plugs horrible to re-use) repaired the cracks, filled the bits that were missing, and "Carced it good"

GPW, MB, GPA, M17 with quad, 1026 Hummvee,

Your not alone. Nearly 100 views and only 2 responses. Fact is, there is nothing to say. As I wrote at the top of the thread, my family's contribution is not extraordinary - there are thousands and thousands of stories like this. I just wanted to put some faces to the otherwise fairly bland seemingly endless lists of names. I had hoped, and still do, that other forum members can post up their family casualties if they so wish. In that way, we can be both specific, and broad, when we remember them. Thank you Extrogg Regards Mark.

We are fast approaching that time of the year when we are asked to pop our hands in our pockets and produce a few pounds for the British legion poppy appeal. 11/11, Rememberance day, Poppy day, Armistice day. My family's contribution to the world wars is that of an average British home - there are thousands of similar tales like this. This is just one tale, and an attempt to put some faces to the names carved in the stones. Here is a picture of my Great grandfather and his mates. He was a medic in WW1. His other role was as a bandsman and as a way of earning a few more pennies he was the company bugler. Thats him in the front row with the bugle. Here is the bugle now, a family heirloom I guess. Battered from the battle fields of France. Both my great grandfather and the bugle returned scarred but basicly intact. The bugle and he were lucky to survive, 'The war to end wars'. The Bugle came out again in the early 1920's when the village war memorial was completed and he played 'the last post' at the dedication cerermony. The whole village turned out as the stone memorial was unveiled and he and his comrades that had survived, remembered those from the village that had been lost in the slaughter............. .........how could he ever have imagined that only a few years later he would be called upon again, to play the same bugle, at the same memorial, as the names of his son, son in law, and brother were added. all but one, he did not qualify ! My Grandfather, Harry He and his elder brother joined the army in the 1920's, Their younger brother Ken was left at home, he was just a kid of 9, but vowed he would join up as soon as he could. Harry was only 15 but falsified his age. It was the only way they could take pressure off the family during those harsh times of rural poverty. The 'land fit for heros' was in decline, and just eating enough became a major priority. Within months Harry was fighting on the North west frontier. Eventually he returned, left the Army, married and started a family. To supplement a meagre income he stayed on the reserve list. This meant that he was one of the first to be called up in 1939. The story of those troops sent to France is well documented. Harry's story was a little different. He was not killed during the retreat to Dunkirk, or taken off by the heroic little ships from the ravenged shores. He was one of the 120,000 left behind in a grand political gesture by Mr Churchill to help convince the French that Britain was not leaving, but merely implementing a tactical withdrawl. The idea was to keep the French fighting as long as possible, to enable as many British troops to escape from Dunkirk (and later Cherburg) as possible. Those troops left behind and ferried to the front were deemed to be expendable 'low grade units' like the pioneers, labouring companys. Soldiers like Harry that had previously been Regulars did not know how to surrender. (This was confirmed in german combat reports) and held on to stategic positions, or destroyed them in the face of the enemy. They payed the ultimate price and the only witness to their deeds were the French civilians. Harrys first grave can be seen behind the official CWGC standard cross. It was made by the village carpenters the Muchard brothers, and paid for by the village communal funds. For years after the grave was tended and cared for by village school children, they put flowers on the grave and held a service for 'their tommies'. Before the burial Harrys last letter to my grandma was taken from the pocket of his battle dress and remained in the Marie untill the early fifties. Then it was unearthed and shown to the great nephew of one of the other British soldiers killed in the battle, he was so moved, he started the research that took 50 years to complete. The first signs at home of a problem were the returned letters. As you can imagine - Granma was sick with worry, fortunately My mother was too young (4) to really take it on board. In the mess and confusion of war, it took another 2 years befor the War department were informed via the French civil authorities, and were able to officially confirm grandma's worst fears. It took another decade befor Harry was exhumed and had a proper burial with his mates in a war cemetary. And what of his younger brother Ken, the one that could not wait to join up ?................he was killed Christmas 1943 at Monte cassino. No known grave, just a name on a stone. And Doug,.....................he had his foot and lower leg blown off at El Alemein, Bayonet wound to the chest, but survived the war. He died of a lung infection in 1946, age 24...............so he did not qualify for the war memorial. These are the faces and those are the stories behind the names that are carved on the memorials in our cities, towns and villages. Behind every name, of any soldier, fighting for any country, there is a family that mourns the passing and bears the loss of an individual.

It sounds like a wareing jacket - an electrically heated sheepshin jacket worn by aircrew in WW2. cant be really specific, but the numbers are most likely 'stores reference numbers'. The jackets were part of a complete suit that included trousers and gloves, boots etc, the sleeves had a female socket that plugged into a male on the gloves, the whole suit completed the circuit and was like wearing a sheepskin electric blanket. The yanks used a 'baby blue sleeper' like a childs romper suit with the wires in - even had a 'crap flap' at the back. they also had a two piece kahki suit thjat joined together at the waist - all had add on gloves and boots all in 24v. British wareing jackets are quite rate - more so than regular jackets.

Hiya, I am a new guy too. They are a good bunch here. Regards Mark.

Sounds like a challenge to me..........I'll get me welder fired up ! P.S. Nice Avatar '17 has to be the best looking aircraft to ever grace the sky. And I broke your code too ........Thorpe Abbott, I'd guess - home of the 'bloody hundreth', as for me - I am at the home of the 'sly birds' I guess you know that one ,they fly stuff here too.

:-D..............I know what you mean Mr Deep, some bits are just cool. I really like the bonnets on Dodges, the way they are hinged and all the vents just look so good - I also like front wings on Jimmies, Radiator grill on an MB/GPW Split screen on a Diamond T I cant bear the front wings on White half tracks - yuk ! Most British built lorries look like they have already had an accident. Guy ant - ugliest truck ever invented. Kubel - looks like the designer couldn't draw freehand so just used a ruler. Ketten krad - most over-engineered motorcycle, and totally fantastic. The list of Random likes and dislikes is endless.

:rofl:..................Thanks mate, I prefer Bodywork to mechanical stuff. maybe we should start Garage business together ? OK, guess what is in the box that arrived from Germany today ? You all know how exiteing this is, :-D

Someone remarked that the lil' truck I am building reminded them of a Frankenstein creation .... .............I hadn't considered it befor, but I can see the reason they would say that - all these odd pieces roughly stitched together. Got to thinking that I had created an ugly monster - so to cheer the project along I figured it would be a good investment of time to perform a little 'Nip - tuck' type cosmetic surgery. Having chose the ugliest piece of the truck, the engine cover that was made by butchering a stock ventless Beetle cover and welding a section of roof into the middle. (the lifting handles are made from the metal legs from my computer stool ) I beat out the dents, dressed off the welds. and put the tiniest skim of u-pol over the welds, sanded and hit it with polymer 2 pak. wet an dry - then top coat with some matt light stone. waddaya think ?

Why are there no 'green with envy' icons ? Would be really appropriate to post up a whole row here. Well done chaps, regards Mark.

Thank you Enigma, I cant see any reason why this needs to be be re-registered as a road vehicle. It is a 1969 VW Beetle - end of. Yes, I have taken it apart and rebuilt it. The bodywork is mostly unaltered because the four wheel arches and front crossmembers are the same, the rear end is actually the same but 'reshaped' the engine cover likewise. Additional steel tubeing around the front. In principle, no different to a heavily repaired car, and in practice much, much better. The chassis, brakes, steering, suspension, engine, gearbox, drive shafts, are the very same original equipment. Apart from the shape, this is 85% the same car, and those parts that are 'missing' are things like the headlining, door handles, instruments and glass etc. Regards Mark.

Thank you W/lancs, and Grippa, Not sure how the SW will compare to the GPA, not sure I ever will know as I have never swum my GPA. I understand that the GPAs are OK in the water, Problem with the GPA is they are fully loaded with 4 men and their kit, so apart from recon they had very limited value as a tactical vehicle. The greatest single contribution the GPA made to the war effort was that it established a principle of development. In that a stock production vehicle could be taken, fitted with a hull and would perform as an amphibian. Having established that design principle, all they had to do was scale it up. Pick another mass produced vehicle - the CCKW, and hey presto ...............The most successful amphibian of all time ! I guess I am preaching old information to those that already know - sorry! Regards Mark.