simon king

Regulations from about 43 only required census numbers on Offside and rear of vehicles - presumably to save paint and time. The mobilisation info will include the unit's 5-digit code as well as the ship's identity and (i guess) loading order. Some of those unit numbers are listed in V4 of Warpaint but I think there are complete lists in circulation or perhaps available for reference from Bovingdon. You can often see these 5 digit codes on the front and back of vehicles - either tied into the mobilisation info at the front or separately O/S front and N/S rear (in accordance with seemingly often ignored invasion security arrangements which required the removal of Divisional signs and AoS markings for D-Day) on top of three coloured bars which related to the last two digits of the 5 digit code.

In the run up to D_Day, Red, yellow and BLUE strips - each one about 3" X 1" were painted on vehicles to show what stage of preparedness for wading had been completed and signed off - could these strips be those??

Thanks Wally - you can see from the video that the British jeeps are different (and more extemporised) and seem to have a clamp bolted to the scuttle - I think in the same way as a clamp was used to secure the rifle on the Champ. I was just wondering of the wheel was left on the carriage and something fabricated to hold it level or whether it was removed completely and another leg fabricated - it's impossible to see from the video which seem to be the only images of this conversion around unless someone can point me to another one. The Airborne Forces Museum certainly don't have anything at all. sk

Anybody know how the 106mm recoilless rifles were fitted to the few airborne jeeps that carried these during the Suez operation in 1956? I think they were only fitted in Cyprus having seen French troops equipped with them in the run-up to the operation The back of the jeep was cut out and the cut edge seems to be strengthened with angle iron. The mount rested on the back of the jeep but don't know how the front was supported - any ideas? YouTube video here (at 2.24) Thanks sk

Thanks for the suggestion - I did think about that but I understand bare-metal foil, which is like thin baking foil, has a shiny and non shiny side. I fear the adhesive is on the non shiny side so it wont be reflective on the side that it needs to be if I stick it to the back of the red plastic reflector. Also I fear it wont fit over all the little pyramids you can see. Just now I've tried airbrushing on the mirror paint onto the reflectors - which have all lost some or most of their original reflective coating and I have to say I am pleasantly suprised by the mirror effect produced. You can hardly see any difference from the original. sk

some progress - silicone mould made from original using Ferrero Rocher plastic box as a mould tray. Even the tiny lettering around the edge of the reflector will be reproduced. I've kept the walls of the mould deliberately thick so there is no danger of deformation. I will sand off and polish the pouring scar as its on the flat front surface of the reflector. The resin polishes up to a glass like surface. To reproduce the mirror finish on the back of the reflectors, I will airbrush on this paint obtained from a craft store - it's slightly less reflective than the original coating - but not noticeably so Just waiting for some special red pigment for the casting resin and then I'll try my first cast. sk

Lots of mortar trailers here - and at 3.30 a 10cwt GS trailer with an HD sign on the LHS mudguard sk

On 5th/6th July 2014 Trent Valley Area of the MVT, in association with the Queen’s Royal Lancers/Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Regiments Museum and the Thoresby Estate will be presenting Thoresby 2014: D-Day plus 70. The event is being held in Thoresby Park, Ollerton, Nottinghamshire NG22 9EP which is just 10 minutes from the A1/A57/A614 junction and is within relatively easy travelling distance of the South and East Midlands, East Anglia and Yorkshire. This relaxed Military Vehicle gathering, in only its second year, is held in an ample parkland setting which was used as a training ground during the Second World War in the run-up to D-Day. Some of that infrastructure remains. We can offer good catering facilitites, a resident military museum and a good range of shops and facilities within the adjacent Thoresby Hall Courtyard. Brass Bands and specialty catering and beverage stands are available on the Sunday afternoon as well as other attractions. The BBMF Dakota will make a flypast also on the Sunday.. There is ample parking for support vehicles and camping/caravanning is available on the Estate's own permanent site. For culture vultures we can even offer reduced price tickets for anybody wanting to see the Thoresby Players production of Macbeth – in a WW1 setting – taking place in the Riding School at Thoresby on the Saturday evening If you would like to attend this event – already listed in the MVT, Classic Military Vehicles and Military Machines schedules – please contact me as follows Home tel 01909 476991, Mobile 07802 439324, e-mail simon_king@talktalk.net Simon King

Does anyone know of a source for the small red reflectors that fit inside the T-plate? If not, I thought I might try casting some in red tinted clear resin using a flexible silicone mould taken from an undamaged original. The faceted backs seem to be "chromed" with a coating like that used on plastic model cars and bikes. I wondered whether to try one of the modellers chrome effect paints to replicate this or even burnish on some thin silver foil but does anyone know of a better way to replcate this? Thanks sk

Thanks John If I recall correctly mine came with the corroded remains of a single spring (of the internal diameter of the socket) and no blanking plate at the back of the socket. I can just about make out a Butler B-WD-"something" stamp in the metal but it's so corroded (and bent in places) that some serious work with Milliput is required to make it looking something like presentable. It had been bent to fit as the bend was through the middle of second of the holes - allowing only one nut/nolt to be used to attach it to the neck. Were there both Lucas and Butler versions of these particular "teardrop shaped" electrical fittings ? sk

Thanks John - unfortunately I've only got the outer shell - and that has a hole at the back On that evidence, I thought it was for a wire to come out of the socket so I had assumed that the trailer wiring finished/started at this socket and that the connector between jeep and trailer had plugs at either end. Clearly I got the wrong end of the stick. I have an old scrap jeep wiring loom with the spring loaded connectors for the tail lights. Could I adapt one of those fittings to provide the innards for this socket - did I understand you right? Thanks again sk

John - do those Butler sockets to "park" the trailer connection have a spring inside to ensure retention of the socket - and are they always bent through 90 degrees? I have a well rusted example which I harvested from one of the 10cwt trailer parts I acquired with my 10cwt GS - (although I have to admit that I didn't know what it was until reading your post above) but if they're rare, that might be my best bet in the short term pending discovery of a better example. Any advice welcome. thanks Simon King

If using track as applique armour, there didn't seem to be too much concern that it was the same track as used on the tank. I seem to recall pictures of British tanks even using Pz IV track for this purpose sk

the famous photo of a Royal Signals jeep and 10cwt trailer at Pegasus Bridge seems to show a full set of markings on the tailgate - div sign, AoS square/unit number, census number and 20 MPH speed limit - so I guess anything goes. Then there was also the seemingly shortlived "security" markings introduced for the invasion - Div sign/AoS square replaced by the unit's 5 digit unit number with three coloured bars underneath representing the numbers. Each number had a different colour assigned. It seems to be a continuation of the system often seen on BEF vehicles. I've also just noticed on that photo that the T Plate is screwed to the wooden tailgate rather than to the two bars welded onto the RHS rear stanchion. By 1943/44 the regulations indicated that census numbers should only be painted on the offside and rear of vehicles - so that's another option as well.

It is odd that wartime photos seem to show a convoy light and a rear light fitted on the lightweight trailers but the GS/mortar trailer series appear to be devoid of any lights in the factory shots I have seen. Perhaps it was felt that the reflective T plate was sufficient. Certainly lights had been fitted to mine at some time subsequently as the central of the three tabs on the cross-frame - for which nobody seems to know the purpose - had been removed to allow fitment of a plate carrying standard switch and junction box. Additionally some sort of receiving socket for the power lead from the towing vehicle had been bolted to the right side of the neck. As the axles of the lightweight and GS/Mortar trailers shared the same cross-section it is perfectly possible that my example originated from a 10cwt lightweight or was postwar. I guess we'll never know. Edit - looking again at the picture of the Royal Signals jeep towing a 10cwt GS trailer parked up at Pegasus Bridge as a Leyland Retriever crosses, it seems as if there might be an axle plate fitted to the trailer. sk

Apparently an original axle plate. Note how the corners have been chamfered. Dimensions are 12" by 6". They were certainly used on the lightweight 10cwt trailers during the war.

NFU Mutual didn't want to know last year - seems you have to be an existing customer as they woudn't insure the jeep in isolation as new business - this was despite being recommended to try them by MV owners that I know. So after many years with FJ I went to Adrian Flux.

External lip oil seals are available here - but you'll need to sell a kidney to pay for them...... http://www.vintagebearings.co.uk/ Even the cross-pinned tubes seem to have safety chains according to the diagram on this webpage http://www.goatpark.force9.co.uk/tempsite/gstrailer.htm

[quote name=ted angus; As to the description of the verticals on your trailer -I have heard - the corners are normally referred to as corner posts and the other verticals on the side as side angles ? Sorry I have taken this thread off course - fantastic to see the work. regards TED I found this on-line - although you sometimes have to take such things with a pinch of salt - so perhaps it's both vertical stanchion and the boards that attach to it................... rave (reɪv) n1. a vertical sidepiece on a wagon [C16: modification of dialect rathe' date=' of uncertain origin] Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003 That aside, is it the case that when built, these trailers had no electrics - and that "fag-end" tail light, convoy light and the associated switch and junction box were only fitted later? I can see no evidence of any electrics on the factory record shots that I have. If fitted with electrics, did the trailer have the same sort of connector as the towing vehicle attached somewhere on the neck near to the lunette. Thanks sk

Thanks - That's useful. After some thought it seems that each leg had a locking pin, held in place by split pin and a safety hook to keep the leg in the up position, with c3/4" holes in the tube for the up and down positions. I'm guessing the screw type locks dispensed with the two holes in the tube, but retained the safety hook. Just need to find out how all the chains were attached at the front - perhaps the holes for the rings to secure the keeper chains have been welded up. At the back presumably they used the bolts that secured the tube bracket to the frame. Inevitably I suppose different manufacturers differed in the way they attched these chains as well...... SK

On the basis of this morning's experiences, I shall stay with them. Just thought I had better see what the alternatives were. sk

Last year I tried to insure the jeep for road use with a well known Military Vehicle insurer -with whom I had insured the jeep for many years - either on-road or laid-up during the latest restoration -only to be told that they wouldn't cover the jeep now because it was "American" It beggars belief - why trumpet that you offer MV insurance if you don't cover one of the most archetypical MVs...... After doing both my Mr Grumpy and Mr Angry acts, I seem to recall that they relented as I was an existing customer, but I'd heard enough by then and went somewhere else on principle. This morning's experience of getting quotes from the providers advertising in Windscreen has not been good - I'm still waiting for at least two of them to ring me back despite promises of ringing me back within 10 minutes - and that was getting on for an hour ago - a very lacklustre service PS by 1.45pm still no response from either RH Classic insurance or from Peter Best Insurance - they clearly don't want the business....... Seems a bit of a waste of time even ringing them in retrospect sk

Had all the steel cut and/or bent at the local fabricator/steel stock holder to match the originals - they have a press to bend metal which is digitally controlled. It can even manage the c-section needed at either end of the tailgate. They also fabricated the brackets for the handles for me

Trailer neck virtually completed. Just needs drilling off for the towing hitch, the crush tubes adding and then the end plate can be welded on. After that it's a case of grafting onto the existing frame. It's resting on the simple jig we used to build it - four angle brackets screwed to some wood.

Did anybody see the lunchtime news on BBC1 today - should also be on the iPlayer in due course./ There was a bit about how the recent storms had swept away part of the beach at Tywyn to reveal the stumps of a prehistoric forest. Also revealed had been the impressions left in the sand/mud/silt by tank tracks from the last war - they looked like Sherman tracks - did they do any DD training at Tywyn? sk