LarryH57

Oh dear Im not sure I signed up for an update!

In May 2021, my Lwt was finally registered as Historic at the Post Office, as it was by then over 40 years old as at January 1st 2021. Then sometime after May 2022, I got a letter from the DVLA saying I was driving an untaxed (at Nil rate) vehicle, but that they had 'taxed' it for me (!) but they also asked respectfully that I remember to 'tax' it in May 2023. The trouble is I have forgotten the process or know the date in May 2023 as the tax from date? 1st May is a bank holiday, but would any date from the 2nd be OK? I don't think I get any letters to take to the Post Office any longer, for Nil rate tax Your thoughts Thanks Larry

Thanks for the video, which by implication must mean Nicks bank account has been 'freed' from the UK burocratic strangle hold of last year. Keep up the good work Nick.

Best to sign the petition as a start!

Anyone who knows Cornwall, with know of RAF St Mawgan. The CAHC is (or soon won't be) next to RAF Saint Mawgan, Newquay TR8 4JN Sadly it has been forced to close by the local council, and the site must be cleared immediately and they are in despirate need of temporary homes for some of their exhibits or even coveres or temporary structures for those exhibits that may have to be left out in the rain, and be ruined There was a plan to build a new museum nearby but that fell through, at the last moment. What is strange is on the one hand you have 'Visit Cornwall' Tourist Board and yet a council who wants this museum closed when there are no immediate plans to do anything with the site. Its not as if the diggers and construction are waiting to move in and start construction. Its just a bloody shame, the local council are not being helpful at all and it makes no sense. This was an award wining museum and has helped in the education of many local schools and groups My dad flew their nice looking Vickers Varsity and my cousin worked on their EE Lightning. To see them cut up for scrap would be a shame There is a petiotion on change.org of 50,000 signatures, against the decision.. Hopefully this link works https://chng.it/8bXPLXWhWB Any help from the MVT in the SW England area would greatly be appreciated timy-d@cornwallaviationhc.co.uk Tel: 01637 861962

My late father in law drove Indian Pattern Wheeled Carriers in Burma with the RAF Regiment in WW2. I am putting together a history for the family of his time in the RAF as a Ground Gunner and later a member of the RAFR These vehicles used CMP engines and running gear on a design that originated I believe in India, although they were used in North Africa by Indian Regiments and by the NZ Army in Italy. The one my father in law drove had a turret , which my father in law remembered had twin machine guns, but whether these were Brens, Vickers or 0.30 inch Brownings he couldnot say. The only photo I have ever seen of a turreted version is a shot of one from the rear in Tanks - encyclopedia.com Incidentally a pair of Vargas Girls legs were painted on the side by someone before hand, and a Japanese skull was put over the headlight by someone else less squimish in the unit. The colour was overall dark drab green The one in the photo below is possibly from North Africa or Italy. I'm not familiar with the type and Mark Numbers but I guess the turret version came later from 1942?

Coz, Id like to visit but don't have a WW2 vehicle yet (!)

Dear John, Regarding to the first photo and your compressor to identify, the blue paint and white lettering looks decidedly 1950-60s RAF Other than that I have no further clues!

So entry at the REME Museum, open to WW2 vehicles only?

All very interesting Ruxy, but my fear is that with no more petrol cars, the BP EV refuelling stations will look at us with the same expression, as I'd get at the Doctors Surgery, if I asked for a jar of leeches ! Why would any fuel supplier cater to a miniature market? The vintage and veteran cars still on the road, are said to be worth £3 Billion to the economy but as time goes on, there won't be the skills to maintain combustion engines or the firms still in business to support it. When you look at some of the miraculous restorations, almost all have been carried out by the older generation!

With the UK and now EU banning new Petrol Cars from 2030/2035 in order to 'save the world' logic tells me that right or wrong that the sale of Petrol itself will become less common, and like the time leaded fuel was 'banned' first there was a few garages that stocked leaded fuel, then there were none. Now we have E5 and E10 but E5 pumps are often locked as out of stock. You can argue all you like over the futility of Net Zero, that diesel will /won't always be needed for heavy vehicles or that reduction of Co2 isn't going alter the climate one bit! But the reality is that politicians have to be seen to be green to get their votes, and Petrol will disappear in the near future, the very near future whether we like it or not. It must be an age thing; I remember MV shows from 1978-1980s like they were yesterday, Beltring from the early 'noughties' and it wont be long for 10 years to wizz by! I guess we need to save for a museum to hold the best of our military vehicle history, otherwise what was once 'grandpa's pride and joy will be crushed and on its way to a furnace in China! The hundredth anniversary of D-Day won't include a host of working Jeeps etc, and instead a host of young people in EVs explaining how evil the British, Canadian and American troops were in making so much noise and smoke, and destruction when they landed! Pessimistic or what? NB - I am told that petrol is produced, as a part of the refinery process for oil, which produces far more than just fuel or plastics, but I somehow doubt the oil companies will be shouting "come and get your free petrol" that they can't dispose of!

Oh yes, I see this every time. Getting a reputation on file for all to see as a arms dealer, for ever more 'till the end of the century' is disastrous for this guy in getting any financial product, however innocuous, like insuring his vehicles, home and contents, his business, or his stereo, or his life! Its a disgrace, so I will have to write to my MP etc etc and get a petition together.

I heard this story too, and as I am in the trade for Banking regulation I can say that the various regulations were set up to stop people supplying the likes of ISIS and other waring factions before them. I think this is a situation in need of a petition to parliament via Change.org. Anyone? Its akin to him selling stuff to the Russians! He is supporting our allies and hasn't actually done anything illegal or morally wrong!

Just a thought before I start to look at the Lwt in March. I have been using the easy start type fuel in the Carb, just a few squirts, as i have found it fired up faster and better on the battery, than cranking the engine over for longer especially in winter. An AA man once said that this may have detrimental effect, but my mate (also ex AA) said this was a issue with diesel engines and not a petrol engines?

So Ruxy and co, back to the problem. Would a hole in the exhaust pipe cause spitting and a feeling of hestitation in the engine? And how long does E5 stay fresh?

My Lwt Landrover from 1980 is definitely in the market for E5 as the best alternative to unleaded or fully leaded as intended in 1980's. The 21st century sucks as far as I am concerned for older combustion engines owners. Will the MV hobby exist in a few more decades?

My session with my mate to do the tappets, has been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. In the interim I think the exhaust may be blowing so I need to find where that is and if it causes the 'spitting'. Also, another thought; how long does E5 petrol last as mine is very 'last year'. In the years I have had it, the Lwt has not been too fussy over fuel but in 2022 I had to rebuild the carb as the carb gasket was in bits, and hard to blame onanything specific but it's worked well afterwards. So is it worth draining the tanks of what's left and adding fresh? Is E5 actually quite bad for MVs as has been suggested?

Evening guys, My Lwt is running a bit rough, and its not the carb or loose leads, so may be the tappets, which I intend to do with a mate in about a week. Any advice on doing the job? I guess need a new gasket for the rocker cover. I need to order one . Are they all the same for a standard 2.25L Series 3 engine, built in 1980?

Bryan, Thanks for the info and the attached. Last point is when did the RAF both start and then discontinue with Signal Vehicle Type numbers such as Type 393 etc ( not to be confused with the Jan 1944 AMO for all Types)? I heard it was 1944 to 1950s?

This RAF Signals Lorry has the Type 393 on the rear body (and Mk I below) to signify a 3 Ton Tender equipped with a Twin Channel HF transmitter. In RAF docs it has a Type Suffix of Type A and was often used with a similar Type 394 However, a Type 394 vehicle (likely another K6) was equipped with twin or four channel HF receivers (always wired for four channels) and had a Type Suffix of A, B, C, D But what does the Type Suffix stand for? Logic might suggest it was nothing to do with the Radio Vehicle Type, (such as 393 or 394) - but is it just the number of sets carried? Also when did Radio Vehicle Type go out of use, as I understand it was post WW2?

I never knew the Soviet Army had the Austin K6

Is that 1.5 Ton 30cwt or 15cwt?

Any idea Nick of the Chev model or model number? Thanks Larry

Can anyone ID this RAF Ambulance. It is seen in the UK with RAF Personnel and Nurses. It looks to be based on a typical Panel Van Thanks

Thanks for the last photo that matches that in my photo.