N.O.S.

If anyone has any sensible ideas on what to do with a substantial quantity of T2 hangar sections (lattice work sections, no purlins, enough for about a 2/3rds size building), ideally involving vehicle storage at a Norfolk/Suffolk US airbase museum, do please let me know. Quickly.

This week, on Scapheap Challenge............

If you are idling away a few moments in the newsagents, look out for a slick publication called AFV Modeller 37, the latest issue. See http://www.afvmodeller.com Not only is it a superb example of the best practise in magazine printing and presentation, the contents are pretty mind-blowing too. :drool: Take for example the photos of a scratchbuilt metal Scammell Pioneer in 1/20th scale - the time involved in producing this would go a long way to restoring a full-sized example! I can but gaze in admiration at these examples of top modelling skills :bow: Conversly I was about to purchase a Classic Vintage Commercials mag but the quality of paper and photo reproduction was so appalling it made me think again. :-(

Looks like we need a new BITSA Board in Vehicles section :whistle:

A stenciled marking next to "CAUTION LEFT HAND DRIVE" which says "IF IN DOUBT BREW UP"? :dunno:

Welcome Clive, please tell all us new members something about yourself in the RETURNING ABSENTEES section of Introductions and Welcomes board - do you have any vehicles, are you a modeller, had any experience of organising events? If not, see Jack, apparently he organised a spectacular one in East Anglia this year called 'Bolero' or something :whistle: We've all been on extra oblutions duties in your absence - it's a heck of a mess in there :banana: :banme:

Les photos magnifique, abn CCKW, encore!

Yes, it seems like a No.7 set has been hitching a ride in your motor at some stage. By the sound of it you might soon need one to load/unload if you acquire much more "stuff" :-D

Also known as "Angel Gear", and the SAAB 80 had freewhel - a most horrendous experience getting around corners unless you braked well beforehand and powered into bend (yes I know you should anyway, but if you got caught out it was almost 'brown bag' time :shake:

Hey Chappers, did you ever get hold of a copy of this manual? I was thinking of trying to get a copy off Portrayal, but is it worth the bother, being I think just a parts listing ? :dunno: Cheers, Tony

I had a pipe with similar bends to replace on a jimmy engine (but not in a jimmy) - I tried to get a new one bent by a local hydraulic pipe specialist tuber (Stauff). Problem is they cannot bend to such a tight radius for the pipe diameter, and this is problem most engineering shops will have. We concluded we needed to find an EXHAUST fabricater who would have the correct radius formers for thin wall tubing. For your pipe the small bore tails are no problem for any welding shop. But I haven't got any further yet - I have a sort-of -correct new pipe which I might "bodge". I sugegest you try a local Hot Rod shop or similar if none of your trade contacts can help, as they will be used to making up bespoke stuff like this.

Welcome Jason - sorry can't help with a truck, but the show sounds very interesting. Any chance it might be made available on some format which will enable us non - Hartlepoolians to enjoy it? ;-)

Another variation (as practised - or certainly was - by the Industrial Railway Society) is to make the magazine available without membership at a slight discount over full membership rate. Here the quality of magazine is paramount. No idea if any vehice clubs offer this :dunno:

Good call, thanks. I take it this box is a lot tougher than the wartime unit?

That goes for me too! Would really apreciate the link.

According to my computerised loading schedule, that space is already allocated to the hub seals - we could leave the underslung spare at home if he doesn't mind pretendig to be a Toyota Ball Turret gunner :whistle:

If you are serious about that, I've got to phone tomorrow to see if they have crated our bits up. Doubtful, in which case I could tempt fate :shake: and get them to hold off for a day or two. A ferry trip split 3 ways or in proportion to weight of each set of bits might be cheaper than freight if my haulier cannot get a load that way. Would be certainly be easy way for Mark to get payment to them :dunno: Keep in touch.

He'd better get f.....axing and f......oning then :-D :-D :-D

If you have just half an interest in B17s and the experience of their aircrews, get this book. Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer, by Brian D. O'Neill ISBN 0-07-134145-5 This is a 1999 much-revised edition of a 1990 work, detailing the 25 missions undertaken by a B17 crew of the 303rd BG, Molesworth between Aug '43 and Feb '44. Using war diaries of crew members and some thorough research, this is a fascinating illustration of what it must have been like to fly and survive a tour of duty. All missions are detailed, as seen by each crewman and observers from other planes, all based on personal diaries, logs, recollections and official reports. I have found similar books in the past to be a little unpalletable, but this one will have you glued to the pages - you seem to get drawn into each successive struggle for survival. 10/10 from me!

While you were posting this I was PMing the Rugged Boy the sorry saga, so now he knows ;-) And I may yet be on a ferry :angry: Anyway, the spares supply situation was reviewed in last month's UKWLFOC magazine so all he had to do was look on page 8 :whistle:

"The detail on this range of Accurate Armour HELIOPS kits is truly amazing - just a shame the drain plug is integral with the axle case moulding, rather than being a separate removeable item" :whistle:

You're right. Remember that Time Team dig of the Bomber on Suffolk marsh, where all the aero enthusiasts were getting very tetchy while Phil and his mates tried to dig out a B17 from 15 feet with only brickie's trowels and the clock was ticking down? Evenually the big machines moved in and they got some results in the nick of time :-D I'll go and listen to my Talking Books edition of the WLF Workshop Manual, narrated by Bill Bailley :banana: And I still haven't got my overalls...

Still no WFA trenchmaps :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: Wish I'd done it myself now.......... Still no emailed file of french map, email address sent twice :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

These, as explained earlier, are most likely pressure / flow control valves of some sort. 1) for cushioned slew protection (cross line relief), If the crane boom is knocked sideways (or when slewing the crane a heavy swinging load tries to keep it turning when spool is suddenly closed), the spring controlled relief valve will resist oil flow (and hence movement of boom) up to the preset pressure only. Above that, the valve will lift, allowing oil to flow possibly from A1 to B1, and thus the boom will be able to swing sideways a little, rather than bend / break something. One valve controls flow A1 to B1, other valve controls B1 to A1. In order to work they require a certain pressure in the oil line from spool to build up before allowing normal flow to service, hence apparent blocked line A to A1 when using airline. 2) for slewing lock and movement precision (in line) Another possibility, is that these are intended to act as a pressure restriction for the slewing motor movement. The slew motor will not behave like a simple slew ram (which will instantly stop when spool is shut) - instead it will slow to a stop, and can also allow creep slowly if crane is not absolutely level, thus giving an imprecise response to slew commands. By requiring a pressue valve to be overcome before oil can flow (e.g. from A to A1 and from B1 to B), it may be that the motor (depending on type :dunno:) becomes more like a ram in response, i.e. much crisper movement and resistance to creep. 3) hose rupture check valve (in line) If hose bursts e.g. between pump and spool valve, the boom might fall sudenly. The valve (in cartridge form behind hex plug) permits a certain oil flow but if greater flow occurs then it "locks out". These valves also require a back pressure to work correctly, again an airline might not be enough to overcome this minimum setting to allow flow. 4) pressure limiting valves Where presure to service should be limited below relief valve setting. Any excess is dumped to tank via cross line. Unlikely to be these, as no back pressure required, so air flow would be A to A1 no problem. As to trouble with main spools, what happens to air flow when spool is operated in other direction? ?Could be spool and housing is assembled back to front. ?Might be wrong spools in block (e.g. single acting spool in double acting block). ?Might be a Closed Centre unit (where pump builds up max pres. in spool valve line and then stops pumping, when you operate a spool the pressure drops and pump starts flow - older John Deere tractors (1970's / 80's) were all like this, but not commonon application on truck cranes). I can't help anymore without playing about with it - why not ask Santa for a new spool valve assembly ;-)

At 4 banks of 30 long x 10 wide x 10 deep, that's 12,000 tyres visible here, or 1,200 jimmys worth. Which according to Red Ball statistics :coffee2: , would have lasted them about 6 days at peak useage in September '44 :schocked: Or would keep us lot going for a year or so :whistle: