LarryH57

My Land Rover Lwt, over the last few years has had E5 in it and due to Covid, especially last year, was not driven much. The only thing I noticed on my last drive but one, was that I had to give it full revs when the Carb started a momentary spit, as if there was grit in the fuel. I thought it was in need of a new fuel filter which I have yet to fit. But I wonder now if it is E5 coating the needles? Is E5 too low to do much harm. It still starts and drives ok.

One final thought - is there any way to spot the difference in photos? Any distinguishing features between an O854 and an 854?

Thanks - I get it now its an O and not a zero

BOBC, Like Ted Angus (my partner in crime relating to RAF Vehicle Colours) I too was after a shot of the Fordson 7V as requested a mere 10 years ago on this thread. Any help with a screen shot of the Fordson 7V would be gratefully received via a PM or via Ted or on here Did you by chance see the recent programme on TV called 'Dig 1940' concerning the Battle of Britain? The programme showed clips from a very rare 'home movie' in colour, by W Rhodes Moorhouse showing 601 Sqn Hawker Hurricanes in the BoB. But as the film panned across a group of pilots in the background was an RAF truck in green and brown camo - which looked the same colours used on the Hurricanes - not that I'm claiming it was the same paint. Thanks in advance Larry

The AEC Matador 4x4 was called 0853 and the other 6x6 versions were AEC 854 and 0854 (and not to be called Matador!) But what is the difference between an AEC 854 and 0854?

Well Ruxy, I need to revisit Texaco Petrol in Romsey but each pump was marked accordingly, so i avoided E10 for E5 on the other pumps, luckily without getting in anyones way. Obviously a pointless exercise till next month. Perhaps the guy with the stickers was off till 3rd Sept so did not want to disappoint!

Well E10 is here and I noticed a driver's look with horror as I said that I needed to move pumps to use E5 instead, as she had just filled up with E10 without noticing in an equally ancient 20th Century car. But I never saw her up the road waiting for the RAC or AA so perhaps she never noticed!

Being a bit dim I thought this question might be about UK bases generally rather than a specific item etc. All I know is that if you are ever at a Military base in the UK and it undergoes a major refurbishment costing millions, then its sure to close shortly! If its a bit of kit or a vehicle, then it will surely get a new engine and gearbox just before it is cast next month Who remembers the Combat Engineer Tractor? One minute its a good bit of kit, relatively inexpensive, next a pile of junk, that's not much use to civi contractors. Surely an 'ole is an 'ole and the CET was just as good at digging. Also why is the Army swaps 100 old vehicles for a new super-dooper vehicle but buys 3 or whatever. Could it be the new 21st Century Army is no longer allowed to operate away from its Workshops? These things have happened to so many bases and vehicles it must be more than a coincidence

Dear Ted, It was specialist maps they made; those made at Hillside were target maps and one set per aircraft on each raid. But of course I realise it was for every Group too and so that multiples the number of maps. I guess that if a Bombing Raid was split as a decoy then that increases the variations! No wonder they needed a 5 tonner!

Smiffy, I have just noticed the last post occurred the day before Covid-19 'started'. Hopefully you and the restoration are OK?

Regarding the MT Companies in the RAF, am I right in thinking that if 4 MT used 4, there was no attempt to hide their identity - so there must have been 1 to 4 (or more) but I guess easily identifiable anyway. But I guess some MT Companies were based overseas with out of sequence numbers. Where they 1 to 4 MT Companies in UK and others overseas with the same numbers, or was it like an RAF Squadron (those with aircraft) with a unique number that was formed and reformed? I can't find much on RAF MT Companies online Lastly, in the photo of RAF Hillside I guess the Studebaker must have been used for bulk supplies of paper or ink etc at it does seem rather large to take even 300 maps for a raid to Bomber HQ. The Bedford MW could have done that.

Yes, I guess you are right, and I don't know much about the Allies in the Azores, and what RAF Groups were stationed there, but I guess Coastal Command featured.

Dear All, So I understand when RAF vehicles, were allocated to a unit, they were marked with the Command and Group letter / number. So we are used to seeing say B/6 for 6 Group Bomber Command on an RAF refueller. But in the list of Commands 'S' stood for Colonel Turners Department (Camouflage & Decoy Services). So what explanation is there for S on this AEC based in the Azores?

What a shame you have no takers for the fuel bowser hose. These bowsers used to be very common on farms in my youth, and used to carry water to where it was needed.

I count this problem for the Germans as so typical of what my old mum used to call 'wooly headed' thinking! Its in the same category of stripping owners of aircraft instruments because of the radioactive paint. My dad wore his RAF watch complete with radio active paint for decades with no harm done whatsoever. This old guy in Germany was unlikely to use it to run over pedestrians like some jihadi. It is refreshing that we are still permitted to own armoured vehicles in this country and not have to cut a square of armour out next to the driver. Long may that remain!

No wonder you see so many Germans dressed as German Army or SS at Beltring actual allowed to relax!

I guess the vehicles we care about dont have a catalytic converter? And out of interest how many voters own Historic or Classic Vehicles, say compared to those who 'know' that Carbon in the atmosphere has gone up thousands of percentage points since 1st Jan 2020. If you were a politician who would you pander to????

So in WW2 it was just the outside colour to use for inside the cab.

Guys, not owning a WW2 truck, I would like to know what paint colour was used on the inside of Allied vehicle cabs. I have read that they usually matched the exterior and recent posts on here suggest that is the case. Understandably if you open a white painted cab door it might show up to the enemy. So where did the idea come from that ‘eau de nil’ was introduced? Was it just an 'RAF think' or post war think with Gloss Bronze Green? BTW - for clarity I'm excluding the internal colours of Office and Medical trucks that I know where white or cream to provide light. So its just the cabs I'm interested in.

I don't think the UK used Dodges as range targets, so I guess the damage was done for real in WW2 or the vehicles were used as a film prop and got 'shot up' by the film props department

Terryb With hydrogen we might see the return of 'petrol pump attendants' or rather whatever they will be called such as fuel replenishment establishment executives of FREE for short - unlike the cost of hydrogen, which will still be subject to a carbon tax ! Incidentally, hydrogen technology to power vehicles has advanced somewhat in recent years, so it is unlikely that some old Miss Marple character will be squirting liquid hydrogen all over the forecourt not knowing how to stop!

Ted, as ever - thanks for the clarification

Just a bit of research since my last post. It seems that as long as we use oil for plastics and a vast amount of non-fuel substances, then due to the distillation process there will be diesel and petrol and gas as a waste product? Might this be available for Historic & MVs. Also as one commentator said online, I doubt you are going to see a farmer ploughing his fields in an electric tractor or a quarryman extracting 30 tons of rock in an electric dump truck or even a long distance articulated lorry drive from the North to Dover in an electric rig. Plus as yet nobody has worked out what to do with the old batteries!

That's great - but where am I to get a Studebaker 6x4 which I guess is a US6 version. Some were 6x6 and still US6 Many years ago there was one on a London to Brighton run with a registration of GAB 919, not that I remember having seen one at any MV show! A photo on the web also shows OFF395 at a MV show Ted how do you know the vehicle belonged to No 4 MT? Just from the 4 on the fender? Not the bridging weight? BTW Ted - have a look at MLU later

Guys, firstly may I have the RAF vehicles identified, in the attached photo line up from WW2. I know the middle vehicle in a Bedford MW type, but is it just a GS truck? The trucks both appear to be 4x2. Is that just an illusion? I may approach the National Trust to see if they might wish to take a then and now photo in their courtyard. But are the vehicles readily available if we wanted to ? Is anybody interested? Hughenden Manor is just north of High Wycombe. Strangely this site was so secret that the National Trust never knew about it until in recent years a very elderly map maker returned on a visit with his family and started discussing where he sat and where work was done, and a staff member overheard, and from that they are looking to create a room dedicated to the memory of those who served there. Your thoughts please. Larry