chrisgrove

Hi Doug I have, sadly, no info on any Karrier Spider FATs still existing, but they were used by the artillery regiments in Indian Divisions, most of which were British regiments. There are few pics of the beast in service, but they were certainly used by British regiments in Indian Divisions in both Abyssinia and the Western Desert, Chris

Hi radiomike An interesting series of pics which I, at least, have not seen before. The first pic, as is one of the later ones, is of course the Scammell Constructor, not always seen as a truck-tractor and also with bicycle style front wings. After the Bedford TM6 comes an Albion BY 3ton 6x4, probably on pre-war trials. However, the next one stumps me. Again, I would say it is on pre-war trials (in the rain), but what it is I do not know. It could just be one of the very early attempts at the AEC Matador, from Hardy Motors, but doesn't look high enough. The long running board joined to the rear wings could be from Karrier, but both these are guesses. The pair from the 1950 FVRDE show are led by an early AEC Militant Mk 1 (6x4) and the monster is the mighty FV1201 6x6 30ton from Leyland, designed as the largest member of the CT (Combat Truck) high mobility post war range of trucks, only two of which ever entered service (the Champ and the Humber FV1600 1 ton). The Austin is the FF 3-5ton 4x4; one of a number of mid range 4x4 trucks trialled by FVRDE in the 1960s, but not put into service. HTH Chris

Quite apart from the trees, BATUS didn't open till 1972 - I was a safety officer on the first two battle groups. And they had Chieftains! Chris

Richard I went; it was there and I collected some useful pics. It has had the back cut down a bit and made into a recovery vehicle, though the data plate clearly shows it was built with a '10ft GS Body'. The kit cab is certainly a bit out. Nice show, and the rain stayed off while I was there, though the public car park was interesting! Many thanks again for your tip-off! Chris

Having seen that pic before, there are also a couple of Mk VP guns in the background as well - the ones with the split trail. Pics of these in France are apparently pretty rare. Chris

Thanks again, Richard. I might well go along. Particularly as it's on for all three days - I thought from what you said it was only the Monday and my daughter-in-law is coming in that day after four months away! Chris

Thanks Ron. Great pics. By my reckoning, the Airfix C8 17 pounder tractor chassis, being a little narrow for its intended purpose, should enable me to make a model one day! That's an odd Micky Mouse cam pattern on the truck with two pics. I understood all upper surfaces should be in the dark colour, but they certainly aren't on that one! Chris

Thanks for that, Ivor (and you Richard). The kit is made by Giesbers Models from Holland and is 1/76. Obviously now it needs a bit more work than I had already worked out! I do not like the radiator grille, the ventilation hatches on the top of the bonnet are omitted, but the overall shape is not too bad. I'll have to see about going to Hellingly! Chris

Hi guys I am a modeller and I am trying to make a model of this rare bird. There exists a kit, but I am suspicious of the cab detail (no doors or windscreen, so all is pretty obvious). On the kit, the bonnet, inside the cab, extends, level all the way, from front to back of the cab, but if this is correct, where would the gear lever go? I think the bonnet should be shorter, or at the least, taper from front to back. There was a CDF at Beltring last year or the year before, of which the cab appeared to be complete (I think there was no body on it), but I didn't see it this year. I took some pictures which I now cannot find. But maybe the owner is a member of this forum. If he, or anyone else for that matter, could put a picture of the inside of the cab of the CDF on this forum (or send it to me as a PM), I would be extremely grateful. Chris

The unit would have come under HQ Scotland and the vehicle would have carried a number like SCOT/24. If you were in the know you could then tell which unit it was. Similar to the AOS markings carried during the war (and after) but less obvious Chris

Hi guys Idly perusing the IWM images website (actually I was trying to find more images of the Morris PU8/4 shown above), I turned up this pic. It looks to me like a Morris CDF, yet is said to be in Italy in early 1943. Amazing if one of them survived that long. But does anyone agree with my identification? IWM NA8491, but not all of it. Chris

Thanks for your confirmation, Ron. Not sure that I've ever seen a wartime pic of that beast before, though I have seen the pics of your one before! Chris

Hi guys I recently acquired a book on the wartime jeep in British service. There are of course many other vehicles in the background of the many jeep pics in the book, but this one interested me. It is reported as being taken in Tunisia in January 1943 and is clearly an 8cwt of some description. But look at the front mudguards. Could this be a picture of the elusive Morris PU8/4 - the 4x4 one? The WD number is not far off that on the surviving truck of that type which has been featured on this forum. The pic is IWM NA 617 and I am only showing the relevant part of it. Chris

Try Milicast. I think they do a resin kit. If not the C15, then certainly the Otter which probably has the same wheels. Chris

Dave Try the Modern forum on the modeling site Missing Lynx; he's often on there. This is an old link, but he still lurks! http://www.network54.com/Forum/47209/thread/1002821561/Syrian+ZSU-23-4s+in+1973+%96+colour+scheme- Chris

Beg pardon, Colonel, but the Hippo Mk 1 was in service long before 1944. Bart Vanderveen reckons that nearly 330 were supplied in 1939/40. Hippo Mk II were introduced in 1944. Hippo Mk IV (or 19H) were made much later than 1946 too! I suspect that there were Retrievers around before 1939 too, but cannot put my finger on a date - 1933 maybe. Two sources reckon the engine gave 73 bhp; only just over half of my car's engine, but better than 33.3hp - was that RAC rating? Chris

Chalk number does not signify any particular unit or even service. Many units, both Army, RAF and probably Royal Marine, usually those which expected to be transported by air with reasonable frequency, had these markings which were completed in chalk. Chalk number is the military equivalent of a civilian flight number and indicates which aircraft the vehicle is due to fly on. Can't help with the yellow triangle marking. Chris

According to Mike Conniford, the Quad Ant trucks started to be made when FAT production ceased in 1943 and the same chassis were used. For the GS truck, the winch was removed, but it was retained for the 6 pounder anti-tank gun tractor version. So the Quad Ant FAT and truck would have had the same chassis, though the trucks had load carrier springs and a smaller fuel tank. He does not comment on any difference between the Ant chassis and the Quad Ant chassis. Chris

36 COY RASC? Chris

Thanks Graham. I thought as much. But I still wonder where the spare goes on flat beds, generators, house-types and all the RAF specials! Chris

Mike also suggests Humbrol 81 pale yellow as being about right for the BEF era anti-gas paint. Chris

Hi experts A query from another modelling friend of mine. We know that the GS bodied K6 had a spare wheel locker at the front of the load space. But on pics of other K6 bodies no locker nor spare wheel is visible. Surely they cannot all have had runflats? Where was the spare wheel stowed on non-GS bodied K6s? Chris

Hi It was not only RLs that got the K9 containers on the back. The MK did too (see attached). I thought I had pics of a later version with stowage above the generators right up to the height of the container, but I can't find them. Does anyone have pics of the fleet of 'civilianised' TKs, painted yellow with blue tilts if I remember correctly (and all exactly the same), that were used at Lisburn in the 70s? Chris http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p110/chrismmgrove/MKsigs-01.jpg

Stableboy I have found very little on this interesting AFV. Try Wheels and Tracks No 47 for a few pics (one widely seen). John Church has 1/76 plans (now available from BW Models I believe) which have been reprinted in Tankette and Centurion. Chris