REME 245

Any radio's you use must only operate in the frequencies allocated for ameteur use and at the designated power out puts. Getting the Foundation Licence which I did over a weekend is only part of the process.

The Police would say that only specifically trained officers are qualified to examine a weapon and decide if it is legally deactivated. Hence without a certificate they are in their rights to seize a weapon until such time as it can be expertly examined. Having done this provided no one has interfeared with the deact spec i.e. making the barrel come off a post 94 Bren Gun, they have to hand it back.

Peter I would assume that this set was manufactured buy a number of manufactuers. Are you saying that he has no ideal which particular manufacturer made this one?

The liners are normally always dated if you check.

The great majority of Canadian manufactured vehicles would have been disposed of fairly rapidly at the end of the war so the chances of this one surviving in military service until the 1950's to receive this body is remote. The Maple Leaf Up Forum is the principal source for Canadian manufactured vehicles.

Black Shoe polish by its very nature stains leather black so what you have been using?

The principal difference between old and new spec brens is that you cannot remove the barrels on new spec. Some people interfere with the weld on later ones to achieve this but avoid this has any changes to the deac spec will result in the weapon referting to its original sectoon 5 clasification. As other have said, it depends on what period you are trying to portray and then try to aquire a Bren with all the parts appropriate to that mark and not a mix and match.

Could the first gun be the 105mm version? The barrel diameter looks a bit big for the 77mm version.

I have just purchased a second one of these Generators which has a different arrangement of terminals. It has separate terminals marked high and low power or similar presumably allowing charging at different rates. The manufacturer is also listed as EP Company. Any suggestions on manufactuer or why this different pattern. I am also looking for a work shop manual rather than the hand book which comes in the spare parts tin. Any source for spares would also be useful. The sets were also originally associated with the 22 Set rather than the later 62 which must have seen very limited war-time service.

They are certainly not Light weight trousers and almost look jungle issue. If you have got your terminology correct Light Weight Trousers are still in use by certain units and Cadet Forces so souring a pair even new should not be a problem.

Its only a Bypass Filter so its not as if it does a lot. Changing the oil on a more frequet basis is just as important. There was a company still making these but I have no details. Speak to the Bedford Spares Supplier as it the same filter accross many vehicles of the period.

Perhaps they are Chalanger 1 if there is a difference with the tracks. I can't see the army disposing of any thing current unless there is a problem with them.

Without having my books here I would have said either French or Swiss.

Having said this one one occasion being ex-REME I tried to inject oil into the suspention links of an A Squadron Royal Yeomanary Fox I found it full of grease and it took a lot of pumping to displace this with oil. The next day there was a puddle of oil under each wheel station so I did'nt bother again. Knowing crews I would immagine most of the squadrons vehicles were so greased. The other favourite one was gease in the steering boxes of MJ's as they have what crews assume ro be grease.

Its either going to be a Oerlikon or a Hispano-suiza gun. Its usually marked somewhere on the gun. Very unlikely to be war-time. Unfortunately do not have my books at work.

This is where you will find all the experts on British Machine Guns. http://weaponsonline.proboards.com/index.cgi?

About ten years ago the Russian Defence Disposal Organisation announced they were about to start selling large quantities of war-time vehicles and guns on to the market. This never happened and it seems unlikely that they still retain large stocks of war-time AFV's in storage but they obviously still have some. The Gaz Jeeps looked a bit strange to me. Possibly made up bodies on modern chassis. War-time AFV's were still held in war reserve stocks into the 1980's and hence survive in quantities, but the Gaz jeeps would have been disposed of many years ago.

I think the assumption is that Simex have all the Dunlop Tracgrip moulds for all sizes but will not import. Unfortunately in time all the British vehicles in preservation will end up with inappropriate non war-time tread pattern tyres.

Unless this is something new forget it. Simex are not interested in selling into the european market and none of their tyres are EU approved which also causes problems for retalers.

Some war-time photographs would be useful as evidence. I would imagine they probably saw a lot more use in Italy or the Far East rather than NW Europe. Where possible vehicles were standardised in Europe to ensure spares supply. The Maple Leaf Up Forum will probably be able to help you more.

Does anyone have an old Ferret/Saracen speedo cable so I can make an exhaust for an 80 Walt Generator as Richard Describes above? Alternatively a source for 3/8" bore flexible metal pipe.

Quite if they will survive the potential 25% cut in the defence budget after the next election is questionable.

If you can get Dirk to answer your e-mail's he has these for sale on his site. http://www.lwdparts.com/ Alternatively he normally has them for sale on his store at Beltring. The British version I believe has an illumination window which I suppose you could cut in these, and a two cable plug.

Ask Bovington what colour their engine is. From memory their Humber joined the collection straight from service with the Guards AB at the end of the war.

Provided they are under the width limit you should not have been any major problems.