Chris Suslowicz

Post photos please! (Most of the sets that look new are probably unissued (US lend lease) or REME workshop rebuilds. I don't think the US or Canadian decal sets were available in any great quantity and the British sets had silk-screened lettering when new or rebuilt (or hand painted/rubber stamped lettering for partial rebuilds)). Chris.

Admit it: you're just trying to collect the full set! Seriously, very well done and I admire your skill and determination. The Electrical Repair Trailer rebuild was a work of Craft (not just Art). Chris.

Besides, "Monica" was the WW2 tail warning radar used by the RAF (ARI 5664) and USAAF (AN/APS-13 (SCR-718)). :-D Chris.

Antennae are for insects!:whistle:

Signal Training Volume III Pamphlet No.19 is reasonably (!) comprehensive. :-D Page 12: "The aerials used with Wireless Set No.11 are similar in form to those used with Wireless Set No.1, but rods 7/8-in. diameter are employed. The set may be used with vertical rods up to a maximum of 21 ft.,or 15 ft. with "top". The "top" employed is that already in use with Wireless Set No.1 (which is joined to the 7/8-in. rods by a special adapter provided for that purpose), viz. four 3-ft. 3/8-in. diameter spokes. For working over longer ranges half-wave horizontal aerials may be used, viz. :-- i. Horizontal, half-wave, single feeder, matched impedance type (commonly known as the Wyndom aerial). ii. Horizontal half-wave end-fed type. These two aerials are discussed in detail in Chapter IX." (I'm _not_ going to type in Chapter IX, thankyouverymuch. The whole manual can be requested from the WS19 group in the usual way. (Doc 5088 to save you hunting for it.) Appendix 3 of Wireless for the Warrior Volume 2 lists a lot of aerial components used with the WS11: 3, 4 & 6-ft, 7/8" diameter Dural (Aerial Rods "D") 3, 4 & 6-ft, 5/8" diameter Steel (Aerial Rods "E") - for animal pack station Aerial Rods "F" as used with the WS19, etc. Aerial Rods D Kit No.1 (18-ft set in dural for ground station) ditto No.2 for vehicle station (I assume the supplied base in the kit is different - the ground station probably uses Insulator W/T 'B'). Masts, Dural, 4-ft and 10-ft Aerial bases used were No 2 (spring mounted Ebonite), No.3 (Flexible rubber), both for the "D" rods, and No.4 for "E" rods. --------- Aerial Rods 'D' still turn up today as part of the 34-ft mast kit used with the WS19 (or the 32-ft kit for the WS62), but the rods will be steel instead of Duralumin and 3-ft in length. I suspect all the alloy ones have rusted away or been melted down by now. Chris.

That's the "Double button carbon microphone" or Tannoy microphone whch pre-dates the Scorpion (and possibly WW2). The Emergency Crew Control microphone is identical to the "Apparatus Loudspeaking" used to control 25 pdr gun batteries: a big die-cast microphone with a 3-pin connector on the end of the cable. The same microphone was used in the early WW2 AFVs for driver intercom (as a limited number of slip-rings in the turret junction box only left two spare lines, for intercom (speech) and buzzer (signal)). Once later tanks had more connections between turret and hull, they switched to using standard headsets (with different Junction, Distribution control boxes) but retained the ECC microphone for the commander to use if the intercom amplifier failed.

Windscreen washer/de-icer (admittedly a rather heavy-duty one)?

I'd say "Small Arms Ammunition", probably .38 or 9mm in small cartons or packets. I had one once, and it had a black painted tin insert with soldered tear-off lid - the hole in the top when the lid was removed was enough to get a hand inside to remove the contents, so I think boxed ammunition, might have been .303 tracer for making mixed belts. Chris.

F**k a stoat! Have you got a petrol station on a trailer you can tow behind it?

Blue Plaque time? :whistle: Chris.

See also Alister Mitchell's page (and article): http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/articles/SRS/srs.html The article in that contains more mathematics than most people are likely to ever need! (Caution: It's 110 pages and a 20MB download.) Chris.

It looks more like a Police badge, except that it doesn't have any sign of having a crown on top. Chris.

All of the junction boxes and connectors shown are Larkspur vintage, so you can rule Clansman out for a start! I'm fairly sure the A31 never existed, and if it did it would be a portable HF radio, so this is a typo for either the WS31, or much more likely the SR A41 manpack set "with the whip up through the turret". Most of the shown junction boxes can be cleaned up, though you may have to transplant the contents of the diecast boxes into a new outer - they are still available in places. How big is the aerial base? It could be civilian or military, and is probably still available as surplus. Chris.

As Rob says, it's a Proof round. Used for test-firing guns to ensure they can stand up to the pressure/stress of firing. The flat end is because you are not interested in the external ballistics (and would much prefer it not to travel very far). It would indeed make a good door-stop, or a paperweight for the likes of Charles Atlas or Arnie.:-D Chris.

I think it makes a huge amount of sense (maybe separate cabinets for live and de-ac, though), given: 1) they're an "attractive item". cf the Cobatton incident. 2) if they did get stolen, the dibblery would be very unhappy (might get used in hold-ups, etc. by scrotes.) 3) the replacement cost only ever increases over time. 4) if it was an "old stye" de-ac it may be impossible to get another one like it. Chris.

I've truly no idea - they're far to heavy for me to lug one around on foot (18kg for the rigging kit!), but it looks complete and in good condition. I shudder to think what they cost the MoD originally, possibly ten times that price. On balance I'd say it was a good buy, I've seen them offered for £300+:wow: Chris.

Just in case it's the MA-716 (Racal 8m aluminium mast): Mast - closed length 1.5 metres, weight (in case) 10.2 kg Ancillaries (in bag) weight 18.1 kg. If it was 320973637704 on eBay, then that is the mast and the details are correct. Chris

Which mast, have you got a part number for it, since Racal made a shedload (technical term) of masts over the years. Failing that, what was the eBay lot number? I've got access to the 1981 antenna catalogue and it probably lists the lengths and weights. Chris.

RAF Scampton gate guardian, anyone? :shocking: Chris

Further thoughts: ZN.2108 is definitely a bogus stores code, I think. (Unless it was reissued for unknown purposes - but if it was _that_ late, why does it not have an NSN instead?) Also, the end with the buckle is much too short to fit a radio set in any sensible fashion: it's the only adjustable part, so is not intended to be buckled around the WS18/62/68 carrying hoop (assuming the hook is a later addition). I suspect it's designed as a carrying sling for something long, thin, and fairly heavy, like the Case, Aerials, No.1 for the WS22 (the tubular steel thing about 1.5" diameter that you can stuff full of 'F' rods and fit Aerial Base No.11 to the top of for use on the move). That was originally issued with Straps, Carrying, 'H', which was 1" webbing all the way, and probably very uncomfortable to carry for long distances, If you only want the hooks, I can trade it for one of the 'H' straps or something, to save chopping it up. Chris. p.s: the gas mask brass hooks are lighter construction still - much thinner brass sheet.

That is weird. ZN.2108 is one of the carrying straps for the WS18, (also the WS22, WS62, WS68 and Supply Unit No.5) but that is yet another different variety! The "original" ZN.2108 strap was a standard cross strap with two loose buckles, two 1" hooks, and a diagonally-attached 1" buckle and short strap at one end of the wide portion. ZN.2107 was the "other handed" version. ZN.2190 (Yes, I suspect a transposition error for ZN.2109) was the waist belt (P08 pattern with riveted-on hinge plates) for the unit (not for WS62 use). The later harness (which re-used the same VAOS numbers) used standard 'L' pack straps with an added 1" hook and buckle. The waist belt was cut down at the hinge ends and a 1" strap substituted for the full P08 belt. This is neither one thing nor the other, but may be either an early ZN.2108 with the diagonal strap removed, or made that way as a "Straps, Carrying, 'H'" with a wider shoulder pad for some reason. There are two varieties of 1" hooks (three or four if you count the nickel and tin plated (the latter is particularly horrible) versions: The long one (which you have), and the short one (used on the WS38 harness and also the Hooks, Brace) which is nearly triangular. (The repro WS38 harness and Brace Hook manufacturers persist in using the wrong hook, which is how you can spot the repro items.) Best, Chris.

I don't drive, but have the "pleasure" of sorting out the family car insurance every year. My view is: 1) Most insurance companies will offer a low rate to attract new customers (and get their sales commission), the jack the price through the roof when it's time to renew. (Yes, AA Insurance, I'm specifically pointing the finger at you,) 2) There's a tendency to either try and load unwanted fripperies onto the policy or spam you to death with "special offers". (SAGA) 3) Price comparison sites are all very well (though "Go Compare!" will never see me visit their site because of their incredibly irritating advertising, likewise "Sheila's Wheels" because of the pumped up volume on the adverts - I nave a "Mute" button and am not afraid to use it.) So it boils down to: a) Shop around for re-quotes every year. b) Do NOT believe the "we have checked and this is definitely the cheapest quote" - The AA after jacking it up by £300+! c) Always check to see what they're covering you for. d) A large excess (if you're doing your own repairs or the vehicle has low/no resale value) can drop the cost dramatically. From personal experience (Age Concern, Saga, AA, Swintons, Colonnade and various brokers), LV= are currently a good bet (for family cars at least), and most of the office appears to have switched to them this year. Just my 0.02 GBP worth. Chris.

Ah, it's nowhere near as simple as it appears. The metal cased batteries have an internal plastic/composition case that (i think) is moulded to fit the ribbed metal skin. This case is a single piece with the cell compartments moulded into it. The plate assemblies then fit into the compartments, the lids are sealed in with hot bitumen, after which the connecting bars are dropped over the terminal posts and molten lead poured in to link the cells together into the completed battery, The top is not a single unit in other words. This method of construction allowed individual cells to be replaced if faulty, or the plate assemblies to be salvaged if the battery itself is dropped/cracked. If you're really determined to salvage the top as a "dummy" cover it will take a lot of work and some risk, since you will need to dismantle the battery (remove the plate assemblies) to reclaim the cell lids and connector bars, then either cut the top section of the moulded cell compartment off to use as a "lid" or fabricate a replacement. Given the presence of lead compounds, sulphuric acid, etc, plus the involvement of hot pitch and molten lead during the reconstruction, I'm not sure it's worth the effort. (The old wooden batteries had a vulcanised rubber or glass cell unit that was readily removable, which is why some of them survived.) For the truly determined, there are REME battery shop manuals and EMERs on the WS19 group website: http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/refEMERs/PwrJ330.pdf There's also Doc 5222 "Maintenance, Testing & Repair of Lead Acid Batteries, 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Line REME Workshops, August 1944" but that requires a password in the usual way. Chris.

Your illustration appears to be from Page 231 of Signal Training Part I (1917) 40/War Office/3631, Price 6d net. :-D

WW1, sometime after 1911 (since it's not mentioned in the 1907 (updated with amendments to May 1911) but does appear in the 1915 (provisional) edition and again in the 1917 version with different wording (claiming it's recently proved of much value). I'd say "early WW1" when static warfare set in and anyone waving a flag from behind cover would have a very short military career indeed. Chris. (And if I'd seen this when you'd first posted it it would have been a very short competition.) :-D