jchinuk

The RAF had one (Sd.Kfz.7) at Marham in 1952, plus a couple modified a crash tenders elsewhere. jh

I think this statement is based on truth, but inaccurate, it is confirmed in several sources that Churchill obtained a lot of small arms, indeed enough to equip an army, after Dunkirk. But he had not stored these himself, these 1918 vintage weapons were obtained from stores in the US, who had put them away them after the end of the 'Great War'. Churchill was very good at rhetoric, I suppose in modern terms he was his own 'spin doctor'. jch

Sorry to chip in late, but I thought much Lend Lease equipment was dumped at sea, somewhere off Scotland, north end if the Irish Sea, rather than returned to the US (though a lot was used to re-arm friendly countries in mainland Europe). Also included in the dump was unused mustard gas. It's a known location as occasionally lighter tems get washed ashore, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4032629.stm The whole tale sounds a bit like the persistent rumours that the Soviets reconditioned ex-German equipment and stored Tigers, Panthers, etc. East of the Urals in case the Western Allied decided to invade. Call me cynical, but if the Germans had so much serviceable equipment at their disposal, one wonders how they lost!:undecided: Surely any Government papers on the matter would have been released under the 30 or even 50 year rules by now? jh

Talking to my Dad last night, he thinks the model of this conversion was on display at the now defunct Southend Aircraft Museum, not entirely surprising given the connection with Aviation Traders and the initial design and fabrication. Most of the full size ex-Southend exhibits were re-located to other museums, I wonder if the model survives? jh

Yes, I do. From memory is involved a new fuselage fitted to the booms and tail section of the Vampires. Professor Google produced this, http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/444/Vampires-of-Las-Vegas.aspx. Various proposals dated from the 60s, 70s and 80s, by which time the Vampires would be quite mature. It's interesting that Aviation Traders, based in Southend-on-Sea and creators of the Carvair conversions were involved. As you see, the manufacturer had 'form' in military to civilian conversions. Hope this helps. JH

This tank, or one with similar modifications, was outside the museum in Winchester in the 90s. jh

A model manufacturer is in the process of producing a new 1/35th kit of the Chieftain Mk.10, and they are giving details of the development on their website One of the tanks they have measured is said to be in Beijing, you will see from first photo on the link, it features the 'white wall' tyres common on PLA display vehicles. My question is how did a Chieftain get to China? I'm guessing from Iran or Iraq, both of which use Chinese equipment, but have no real idea. Thanks in advance. jh

There is a small museum at North Weald and there are a number of shows at the site already, http://www.northwealdairfield.org/Campaign/Latest_News/Events/events.html I understand the September show is the main military one. jh

Having consulted Professor Google, it seems the IWM is seeking to save £4million quid, hence the cancellation of many shows, though I would have thought special events actually raised income. If you look at the Duxford website there are going to be only three airshows this year, nothing else at all. The situation means that parts of Duxford are under threat, notably the education centre, http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Imperial-War-Museum-Duxford-lose-jobs-education/story-24535236-detail/story.html The local MP (at Duxford) has raised the situation with George Osbourne, who promised the IWM a grant of £8million over the next five years funded by fines on the banks, however this money has yet to materialise. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Bankers-fines-fund-Government-investment-IWM/story-25212978-detail/story.html The work on the American Air Museum comes from lottery funds, so I assume that is secure. jh

I'm old enough to remember when the Duxford MV show alternated with their bus show and was the first weekend in August, perhaps that is the future. Though the show is fairly local for me, to be honest it was only a shadow of it's former self in the last few years, and adding the model show and book fair merely papered over the cracks. It also become a 'premium' event (which meant IWM Friends had to pay full price). The expensive entrance price did not encourage modellers to attend the model show either. It seems to have lost support from the MV owners too, I can remember the area north of the Land Warfare Hall was full of visiting vehicles, which extended around the arena. To be fair I can remember shows before the LWH and American Air Museum were built, when the British Army turned-up with Warriors and the USAF arrived with an M113. These days it seems to be the museum's own vehicles plus a lot of Land Rovers! jh

It looks post-war. I'm a bit confused by your Singapore remark, do you mean looted by the Japanese? There was a preserved steam loco (standard gauge) from Duxford for years, complete with bullet holes. jh

The Germans obtained a number of A13s in France after Dunkirk. These were remanufactured (including the fitting of German tracks). These were designated 'Pz.Kpfw. Mk.IV 744(e)', and were allocated to the 18.Pz.Div, Operation Barbarossa, June 1941. About 15 were pressed into service, so it could be Russia. HTH jh

Can't the Royal Marines (in Southsea) provide something? The armed forces used to do school visits regularly, we had a Wessex helicopter! jh

Okay, not a written assessment, but I bet you visually check the area when you park? Not the quiet corner, always under a street lamp after dark, etc. I work in H&S, we all do risk assessments without thinking about it. People don't withdraw cash from an ATM and wave the cash about, exactly the same thing.

Obviously secrecy was paramount, and apparently still is. It's tricky to find with sat navs too. jh

Sad news indeed, though the museum does not seem to have been the success it could (indeed should) have been. Since it opened the opening times have been restricted and the annex was often closed because of a lack of staff. Oddly, many of the exhibits from the 'Rotunda' were at the East of England museum a few years back, complete with their original caption plates. That museum has also closed, though it's due to re-open at another location. I think we can all imagine what a 'cultural quarter' will contain...:embarrassed: I was told a few years ago, by a serving RA officer, that many in the Royal Artillery would have preferred the museum to be at Larkhill, more space and plenty of ex-servicemen to help out. jh

I understand there are issues with importing armour into the US, therefore anything already on US soil will command a higher price. jh

To be honest, one off or small run castings are not that pricey or really difficult, we used to have suitable facilities at my secondary school in the 70s, sand and moulds and something to melt the metal. By the way, there were CNC (well technically NC as they didn't use computers) machine tools in the 60s, indeed they date back to the 40s and used paper tape to hold the machining instructions. To my mind the only thing against being a presentation piece is to why it's not on some Middle Eastern sideboard? Surely, if you build a gift you actually present it? I'd be inclined to the radar test subject theory, remember they actually built a full size generic "Soviet" tank for radar testing, it's at the Bovington Tank Museum, so money was no object. It might be a prototype of a range of decoys, to fool the Warsaw Pact that the tanks were miles away;) Still, it's good you have preserved it. jh

While I build models, I don't build German WW2 stuff, though a quick peruse of specialist modellers forums suggests that the subject is a minefield. While there were orders and directives, their interpretation in the field varied widely (though this was equally true of Allied vehicles). It's a fact that new information and pictures are still emerging, for example when the Berlin Wall came down many Soviet records became available. The 'pointy heads' on German armour will quote the differences, on the same vehicle, between Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon! As a general rule I'm always a bit wary about restored and reproduction vehicles. jh

I could never follow the logic, as it was a gas 'detection' would a driver see the panel change colour just before he collapsed, overcome by the gas! If he was wearing a gas mask anyway, why bother with the gas detection panel! Or am I over thinking this. :shocked: jh

A freshly painted Sturgeon In 1991/92. jh

I wonder why the 'crew' are posed at the front of the vehicle, yet there appears to be a lady sitting in the driver's seat. jh

The problem is that the BBC article does not seem to give both sides of the story. To gain lottery funding (and a lot of it) organisations are required to exhibit a degree of professionism and tick various boxes. Those with long memories will recall the Tank Museum in the sixties, relying on a volunteer workforce, and compare it with today's museum, with state of the art displays and a professional staff. I think Bletchley Park is going through the same transformation. Sadly, all things must change. jh

Oddly, not uncommon This one was quite famous, as RR took action because it was originally built with a RR grill, Later it was , though overall styling was never it's strong point... This one is a more traditional 'hot rod'. and it's a Meteor rather than a Merlin jh

I am told by a friend it was 'Goldeneye' and from the scene where JB leaps out of the window (well, through the window actually) and commandeers the T-55 for the chase through St. Petersburgh. The other three tanks in the yard are modified Chieftains, which look like the one in the pictures. Thanks to one and all. jh