M5Clive

The exact location of this photgraph is Postern Hill, Marlborough, Wiltshire. What the photograph doesn't demonstrate is the steepness of the hill. If you leave Marlborough on the South route to Tidworth, this is the hill you climb as you lead up to Savernake Forest with Marlborough behind you. As a young child I used to look out of the front room window of my grandparents house (shown on the top left of the pic) as the artic lorries went down the gears to climb the hill. It was not uncommon for the lorries to miss there gears or simply grind to a halt before reaching the top. They would then have to back all the way to the bottom and start there run-up again - And this wasn't the 1940's, this was the early to mid 1980's! Todays trucks of course are so powerful I don't think there has been a truck not able to crest the hill for years. In the photo the first M19 combination has ground to a halt, and the second ballast tractor has been enlisted to help out. Of course what the photo doesn't tell is how many vehicles of the convoy have already trundled past the photographer already. With a magnifiying glass, I can tell on the original photo that the trucks at the bottom of the hill are GMC and Dodges. More interestingly these trucks and troops shown are US Army soldiers and the photo is US Army also. It was also a common belief that the US were never issued with the Diamond-T 980 or 981 ballast tractors and it was only the British/Commonwealth that used them. Just like I tell so many vehicle owners, you can pretty much get away with so many things that the preserved MV rulebook says is incorrect, because all manner of situations happened in wartime when needs must. Here is unquestionably a US Army Diamond-T convoy, painted in US Army markings with US crews. Ok, so they may have only been a delivery crew, driving the trucks from arrival at Liverpool docks, down the country, for parking up on Salisbury Plain, prior to Normandy and their British unit assignment, but what a great picture! cds

Yes, I agree that the MVT's Overlord Show was always on the last Bank Holiday weekend of May. I went on several occasions in the latter 1980's and on into the 1990's. They were brilliant shows back when they were on Southsea Common. I would imagine that the MVT are just carrying-on the tradition which they established all those years ago by continuing with a large scale South Coast event over the Last May Bank Holiday weekend. But i'm not entirely sure why the aforementioned comments expressed by Mr. Notton were particularly necessary on the forum? I can't see that stooping to that kind of back-biting level will benefit the partcipants of the Overlord show and I haven't seen any evidence of the Beaulie event organisers making these type of comments on HMVF? :-( Cds

This picture is another interesting shot. This was taken not 500 yards from where I am sitting typing this thread on the heavy Bomb Group airfield at Brome in Suffolk - The aircraft is a 490th Bomb Group B-17 G Flying Fortress that has caught fire on the hardstanding. The Dodge WC-51 Weapons Carrier pictured alongside makes an interesting addition to the picture. The unit markings on the front bumper of this vehicle are what I used to recreate the correct marking on the bumper of my WC-56 Command Car. Fortunately no-one was seriously injured in this accident, and I believe the aircraft went on to fly further missions after the repair. We will visit the site of this accident on the Operation Bolero convoy on Saturday 30th June. Cds http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w205/suzannewitton/IMG_0002.jpg[/img]

Just take a good look at this amazing photograph that came into my posession last year. If the OPERATION BOLERO convoy looks anything as good as this I will be very happy :-) But look at the detail in the picture. Look at the cargo - M-10 tank destroyers with ply-wood covers and a vision hole for the driver? Notice how far into the distance the convoy stretches! Whats more I know exactly where this picture was taken. How you ask? Well both Neil and I were born and rasied in the town in the background. In-fact, our grandparents house is even in the picture. When this photograph came into our posession is blew our minds away because for years we had heard local people tell of the convoys that lasted all day during the build-up to D-Day. That image long stayed in my mind, but I never thought that one day, thanks to the forethought of a US army photographer, that image would magnificently re-appear 60 odd years later. Sadly the picture is really not given justice reproduced so small on here, but blown up to an A4 sized print, the detail is stunning. Just a fantastic photogaph :bow: Enjoy!

I have to say that was one attraction of the Stuart M5A1. At least the tracks are metal, with rubber blocks, so you could use them until the rubber has worn away, and still continue to use them once down to the metal. Mitch Hickman from Shropshire was telling me at Stoneleigh in January that he wore the tracks on his Stuart right down on the Hells-Highway tour of Holland in September 1994, almost to the metal and I well remember seeing him driving through Eindehoven in the vehicle. 13 years on, and Mitch is still on those worn tracks - Ok so they make not look particularly good, but the vehicle is still usable and I think my Stuart will probably go the same way too. The concern with a half track is that they are rubber tracks with metal wire strengtheners inside them, but most of them (even new old stocks ones) are several years old and not all have been stored sympathetically. Therefore you can experience a weakness in condition, if they have been stored without forth thought. The thought of spending £1500 on a set of tracks only for one to break after limited use is a concern, but i'm sure their are far more experienced users out there who could advise better, maybe even from experience. cds

This will be sister of Janie - sister in law of Big Beautiful Doll from Woodchurch! Restored to the same standard as Janie by the same devoted team. Last time I saw Janie flying in October I was trimming my conifer hedge, and Maurice damn near took my TV aerial off the roof :-o Since then I've had a much better reception though :-D cds

Jack - 25k for a Half-Track is well excessive. A good friend of mine who is coming to Operation Bolero has just bought in my opinion, the best restored M16 in the UK - Ex Gary Howard, organiser of Military Odessey in Kent. The vehicle is restored to the highest standard and it still didn't cost him 25k and the M16 varient is probably the most expensive. Think you need to be looking in the 13 - 15 k region for a good example of something like an M5A1, M3 etc. As previously stated, track wear is the biggest issue - Costly to buy a pair of tracks and heartbreaking to see them wear away! But........it wouldn't stop me owning one! Cds

Christ, I never thought of doing any work on the project over a weekend :goodidea: Will try and find some pics of the project to date, but I've only been digital for the last few years, so it will take some effort :computerterror: Cds

No Friday is not the setting up day, Thursday and in some cases Wednesday is the setting up day. Friday is a full day of convoying, as is Saturday and Sunday morning. The three day schedule is almost finished now and will be posted on the web-site presently. cds

Moving home and tank workshops (over 200 miles). Writing a book, and also countless MV related articles for Windscreen. Fully overhauled the Dodge Command Car, with more than a little help! Bought, ran for two seasons and moved on a GMC, see piccy to the left. Finished off my Willys MB project, before selling it. Organised 4 Living History/MV events in Wiltshire + the current one in Suffolk. Starred in the very first episode of Channel 5's The Physic Challenge in January last year, all about the Eighth Air Force in Cambridge. Greased the hangar doors three seasons running for Maurice Hammond's warbird collection in Norfolk - I know my mechanical limitations! Chaired Suffolk MVT for 2 years and organised three xmas dinners and two coach trips! Sat on a local historical airfield committee as trustee for 3 1/2 years before being told that my services were no longer wanted due to lack of committment and in recent weeks asked to join the freemasons :-o :-o Oh and did I mention holding down a full-time job, keeping a family happy, tiling a conservatory, laying a solid wood floor in the bedroom, erecting a log cabin, digging out and laying 3 concrete pads, then rebuilding the roof of the log cabin after I came home and found it in next doors garden after last months gales (should have used longer screws!) and still managing to attend nearly all the MV related shows throughout the last eight rally seasons :yawn: So what you are really saying Jack is that I've got no excuse for the project not to be finished right? ;-) Cds

I hate to admit that I actually bought it in September 1999, soon after I sold the Dukw - Its been a long winded project, but good-jobs take time, but admittidly, not 8 years!!!! Cds

The answer was in Bodge Jeep's reply directly underneath the photographs :roll: It is a P-51 Mustang. - Front line US fighter aircraft of WWII. Many went onto serve post war also, renamed the F-51. This particular example is an ex-8th Air Force machine, that flew from Cambridgeshire and is being rebuilt to stock condition, estimated to take flight in 2009. The project is indeed awe-inspiring and very impressive, in fact almost as impressive as the picture you posted of the 6x6 Reo with big monster truck tires - Now that was impressive! The Mustang will also be restored with two-seats ;-) Cds

I wish it was !

Talking about costing down the hills, that has got me thinking. One day when I've got the time I will tell you the story of when I completely lost the brakes on my DUKW coming down the long, steep hill in to Marlborough on the A4 from Hungerford. Now that was seriously scary and the old GMC 270 engine up-front was never the same again :cry: Cds

That is seriously impressive :-o

I hope your going to keep the Winter top on for Bolero Steve - It really looks the business and typifies the field-mods done to vehicles, particularly on British (US Occupied) aerodromes. Why dont you put a set of bar-treads on Jessie as well? They were for sale at Stoneleigh for about £40 a corner - It will make Jessie look so much better, particularly as you have painted it in USAAF markings. I think the hard-top is an excellent idea - Very novel! Cds

:what: Oh really Mark!

Progress is not particularly quick, but I did manage to get the final crop of components blasted, primed and painted the other day. The green looks a little bit french in these shots but thankfully they tone down significantly in reality ;-) http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w205/suzannewitton/Feb2007MVpics012.jpg[/img] http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w205/suzannewitton/Feb2007MVpics027.jpg[/img] http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w205/suzannewitton/Feb2007MVpics015.jpg[/img] Wonder how long they will stay looking this good :? Cds

About 8 feet to the left of the fuselage, awaiting fitting out and assembly. Cds

Look what my neighbour has tucked away in his shed, not half a mile down the road from our house! Yes it is what you think it is :-o

Its unfortunate that the South Hampshire Area of the MVT who are hosting the Trucks & Troops event at Beaulie are organising there event on the same weekend as The Overlord Show, but as I understand it, their hands were tied with regard to the availability of the National Motor Museum at Beaulie, and this was the preferred date given to them by the museum. So if you live in that neck of the woods, you have two large scale shows in a similar geographical area to choose from - Alias, I guess its inevitable that events are always going to clash with one another the length and breadth of the country :roll: I'm just glad that Hampshire is far enough away that I don't need to worry ! Cds

Hi Hick, Enjoyed the photos very much - Have you given any more thought to convoying up to Suffolk this summer for our Red Ball Express convoy - OPERATION BOLERO? Cheers Cds

Yes 1992 when the Confederate Air Force flew B-24 Diamond Lil over to England to participate in the 50th Anniversary Return to England of the USAAF. That was 15 years ago now, and this summer we are celebrating the 65th Anniversary by staging the OPERATION BOLERO - Tour of the Dromes event, located in Frmalingham, Suffolk, East Anglia. Incidentally, I saw Diamond Lil perform at the Boscombe Down air show in 1992 and had a tour of the aircraft - Even bought a bright red B-24 Baseball Cap which has long since disappeared! Back in the States, they are now in the process of re-configuring the aircraft back into the guise of a B-24 D, I think, by refitting the ball turret and making other modifications. Will be interested to see what she looks like when she comes out of the work-shop. Cds

Make sure that unlike Jessie Number one, Jessie Number Two isn't made out of French wood and good old ply-wood from the US of A :-D Cds

Didn't keep any Jack??? I thought those trainers you were wearing at Christmas looked a little tatty :-o :-o