steveo578

The original Boer long tom were 155mm Scheinder Cie - Le Creusot French field gun I think the one shown may a replica. The British countered with 4.7in (120mm) guns removed from coastal forts at Cape Town. The Machine gun is a 1899 German Maxim (Ludwigg and Nordenfelt) with characteristic sledge style mounting- however it is possilbe that this weapon could be a trophy from WW1. As 1899 and earlier 1894 were used throughout WW1 especially in the African colonies. The earlier 1894 was practically indistinguishable from British Maxims. The German government supplied a limited number of these weapons to the Boers despite having real difficulties in producing sufficient for the German Army and Navy- most M1894 with brass water jackets were navy weapons..

They seem to be very similar to the patrol trucks used by the IDF for border patrol from the 170s- to 90s -can't remember the exact designation but I think the basis was a Chevy.

Hi Montie Interesting pics. The "Bren" carrier is a US built Ford T16 which came into service toward the end of WW2, I wasn't aware of the RSA getting any but considering the number built it is not surprising they were more widespread than reported. The MH Mk4 is nice, again odd in that it lacks a co-axial machine gun apperture :shocked:. Steve

Nice pictures again Bob, the Grizzly photo you posted earlier is of interest as it shows a number painted on the hull similar to that shown on several other of the Grizzly range targets.

British L4A2 Brens were converted from Inglis Canada made Mk2-3 .303cal guns, the reason being is the modified breach block to make it easy to convert the Inglis Brens to use rimless 7.92 x 57 and 30.06in cartridges for lease lend to armies such as the Chinese Nationalists. The British 30rd 7.62 x 52 magazine for the british NATO Bren could be used with L1A1 SLRs. Steve

Your married- totty is verbotten- although many wives consider looking at old MVs nearly as bad:D See if you can find some nice Marmon Herringtons and Scouts Cars. Steve

If the FG 42 had been chambered for 7.92 x 33 kurz cartridge -the MP43 StG44 round, it would have been a classic weapon of all time, chambered as it was for the 7.92 x 57 it was too lightly built be viable- requiring a higher standard of soldier skills than could be available in wartime.

No problem my typing has been poor since I had a tendon resected at the end of February- just couldn't make my mind up if it was a weapon that I was unaware, nice banana clip gun, I'd like one but not under the current DEAC rules. Steve

I'd settle for a MH Mk4:-) Very cruel, it doesn't require a wooden spoon to stir me up:D You might not be aware of the folowing site http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html It has 2 relavent sections one on Crusader the other on MH armoured cars including many preserved vehicles in R.S.A. it does take sometime to access, probably because it runs on PDF files. The MH section actually shows another 4 Mobile Field Force Mk4s which seem to have been modified to mount a HS 404 20mm cannon probably ex Hurricane aircraft weapons possibly to be used for airfield defence, so not as rare as I thought but interesting all the same especially if properly restored. Another link came up for MH Mk4 fans (there may be enough to make a quorum) this is the rare Jordanian conversion to mount a 6pdr A/T gun. http://www.maketarstvo.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10934 Steve

Wot's a FG43?

Hi Montie The battles that the Crusader served in North Africa were as brutal as any other tank battles in WW2 -the urgency to get the unfortunate and much maligned thing into service meant it was proan to many mechanical problems -not helped by the lack of knowledge required weather proof them for the long sea voyage via South Africa to Eygpt. By the end of the North African campaign tanks had developed quickly and the Crusader was obsolete but it had served well from November 1941 to May 1943 which is about as long as other Cruiser types managed in WW2. Personally I think both the Crusader and MH Mk4 are great -if the MOTH wants rid of them I could certainly be persauded to tow them away -without charge:D:cool2: seriously they are both of a great deal of interest the MH is certainly one of a kind as most other survivors are 2pdr armed or 2pdr armed model F -unfortunately most collectors would want the 2pdr armed variant. Steve

There is a similar restaurant in Newcastle at the old Jesmond Station on a dead section of track isolated in the 1970s-80s when the Metro system and Motorway were built and the goods station complex bombed out in WW2 was finally demolished (imagine quality British Rail -your first sight of Newcastle from the North was a burnt out WW2 warehouse:D). The carriages are still on bogies and parked at the platform with an old signal box nearbye which may be part of the complex. I remember as a small child in the late 1950s many families in rural areas still living in old carriages.

I would think they wish they still had the hull that was cut off lying around the paddock:D

Ford model T chassis were converted to armoured for use by the RNAS Armoured Car Squadron operating in Russia under Commander Locker-Lampson and were designed by a CPO Gutteridge. The vehicle had re-enforced springs fitted and an armour hull shape like a Victorian tin bath of 5mm armoured plate with a full enclosure for the driver and motor and an open rear mounted Vickers or Maxim in a shield mount firing rear ward at least 4 were made. I am not aware of the Ford model T Armoured CAr being used in Ireland during the 1916-1922 troubles Standard Model T ford tenders (trucks) were fitted with lewis and Vickers MMG in both British and US service (30cal Lewis) mounted to be fired forward from the passenger seat and were in effect precusors of WW2 Jeeps

Its a Crusader probably a Mk2 -Mk1s had a hull MG turret but no-one was skinny enough to use it, so it was removed from MK1 and Mk2 never had it (hence the probably) Mk1- and 2 had the 2pdr gun. South Africa seems to have more Crusaders than anywhere else. The MH Mk4 is distinctly odd it seems to be a bodge up of an early Field Force version (home service use in South Africa) and would have been armed with a machine gun in a ball mount in the position now occupied by the ill fitted 2pdr or whatever. Steve

The thread line say "or AFV" so the Amtrack is in, with regard to the infered unreliablity of the original Centurion Meteor engine- the Israelis couldn't cope with them initially although they fought with Meteors in the 1967 and 1973 war, the British and others users, notably Jordan and India, never had reliablity problem with the Meteor. I suppose I should put in word for a favourite -the A13 covenantor- useless as a tank but looks sporty and well balanced. For armoured car I would go for the Coventry (as Daimler has already been mentioned) again for balanced appearance -but not a great vehicle otherwise. Steve

If you look at Conqueror may be destoyed thread dated 5-2-10 the Conqueror had been photographed in a compound with some M109 hard targets- causing a minor hissy fit. It may well be still on the site- I doubt it has been put out as a target as it was one recovered by IWM guys from the ranges near Colchester in the 1980s and no doubt they would have some control over its final disposal as they have on several other memorial tanks around various military estbishments. Steve

I think you bought the wrong model of carrier it should have been this one - its nickname was the honeymoon tank!:cool2:

And they have a nasty smoking habit:D

It ws the light gun S.P Mount for Royal Horse Artillery from 1965 replacing M44 in service supporting Armoured Brigades of BAOR and regiments training in UK. Deployed with 24 guns per regiment in 4 batteries of 6 guns sub divided into 3 gun sections each supported by a FV432 with face, 3 Stallwarts and a ferret. There were 146 built with 20 VEA for training in Alberta. As far as I am aware they were not deployed to the gulf in 1991 being replaced by M109. I don't think they saw service in Bosina in 1994 most had been sold off and the remainer were awaiting deployment as targets. Steve

Why should we- if a "responsible adult" wants to keep a historically vital item safe until a vehicle is put in a better place/condition then I don't think anyone can object. Winston was on the plinth that the Centurion is now on for many years- opposite one of the 2 Conquerors to grace the gate. I am sure it migrated to another plinth about 2 junctions into the camp where the Leopard now sits- see the link in Eddy8men's post. If it has been recovered it may have disappeared when the Conquerors were exchanged by IWM -armour rebuilds, Jog anyones memory?:-( Steve

Same calibre slightly different case I think it is the older 30 x 170mm cartridge HS831-32 similar to the Rarden but not compatable with that either.

There was a bloke down in Wimbourne Dorset who had a gunless Charrioteer turret in his garden as a shed-tracker for his telescope- enterprising enough:nut:

I thought it was a bit quiet, I take it you didn't manage to cause a breach in diplomatic relations then:D

the churchill is/was called Winston for some obscure reason:D:D and I think it always was well within the camp near the admin block. Iwas really surprised the number shown in post #1 was not overstamped as a very late model Churchill Mk7 should have been a prefered one for training -although some drawn for service in Korea were still T numbered. William the Conqueror was the lugershall gateguard. Eddy Castlemartin underwent a comprehensive clear up in the mid 1990s, it was fairly thorough as they even managed to uncover bunkers used in pre D.Day training but you never know -there wasn't supposed to be any at Barry until there was one:nut:.