Lardrover

Oddly enough think I'd prefer the Bombardier for all round charm and appeal, mine was nice and quiet, had a respectable turn of speed for an old 250, front brake made of lettuce though and drank petrol like no tomorrow if you rode it enthusiastically. HD350 has a disc brake so a bit of a bonus. I've not had any parts issues while they were on the road so can't comment there. MT500 feels like it will go on for ever but it's a lump of a bike and isn't enjoyable offroad but makes a good plodder on road. If I had a choice though for a military motorbike, I'd go for a Honda XR250 type as long as it isn't a wreck. It's lighter, easier for spares almost anywhere, more fun IMHO. I don't have one yet. Got some KTM's though, they might last a while but make you want to ride like a looney, unlike the MT500.

According to SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 14 MAY, 1948, Lt. (Hon. Maj.) S. B. DE COURCY THOMPSON (166081) was awarded the Efficiency Medal (Territorial) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38288/supplements/2923

Great, I instantly thought of Tracey Island when you wrote that, now I'm stuck with the Thunderbirds theme tune rattling round my head all day.

If anyone here is on ARRSE, there is an interesting development in a Berlin thread about the origins of the scheme. I've asked by PM if anyone can clarify for me, and perhaps learn some more. If you are searching, the thread is titled "Berlin - What was the plan?" and only now touches on the paintscheme, the thread isn't about the scheme itself, more about what might have happened. http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=150099.html

Didn't I see this at Elvington, with the en suite Jaccuzzi deployed?

Yep, having a Senior moment. does the turret sit so high on the ring though?

No driver hatch? Periscope seems to be there Doh, course it's there...

Ah yes, Mike in Antwerp has one with the pattern found when restoring, that's more like it. Also, GavinNL used the quoted RAL colours for his, so that's at least 2 with authentic colours. For anyone who can't access the emlra forum: Compiled from GavinNL: According to the Tank Museum the correct colour references for Berlin Brigade camouflage using the German RAL system are as follows: White = RAL9010, Blue-grey = RAL7031 (Humrol no. 21) Brown = RAL8025 (Humrol no. 62) (In case there a modellers amongst you I have included the Humbrol reference too.) The best source on the Berlin Brigade is the Tankograd book `British Infantry Brigade Berlin� which has a large number of photographs of AFVs in Berlin urban camouflage scheme. However, here is the colour mix for ICI polyurethane spray paint for Berlin camo: 1. RAL 7031 Blue-grey:- White 59% Ferrite yellow 6.5% Permanent blue 2.5% Blue-black 32% 2. RAL 8025 Brown:- Venetian red 33% Bright yellow 19% Blue-black 16% White 32% Looking at the Land-Rover pics on the emlra web site article on Berlin camo, even though they are very poor quality, the brown is not a bad colour reference and the white looks pretty white. But the grey is quite clearly almost black.

FWIW even the bloke responsible for it didn't think so but I'm sure the two printed pics are of at least 2 different 109's. I'm going to guess it was done as some sort of proof of concept to compliment the armour and not a widespread thing. The blocks are supposedly the same scale as the armour, not done smaller for smaller vehicles, although when compared, there does appear to be some difference in scale. The Elvington one is a nice match of the pattern and will look even better in 20 years when it has toned down a bit It can't be easy guessing the colours accurately but a series of pics taken of the final parade all look closer to the flat tones of the armour than the Land Rover. Now I look at it again, the green/brown looks more like olive green, IRR even. If I were the one who had painted it, I'd be saying tough tittie to any comments about the Land Rover as I'd not be keen to do all that again, I think it looks good and probably benefits from not having contemporary architecture available over here to put it into proper context.

I can remember cycling there from RAF Laarbruch sometime around 1981. We camped nearby and had a great time. I'd really like to get there in one of the military Land Rovers or motorbikes here but the export carry on puts me off. It would be cool to see how it's grown since back then. I still have photo's somewhere.

When you say "matting", is that real matt like a blackboard or just "not gloss". We've had a few disappointments when matt is requested and it's more satin, despite much stirring etc. Makes me wish we'd asked here first.

Evening all I searched "VPK" and it didn't come up with anything so hoping this isn't a duplicate post. We have someone on the EMLRA Forum who is looking for a home for their VPK ambulance. Basically the applique is going to be removed as they only wanted the base vehicle. If someone wants to buy the the complete vehicle, they would be happy for it to be moved on to someone who will show it. They have an alternate option now that wasn't apparent at the time and will use the money from this sale to buy another good base vehicle but without the pity of taking a existing VPK apart. For the purists, this vehicle has incomplete provenance, it wasn't originally a VPK, it was a military ambulance that has had the kit applied since it was in civvy hands. Suffolk area. Search "VPK" on the forum. All the best.

It is, I think he's on here, certainly on EMLRA forum. Interesting water and fuel tank arrangement. We shared a brew on the runway at Leuchars, the way you do...

Some info about it here: http://www.emlra.org/articles/berlin_brigade.htm Hope it's of interest. Our very own Clive is responsible for setting me off in the right direction for researching that one, he provided the name of the man responsible, I tracked him down and he was kind enough to talk to me about it. All the best

I read that they, or at least some of them, had a unique colour. It was either by design or accident but wasn't what I'd call desert yellow, or sand, or stone, or anything like that. If the paint that you can see really is like a sand colour, and not a muddy purple or grey, then I have some here. It needs a good mix but recovers very well. I did an Armstrong MT500 in it and it was much better than I thought and just like the generic sand colour that suddenly appeared everywhere in the 90's after years of things being green/black. It is genuine paint, Beckers on the worn label but perfectly fine. People have turned their noses up at it because it's not in a bling tin. Problem might be getting it to you but I might be coming down to the Bunker Bash for the day as a visitor. Yours for the entry fee into the Bash

Can anyone spare the time to give a brief on the ARN headsets, black and green pressels, black and yellow fronts, or a link. It seems quite in depth, didn't realise this. Thanks

Thanks for the camera links guys, food for thought as the 101 has a few blind spots and we were just talking about the possibility.

A Chandlers might get a result as well, some online ones out there if you are getting into correspondance about dimensions and hole sizes etc. Might cost more more but you can always polish the nice brass ones up

Hi Roy. Maybe one of the mods can move this to the Military Scale Models section, it might put your request for visual and dimensional info into a better context as it looks like you're just putting the wind up people about opsec here. Hope it works for you. All the best

Oldish cassette player sitting somewhere with tapes of Status Quo Grow a Porn Tash

A41 Larkspur set? Makes for a nice display with all the extras. http://www.royalsignals.org.uk/photos/photos/a41.jpg

Bamber Gascoine?

A good James May answer

Jeremy Clarkson

Got something like that for the Larkspur A41 cables and bits and pieces. I think it fits to the frame, at the very bottom. Can't recall the small pick handle type fastening though.