Snapper

Well done that man. Definitely worth a punt. If you splash your cash, do us a review. The more the very merrier. MB

Cheers Neil, I'm not sure if these tanks are German remnants or some of the armour the Germans flogged to the Bulgarians. As saiid , the pic issued shows a hull-down StuG III, but the senders had trouble working out it didn't have a turret. The Bulgarians definitely had a few StuGs and I think they had some PzIIIs as well. Whatever happens the story is very interesting because it's obvious to any numpty that eastern europe is a good place to hunt old German stuff. I like the way they always assume the the 'far right' would be clammering to own this old Nazi metal when the truth is wholly more prosaic. It would be interesting to know what the serious money collectors make of all this because I assume they have to handle some very dodgy middle men in these places to get what they want and also that things might be a little unpleasant. Imagine if one of these jokers actually finds an intact Tiger or Panther. i suppose it is highly unlikely. Makes you wonder what they do with old Soviet hardware - probably ignore it - which is a shame. Someone please correct me. GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK NEIL.

Calvados is more like immolation than drowning. Good idea. Jack, how many years have you been 39? Hey Steve, You can always stay in the warm and build model kits or sort out another few volumes of your epic photo albums. See you and the Mrs next year hopefully

It is criminal if it is public property. One would hope they checked whether it is a duplicate of stuff held by the IWM - but the plain fact is that the sheer volume of pix taken in WW2 that did and didn't go before the censor - or did and were banned is overwhelming. It makes me cry. But they would not have just given it away, and finding storage is a massive issue. I can only say, if you know where the skips are, then fill your loft. What would be more criminal is disposal of the original negatives. But this happens.... Nobody cares in the modern Establishment. It's a sad fact that - and this is controversial I know - that old wars won by a Britain made up of it's indegenous population are totally out of favour, but there are many more issues besides that make these things happen. The top table have moved on without bothering to tell the whole membership.

A picture has been issued from Bulgaria via an expensive news agency (so I can't nick it) and the tanks are actually StuG III's dug in hull down. One is shown in the snap and looks in amazing condition. No doubt the old dollar signs appeared in the suspects eyes and they thought they were on to a winner. Presumably they left an important middle man out of the loop hence their arrest. Or am I being cynical about corruption in those parts? Doug and Dinsdale Piranha would have had no trouble nicking the things.

Very impressive. Not sure I could be arssed doing that every time I put the thing away - but the Dodge is a massive lure. Depends on where I find potential storage in Southend.

Interestingly enough - in the WWII self-propelled guns thread there is a classic example of a censored pic. Pure history.

I spent a bit of time in Hartlepool as a lad and have great affection for the place. My dad sort of kidnapped me and left me with family friends there - I used to get a freshly dug raw carrot as a treat every day - which was brilliant to me because I'd never seen them except in tins or on a greengrocer shelf. It's a long story, but it was there I discovered model kits. Honesty was also alive and well in those days because I left my watch in a restaurant and the owners found my address in London and sent it back. Didn't a recent mayoral candidate win because he dressed as the famous monkey - which is a true story. If I'm :offtopic: I don't care. Nostalgia is what it used to be.....

Sounds excellent and I will find a copy. I have a book about the retreat to Dunkirk authored by an anonymous officer in 1941 named 'Gunbuster' which is a really good read - especially for you 25 pdr fans. I'll look out the title. He also wrote another book about going in the other direction a bit later on. I remember finding his actual name on the tinterweb - but will have to revamp this info. I'll come back on this one.

Happy birthday young man. Man-Flu is not good. I had Man-Flu which progressed to real flu and had that for nearly a month....not good. Then I gave it to my wife and daughter. It was a sort of early Christmas present. They were not thankful. Keep smiling matey.

He's a very balanced historian without an axe to grind against our country. His book on the first world war, largely dealing with the fiscal aspects is a gem but not the lightest read. I borrowed it and can't remember the title.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with you one of these days TB. The Bunker bash would be an ideal locale. I plan to be there - with or without MV. As for the origins of this string of posts: If you do it with pride, respect and passion then you can't go far wrong. I doubt if I have met many people who do not carry forth these three principles,,,

TB i wouls love a Dodge, my very favourite MV of them all. But my planning is all based on a fairly standard garage becoming available....and of course, I have to offload the Iltis, which has a couple of MOT inspired maladies at the moment. Now, if I could find somewhere to keep a Dodge, I'd consider it wholeheartedly. Current favourtes are an M201 to be kept in French mode, a MUTT or an M38. But this remains academic while the Iltis is in situ.

Pending a sound bill of health for my Iltis and the subsequent appearance of a willing purchaser, I will NOT be looking at Champs or Land Rovers - but this is all hot air until I've flogged the German thing.

I've already fallen off....pished again...

Joris am de man for sure. Great stuff. I would love to spend a few hours snapping in a place like that. Looks huge.

Isn't the MV world brilliant? Israeli half-tracks sold for scrap in Switzerland, reappearing for sale in Belgium. Glory. I have no space and no mechanical skills - but the workshop/office body GMC looks lovely. I would imagine a good deal of this stuff will end up with a home - but if all else fails Beijing awaits...or maybe even Stratford - sorry, London, 2012. I think I prefer the MVs,

Can either of the Andrews give me an opinion on Iltis torsion bars and bushes???? The Iltis has failed it's MOT and I have to replace one of the torsion bar ends. The bar lambs also got me on my headlight lenses, despite having MOT'd it three years in a row beforehand. So, I have to do a bit of work so I can (hopefully) sell the old girl. I need to know if you chaps have changed any of these bits and can identify whether they come off some other motor from the VAG collection. I don't fancy going to europe to look for some. Ebay is always a possibility. Thank heavens for the numbered parts manual I have......I know the lights are off a Polo - and mucking about with the lenses is not too arduous a task. It's all pretty straightforward, depending how reluctant the torsion bar bits are....Winter fun. I'm so glad I have friends to help me (I make the tea). MB

Welcome John. Nobody seems to have mentioned the club house cleaning rota for new members. As it's Christmas, you'll be busy sweeping up the cracker jokes (where Jack gets most of his humour or logic) and finding somewhere acceptable for the parsons nose. Cranberry sauce makes a terrible mess on the chairs - but what can we do? Personally, I never touch the stuff. Washing up rotas will be posted. Park your MV(s) carefully and watch out for the reindeer, horses, milk carts and bicycles - but you can crush the bicycles - nobody will be offended. On the 24th you will enjoy the spectacle of Jack dressing up like Roy Wood and singing I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day with the HMVF choir. And I do mean you WILL enjoy. Resistance is useless. Ear protectors are available from the shop - hurry while stocks last. Joris has promised to lay off the advocaat this year. Last year was very messy and I'm sure some of the others have stories to share. Minced pies anyone?

No chance. In the media business - ownership is important and the new buzz-word is Intellectual Property. So even if the collection remains in a haunted dungeon (as it does) - it is not being used by someone else. Ipso facto.

Good call Ashley. Herein lies another nightmare. These labels, usually on very thin paper, were glued or taped on and down the years they separate from the prints - result: no caption. It applies right thru the ages. Makes my job a challenge at times. I wish I was allowed to post some of the snaps I care for on this forum - but the firm just want money regardless of how research is done. Only yesterday I found some snaps of Leyland Martians or somethig simllar used during snow clearing by the army .....they'll never see the light of day again.

quality posts. Ta. Is that the cutaway Jagdpanther?????? Or a different one???? The book looks good. Good calls all round.

Why let the facts get in the way of a good legend. It just sounds brilliant. I only think of Lightnings for hazy reasons of romance - although I've always liked a Phantom (the last time I saw any was a pair of yanks burning air over the Forest of Ae during the 1984 RAC Rally. It was one of those unforgettable moments. I'd just been chatting to a new kid on the block named Lars Erik Torph, who is now dead. That's rallying. Minutes after this chat the stage started and a stone flung up by Timo Salonen's Nissan 240RS fractured my skull. The brain damage still causes me problems....Those were the days.

I've not knowingly met JC or discussed this subject with him, but I suspect his point about dressing up was right, but things always go awry with emails and posts and we can interpret things in varied ways. I make some of my living snapping people who "dress up" and I think they are bloody brilliant. I wouldn't do it, though - except as an American War Film fan in all the wrong kit - because that is FUNNY (to me). Re-enactors do it for a multiutude of reasons and choose all periods. We know from hatchet man John Sweeney that the great British public should be horrified at members of HM Plod dressing up as Oberwhatsitfuhrers in their own time - but how many times can we be mired in the Schutz Staffel cul-de-sac of doom? I think they should just get on with it, but please don't have autographed pix of Nick Griffin in your lounges. I genuinely think examples of this are rare. But a man's politics is his own business and what "freedom" is all about. The whole variety of re-enactments bamboozle me. I've snapped Croatian paramilitaties and French colonial troopers from the highways of Nam. I've raised a Viva to the volunteers of the International Brigade and wonder what the Jap will do now samurai swords are banned by the state. I don't wear uniforms because I'm 48 and look 55. I do not have the figure for smart BD and have nightmares of my time itching and crying wearing KF. But I do have some lightweights and some very pretty Dutch DPMs which appear when the Beltring mud is over my gunwails. The rest of the time I like to reveal my legs. I have read Spike Milligan. Balls said the crow. Run to the hills (or car park). Re-enactors add colour, detail and glorious eccentricity to what would otherwise be a gloriously detailed and eccentric world of practical mechanics. The two go together like some sort of song involving Crosby and Sinatra. Long may it continue. I draw the line at medals and idiots pretending they're someone off a Medal of Honor PS2 game box lid. Walter Mitty should stick to being the England team manager. Roll on the new season. Please live side by side. The wholly separate issue of veterans and their suffering is not for this forum in essence - but I will tell you about one. He died on 15.12.1992 and spent a life wracked with guilt that the malaria and TB he caught in Iraq (fighting the Raschid Ali uprising of 1941) and India stopped him from being at Anzio where all his mates died. His life was wrecked by those diseases he got for King and Country. That man was my father.

Lots of this stuff is material dumped from picture libraries. All the nationals and regional groups have had massive clearouts and theft has always been a nightmare. Picture libraries are a publishers nightmare because they take up space and even though they can be worth a lot of money (my firm's is valued at between £15-25 million) they are a royal pain in the arsenal to maintain. So they get scrapped. It breaks my professional heart. We've managed to keep ours largely intact - but time will tell. I'm going OFF TOPIC...so I'll shut up before someone snaps my moderators sword in two and rips off my epaulettes.