andym

RR Services have a NOS L60 on Milweb if you're interested ... Andy

There's one on the BAE Systems stand at DSEi to demonstrate the CVR(T) upgrade programme. Andy

A real shame they can't hang some sort of firearms offence on them - that would act as a better deterrent, methinks. Andy

Big, isn't it? There were four Challenger ARRVs going up the A31 the other morning, half the tracks hanging over the edges of the transporters. Looks like you've got most of the bits, though? Andy

Just work for a defence company! Andy

Does anyone have suggestions for a firm who could transport an FV430 pack from Kent to Devon for me? The normal pallet firms probably won't work as it's 1800kg and most of them don't like anything above 1000kg. Thanks in advance! Andy

I think one of the problems at the time would have been one of control. It's only with the advent of modern power electronics that most of these systems have really become viable. Andy

Porsche was at it back in 1901! It's interesting to see what has happened in warships as they share some of the considerations of AFVs in terms of power density. Most RN vessels are now electrically propelled, mainly because it allows you to run small fuel-efficient prime movers at low speed and only fire up the bigger ones when you need the power for high speed transits. The other factor is the high ratio of hotel load to propulsion load, something also common to cruise ships. For an AFV this only really makes sense if you've got a high electrical load for weapons (rail gun) or armour (electric armour). Andy

There's nothing new under the sun, and the Germans have already tried most of it ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elefant Andy

Unfortunately I don't have a drawing to hand, but the Abbot filter is like a gauze top hat that sits over the nose of the pump. The brim of the hat has the same dimensions as the pump mounting flange, so it's sandwiched between the pump flange and the tank when assembled. Does that make sense? Andy

That's definitely the same pump, but if it has a separate filter then unfortunately it won't help - I'm looking for something that mounts directly on the pump inlet. Thanks anyway! Andy

In my continuing search for an Abbot fuel lift pump inlet filter, I've been told that it's the same pump as the MJ/MK. Does anyone have a drawing of the pump and filter as mounted in the tank? That may give me another option to consider. Andy

It's nice to see some setup shots - by the time it's open to visitors everything is surrounded by carpet and plant pots! (Is this thread in the correct part of the Forum, by the way?) Andy

The airsoft firm is Urban Assault and there's mention of the PT76s on their site: http://www.urbanassault.org.uk/ I recall reading somewhere that the PT76s were originally in full running order but then something happened to the owner and they ended up at RAF Upwood. Andy

I was trying to work out why Withams would be selling Vampires. Very old MOD stock found somewhere, perhaps? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire Andy

I don't believe there's any standard for these, they were all home-made at individual establishments. At the Royal Naval Engineering College in the 1970's we used engraved traffolite panels of appropriate colours. Unfortunately the only amber colour they could find was a wood-grain effect, resulting in it being known rudely as "Condition Wood". Andy

I'm also amused by their definition of "very good condition cosmetically"! :-) Andy

The perils of restoring vehicles that have previously been in "corporate" hands, I'm afraid. And that's just the 432, I've got to do it all over again with the Abbot. Mind you, I've got two tonnes of scrap steel already, so there should be a nice little earner at the end of it. I don't know how you are off for track, but Hirst's seemed to have some NOS CVR(T) track in stillages the other day? Andy

That's coming together very nicely, Chris. Mind you, if you thought those wheels were scabby, take a look at these ... Andy

I'd be tempted to take the entire thing along to a decent auto factors and see what they can find? Andy

Are the 6V condensers physically a different part to the 12V ones? They form a tuned L/C circuit in conjunction with the coil and as a 6V coil would have a different step-up ratio to a 12V one I suspect it also has a different value of inductance, requiring a different condenser to retain the correct L/C value. Andy

Very nice! Andy

Hope you've got some L60s in your spares stock, then ... :-) Andy

There may be the odd UNC (or even Metric in the Clansman boxes) but otherwise they're all UNF. Andy

I've just checked and the track pads studs are a 3/4" AF spanner, therefore 1/2" UNF. Andy