RAFMT

Depending on exactly which Brockhouse chassis it is, it should either have brakes on all wheels, or only the rear wheels.

Thanks gents, will have a look at the Mike Starmer book. Will also have a look at those codes to see how they all compare!

I'd say you could nab the one on my desk, only I've cleared my stuff into boxes! Pass by when you can and I'll dig it out for you.

Bryan

Possibility of a manual in the RAF Museum collection, if you don't mind waiting a day or two for me to dig it out.

These followed a standard pattern (although it may have changed slightly during the war) with numbers representing a position with the force organisation rather than a specific regiment. For example, during the Normandy campaign 50 on a red square was the HQ of the armoured brigade of an armoured division. 60 on a green square was either HQ of the infantry brigade of an armoured division, or the 1^st infantry battalion of the 2^nd infantry brigade in an infantry division.

http://www.fireandfury.com/britinfo/divmarkings.pdf

Not sure why I didn’t notice this thread before, 21C/95 is Can, Water, Toilet, 3qts Japanned (21C/94 would be 2 gallons)

You could always ask for a copy of the manual at the RAF Museum!

Trailer, 4 wheeled, 5 ton equipped as Aerial Lighthouse.

I'm not aware of this one, but would also like the opportunity to see it.

Next thing you know someone will claim a Nazi armoured gold train has been found buried in Poland...

Everyone knows those pictures were of the the 18:57 King's Cross to Edinburgh!

Might be a silly suggestion - i don't know how crowded the interior is (although it can't be that bad if you're considering a drone) but if they are willing to open it to allow a drone in, could you not use a selfie stick or similar? Or even the aforementioned endoscope?

As one of the commentors said, the photograph appears to be one of the British X-Type on the beach up in Scotland. It certainly doesn't seem to fit a Seehund for the reasons Iain said.

Hi Ted,

There is indeed a book on plant, it wasn't produced until '45 if I remember correctly.

I've seen that one before- Royal Engineers making the usual half arsed attempt - should have sent the RAF ACB in to do it properly :-D

Then we get to see the Servicing Commando unloading everything ready for the first aircraft to arrive. Including one of the DUKWs they just "found unattended". Admittedly it had a driver in it, but he was certainly unattended and besides the airfield needed supplies more than the men at the front did....

I agree it is most likely ALG B.3, between St Croix-sur-Mer, Crepon and Ver-sur-Mer. It became operational on the morning of D+3.

generally with Blue-grey tilts.

Because the RAF did not stock a red paint that could be used on canvas, you were limited to blue-grey or drab.

One from the RAF Museum collection:

From Gun Portee to Airfield Construction Branch hack.

AIf it was a limber, gun carriage, or any other kind of two-wheeled vehicle surely there would be either a single pole (for two horses) or a pair (for a single horse) running forwards from the front beam, in order to support the vehicle.

Not necessarily, dependant on the era and nationality; and even if there was it wasn't always part of the limber but attached by chains.

There is nothing in that photo that says to me this is definitely not a limber. I'm not discounting that it could be something else, but...

Imperial Blaster, not in fact a German gun I think you'll agree!

Ah, the PACSCAT, part hovercraft, part catamaran, and your's for the low, low price of only £80K:

http://www.maritimesolutions.co.uk/workboats-tugs/Pascat.php

One BIG diffrence in all this equipment swap. If the British recived the M4A4 or any other equipment or supplies they were paid for. When the US got them back or were supplied with British equipment, they didn't reimburse.

Not in cash no, the reverse lend-lease was a sort of part exchange, lessening the outstanding debt.

There were also other similar arrangements for example American aircraft shipped over the Atlantic for use by the USAAF were reassembled by British contractors, nominally at a price but again it was used to offset the debt.

I however need to track down the original source and get a b/w hi res photographic print.

We get a lot of requests like this at work, and it all depends on what you mean by "hi res" (a term that drives us crazy) as you can scan the original in at the highest possible resolution and it may never make a difference as it all depends on the original photograph. Judging by the image on the link it doesn't look like the original was very sharp.

What exactly is it you are after? There's a little bit of stuff available on Zwicky pumps which i can dig out for you.

Welcome to the forum.

You've been on my list of places to visit for a while, one day i might even have the time to pop over!

I'll be taking the little'uns over to see their grandparents in a few weeks; if I get time I'll try and stop by and see how things have turned out. It was a nice collection when I last went.

As I said before, the focus seems to be on those firearms deactivated before the first Home Office specifications in 1986.

They admit that those deactivated between 86 and 95 (so called "Old Spec") are easier to reactivate than those deactivated after 95, but that it is still hard.

Wheres my coat?....

There's no need

It's an understandable reaction given the travesty that was the VCR bill. It's also a common belief that all laws are clear black and white, and meant to pre-emptively stop people doing something. In reality lawyers make their living by exploiting the vague and contradictory nature of laws, and the wording of the law is important in being able to successfully prosecute a criminal. Personally I'd be much happier if some of those laws were better defined, for my own piece of mind, so that I was sure I wasn't inadvertently breaking the law by possessing an illegal firearm that I considered an antique.

And the only ones that loose out and get crushed by even more red tape and paperwork are the law abiding citizens. When will they realise that the tw#ts that break the law don't care about any new laws :-( :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

If you read the paper (as I did for my bed time read!) you will see that the proposed changes will have little effect on those collecting deactivated weapons.

There is no misapprehension that criminals will suddenly stop using firearms, what they are trying to do is to close the loopholes that allow criminals to walk from court, scot free, because the wording in the laws is so poorly defined.

To give a summary, in so far as it would affect those of us here without a FAC:

Currently "Antique Firearms" is completely undefined, some of you may be aware of the "obsolete calibre" list but this is merely guidance from the home office and not currently law. Whether a firearm is an antique or not is a matter for the jury to decide, which led to an amusing, and scary case, some years ago (also pointed out in the paper) where a Lanchester, the 9mm ammo of which is ready available, was deemed an antique. The meant a man could own a fully operational automatic weapon without a licence. Any attempt to define an antique would inevitably lead to some items in somebody's collection becoming legally defined as firearms and thus illegal to own without a FAC, although the more obvious solution there would be to apply for a certificate.

"Deactivated Firearms", contrary to popular belief, do not need to be deactivated by a proof house to home office standard. Under the current law they need only to be proven in court that they are "rendered incapable of discharging shot etc." and there are many weapons deactivated prior to 1986 when the first home office specifications were drawn up. It will likely be those deactivated weapons that will be targeted, as there is inconsistency in the methods employed, and many have been found easy to reactivate. The solution, if you have any deactivated firearms that were not proofed at Birmingham or London is simply get them proofed. If the original job was good enough then the proof houses have the discretion to certify the weapon (and thus stamp it), if it's not good enough, then sorry, but it will need to be deactivated properly (unless of course you want to apply for a FAC). Of course they would all still count as Imitation Firearms and could thus be used in committing certain crimes, such as carrying an Imitation Firearm in a public place- bet you didn't know that!

It must be stressed that this isn't for nothing, cases involving weapons held legally as antiques, or previously deactivated firarms that have been reactivated, have been increasing. This is not speculation or pub gossip but fact, the paper even gives figures for the met police force. One example cited was an officer shot in the hand whilst trying to disarm a person with an "antique" Belgian pistol, chambered for .32 which is still available.

On the whole I found the paper, and the proposals it puts forward, very interesting and positive reading. Most of the suggestions are logical and helpful, in fact it even points out in places where the suggestions they are making are actually already in practice within the real world but not yet enshrined in law. This isn't the VCR bill, which was rushed through by the Home Secretary to look like she was doing something. These proposals are looking to completely overhaul the current system, rather than tack a few bits on the end. Not only that, but it has formulated through consultation with the "stakeholders", that is to say they have been in talks with gun clubs, air rifle associations (even the airsoft scene) and yes surprisingly enough, collectors of antique and deactivated firearms!.

Thanks Chris, I knew one came before the other but couldn't remember which way round without mounting an expedition into the book cupboard!