modello

Are You sure about AMT-10 ? I see on the Net, no AMT-10 oil there - but AMG-10 GOST 6794 oil exists.

The range of Zvezda M50 engines (1200 HP/1850 rpm) were used on different post-War types of Navy's boats (for example, on Motor Torpedo Boats), and on civil hydrofoil vessels.

[sorry for some off-topic] :blush:

Dear Bryan (RAFMT) ! Check Your PM box, please.

Wow ! The answer is much simpler, than I expected.

Thank You very much, dear Runflat and 11th Armoured, for Your invaluable help !

This question bothered me for a long time, and now I solved this problem.

Thank You both very much once again !

Regards.

Dear friends !

I should like to know, what vehicle is the following type:

Morris-Commercial DCTM Mk I/Mk II RAF Armed Tender.

Was this vehicle based on Interwar Morris Commercial D type 6x4 truck ? Or this is absolutely another type ?

Any sample image of that DCTM vehicle ? How many such vehicles were used by RAF ?

Thank You in advance.

Dear colleagues !

I should like to get some Your help in the visual identification of the following Land Rover versions:

- Land Rover Series 2A Mk8 Short Wheelbase;

- Land Rover 4x4 Four Stretcher Ambulance FV18005;

- Land Rover Series 2A Mk 9 4x4 ½ ton Long Wheelbase.

It will be good to see 1 or 2 images of general view of exact version of each vehicle, mentioned and highlighted above (or to get the links to such images). The Internet searches bring quite many pictures - but they all differ from each other, and because of this, I'm not sure in exact versions.

Thank You in advance.

Dear friends !

I should like to know, what exact differences were between Diamond T 968, 968A, and 968B versions of trucks.

I know, there were hard top and soft top cabins. But I am strongly sure, that there were more differences between those variants.

I shall pleased to get any detailed information on this subject.

Noticed a good link off Facebook for the new Dunkirk movie which is being made currently and there are some good shots of some of the vehicles being used.

 

For those that aren't on FB here are some pictures courtesy of DidierH@u Photos

Well, let's return to BMP talks.

First of all - I have found the image, with which ARTBYDAVID was inspired:

Compare it with this image - note the characteristic soldier with RPK machine gun (he is in far right on photo above):

As for types of machine guns, used by BMP-2 infantry squad - some ambiguity is here. All Soviet field manuals from the Eighties - the Nineties stated, that BMP infantry squads used only RPK machine guns (excluding PK machine guns, mounted in BMP turrets). In the same time the BMP Manuals showed the firing ports for PK/PKM machine guns in BMP hulls. This is large strangeness - but this is reality.

Today our experts consider, that from the beginning of the 2000s most part of RPK in conventional infantry units has been replaced with PK/PKM machine guns; wherein the RPK machine guns used by special units and specialist units mainly. But even most modern main Field Manual of Russian Army (2005) does not describe the exact types of infantry weapons, used by troops.

As the example of modern BMP-2 infantry squad weaponry I have attached below the image from 1995, on which I marked each weapon with it's type letters in red colour. Note - the BMP is moving on, and we see 8 men around the vehicle. One machine gunner have the RPK, and one (or two - sadly, I can not see his exact weapon) - the PK/PKM machine guns.

A couple of questions if you don't mind - the manuals for the BMP-1 hull all refer to the forward most firing positions (with the "D" shaped hull ports) as being for the PKM and to the right of the turret floor as viewed from the rear of the vehicle is stowage for a sustained fire tripod for a PKM. Is this actually correct (the manuals are Soviet) - did things change for the BMP-2??

Same manuals show the RPG stowed in brackets along the central spine above the batteries and main fuel tank - is this correct?

 

According to the same manuals the complement of a BMP-1 was 8 men plus 3 crew. I know the troop complement on the BMP-2 was reduced to make room for the larger turret. I thought the -2 still had a crew of 3 making a total of 9 including the 6 in the back - or do you discount the driver??

The matter is that, according to Russian Army's regimental structure of 2000 - 2010, each motorized infantry company consists of 3 platoons. Each platoon consists of 3 squads - 30 men in total. Each BMP squad consists of 8 men - 2 of them are the crew members (the driver and BMP gunner), 6 men are the infantrymen. Thus, we see 3 x 8 = 24 men.

And each platoon have the commanding and specialist personnel - 6 men in total. Those 6 men are - platoon commander (AK assault rifle), platoon commander assistant (AK assault rifle), machine gunner (PKM), machine gunner assistant (AK assault rifle), sniper (SVD sniper rifle), sniper assistant (AK assault rifle). Thus, now we see 24 + 6 = 30 men in total; and all 30 places in all 3 BMPs are used.

So, one BMP platoon have 1 x PKM + 3 x RPK machine guns (+ 3 PK MGs in BMP turrets), or - for more modern time - 4 x PKM MGs (+ 3 PK MGs in BMPs).

As to the forward most firing positions (with the "D" shaped hull ports) - yes, the BMP-2 Manuals describe them as PK firing positions too. In case of fire tripod for PKM, placed in fighting compartment of BMP - I do not know, if this is correct, because of the Manuals do not mention it.

And other strangeness here - if the BMP-1 Manual describes the placement for RPG-7 grenade launcher clearly, the BMP-2 Manual do not mention RPG placement absolutely. Only several words are devoted to RPG place - this is area, encircled with red line on BMP-2 infantry compartment photo below - see the image attached. The SAM launchers or RPG launchers could pe placed there, in forward area of left part of infantry compartment, and fixed with buckle belts.

So, if Your BMP have some place "in brackets along the central spine above the batteries and main fuel tank" - You can use it for RPG too; it is not prohibited directly.

Well, this is all for now. If You have some questions - please, let me know about them.

P.S. And yes - during the institute time we were "like the soldiers"; but we used training (school) vehicles. These vehicles were in operation condition - their engines and all units and gears worked very well; those vehicles were equipped with main guns. But those vehicles had not any infantry weapons, small arms, ammunition, RPKs, PKMs, RPGs, and even turret PKs - because of we were "LIKE-soldiers", almost the children, and not real soldiers; and we do not trusted to use such dangerous weapon.

So, I can not know all exact and specific details about such weaponry, carried within BMPs.

Great war truck, the numbers should be on the engine block above fuel pump on drivers side. Some times they are painted on chassis in a rear wheel arch.

Thanks. We found the engine number where you described. It has a chassis plate inside the cab but was wondering if that number is stamped on the chassis anywhere. Possibly not. We will go and have a look in the wheel arch for the painted number but I think that it might have gone.

1) Until July 3, 1989 - it was painted with paint on outer side of right hand frame spar in rear part of frame.

2) From July 3, 1989 - the number structure was changed, but this number was painted with paint too, in same place of frame rear part - on outer side of right spar. This way of marking was used until January 1, 1999.

Thus, You must check not the rear wheel arch itself (and not both rear wheel arches, of course), but check right spar of main frame from outer side, which is seen through rear right hand wheel arch.

3) From January 1, 1999 the chassis number is stamped with stamps on frame's rear crossbar # 6, to right side from virtual vertical axis of the vehicle.

To understand these ways of marking, see the image below (the numbers 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 correspond to points of my post above):

And You could see some like this (the view through rear right wheel arch):

And if You do not find anything there -"so wags the world...".

Hope this helps.

Well, dear Neil; sadly, I am overbusy for now.

If You agree to wait for several days, I shall try to answer Your questions.

One observation - and I am open to correction here if anyone knows better - the guy on the extreme left looks to be carrying an RPK going by the bipod. In actual fact the seating arrangements in a BMP class are such that the first men out will be carrying AK's and the last man out will be carrying the PKM (GPMG equivalent). To the best of my knowledge the PRK does not fit the firing ports in the side of the vehicle.

As I say - I am truly open to correction here. All I can say for sure is that when we stage the mock battles at W&P we do not carry RPK gunners on board - they are on the softskin vehicles.

I have decided to join slightly to this particular discussion.

Sadly, dear Neil, You and Your friends in mock battles are wrong. Actually, the guy in extreme left on scene drawing carries the PK/PKM machine gun with bipod. The RPK light machine gun was shown on first version of scene design (this MG has the soldier, which was third from the left - see the post # 8, and see the image attached below - click to enlarge). But this is not main problem.

The main problem is, that, according to official Russian Military Field Manuals, the Soviet (and Russian now) mechanized infantry squad on BMP vehicle have only ONE hand machine gun, and this MG is RPK exactly (or RPK-74, if You want - for more modern period). [Wherein the PKT machine gun, mounted in BMP turret coaxially with gun, is not considered in this battle order]. Yes, this RPK MG is not very popular, but "the Law is the Law" - our BMP squad consists of 8 men in total (including the BMP crew), and there is only one machine gunner among those men. Two machine guns for one BMP (see the image) is the error.

On the other hand, this BMP squad have always one grenade gunner with RPG-7 grenade launcher, and one grenade gunner's assistant with AK assault rifle.

And PK/PKM hand machine gun is the weapon of larger troop units - from the platoon and larger, or it is the inventory of non-motorized (I mean non-IFV) infantry units.

In real battle/war conditions the situation could change, of course, because in such circumstances there always are different deviations from the official orders and manuals. And the squad leader can allow his men to have more machine guns or grenade launchers than required by Field Manuals - if they will be able to provide enough ammunition for this increased weaponry, of course.

So, this information is another reason to revise the scene design.

P.S. When I studied in my Institute, all young men should study military subjects too (one day each week). I studied as BMP-2 driver, and I shined this vehicle "through the length and breadth". We also learned the rules of BMP using, and the tactics of BMP squad.

windscreen was from GAZ-69 and I think the wheels are as well.

 

Is the right side drawing of a later than 1943 vehicle as the vents on the bonnet are pointed and the photos I have seen show a curved vent?

As for bonnet vents - the pointed vents are the War-time feature, and first post-War years feature. A few years later the radiator grille was replaced in production with pressed steel grille with oval holes, but the bonnet was used of War-time pattern. See the image of North Korean GAZ-67 during the Korean war (1950 - 1953) below - this vehicle have new-style grille, but old-style bonnet. It looks like "Your" vehicle (click the image to enlarge).

And only during last years of production (before 1953) GAZ-67 received new grille together with new bonnet with curved vents.

I still do not know what year this 67B is. The different windscreen and longer body behind the rear mudguard should give the experts out there some idea. The current owner suggests 1948 build but it may be a bit later.

The windshield on Your GAZ-67 is from GAZ-69 vehicle.

As to correct body configuration - I feel sure, the drawings are ideal for this purpose. See the drawings below - right side view shows the 1943 version (but body is the same like this body on later vehicles). Other views show the 1953 version. Click each image to enlarge:

Thank You once again, dear Runflat !

I shall order this book, using the link You provided.

Best regards

Thank You very much, Runflat !

Have this book the WD numbers for 1939-, 1940-, 1941-made vehicles ?

Dear colleagues !

Possibly, somebody knows, where to find/to buy the copy of well-known Chilwell's WD numbers lists (number census) for British wheeled military vehicles of pre-WW2 and WW2 era ?

I shall pleased to get any advices.

Hello, David !

The PM sent to You.

Dear friends !

I saw a pair of lotes on Ebay today. I should like to know - what vehicles are these ?

1) Leyland "Retriever" with tank - whether this "Retriever" version existed in real life ?

Source - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dinky-B-B-Leyland-Retriever-6x-6-Military-fuel-Tanker-Code-3-/191557749505#

2) Morris Commercial WD10/40 - is this designation real ? Or this is some other type of lorry ? Is this WW2 era truck ? (It is strange, but the images in the advertisement are not seen - but they were there !; I copied them to my computer)

Source - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Commercial-WD10-40-/291431033456?_trksid=p2054897.l427

I have not any connections with those sellers !

Dear modello,

I have tried to reply to your private message to me but every time it just disappears into thin air so to speak. So I will reply right here at the moment but in brief. Yes my friend still has the three Crossley IGL8 lorries and I will try and get some photographs for you. Dave

Hello I am a new forum member, I only joined last weekend... I should know where the yard is because a friend of mine went a few years ago to pick up bus spares and took photographs of the Crossley 4x4... PB Harcourts last post on the subject of the 4x4 s was at the end of 2013 and I wondered if you knew of any progress. I have a friend who has three Crossley IGL8 lorries and has just finished a Crossley 4x4 and has two more to do.! I have a Crossley tractor unit but at present I am restoring my second Crossley motor coach.

Thank You very much, Mr Johns, for this detailed answer and clarification ! So, this my book is from the Fifties...

You helped me a lot. Thank You once again !

Dear friends !

I should like to know the following:

- is this Instruction book [instruction for the Lorry with CI Engine; publication No.218C] describes such Dennis Max lorry from WW2 era ? The book have the text "By appointment Motor Vehicle Manufacturers to the Late King George V" on it's front cover.

Or this book describes some civilian version of Dennis Max truck ? Pre-War version ? Post-War version ?

And what You think about year (or period) of this book edition ?

I ask these questions, because of the book - sadly - is undated.

Thank You all, men, for Your explanations !

This so strange, of course - for what reasons those guys from RAF not used "the truck" term, simply "the truck" ? :???:???:???

Or "load carrier" at least ?

Dear colleagues !

I see in the literature, dedicated to WW2, the term "RAF Tender" sometimes. For example, "Austin K2/YF 2 ton 4x2 RAF GS Tender", "Bedford ML 2 ton 4x2 RAF Type A GS Tender", "Albion AM463 4x2 30-cwt RAF GS Tender", etc.

What this term means - the Fire Guard vehicle ? Or Fire Engine ? Or something else, associated with fires ?

Or this term is much wider ?

Thank You in advance !