SPTA team

Nice one John, will put you down for 1.

All done Chris. Rambo is Vic and the Crow back next year?

Hello Ash, Just the VRNs for the vehicles that will be driving on the ranges mate. The MOD just need to sort the weight limit for the TSA mate. Plus we can get the vehicle cards done rather than haveing to do it on the day.

Tony

All done Neil, I will be keeping a list over on the dark side. PMF Anyone wanting to come along please can we have your names, VRNs and vehicle types. This will give up plenty of time to get the vehicle cards done.

Tony

OK guys and gals it has been decided to go for it next year. We still have no idea's of the MRX exs but we will try and work around them. This may result in traveling of the ranges and surporting some of the local Museums/ Camps and alike at times. We know this won't be to everyones likings but at this moment we are just trying to get something together for next year. The camp site is ours, Roy is more than happy for the Bustard Inn to be used as our HQs and skittles comp. Also we have decided that the costs for the VETs is far out of our price range and the money would be better being donated to our chosen charity, ABF. Everyone is welcome on this event WW1, WW2, Post War everyone. This is not your run of the mill event, you may get dust and dirt in places you never thought posible. Costs for camping will be the same as this year £15 for the whole weekend, Friday to Monday. Food will be on site thanks to Dave and his field kitchen, Dave will give you the prices for food very soon. So there you go guys, No booking in forms just let us know if you would like to come and what you would like to bring and I will add you to the list. Tracked vehicles are still in admitted but this could change.

Many thank and hope to hear from you soon.

Tony

Good luck Jack with your Tanks in a towm event mate. As I know all to well you will find it hard to keep everyone happy, you have just got to bite the bullet and go for it. It will all be worth it on the day mate.

Tony

Plain Military

Mornring peeps,

I hope you are all well?

Fired off a request for the licence the other day and got the reply yesterday: The COMDT at West Down is happy for us to have the Bustard camp site again for next year. But..for some reason he has some concerns about the driving side of the event? As this event is geared for the drive-outs this has thrown up the question WHY? Having spent the last few hours ringing around to find out what the problem could be it has come to light that next year, Salisbury Plain is hosting 4 massive MRX EXs. Not going into too much detail about these excersises, for me and the rest of the team getting in the way of such training would be bad on all sides of the fence. At this moment in time we are waiting on the confirmation of EX dates to see where these MRXs fall. On the other hand if it's not the MRX then we will push for a compromise with West Down and the Army.

It maybe a strange time to give you some outlines for next year but hell, we've got to keep going just incase... So far we have decided, because of the 65th aniversary of the Normandy Landings we would like to attract as much WW2 kit to the site as possible. I can hear all PW guys now shouting "WHAT, WHY?" After a phone call to our leader JACK, we would like to invite some veterans down for the day. Saturday would be best as not everyone can get to the site on the Friday. The reason for the WW2 kit is to try and recreate a staging point in the wooded area, next to the camp site for the veterans to inspect and hopefully enjoy. Roy at the pub has generously offered lunch for the vets and once again, we are trying to get a local Regiment down for a few hours to participate. Hopefully if we can pull this off, what we should have is an area bursting at the seems with a whole range of vehicles, Guns and much more... WW2, PW, Modern and the future ie Army cadets. Like I said, this will only be for the one day (Saturday) with the rest of the weekend consisting of the norm hopefully - drive outs, beer, skittles and Rambo's cakes.

Any ideas that could help or anyone wishing to help with those WW2 vehicles are more than welcome to jump onboard and help us try and give these guys that gave so much a great day out.

Oh before I forget, we will be going with the ABF charity next year (request from West Down.) Also on the Saturday, we are hoping to get some VIPs from the local camps to come over and join in with the Vets and the Media MAGs, RAGs, Radio and TV. This is just an outline for what we would like to do but time is creeping up on us so if it's going to happen we need to get things moving. I will keep everyone informed on proceedings as I get news.

So that is about it for now, all WW2 vehicles, PW vehicles, Reinactors, bush bikes,,, everyone is invited to help to get this day off the ground. Plain Military may not be able to raise ££££££££££££££££ for these guys but with your help we could give them one hell of a day out in a location for some if not all of them would have trained before heading off to war.

Thank you for your time and putting up with my ramblings and hope to see you all next year on Salisbury Plain.

Tony Hoare.

Plain Military

No mate never heard anything back from them, maybe they never run the artical after all. I have chased it but know one seems to know anything about it. Dave I need to speak to you ASAP mate regarding next year, can you PM me your Addy, once again I have mislayed your last one.

Cheers .

Tony

Hello Craig

Firstly all these picture were taken at the UOR media day hosted by HQLF / ITDU Warminster. All invites where sent out to media via whitehall of which I got one. While at the event we got AAA including looking at all new vehicles and photographing every one. I'm not saying what you have said is not correct but the idea of media days is to give media ie News papers, TV and web hosting sites like mine and many more the chance to see and share such vehicles with the public. Like with Grand Challenge and Indian Army with the Mercian Regiment, the UOR event had a lot of TV film crews attending. These were also backed up by members of MMI, Jane's and god knows how many rags and web sites. I will remove the affending picture for you.

Like I say all these picture where taken at the HQLF media Demonstration day 18th September 2008.

Sorry for any offence caused.

Tony

Picture removed.

Tony

The Warrior it coping ok with the added weight, theres not much in weight difference from the old Armour package. As far as I know it just a standard turret, not much bigger than the one they used to fit to the Ferret.

Yes I know they are not old but thought you would like to see what all your taxes have been paying for. I got an invite by 43 Wessex BGD to have a look at the new UOR vehicles that are currently being used in Ganny and Iraq. UOR means Urgent Operational Requirements.

Pictures are. Tomcar trials vehicle. WMIK(E). Jackal. Snatch3. Panther. Ridgeback. Mastiff. Bulldog WRAP2. Warrior WRAP2. Scimitar with honey combe Armour with bar Armour wrap. Spartan with bar Armour. GMLRS. Oshkosh HET with bar Armour. MAN with bar Armour and finaly a BVS10 with full bar Armour.

Hope you enjoy.

Tony

Chris stop winding Dave up or you may find something suspect floating in your meal.

Hi gang Things are moving this end if not a bit slow. Still waiting to here from the ABF to jack up a meeting over raising funds for there charity. West Down are happy for this event to carry on, it's just up to us to prove to them we are responsible again. New routes are being opened up for us to play on, some of these maybe like the valley run this year. We will check each run before the weekend and then decide whether to put them on the list of things to do. Apart from the Driver Training Area is there any places you would like to go back to. The DTA is still under review as a possible but it's going to take a lot of sucking up at West Down. So thats about it for now, I will post more as we get it. Please feel free to pop over to the Plain Military forum and have a chat with the rest of the team.

All the best and counting the days.

Tony

Have started work on next years drive out. West down are happy for it to go ahead so lets get to work. Just a few small changes have been made.

1.. I have opened a small forum for anyone interested in the SPTA. There is going to be a whole section at the bottom of the page for this event. Why I have done this is beause all the helpers are on there from Plain Military West down to Land and range wardens, even Roy at the Bustard has said he is going to pop in from time to time. All details will be posted on there and here.

2.. Next year we are going to try and raise money for the ABF. I have to go and meet up with them and sort some stuff out but they are over the moon.

3.. New routes are being looked into as I type so some areas may well open up for us.

4.. camping will be in the same place as this year but hopefully with a bit of a twist, more later.

So thats about it, anyone wishing to pop over to the forum can find a link on the plain military web site.

ATB

Tony

Hello Ash, is that the music in the air event?

Hi MODs how do I go about placing an addy for my new forum on here. Its all about Salisbury Plain and the activitys that go on there on a daily basis.

Many thanks

Tony

Plain Military

Giz welcome aboard mate, we are always looking for helping hands. I am on the other side of the Plain to you, Ludgershall. I spend most of my time on the Ranges photographing the Military. You have picked a great place to settle down mate.

Tony

Plain Military

Cat do you want latest in servise Landys or just the old timers? I have a fair few taken from Salisbury Plain over the years.

Tony

Plain Military

Just one more question, how many WLFs servive in the UK at present?

Mark what size do you want them at?

Tony

Just going through some of this years Plain Invasion pictures and found these. Not sure if Mark, Mike and Grasshopper have seen these yet. All these pictures will be on the Plain Military forum soon.

Tony

Thanks all for the info.

Tony

Many thanks for that Tony. I can now add them to my classic British Military page.

Tony

Guys did the British use the WLF, I am trying to create a classic Military vehicle page to run with my Modern Military page on the Plain Military forum. I am useing all the pictures from this years and last years Plain invasion events plus various other shows. Jeeps and Jimmy I am sure were used but not sure about the WLFs.

TIA

Tony