LarryH57

Having just read this thread I agree that the location for Firepower is not great; I doubt very much if many of the locals have been and its not exactly on the map for tourists. The way things are going for many Regimental Museums and the need for homes in London, the museum will have to move out, perhaps to Duxford like the Para Museum.

What ever happened to the Bussing Nag at Great Dorset Steam Fair? Did it by chance become the one that was equipped with a crane and appeared a W& P Beltring circa 2009 with a repaint in German Field Grey?

Welcome to the forum. There aren't any problems with Military Vehicles that the members on here haven't heard of before! So if you need help and advice post away! It seems many HMVF members never sleep and post away 24/7 so you won't have to wait long for a response.

I was told at WPR this year that a lot of gear on sale there was being bought for the war in Ukraine.

Regarding the Sgt stripes, when did the army go small on rank badges and replace them with black stripes on a small green patch?

It seems to me the worst museums are in two categories; either brand new devoid of exhibits and all interactive and not worth one penny of their £20 million Lottery Grant or those that are well past their sell by date where ex-shop manikins are dressed in army uniforms that don't fit, usually with a few broken fingers or hair that's pulled off, and dioramas that are falling to bits or use the best of the Airfix 1/76 range of MVs from 1969!

Unless your MV was built as a military vehicle or has a military history (such as being impressed in to military service) or has clearly been built as a near replica such as a TKS tankette or an Sdkfz 222 / Land Rover, a civi vehicle dressed as an MV has no place at a MV show, unless its used as a blown up wreck on a Gulf War type display.

We don't get gales in the UK, its more or less summer all the time unlike Canada, I can go out in a T shirt every day of the year. As for damage to MVs from the stakes many of our club members vehicles are so bashed and scratched that you would not notice the difference!

Thanks for your comments - I never knew there was an early and late pattern 58 webbing! The SLR was still around in mid 1980s certainly with my TA unit. We knew that there was this new weapon for the regulars called SA80 but I can't recall seeing any until about 1985. Regarding the Sgt stripes, when did the army go small on rank badges and replace them with black stripes on a small green patch?

That British Soldier in the last photo guarding the POWs looks to be a bit too relaxed, as he could easily had his rifle pulled off him!

Can anyone hazard a guess as to when this photo was taken? In the 1970-80s I wore angle high wrap around puttees but these guys look like they are wearing black '37 pattern / WW2 style puttees. Also the Sgt appears to have large stripes on his arm. When did the Army change to having rank on a smaller green patch?

While its nice to get a new MV mag and have a read when you get a quiet moment, the price of these mags is creeping up towards being £5 and for that you can get a good book on a military subject at a discount book store or a second hand book shop. I bought Pat Ware's books on the Ferret and Hotchkiss M201 for £2 each in Brighton not so long ago.

What's the difference between a WRAF and a WAAF (my mother was a WAAF in 1940s)

The guy was Ernie according to my Mrs

Yes, it is Ernie on the mud flaps - either my late mother in law couldn't remember his name, or Eddie has borrowed Ernie's Jeep for his date! Would his rather casual uniform suggest USAAF rather than US Army? Was AE used by Amphibious Engineers?

Many years ago before I had access to the web at home, I tried to get the unit identity of this US Army Jeep ID'd in various MV mags without luck. Hopefully the quality will be a bit clearer this time. All I can say for certain is that the photo was taken in 1944 pre D-Day in the coastal area around Suffolk or Essex. The driver Ernie Landry was my mother in laws boyfriend and I believe he survived the war and returned to the USA. On the rear left bumper it appears that there are letters ATC and underneath AE or a 4E joined together followed by a D. On the other bumper it looks to be 140919. Note Ernie on the mud flap, and that Ernie has increased the size of the front 'wheel arch'.

I have heard stories relating to MVs being used and abused in film work, where the owner arrived to collect his precious MV only to learn it had been blown up in a sequence. As each film is managed by a Limited Company specifically set up to limit the liability its no good getting them to insure your MV, as the Ltd Co is likely to get dissolved asap once the film is shot, so there isn't going to be anyone on your side to help with a claim. The lesson to be learned is insure the vehicle yourself for the specific film and cover it for all risks!

Richard; my error as I thought all British cans were called flimsies. Interesting to note that flimsy can holders were still being produced on British vehicles until after WW2. Does that mean that the Jerrycan holders I see on MVs at shows are a post-war mod?

Presumably British & Commonwealth vehicle photos can be dated as such if they show Jerrycan holders rather than the ones for flimsy cans?

Good for a caption competition I think! So what's going on here I wonder? Its not abandoned its under way.

Degsy, thanks, however I have realised I should have said British & Commonwealth made Jerrycans! Doh!

What was the earliest point in WW2 when a Jerrycan would be seem on a British & Commonwealth military vehicle? Was it early 1942?

Is this a person or some kind of Pipeline under the sea arrangement?

I have no objection to seeing WW2 US vehicles at all; far from it. They make the show and I'm always amazed at the diversity, so its a pity they cannot be matched by British MVs that I know exist (some on the show scene and some hardly used) but are never at WPR. The same goes for WW2 German vehicles owned by individuals and some well known organisations. Air show organisers seem to appreciate the need for new items on the agenda and it only takes the appearance of two Lancasters to swell the crowds. It was the same when Bf109F Black 7 was flying at Duxford. Therefore I cannot grasp why steps are not taken to attract some of these MV rarities to WPR. For the MV enthusiast second only to seeing some rare bit of kit is to be able to photograph it, without much clutter in the background (such as in the arena or when parked up). WPR fails on both counts and also because most vehicles are too far away from the centre of the show. If nothing is done the show will become less of an attraction to the paying public.

Interesting comments all; I won't be attending I don't think until there is a bit more effort to get the LV section of the Souvenir Programme to be a bit more diverse and not overloaded with one particular type. It might make things interesting if they asked for no more than 30 of each type and also checked that any military vehicle being displayed was a) a military vehicle and b) still looked like one and not a 'pimp my ride' dune buggy/monster 4x4.