mcspool

I met Chris and his MW at Graye sur Mer, but I bet he drove it all over the place. Nice meeting you Chris, and great work on the MW! Regards, Hanno

That is what you get when you sit in the back of the Dodge - a cart ride! - Hanno

See http://www.pansarmuseum.se/en/hamtresa.aspx for an interesting read. - Hanno

Here's the ex-Dutch Army Lightweight under restoration in Canada. - Hanno

Being Dutch, I was asked by someone in Canada if I could supply Dutch Army manuals for the Lightweight. With a bit of Googling I found this site: http://www.myotherdrive.com/dyn/ls/876.483115.16122008.50331.6a64dy - Hanno

"So former enemies the Luftwaffe stepped in to pick up the engine and fly it to Holland." Gosh, you British are stil in the "don´t mention the war" phase, aren´t you?!?! - Hanno P.S.: o.k., I admit, whenever a former Wehrmacht soldier decides to give back the bicycle he stole in 1945 to ride home, it makes the headlines here, too. . . .

This is a Canadian Military Pattern vehicle, built by Chevrolet, a brand of General Motors Canada. Based on the Chevrolet Gun Tractor (CGT) 101" wb chassis, a small number was built as a 2-pdr AT Gun Portee. They were fitted with the second model cab, the No.12, placing it in the ca. 1941 timeframe. Pic below shows what they looked like after assembly in the UK. Full story in one of the back issues of Wheels & Tracks magazine; more pics and info over on the Maple Leaf Up Forum. As for rarity, a fair number somehow has survived. An identical vehicle was offered for sale recently on this site. Maybe the former owner is willing to let us know how much he sold it for? Nice find, I hope it will be rescued for restoration someday soon! - Hanno

That is a Canadian Military Pattern Ford or Chevrolet truck, or more precisely: a Light AA Gun Tractor, towing a 40-mm Bofors AA gun. This picture was taken after WW2 in Argentina. - Hanno

Exactly, this the daydreamers category. Can you blame someone for holding on to a vehicle which they have fond memories of, or dream of restoring it one day? Decades ago I ran into a guy who had a barn full of 1940s and 1950s cars. None of them restored. He actively sought and bought them, then brought them to his barn where he stored them. Out the back he had a scrap yard full of 40s and 50s cars, most rotted beyond recovery. None of them were restored. Only after his death his sons started selling off his vehicles, including a Kettenkrad, which is why I was in his barn. Luckily he left the best vehicles in his barn, so a number of them survived to be restored another day. - Hanno (who still has his tatty 1965 Beetle in a garage, which he is going "to do up" one day . . . . )

Radek, This is great news. Hats off to you and your friends - very well done! Hanno

On my end too, so I am reposting what I had put up earlier: I knew Bart well. He was a researcher and author first, and a vehicle restorer second. His speciality was soft skin vehicles of all ages, with a special interest in rare or extraordinary types. Although being of Dutch origin, he lived and worked in the UK for many years before he moved back to Holland. Therefore many HMV enthusiasts in Holland and the UK know him personally. He corresponded (yes, this was in the pre-internet age) with people and organisations across the globe and he travelled to many countries to meet HMV enthusiast and view their collections. Therefore I am a bit surprised anyway the Bart vanderveen Award seems to be a bit of a "British only" award until now. Meanwhile, the MVPA is handing out the annual "Bart Vanderveen Service Award" across the pond. Mind you, I know (of) many if not most of the people who got the award, and each and every one of them has made a fine contribution to this marvelous hobby of ours. To safeguard the legacy of Bart Vanderveen I would propose to publish clear guidelines as to which person(s) or organisations would be eligible to get any sort of award, and for what. Public vote would also be an important part of an increase of transparency. Being an author and restorer, I would propose people or organisations who publish books (or any other types of publications such as this type of internet site) or restore rare softskin HMVs, would be likely contenders being awarded a recognition in Bart´s name. - Hanno

Wasn´t it damaged in one of the recent hurricanes? - Hanno

Hello Marco, Also see http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?t=12452 Regards, Hanno

That´s right, but as a true Dutchie I normally grab the handlebars, swing my right leg over, hop on and drive off H.

I once got off a Centurion over the side, only to find out there´s a very hot exhaust to seriously take into account on that route! I understand that was also a problem in Dutch service (at one time the largest user of Centurion after the UK) when they were training with mounted infantry. This was in the early days before the APC, when infantry rode on the back à la WW2 Soviet style. Better to get on and off over the front. - Hanno

Not a VC, but a T212, see http://www.geocities.com/cmpvehicles/dodge_t212.html Hanno

I found some more pictures of the survivor posted above. It carries registration no. 23 BK 53, and is preserved at IWM Duxford. Hanno

Robert, Agreed, but what are one´s other options? Using Olympic tyres decades old (what are their ratings, anyway)? Wartime tyres?!? If I had a need for 13" tyres I would lookup a local dealer, and dig up the details re. the applicability of these Swedish tyres. Hanno

A quick search at http://www.agrityresdirect.co.uk shows the AF302 in 260/90-13 is available for £81.14 inc VAT Someone needs to check if these tyres suit the wartime 8-cwt class wheel sizes and speed/load specifications. - Hanno

Further to Richard´s posting, today a Maple Leaf Up Forum member posted details about the Trelleborg AF302 implement tyre. It comes in a range of sizes, including 260/90-13 which replaces the 9.00-13 size, and has a suitable pattern (at least, that is what I think). Relevant data is available from www.trelleborg.com:

I see 30BK08 survives at Bovington. Could this have served in Cyprus as well? - Hanno

Here's a pig Mk1 Pig Cyprus 1964 with the Gloucestershire Regiment, courtesy of Adam Elson who posted it in Humber PIG Pictures

Ted, Clive, Tony, thanks for the replies. Seems like I need a couple of weeks to read through all the pages on that link you posted, Ted! - Hanno

Clive, You are referring to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humber_Pig? I understand what when someone like you who is very knowledgeable about a subject, he will see many errors in other publications. I have the experience myself, and therefore always make sure to double check. One thing I miss in most Humber Pig write-ups, is the fact that it is an obvious descendant (in an effort not to use the word "copy") from the Canadian GM C15TA Armoured Truck. What I´d like to know is exactly which types of Pig were used in Cyprus, as I used to live there as a small boy. 'T is where I was infected with The Green Fever Sir! AFAIK, the Mk.I was used, painted a sand colour. But during which period? Where they later repainted in the white UN scheme like most other vehicles? Where there any special "in theatre" modifications (other than the spurious bridge classification)? Sorry for asking all these questions, but I hope you can help me to find the answers! Thanks, Hanno