tim gray

Re the flimsey can i believe they were working on at least a 30% loss when transporting fuel in North africa ( not sure in the other theaters) Not only due to the rough terrain but also the heating effect on the cans themselves. IIRC correctly thier was a challenge in the courts a few years ago from the company that pioneered the design and production of the Jerrycan. I believe the claim was based on copyright and was against just about every nation that had ever made em scince the war. Didnt hear much after the original article so i presume it was chucked out of the international courts. Tim

Do you know where you are pitching yet? If you can ask to be adjacent to the Desert Raiders LRDG and Africa corps etc. That way you are in amongst a group of the sandy coloured kit. I shall come and visit if i may Regards Tim

Hi guys, I have been looking at various pics for a while but can not pick out with any definition if the PU actually had a rifle clip or clips fitted in the cab. Unfortunatly most pics show the cabs but invariably they are very dark and shadowed or rather blown to bits. Anything else has been too grainy on enlargement. Any help and info much appreciated. Regards Tim

Hi thier, any updates or extra pics of the CDF? loverley old gun bus, nice to see it getting the attention it deserves. Regards Tim

DNA results of who last interfered with your pride and joy ?

811 FUF in present guise, dont know about the other one

I was under the impression that pre and very early war kit had the pale sandy coloured canvas and was changed to the khaki or green round about 40. As for the cushions with two straps to the front and one to the rear that is how the seat is assembled on my PU. complete with the stud connections ( you will now tell me i have an iffy pair of seats in the moggie ) How were the seats attached in the morris 15Cwt, its only the cushion as the back pad is directly to the rear bulkhead is it not ? Regards Tim

Hi Simon, shame the pu never made it but glad that yours did, look forward to reading the article. I assume they managed to sort the rest out on the PU as i understand it needed a brake overhaul and a brake pedal. Thinking outside the box they could have put landrover rims on the vehicle and got fresh rubber that way, mines fitted like that at the moment and the curcumference of the tyre is the same as the original as makes no difference with the old type speedo,s. I shall come and annoy you if the CS8 is at beltring. Regards Tim

Nice pic hanno, two questions ...can i copy it for my archive as its actually in the counter scheme and secondley can you ask the german pilot to move to one side ?? Regards Tim

Four in UK as i recall. me , Rory, RLC example that was being preped for the dunkirk trip and beltring, and one other that was procured from the museum in scotland, rather nice as it was original condition complete with african plates etc, not sure on that one as i believe the guy who bought it may have passed away. I did not see it at last years beltring and it was present on the previous two years on the trot. Any one who has definatley got one how about a hands up posting to keep track of em ?? It could be attached to the morris gallery as a known link, same applies to the 15 cwt types. Regards Tim

Lets not forget about the consumable side of things, lots of things mentioned that are a one off purchase for a restorer, like body panels etc ( working on the principle that your cherished item will not be used in combat and molly coddled) We do need a range of brake consumables inclusive of drums , tyres and tracks. A lot of electrical items seem to be covered already or an alternative is available.

Hi thier, Dont have pics but if you look at the sections one has rope loops and the other will have eyelets and a single tie off rope. Start at the top, pass the first loop thro the eyelet, next loop thro the next eyelet and the previous loop, pull down to tension. Carry on as above until you reach the bottom and use the single strand to secure the last loop. If i remember rightly you may or may not have cover flaps to wrap around once it is laced together to provide better weather closure. Usually with toggles. It makes it much easier if you make sure the normal door type openings are laced up prior to assembly. If it is brand new old stock prepare to smell really bad after you have finished crawling around in and under it !!!!:-D Just make sure the inside is inside as it were, one of my mates managed to put one together in a funny way once.:blush: Hope this helps Regards Tim

Hi andy, Absolutely fine with the s6 respirator, i was issued with them myself. It was the first thing that flew out on the cry of gas gas gas............along with all the mars bars and marathons:D Regards Tim

Hello ! As i collect the bren beasties i can assure you that said bag is for bren gun.......It is part of the earlier issue kit for the gun that appear to have never really been issued, at least not in huge numbers. It is the slip cover for keeping the gun clean when being pack hauled by mules (i have copy of the page showing the layout) or possibly the cavalry as well. The slip appears to be the only web item in the mule set as the rest is either bespoke made leather or the Lewis leather ammunition panniers modified by having the internal dividers ripped out. Due to time and storage they do not fit the Mk1 bren very well at all anymore, as you probably know the webbing tends to shrink. Well made bits of kit and it shows that they were thinking about all the different uses even during the developement stages. The guns were only just comming on line by the end of 37. Hope this helps Tim

Well you cant argue with that example as a project starting point ! Wonder if the sad remains of the barrel is the reason that the original owners vacated? As to the colours i would say that someone has done thier home work as to me at least, it is one of the better renditions of the german colours then some i have seen. (you are now going to tell me it is the original paint job :-D ) Regards Tim

Hi guys, I now have the correct cylinder head sorted for the PU (currently fitted with civi pattern) I also have 2 x NOS gasket kits, copper/ asbestos/ copper. They are both in very good condition with no dinks buckles etc. 1) Is it wise to use them or should i bite the bullet and get one of the copied in modern materials. 2) If ok to use does anyone have any hints or tips, one chap for instance reccomended soaking in hot water prior to use. Regards Tim

Hi thier, Good question and i suspect anything used in the african theater would have been locally made to suit the vehicle, that is if they were not just chucked in the back of the wagon. Once the allies were actually producing them they may have had racks on the vehicles but i would be carfull of that and check against photographs of the vehicles in question. If you were to look at a churchill tank for instance you would find that even the last ones made were still carrying two of the small 1 gallon cans on the rear fender. Never seen them with actuall can racks. As another example, a friend has a 43 dated morris, with jerry can rack.........but he knows for a fact that the rack is a post war fit. Check out the post in "Clives Corner" about fuel supply in the british army, worth a quick read. Regards Tim

Another type of filter was also fitted in the african theater, made by volkes once again. I initially thought it was specific to theather but photos are around that show them in vehicles that were serving in france in 1940. I have attached a pic that shows the top of it in the cab of my PU. The dry types are certainly very much simpler to clean out quickly. But when you are talking africa and dust it may be a moot point as to which type was best as the bloody stuff gets past just about everything......inclusive of seals fitted to humans. The very best were the cyclone types but i am not sure if the oil bath type provides a similar function. Regards Tim

My word, that must be a nightmare to attempt to put one back in the sky. Am i not right in saying that everything has to be exactly to original or it is classed as a prototype aircraft with all the extra that that entails. I recall that they went to the ends of the earth to obtain a particular profile and steel mix to repair the spars on the blenhiem. They were allowed to do so as they used the original RAF battle damage repair manual. Regards Tim

Fair comment antarmike, the mossie must be a nightmare on longevity due to the timber/ laminate construction. Dont even know how many static survivors never mind flying. I do recall they had constructional problems in the far east due to climate Regards Tim

Hi Richard, Sorry, i did not explain myself clearly. I knew it was an engineer marking, i presumed that because it was a dingo in the photo they were the reccy element from the engineer squadron ( not that it was a reccy unit) Does the white 33 apply to all the vehicles in the squadron? Regards Tim

Excellent ! I really did not want to re do my 7th div rat.......nice wee fella called denis. On a more serious note i have a photo of a 4 Fd Sqn dingo in north africa. The unit marking is 33 over a blue square. Would the 33 apply to the entire sqdn or just the recce troop. ie 30 = hq 31 = 1 troop etc or am i in the realms of modern call signs here? Regards Tim

To borrow a blackadder phrase........"wrote in diary .....bugger!" Front is correct.....back end is not :nut:

Hi guys, Dopey question but in WW2 which side of the vehicle when viewed from the front would the divisional and unit markings go ?? I may have commited driver error !!!! tim

Hi thier, To be frank i have not actually seen this put into practice on a military vehicle, i thought it was for civi cars and trucks. Would the markings on the champ be relevant to a military unit, MP,S or the like?? Regards Tim