steveo578

£18k ono is asking price in the classifieds of CMV for sale of 2 Chieftains (there is also a combi including an unrestored Cent for about £35k). So I reckon you're on the right track as classifieds tend to be on the high end as opposed to private sales. Steve

It doesn't look abandoned at all -tires inflated no plant growth-rubbish and dirt around it accessable if the kettle is moved -lots of building blocks- probably to make it cosy- given time, in fact a damn sight tidier than alot of yards.

Just my 2p worth. While not a computer expert I'm finding that Firefox becomes problematic when used with certain virus protection -for example AVG which sets up Yahoo components paralel into the system (and is difficult to setup without the yahoo stuff) - where upon the system slows up- but I can't make up my mind whether it is the AVG or Yahoo software. If found Chrome very slow and problematic. Steve

Of course you can always use the crash happy Internet Explorer

Have a look through the micro-car museum site at http://microcarmuseum.com/tour/vespa400.html you'll split your sides laughing -compared to some the Vespa 400 looks positively well built- I always wondered where Sinclair got his insane idea for the C5. Steve

Read page 59 more closely there was a stabiliser system in the Conqueror but it had an over-ride that cut in at 1.5mph mainly to avoid whacking the loader -this made fire on the move impossible as the barrel effectively rotated to high elevation (to avoid digging the overly long gun into the ground). but it still had a system to bring the gun rapidly into alignment with commanders FCT and gunners sights as soon as the thing stopped effective movement. This had nothing to do with its tactical role of over firing Cents. if you read the whole of Bob Griffins book you will realise that in fact FV221 was the first MBT -it was to be the Universal Tank, whereas Centurion A41 was meant to be the last Cruiser:shocked: A45 its Infantry equivelent. The point I was making about the Duxford video was the gun seems to be off system with the gun fixed in an internal travel lock hence the gun keeps it same bearing irrespective of the position of the tank -requiring careful driving -although its an arena not a battlefield:-D so careful safe movement is the main requirement. Steve

It is obvious looking at this "flame Barage pump house" that it wasn't intended to be a protected instalation the brick structure wouldn't be able to stop anything significant -even a 8mm Kar 98 bullet would probably penetrate the walls at >100m- assuming the walls were not re-enforced with pilled up earth, however Do you really think air attack is/was that accurate:??? the pickle barrel myth is just that, better strike aircraft that the JU87b/D Stuka pounded the beaches of France with marginal effect during Dieppe and Normandy only the G model with twin large calibre A/T cannon could have picked off beach instalation assuming they were un-opposed and the G wasn't around for about 3years. While flame barrage was found to be ineffective- it was difficult to control due wind and currents, the Germans actually live tested :shocked: using the very same converted Dutch river barges and managed to kill and injure many of there own guys- many of the fatalities were due to suffication- it doesn't matter whether you're in a metal or wooden box if the oxygen has been sucked out:(. A major plan for beach defence which is rarely if ever mentioned was the plan to contaminate the strand areas using mustard gas- both by buried cylinders with pipework and shells (remote detonated). I think Pete has got it right -during the 1940 emergency beach defence was to gain time not necessarily to push the enemy into the sea. Steve

Pakistan came very close to a military take over in the past month when Mr 10% was looking at his property holdings in UK and France rather than doing his job in his own country -but happily most of the senior members of the Pakistani Army are not advocates of the Talibs. It was the same during the last world war- Germany had problems with integrating Opel (GM) and Ford into it war plans because of their international connections. We continued to pay royalties to both German and italian companies for carburettor designs and several patents to Hungary. Blue circle cement a British company failed to prevent its neutral users diverting product to Nazi Germany, to the extent that there was so much bagged cement on the Kiel quayside that they were using them as ad hoc sand bag protection -the T/T division that occupied the area was less than amused to find the stuff was out of Teesside. When it comes down to it most of "our kit" comes from EU (apart from my cheap entrenching tool which is from Tiawan) and hopefully we will be on the same side, -the Germans will be happy to supply UK forces and claim they are pulling their weight by doing so -whilst allowing/requiring their own guys to do humanitiarian duties:-D Steve

I would have thought most had been disposed of years ago apart from a handful hanging around disused driver training depots about 2-3years ago -but they have probably gone too by now. Steve

Reminds me rather of the Valentine fitted with a Goblin engine for mine clearing

If Ivans masters had managed to hide the potato sauce long enough on a friday they would have found most of BAOR that mattered legless by 2200 :-D

It was the designation of FV430 Mk3 Bulldog that I was querying . A troop carrier would be FV432 Mk3 Bulldog 2 (by your previous post) and I don't have a problem with any of the designations in your post As far as I am aware no designation 430 was ever used except in textbooks to designate a class. Steve

John Pearson Re: FV430 types. There are probably more that one of the vertical windscreen I said "Note the stepped windscreen on the cab -unlike other 420s shown". It's the lack of decent photos of FV421 that's the problem -the old profile No 53 and the odd photo in Tankograd gazzette appears to be it -very little on the web. Maybe I should look to see if anything is listed in the CA registrations. I'm sure it's a consequence of this hobby possibly the oil:nut:

Is that last designation on the list correct, logically I would have thought the bulldog would be FV432 Mk3.

Bit vague! Do you mean the lower hull/chassis suspension -tracks sprockets, steering brakes and gearbox:??? as drive train would normally be the grearbox steering brakes and final drives.

Possibly the result of some transmission trails at Chertsey of Bovington- the few photos of FV420 series show a straight front and access cover. A FV421 about to be used as a target at Lulworth I thought this may have been the FV420 survivor you mentioned as being restored in the Midlands. but obviously not. Note the stepped windscreen on the cab -unlike other 420s shown The Fv421 load carrier with side access open Single slope front. The FV423 Command Centre -again the sides open out giving access to inside of vehicle and possibly desk-work space areas for tented spaces. A very interesting series of vehicles like the FV400 Cambridge -a pity only one seems to have survived It would be interesting if anyone has anything on the other FV420s -the FV422 APC the 424 RE, 425 REME, and the 426 Orange Wiliam. Steve

I assume it is a modular system able to be carried by any MBT hull -not just a rather expessive to maintain LEO 1 -consider the expense of the LEO track getting nicely toasted on some burning oil field when a T55-T72 would do the job better with less overall cost.

It's you:D. Stuff appears and disapears again in short order on the Goodwin Sands all the time -the interest has do more with happenstance, the relic being visible at a memorial time 70years since the Battle of Britain -the London Blitz and its possible loss on 26-8-1940 (assuming it is the same aircraft:nut:) Had it been spotted 4 years ago or 18months from now it is unlikely to have received media interest -they often embargo stories relevant to previously heavily reported wartime anniversaries as the protesting public complain its getting boring -interferring with stories about Jordan (Katie Price:wow:not mid-east peace) Allowing for preservation of aluminium structures previously submersed in salt water - I just hope they can recover it before the equinoxial storms shift the sands again. Steve

Hi John Yes there was a FV431 load carrier most photos seem to show an "ammunition" type side accesable rear box (similar to the FV420 series load carrier) but it looks very like a modular system -large lift off lugs on the rear box possibly to give flexiblity of rear that could be fited- the FV432 seems to have been designed with a similar plan as there is a structural line around the rear compartment sides in pre series. The FV431 and FV432 have a different front superstructure shape the 431 is a single slope whereas the 432 is a short steep slope -like an Abbot. Note the 06EB03 VRN on the second photo considering most 432 and 433 prototypes were DA numbered The only FV434 pre series photos I seen show an early FV432 hull doesn't mean there wasn't a FV431 converted or even a FV431 with a hi-ab as a loadmaster system I thought that the 434 prototype may have been built from a Green Archer prototype but the trackguard arrangement is different. Is W17 the 432 owned by Preston Isaac? Steve

British army pre war and wartime motors and gearboxes etc should be a pale green colour -eau de nil (water of the nile in English- strange because I believe the nile is muddy brown:nut:) I believe the pale green colour is favourite because it shows oil leeks whereas black does not. However I've seen photos of transmissions in black. Your gearbox looks like it was on the end of a tractor -the paint looks very like an old leyand (the paint company not the truck manufacturer) colour for tractors Steve

looks like they are locked with an internal travel lock, I was under the impression the Conqueror in particluar tended to carry the gun at high elevation (when not engaged on a target) when moving at anything other than a crawl to avoid fouling the barrel of trees obstructions.

AFAIK I assume the StuG 3 you describe is the SDKFZ fundation vehicle although it is impossible without a photo to know the exact vehicle you refer to. The finns did not build any StuG 3 either during or post war they were built by Alkett, MIAG and MAN and post mods were very limited in nature -not least because they were under Soviet armastice control. For all the information you'll ever need to know on Finnish StuG 3 please link to http://www.andreaslarka.net Andreas Larka's excellent sight covers virtually everything bar oil changes. Steve

I would think the Littlesfield collection Conqueror is a runner and possibly the Brussels Tank museums example is mobile.

Eric The Restoration blogs are the first threads in the vehicles sub forum and includes many interesting threads -notably Adrian Barrell's Sherman V M4A4 thread, it's entirely up to you but if you're doing a protracted rebuild, it will certainly be enjoyable for everyone to have insight into your project and I'm sure information and assistance will be offered, as it will be in the Tracked vehicles forum -but Tracked Vehicles is used for all sorts of threads whereas Restorations is for just that. Steve

The IWM collection at Duxford has running Conquerors including a Mk2 ARV I don't think the I of W Conquerors are currently mobile -they do require a lot of TLC and fuel to make them move. The size shape and presence of a Conqueror especially the huge gun certainly makes it the most impressive of all tanks. Steve