Snapper

A visit to see the Tapestry at Bayeux is always worth it. The original is displayed after a larger scale copy which explains what all the pix mean. Fantastic. Then go straight to the Bayeux WW2 museum and the UK cemetery/memorial. A brilliant day out. There are some interesting restaurants in the precincts of the cathedral, so you can finish up there. M

Good news. I'll have to get on eBay one of these decades. No time, no wonga. Looking forward to seeing your new toy. BTW, I haven't forgotten your snaps request. Just tardy. Reasons for it abound. M

Thanks for posting this. Something from the Far East is always welcome.

Ian makes valid points which I think more or less bring this thread back on track. To be frank, I think this topic is a hardy perennial. Look through a bushel of threads on this forum and they all more or less slip into the merits and demerits of W & P. The actual issue related to Simon Thomson's appreciation of the British WW2 vehicle scene at the event. I've never been to Overlord or underlord or Horndean or the MVT big do or Tankfest. I usually do local events in Essex and the behemoth at the Hop Farm. I think we all agree in the merits of mixing organic with the big battalions - a nice analogy, Tony B. But this is a far removed point from why a.n. other doesn't take his motor into the arena at the Hop Farm. That issue has been done to death as well. In my view, I am just glad there are people who keep 'em rolling. Where they choose to keep 'em rolling is their own beeswax. Party on dudes.

Still no word. Will try again. Martin is a good bloke. It may be that you'll have to meet him in the flesh. Next stop Beltring, Long wait, but he's a decent chap and I reckon he'll help you. Mean time i'll send him another email. Have you thought of asking the WP re-enactor bunch? There are Bulgarians, Romanians and Osties out there. Funny helmets. One thing you can get are the Czech made PW Russian pattern tin hats that are still turning up in shedloads at shows. MB

Mantrucker gets the odd mention. No snaps, though. Once my website is working - any time soon - I promise a Bolero pix blitz which should include many of our gang.

I'm sure the ISBN is attached to the original review. Will dig the book out.

Here I go..... Lots of good points here which have slithered a little around and about the central topic. Before Beltring John Blackman asked Simon and I what we wanted to do at the show for the mag coverage. I am a Beltring junky. I have a ball. So, I was happy to do a 'diary' piece plus the usual mishmash of Barnes pix. Simon is passionate about British MVs. I walked around a lot of the site with him (he goes off for hours by himself) and he was lamenting times when more British vehicles appeared at the show. He reflected on the inbalance caused by the large number of WW2 US stuff. But surely this just mirrors real life? The British parade was a washout. We were pleased to see the vehicles who did appear. Simon probably had his photographer/enthusiast hat on when he wrote how sad it was no more vehicles came out. He owns an MW and a QLR and lives on the IoW- he knows about the costs of running them. It surely IS a shame we don't see more emphasis on, for want of a better word, action, from British vehicles at the event. But..... To Beltring itself. I've only been attending since 1998. I was a punter til 2001 when I started getting a press pass and now I am on the "Press Team". This means I spend my day snapping all and sundry from dawn til dusk (and after) and the pix are selected for the show website. I make my own selection for CMV and yet more may well end up on the forum if I ever get some free time. I agree with Lee about the costs - a lot, but by no means everyone, treat the event as a bit of a holiday - if not their actual summer hols. It amazes me, but it is so. I can see the point about paying to get your vehicle in tandem with the public paying to come in and see you. I don't have access to the accounts, profits and costs of the event. None of my beeswax; but the old adage about voting with your feet (or bar treads) applies. The show gets bigger. People do not go for all kinds of reasons. The money, the geography, the politics and to be honest - dislike of strutting pillocks in stormtrooper outfits, drunks, slobs, tea-leafs - the lot. Wittman wannabes aside, it is a microcosm of modern Britain. You cannot like all of it, but hey - we're here for the duration. I enjoy visiting smaller shows and always like to do something different - best encompassed by Operation Bolero in June. It was fantastic. I can say no more. In the end we've been given the right to choose whether we go to Beltring or not. I choose to go. Owners can park up and sip tea or rumble around dodging the REOs and Landies. It's a matter of choice. You pays your money.... To British lorries. I agree Dunkirk is a false flag. The stuff left was predominantly old or requisition kit. They did leave new stuff in abundance - but the mighty British motor industry replaced it. The British did have American kit - but look out for the Bedfords, Austins, Morris-Commercials, Leylands, AECs, Fords, Albions and Thorneycrofts. They could only come from one place. Attend just about any classic commercial show and you will see a lorry - sometimes several, which used to be WD. Thousands more were simply run into the ground. These owners are not tempted to turn their pretty trucks back in to WD pattern. Britain was not awash with American lorries gifted by the Marshall Plan that now re-appear from Bolero to Beltring. What a shame. I can extend this debate a little. I've decided to get rid of my Iltis. My wife wants me to get a jeep and my son wants a Champ. The US V British debate will never end. Being a punter first and foremost, I just want to see the lot...and the reality is there are very few events where you can do that - which just about brings us back to the beginning.... MB

Very nice. I finally got a disk of mine off to Clive last week. Hope you're all happy with the CMV coverage. Once my website is up and running - maybe a week or so off - I intend to put up a big collection of Bolero stuff. Watch this space. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Welcome Gus, We'll have to build a proper Officers Mess to go with the clubhouse. It is a tradition that all newbies have to do some cleaning duties in the hallowed halls of the clubhouse. You've been trained to delegate - so over to you, mate. Just make sure they keep their boots off the furniture. HMVF is the place for info, nonsense, ideas and good all round fun. We have some really knowledgeable people in the gang in addition to a few muppets. Hopefully you will bring a new dimension to this strange corner of Britain. A translation service is available if you need it. I often do, and I was born here.

LEIGH MARINE.

Didn't they get used as crude sniper rifles at some point? The weight is frightening. But I'm more concerned by the news from the thoroughly ancient Dave that you could buy them for £50 once upon a time. How much for one now??? MVB

You're right Tony. There was one at Leigh On Sea - sometime late eighties, early nineties. I managed to take one rubbish snap of it before the beauty vanished.

Ugly is universal. Take a look at the Strykers in Iraq covered in spaced armour and all kinds of junk. I mean, they look fantastic to me. But it can't be how the generals envisaged the Stryker brigades to look in their shiny world at home at the Pentagon. The Bulldog is a beast, but if it is doing the job, then hurrah! I doubt if they'll go onto the collector market with all the bolt on stuff. They'll strip the things back to bare bones, surely?????? Unless they flog the lot to a banana republic.

So now we have HMVFriendsreunited - Jack you'll be an internet millionaire before you know it (a Zimbabwean dollar millionaire that is).

Who let the Dodge out?

Very nicely done Joris. It's like watching the history channel without the adverts.

A week? Slowcoach :evil:

jump leads?

Greetings Barry, In a short time someone from the moderators politburo will explain the duties all newbies have to endure during their probation period. This usually entails keeping the clubhouse clean or sorting out the garden due to idiots driving armour over the flower beds. I'll leave it to the others to sort you out. Enjoy

belated congratulations to you, Joris.

quality items - great thread chaps

cool. I'll definitely look out for it on the basis of your recommendation.

if we get this sorted - please load up your movie on hmvftv....

I'm fairly sure this modification is heavily influenced by the Israeli Zelda 2, which is a similar looking M113, It has the same corrugated add on armour. I'll attempt to find a snap to post - but actually I recommend the website http://www.idfmodelling.free.fr which has a superb vehicle reference section. Lots to look at.