gazzaw

I wonder where or with who all these vehicles ended up, might be a good research project and of interest to all on here. Gary

In our unit (Para) the Signallers carried them due to carrying a lot of weight with the A41 radio and murphy carrier and spare battery etc. The MFC's also carried them or their oppos depending who carried the radio -mainly was a single MFC per company with main one at Bn HQ alongside Arty FOO party Almost everyone else carried the SLR or GPMG. Some attached arms NCOs carried them as they were predominately vehicle borne. Gary

The British angled torch was completely different to the (some thought superior) US one. They are still issued and available in army surplus stores and they were only issued in clear lens- there was an add on front to the lenses and a new bottom cap to house filters. This allowed you to fit red,green and white opaque filters but on the basic G1098 ones these were not standard. For the land rovers the most used light was the inspection light which came as part of it's CES and plugged into the dashboard. Gary Torch similar to here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/military-army-angle-torch-NEW_W0QQitemZ370298745609QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_Militaria_LE?hash=item5637867309 Adaptor kit similar to here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/British-Army-angle-torch-filter-apadtor-kit_W0QQitemZ170414777019QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectables_Militaria_LE?hash=item27ad8322bb

for those of us not on his chrimbo card list it might be nice to post a photo what it looks lke as we haven't a clue what you all are on about otherwise, gary

Does anyone have any ideas to assist in getting, securing, funding or sponsorship for an expedition using WW2 vehicles etc? One of our sponsors (the main one) has pulled out due to recession etc. We are now desperately looking for another (or even several to spread funds) and any advice, ideas, leads etc warmly welcomed. see our website (below) for details Regards Gary

Not a trip flare holder but of same pattern in the lower twin fork. It is an aiming post used by the GPMG in the Sustained Fire (SF) role when mounted on the ground tripod. this is used in conjunction with the C2 sight that was mounted on the gun (similar to the one used by 81mm mortar) at night there was also a trilux light clamped onto the post to assist aiming and laying the gun - works on angle between gun barrel the sight and angle to post using basic geometry will give you a bearing to the target - sighted (laying off) during day then recorded for nightime ops etc. The posts usually came in pairs and were part of the SF gun kit. The pointed ends were the part that went into the ground- the trip flare had these too with a double prong at top to mount the flare pot but weren't pointed. I have a box full of these trip flare picquets as they are handy bits of kit apart from already stated route markers we use them to pin down cam nets etc. Also back to BBQs two placed each side of a fire give you a support for a roasting bar for meat etc. hope this helps Gary

Couldn't have said it better meself, still a bloody dangerous bit of kit for friend and foe alike. Even a foot patrol could set it off with a large copper slug winging by your head! Glad we got rid of them Gary

Last one, I promise. from Wiki mines The MIACAH F1 (L14A1 in British service) is a French off-route anti-tank landmine. It uses a large Misznay Schardin effect warhead to project a powerful self forging fragment capable of penetrating 70 millimetres of armour at a range of 40 metres. The mine consists of a horizontal cylindrical main body with a large inset plate in the front. The detonator protrudes from the centre of the front plate. The main body is supported on two arms which are attached to a circular base with three stakes. The mine can be triggered by a 50-metre breakwire, command or electronically triggered by an external sensor. The mine is no longer in production, and has been withdrawn from service from the French and British armies. The mine has been reported in Iraq. 1. Specifications Diameter: 200 mm Length: 260 mm Weight: 12 kg Explosive content: 6.3 kg of Hexolite (RDX/TNT mix) 2. References Jane's Mines and Mine Clearance 2005-2006 MIACAH F1 mine at ORDATA L14A1 at ORDATA

The lawmine was designated the ADDER which was lethal up to 100m http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj283/garyawallace/?action=view&current=_F460.jpg the Off Route mine was designated the L14A1 weighing 12Kg from the French MI AC AH F1 http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/jj283/garyawallace/?action=view&current=_F423.jpg From late 80s:- similar new high-tech mines are still under development in other European joint-ventures - such as the ARGES, developed by Dynamit Nobel (Germany)/Honeywell (Germany)/GIAT (France)/Hunting (Great Britain). It is a rival product of the PARM-2 and one of the most modern off-route mines offered to the European market. The one mine costs approximately 12,000 DM. ARGES will be used as a standard NATO weapon, but is not expected to be introduced before 2000. ARGES, like the PARM 2, is an autonomous, sensor-controlled anti-armor weapon, which destroys the target from the side with a hollow charge warhead. The acoustic alarm sensor of the ARGES mine, which can make out close- and long-range targets, can 'hear around corners' and therefore also be deployed in confined areas. A microprocessor calculates the distance, direction, speed and the length of the target vehicle. The length of the vehicle is crucial in deciding whether it is a combat target or not. "The question of how reliably a differentiation on this basis between civilian and military vehicles will work hardly needs to be answered. Then the question of whether for example the ARGES mine can differentiate between various tank models was in fact answered in the negative by a spokesperson for the sensor manufacturers Honeywell (Germany), which also manufactures the PARM sensors. On the contrary, 'no German soldier would be advised to even get close to an activated ARGES mine with his tank'". The ARGES antitank weapon (Automatic Rocket Guardian with Election Sensor) from the family of weapons known as ACEATM (Aimed Controlled Effect Anti-Tank Mine). The system is initiated by an acoustic sensor and a target selection system, while firing is initiated by a passive infrared detection system and laser. more useless info, apologies gary

Re the ARGES the predecessor to this was the LAWMINE which was to take over from off route mine with 2 law 80s mounted on tripod similar to ARGES but never seen it in service only in development as the ARGES was the one that came into replace off route. Gary

Thanks Clive The breakwire was very brittle and was actually 2 thin wires that looked like fishline and was laid either straight across the road or gap either in way shown straight line or zig zagged depending on firmness of ground- also remember nails/pins to allow this to be routed round. It was aimed with a soldier standing in the killing zone and the iron sight on top of the unit being aimed about chest height, sometimes I looked through the middle hole to aim. At night the light from the test unit was held by the soldier and you aimed towards the light. This was before going off to a flank 50m then arming it - the distance was necessary as they were so tempremental and could fire prematurely. Also as it used a collapsing circuit when the batteries ran down they had to be replaced before final discharge of else it went bang when least expected. There was also a back blast safety distance too. Hope this helps forum viewers understand it more- glad when it was taken out of service as it was so non soldier proof and difficult to use/set up and disarm. Gary

edited due to fat finger typing

photo also shows the test unit (with a little light for night aiming) an arming plug (safety plug to stop a premature firing) the reel of arming cable and the end cover where you can see four of the batteries housed, the other one was in the test unit. Usually came in its carrier as a pair of them with all accessories and spare spools etc and the bi lingual idiots guide- this was most important part of whole kit as it was extremely difficult mine to set up and disarm Gary

It's the Off Route Mine, French origin used by UK forces in 70s up until mid 80s although then taught as a foreign mine thereafter. Basically an electrically fired shaped charge that involved a breakwire across a road or area that carried a small charge and a collapsing circuit that fired off the main charge (which formed a copper slug into side of target) good on softskins and a total nightmare to set up with 5 D cell batteries (you had to change them often) The training version fired a sponge which marked the side of the vehicle as a confirmed hit. Used to use it and teach it all way through 70s and 80s - I believe it was brought into service in the 60s Gary

Hi Gordon Does the yard have any more interesting and restorable vehicles, can you pm me the location as I would love to go and see it regards gary

I wish I could find a boxed set of same as everytime I look at epay there is never anything like it Gary

Pic 9 is the Ranger Anti Personnel Mine (Scatterable) System mounted onto rear platform of a Combat Support Boat(CSB) 4 tubes of 18 mines each tube =72 mines and if I remember 1440 mines per rack system of 20 tube system clusters (of 4 tubes each) This could also be mounted on the back of a bedford or 432 etc and was fired remotely either tube by tube using blank shotgun type cartridges in the base of each tube. Training version fired peat substitutes (same size and weight) that broke down biodegradably through time. Gary

They look like the food containers used by Civil Defence and School Dinner transporters to take meals/food from central kitchen to remote schools etc

Hi Any link as to the ebay seller up t'north with 12x20 tyres etc as I am looking for some as well gary

But does the fact they are high or off the scale mean that they have degraded over time (apart from obvious changing colour, more brittle etc) or are they same (in radiation levels) as they would have been back then? Obviously if they are still sealed and behind glass etc there is little risk of particles or dust and should be treated /handled as for asbestos and not poked around with etc. Unless you are living with them next to you for extended periods I believe there is little risk to us in their present state. Gary

Thanks Gordon and Clive Was aware of the hazards but as the vehicles are not used everyday and very infrequently thought it not to be much of a hazard. Obviously if I started digging around in them and opened them up (hence the reason why I never carry out the refurb of old instruments that you see in some step by step guides in various forums etc) and have always treated with respect. I will need to source modern repro speedo for the Chevy CMP and keep my compass and other guages etc off site. The MOD are worried about them being there although no-one except us owners are near the vehicles but they tend to blanket everything and want all removed etc. I think it was Barr & Stroud who did the instruments during WW2 etc, not far from where I live. Gary

Hi I've just had a Radiation /Radioactive Hazard inspection on the site where I store my vehicles (MOD) and the inspector has told me to get rid of all my dials, speedo and a spitfire compass I have on them as they are full of hazardous materials. As they are mostly original and I don't want to lose them is there an alternative I can get done to render safe, e.g. to get the old lumonescent paint from the dials taken off and a safe substitute in place of it. Anyone came across this before? Regards Gary

Basically the TUAAM on the wings of the land rover for VHF does the same thing but electronically adjust (or fools) the radio that it has a longer antenna than is on the mount, unlike the HF where you physically have to add segments to the whip length and tune accordingly

Thanks Richard I was wondering if they were military or not as there was no MOD plates or any other plates showing modifications etc, nor any NSN or markings. At end of day as long as it does job and it is painted correct colour it won't look too much out of place. Regards Gary

Hi Just acquired this swan 12V battery charger (nominal 14V output) does anyone have any info about it and what era does it come from? gary