steveo578

Hi Eddy It was the Garlstedt A34 Comet I was thinking of -due to the position of the turret. What do you mean Kirkcudbright :nut: Steve

Aren't these two shown on Hartziel. de? steve

Its the Churchill 3inch gun carrier 50 were built in 1942 T 31996 (prototype hull by Newton chambers) and S37272-S31321 built by Byer Peacock although S37272 and T 31996 may have been Vauxhall prototypes. They were to be used as a overfire gun to support the standard Churchills a few survived into the imeditate post war period as training vehicles. These wrecks were dug out of an old range in Kent and some of the damage -gas cutting may infere post firing action of wall buster (early Hesh round) Steve

Hi Eddy From recollection the Comet which was restored at Munster for the Germans was an ex Gateguard that had seen better days rather than a target tank but I could be wrong, Steve

It is Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's An Irish Lullaby) Composer: James R. Shannon My favourite isn't on this list probably because it came out in 1946 I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Cranky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with My Honolulu Mama Doin' Those Beat-o, Beat-o, Flat-on-my-seat-o Hirohito Blues by Hoagie Carmichael I used to like "Over there" before those ***** at Go compare messed it up:-( Steve

Try using www.statutelaw.gov.uk/ it has an AtoZ index and also helps determine what parts of legislation are en-acted.

Hi Eddy The article on the Munster comet restoration is in Tracklink the bovington friends newsletter-I dig it out so you can view it sometime (got to remember which file box (dump) its in). The "Comet Team" also did one in Finland and restored cosmetically another Comet for display in the Desden Museum. I think every-one has recollections of range wrecks and vehicles in depots awaiting destruction that they ignored- but often there is very little that can be done, most of the time it's a case of "Hoi you leave that ****** piece of **** alone and get on with it." Steve

Probably still valid in the terrain of the Swiss border areas -at least none will fail their annual fitness run. Steve

Photos firstly a very blured photo of the M3 at Smith Barracks Baumholder- photo via museum staff taken with a polaroid hence the poor resolution, as far as I am aware it was the only M3 in Germany in the 1990s The second photo is the M4A1 mentioned previously at Fallingbostel in the early 1990s special thanks to dave? the photographer - no doubt in breach of MOD PR department. Steve

Is the wreck now at bovington the same as that shown in the Wheels and Tracks 15? article. The bovington one has nicely painted idler wheel detail which could mean it was possibly a Gateguard before its demise., possibly the Bassingbourne M40 was a gateguard too- Couple of photos of the RA Museum M40. Steve

Are you sure of these designations? possible the Lee/Grants were M7B2 priest SPH. The Fallingbostel Grant, I am fairly sure is the M4A1 75mm -ex MADP rebuild from the Netherlands, of course I am quite happy to be prooved wrong;).

Rob Yes it was taken along time ago- it was surprising how much there was already spoken for. I wouldn't be surprised if it is not the one in USA although from the little I can see on the imageshack photo that one is incomplete. Steve

Hopefully some-one on the forum may have photos -although it doesn't seem to have been a widely used type. FYI Raf Bassingbourne was handed over to the Army for UK training about 1969-70, there were others - RAF Kirton in Lindsay Lincs was also used in the 1960-70s. Steve

I take it you have the Tanks Illustrated 18 photo of 70BA10? Steve

Hi David Been out in the wilderness too long? regards Steve Newcastle

My post was specific to the T72 The tracks shown are almost certainly from the Croatian M95 Degman, the tracks of which were developed by Diehl GmbH & Co. Steve

Perhaps this photo might be the weapon you are discussing I was under the impression from reading various prosecution reports from the U.S. that federal registration would be required for this type of weapon- because of the explosive rounds. But then I'm not American nor a Lawyer;) Steve

Hi Quentin Just a brief need to know, France has a bad rep for confiscating AFVs in particular they don't like tanks, so if you seriously consider going for it, find some-one who is qualified and cognisant in French law. regards Steve

Considering the U.S. government were often annoyed with the British for deturreting Shermans to use as ARVs Barvs etc, I find it a little profligate to use a new build M4A2 as a basis for this project, -it's not as though it could be used for anything else! -only for reclaimation and scrap.

As I've got the scanner running at the moment here is a drawing/sketch from the Cromwell showing the road wheel springs spring cases and shock absorber casing -the earlier British Christie are similar -ish. If you view the interior of T34 variants (there were some recently on mil web -a Czech T34 and a SU100) the springs are encased in almost vertical square tubes rather than the British method of having a twin side walled hull -the British system was very close to Christies original design, which I would think would have been seen in BT tanks too. Steve

What you saw was the back end of the transfer (collector) box. The M24 had two Cadillac V8 as said by Adrian Barrell, because of the extemely long life of the M24 various reconfigurations of the power train were carried out -for example Norway replaced the twin unit with a single Detroit Desiel 6V-53T but this was not offered to Greece. The twin Cadillac motors run into a common transfer unit which collects the output from the two separate transmissions, taking power via a single propellor shaft to the controlled differential in the bow of the tank (beneath the bolt on front cover characteristic of all M24 series). The earlier M5 series was different having twin propellor shafts being combined in a transfer box in the bow of the tank imediately behind the controled differential. Photos from TM manuals via Hunnicutt book The tank if positioned as a strong point (very possible) could have been positioned anytime as the Greeks maintaned defence lines throughout their territory to counter perceived enemy attack, there are also strong point lines on the Macedonian (northern mainland) border in addition to defence lines to secure Greek territory from attack by Turkey (also a NATO ally) -Greece was suspended from NATO after the Colonels regime coup in mid 1960s. The Northern border line may be of interest assuming it can be safely accessed, but like much in Greece it can be politically and militarily sensitive. I'm sure people will be in touch with you regarding your find, M24 are a very attractive tank- for me this kind of thing is way beyond my pay grade. Steve

Is this paint sprayable with none speciallised equipment and would it require baking? Steve

No worries, I have the book you mention -it's a useful book but has numerous editorial errors especially with stuff outside the authors comfort zone, the reference for the M31 TRV is a case in point reasonable text about the type but the related photo is of a British conversion of a Sherman V into a Mk1 ARV. As an aside there may still be a M31TRV in Poland as one was handed over in the late 1950s by the Polish Army to the National Film school for use as a rather impractical mobile crane, it would be interesting if any of the Polish members could research what happened to it.

There is a stripped down M32B1 (cast hull M4A1 variant) exhibited in a park in Bombay India which could be a prime mover M34 supplied as Military Aid, the Indians having a need for full track prime movers for large gun such as M1s and 7.2inch Howitzers for use in the Cargill area of Kashmir. Steve

Don't worry about it mate, everyone on this site can learn from each other and the good thing about the forum is we are willing to learn:-) Anyway you did a pretty good I.D. of the M33 prime mover for a comparative novice-. steve