Rlangham

On the way to the Shuttleworth Collection from the M1 southbound, you (should, taking the fastest route) pass the enormous Cardington air sheds, visible from miles around. The oldest looking shed (Hangar One) was completed in 1917, with the more modern one (which has been re-cladded) completed in 1928. Each hangar is 247 metres long and 59 metres tall.

Hangar One was home to the post-WW1 R101 airship which crashed in France killing all on board. Nowadays, it's home to a company still making lighter than air vehicles, although nowhere near the size the shed was built to hold. Hangar Two is used for filmwork, including scenes from Batman Begins (and presumably the new one, Dark Knight, as well)

Apologies for the bad shots, the ones of Hangar One were taken from a moving car (I wasn't driving, i'd like to add!)

Hangar Two

Hangar One

Unfortunately not, she taxis around instead. Great to see and hear her under her own power though, i'd love to see her fly one day (and the Edwardian machines, every visit has been too windy for them)

Here's my photos from today - no apologies for WW1 biased! Nice to see some familiar faces again, and many thanks to Kev for letting me help push the Triplane and 'Biff' back in the hangar - made my day!

Mmmm.... isn't she lovely

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The shape of the cab and rear changed - plus on the earlier marks, the base of the turret opened up and was used as spare wheel storage. The photos illustrate the mark 3, used by the 17th at Amiens

Unfortunately not - paying for my first instalment of rent on my new flat in Leeds! Although if by some miracle it reaches £500 i'll be banging on the door of the shop at 9pm tonight demanding they let me in because I want a 1918 SMLE to match my 1918 bayonet

There were different types of Austin used - the 3rd type was used by the British, 17th Battalion Tank Corps who used them extremely successfully at Amiens. As for photos, the book 'War Cars' by David Fletcher has some good ones, and the Australian War Memorial website (don't know the address, google it and it will come up though). Great idea to replicate one, i've always thought it would be the easiest WW1 armoured car to replicate, and would look fantastic

Got this lovely postcard in the post this morning - this is the photo used on the ebay auction until I get my scanner working again

As well as liking it because I love the old Motorcycle's, it's also interesting looking at the detail - what appears to be a 'made in the field' mudguard on the body of the bike in front of the engine, unusual goggles worn by the rider, no signals blue and white armband, no shoulder titles, 03 belt usually worn as a trouser belt but used as a waistbelt on the SD jacket, civilian girl sat/stood in the sidecar, and the registration plate with nothing on it except the WD broad arrow. The detail is fantastic, considering it's at least 90 years old - this era never ceases to fascinate me

By popular demand, here's some photos of the British Ford model T ambulance as seen at Kelmarsh

Wheel being changed on a 1916 or earlier example by members of the Scottish Women's Hospital on the Balkan Front

Although photos of Ford model T's in British service on the Western Front are fairly rare, here's a nice shot of an ambulance in use in the middle east, from the Australian War Memorial website

Nope, completely wooden - built for 'Flyboys' *spits* as a German Beutepanzer, but you only see it for a split second - it wasn't built with any sponsons. Sat outside at the East of England Military Museum for several years, so when the gentleman who built the trench (Steven 'abs' Wisdom) borrowed it, it needed a lot of work, including building one sponson - from the other side (regretably didn't get any photos of this) it had a fantastic burnt out interior

Looks like the Cold 1895 'potato digger' machine gun to me

http://www.spanamwar.com/Coltmachinegun.htm

Ah, but they aren't! The tank was coming back

It kind of is and isn't - it's a captured German trench, the scenario was set at Amiens in 1918

Afraid not - the owner saw me (i'd met him at Crich, he had his civilian blue one there), and said feel free to sit in it etc! Unfortunately it's not running at the moment but will be at Detling, so I was just posing. Don't know anything about its history, but apparently it's one of only three left. Not sure about the sledge, I know the owners though so will ask about that one. Here's some more photos;

I believe this one was taken after the infamous "In our glorious Utopia, Morris' will no longer be forced to dance!"

Blimey - found a near identical one for sale on the WD Militaria website for £275! I've popped off a few e mails to militaria dealers to see if they're interested, also i'm open to any offers!

Just re-read my post in reply to Snapper, and thought it seemed a bit rude - if that's the case, it definitely wasn't meant to at all!

I don't 'need' to sell it, but i've decided to bite the bullet and buy an SMLE while I can just about afford it, so if the box can fetch over twice what I paid for it, i'd strongly consider selling it

Picked up this at the weekend, an ammunition box for the Hotchkiss MG's on Mk V and Whippet tanks - any idea of its rarity/value? Heard different estimates as to how much it's worth at the weekend, which vary from me being completely ripped off, or that I could sell it for the price of an SMLE!

Nice bit of equipment anyway, even if it's not worth much i'm happy to keep it, and in very very good nick considering it's got to be about 90 years old at the most

Rule 32 - if you're 'going authentic', take a pair of normal shoes/trainers with you too - hobnail boots and the floors of portaloo's don't mix

That looks like the IWM Duxford spitfire mock-up. It was damaged last year when it was caught by high winds and rolled over on the airfield. As such it's had lots of practice at embedding itself in the ground. The last time I saw it, it was in pieces in one of the small shelters, but I had heard it had been fixed up.

Yep, it's the ex-Duxford one. The East of England Military Museum now own it (as well as the Mk IV Tank we had over our trench at Kelmarsh), the same chaps that had the Comet, Universal Carriers, 6 pounder, 17 pounder and other vehicles last year, and I presume this year

http://www.militarymuseumweb.org.uk/

Couple from the trench via my dad - more to come

Me and my SMLE bayonet mirror keeping guard

Myself and Rifleman Harris from Sharpe

It's a long way to Tipperary... but a lot faster by Ford!

T34/76 disguised as a Tiger 1?

PzKpfw Steyr ADGZ Armoured Car

Oh, found the first one....

Good old Captain Scarlet!

Second one is the Mk VIII 'Liberty' Tank, built for the proposed 1919 battles by Anglo-American co-operation. The American ones differed from the British ones in some way - i'm presuming this is an American one due to the 6 ton M1917 Tank on the back (US Licence built version of the French FT17).

Looking at the photo, the difference could be that British Liberty's were fitted with Hotchkiss machine guns, and American ones Lewis guns?

This weekend it's the superb Festival of History organised by English Heritage at Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire. WW1 wise we have a replica Mk IV Tank perched on the parapet of the large replica trench, and normally have a chap from the Great War Society with a Matchless motorcycle and sidecar armed with a Vickers MG. I believe the Birmingham Pals will also be bringing their Ford model T ambulance. I'll be there as one of many WW1 Tommy's. There'll also be WW2 displays which will no doubt include vehicles too

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.18930