LarryH57

Regarding Thompsons Water Seal this used to be thick stuff like wall paper paste - and it worded a treat on canvas. But when it ran out I went to buy some more only to find the 'new improved version' was like watered down white PVA glue and it was no use at all. Also the tin no longer mentioned canvas! I've been on the hunt for the original Thompsons that some say is still produced but every tim I find of Thompsons is the new version. Any help finding the original or an alternative greatly appreciated, as I've looked in B&Q, Wicks and HomeBase, Halls and Jewsons in London area without luck.

It is rather strange that the dog is to be called Digger, supposidly so that it may be released in the USA, when in fact the US TV and Film industry do still allow the Nigger word to be used in both a historical context and a comical setting. In recent years I have seen serveral US made films that covered Civil Rights in passing or as the central story and they don't hold back on using Nigger. The word was also used in the film 'Trading Places' and another film, the name I cannot recall, that had mostly black actors where they were calling each other Nigger. In recent years there was a US black stand up comedian who's opening line was 'There is blacks and there is niggers.... However in the UK it's just not used any longer on anything we make in the UK, the luvies are so **** scarred! So I suspect its the UK film industry that is so sensative and not the yanks.

Mike65 When you said 'should be up there with my 109' I thought what a lucky B owning a Messerschmitt Bf109 but it was only when you said about the dents and the paint that the penny dropped:cheesy:

Who is going to this show? I have not been for about 7 years. Does it get a good turnout these days? It used to be the number one show in the 1980s!

Thats all very well But if you have a NATO socket on your Lwt like me and have no trailer you don't want to fail an MOT coz someone doesn't understand what a NATO socket is for or how it works. Having said that I did hitch up to a Sankey trailer just to test the restored wiring worked, which it did. I suggest all historic & classic vehicle owners start campaigning for a re-introduction of a 25 year or even 30 year roling date for 'historic status' (I'm told 30 year roling date is is used in most EU states) and have the testing regime 'typically' match the date on manufacture without trying to make vehicles meet more stringent testing as if they were brand new or god forbid be subject to any compulsory retropective modifcations (airbags in Jeeps etc!). BTW - I appreciate the Gov't thinks history stops at 1st Jan 1973 and I'll never get free Car Tax - but in truth I'd rather have the knowledge that I can enjoy my MV without worrying about LEZs or tougher MOT rules especially as I do a very low milage

Guys I just thought I'd look at the REME Museum Arborfield web site as I fancy visiting but on the photos they provide there are no vehicles showing! Does this mean they have all gone to Borden since this thread was first started? Incidentally I see that they are not open on Saturdays Lastly - how easy is it to set up a visit to Borden to see the outstation run I think by a Mr Jones?

Is the engine in the GAZ-67B a copy of a US engine like all the previous trucks like the four and six wheeled GAZ-AA and GAZ-AAA? As it got some of its insperation from the US Jeep are there any Jeep parts that fit? I have also heard that the axles are very likely to be from a GAZ-69 and that this was done in service as the parts for GAZ-67B ran out of stock?

When I took my Lwt for its MOT recently the garage was covered with posters say 'No to MOTs every 2 Years!' This is the first time I had heard that the Government was proposing that owners only had to get their vehicles tested less frequently. Has anything been said about it regarding MVs (assuming your vehicle is not exempt)?

From my History of the 405th FG USAAF - 22nd June 1944 After bailing out of his P-47D and coming down in the sea off Point de Barfleur, Lt. Doyle struggled into his dingy to await his rescue. Shortly afterwards he was circled by two Spitfires which dropped smoke flares to guide a British ASR launch to him; one of several that were posted off the coast of Normandy. Once on board the ASR launch, Lt. Doyle was given a tot of rum and went below to sleep but after an hour or so he was woken by a terrific noise. Going on deck, Lt. Doyle found that the Captain was still waiting off Cherbourg in case of other ‘ditched’ pilots and the launch was being shelled by German guns! After one shot landed about 30ft away the Captain shouted “Good shot old Boy” Lt Doyle decided that good British sportsmanship had gone a bit too far! But there was nothing he could do except to grin and bear it until the Captain finally decided to return to port!

I don't think anyone would doubt that RAF blue was still being used in 1940 even on new vehicles for the RAF, as factories often continued until told otherwise what ever the wartime situation. However the main point of this post was to get an idea of the colour schemes used from 1939 to 1945, and the info posted here from Ted and others confirms what I always thought, that RAF blue on RAF vehicles as seen in every war film or TV series was fiction - for most of the war.

A bit off topic but I think 'old git' would have been that way all his adult life. These types are ones who just love to 'interfere' phoning the council because they don't like your green machine parked in 'their' road, or complaining that your MV lowers the tone. Its not that they are grey haired its just they get a kick out of it being smug. Our local MVT has mostly grey hair and there's not a git among them.

I was driving a Land Rover and trailer up past the Angel in North London in 1980s with a few other vehicles from my unit. An 'old git' er.. sorry 'grey haired gentleman' pulled along side me at the lights and was trying to say something to me. Fearing something was wrong, I leant over and slid the passenger window open. What he said amazed me! "Your trailer and vehicle have got different registration numbers!" "I know, this is the Army mate" I said. "Don't give me that, I know the law and I'm going to report you to the Police" said old git. "Well don't forget to tell them I've got no f**king MOT, Tax or Insurance either" said I. Sadly the lights changed so I could not discuss this matter further but I have often wondered what reception he would have had from the Policeman as his local nick!

By the way - did anyone keep a recording of Dig 1940 as it would be great if a still from the war time home movie could be copied on to this thread

Ted, 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 coulors used on the Hurricanes - not that I'm claiming it was the same paint. As with so many of these programmes, they spare more air time filming people today taking about the past rather than showing the complete home movie! Unless they are interviewing a veteran, I suggest they get rid of the 'talking heads' and have movie film of the period with a voice only commentary.

Regarding Land Rovers in the Falklands, I have just seen a picture in 'The Falklands War' by Marshall Cavendish that shows seven Land Rovers; LWB Hard Tops and what I think is at least one Lightweight stored on the walkway running along the side of the QE2, which set sail on 12th May 1982 with the 5th Inf Brigade (including the Gurkhas). Only a small section is showing so I think the QE2 had more on the same walkway and no doubt the same number the other side. There must have more ships with loads like this so Atlantic Conveyor cannot have been the only 'Land Rover transporter' for such vehicles that arrived before the surrender. When QE2 got to South Georgia her cargo was passed to Canberra and Norland

Guys, since Dirk bought the entire stock of CMP parts from a UK firm with a name like Nordian (?) about 15 or more years ago, I think the best place for spares may actually be Australia and Canada-as there is a much greater following for these types than in the UK. Go to Maple Leaf Up forum http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/index.php There is a For Sale or Trade section too. Good luck and keep rolliing!

This Youtube link I found interesting - but there is a sort of moral to this story; when you get to the end you will know what I mean!

You know I visit the forum often but missed this post - perhaps it should be a 'Sticky' for all to see as the show season gets underway.

Apart from the Lorry, 30cwt Armoured Anti-Tank with steel armour as shown in the photos above, the RAF also used a short wheel based armoured Bedford OX, called Armadillo Mk 2, that retained the normal cab but had armoured windows and doors and radiator, with a wooden 'fighting compartment' inside the GS rear body. The 'armoured fighting compartment' was made from two layers of wood with stones, gravel and sand packed between the layers! The were armed with two Hotchkiss MGs or Lewis Guns Two of these were used at RAF Christchurch 1940-41 together with an Armadillo Mk 3 on a Bedford OY chassis that carried a 1.5 pdr Coventry Ordnance Works (COW) gun on the back. I have a shell case from this in my collection.

I think the SU-85 had a small gun and because the barrel looked very long I believe they were SU-100s, especially as these were in service for many decades. I wonder if any country still uses them; in Africa perhaps?

I saw on the TV that the Welsh Guards were marching in the parade to mark the 65th anniversary of end of WW2 on BBC News 24 and was amazed to see about half a dozen fully operational SU-100 assult guns on the move, together with a few GAZ-67 vehicles too. Can we get them to W&P!

In 2008, I went to Jersey on holiday and the Bovington Char B was on loan to the German Underground Hospital. Is it still there or back in the UK, as it needed a bit of TLC when I saw it.

"how this country ever managed to feed our efforts in the Cold War". In those days nothing we bought was made in China, Taiwan, India, Malaysia or Indonesia! I remember seeing the first Transister Radio made by Sony and everyone at the time thought it was a little cheap and that the Japanese electronics industry would not come to much! How things have changed :cool2:

Ted, I presume you have a copy of Mike Starmer's book - British Army Colours & Disruptive Camo in UK, France & NW Europe 1936-45? What do you reckon to the colour chips on page 40? Are they a good match for the same colours used by the RAF that you described earlier in this thread?

Mastolf, I've just seen your Flickr photos - I joined in 1978 and yet I hardly recognise anyone in the photos, apart from the group photo taken at Tidworth in 1976 - Captain Proud with his dog and Corporal Smallpeace, third from the left back row! Mind you I never got issued with No2s and we never wore them when I was in 873, even when we marched up Action High Street for Rememberance Day. When did you leave 873?