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Morris LRC MK2


RMS

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been a while since i updated on progress, a lot has been happening albeit very slowly! both rear top panels have been cut out and replaced, lots of internal panels are back in place and painted up, made a few of the accessory brackets and currently starting to rebuild the engine bay panels.

plan is to get all the engine bay panels in place and cross member before cutting the rear panel repairs sections out, slow going but will get there in the end.

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  • 1 year later...
1 hour ago, lssah2025 said:

Looking back at the pics, the LRC in Goodwood does have 3rd infantry div. markings, and the AOS of 51, this would be 553rd Field Company REME

That does not sound correct. 51 would be a Field Company of Royal Engineers. There is a big difference between RE and REME.. Also I make it 17th Field Company RE

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Richard Farrant said:

Richard you are absolutely correct, I added the (ME), was thinking of REME, not Royal Engineers and I was also looking at the 43rd Wessex TOE since I was comparing it to another picture and messed them up...

 

 

 

Edited by lssah2025
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Pretty much all the LRC's were shoved over to the RE late in the war because the RAC were not impressed with the armour on them. They did produce a few recommendations for up-armouring them, a wee bit, but refused to use any themselves. The RE seem to have loved them and they were used, like the WSC's, in the reconnaissance role and as a general runaround. Some were also passed on to the RAF and I've seen a photograph, somewhere, of at least one being used as a 'Follow-Me' vehicle on an airfield somewhere in the UK

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  • 1 year later...

Just a couple quick questions re the LRC,

 

Am I right in assuming that the 'Turret' was fixed in position, i.e. didn't actually rotate?

 

Also, the roof on the Turret, or more specifically the narrow access/hinged doorway. Looking at this it doesn't look like a man would get much more than his head/shoulders out of it and probably could only stand-up in the opening if he stood sideways, looking over the side of the vehicle. Is that about right? Any evidence of these access/hinged doorways being enlarged, (as a field modification maybe) to better aid hasty exits?

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Some of the photos on here show the turret rotated (albeit slightly):

https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=1176

Also, the first photo on here shows a chap in typical 'tank commander' pose with his upper body & arms out of the turret hatch:

https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/gb/Morris_Light_Reconnaissance_Car.php

Not sure if the hatch is standard or modified though.

HTH,
Kevin

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Hi Kevin,

 

thanks for the reply. I know both of those photos, but had forgotten about the one with the guy sticking out of the turret. Going my the size of open hatch door on this chaps right side and where his left arm is resting, it doesn't really look as though it's been modded all that much. It's also interesting to note that the back end of the door apepars to be squared off and not rounded as per the MkII. Our chap also appears to be twisting a little which kinda bears out my thoughts on getting though his narrow aperture.

 

On the other pic I'm not so certain the turret is rotated, and it was the fact that I've never seena  pic of a Morris with the Turret pointing anywhere but forward that got me wondering if it did rotate. That and the fact that there be a big overhang on the side if the turret rotated to the right.

 

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I'm sure an owner will come along shortly with the definitive answer regarding turret rotation, although a fixed turret sounds just a bit inflexible, to be honest.

This photo's not the clearest, but it's the best I've found thus far - going by what seems to be the MG slot and the position of the smoke mortar & bracket, I'd say this shows the turret rotated rearwards:

Morris LRC turret.JPG

Edited by 11th Armoured
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Fantastic shot, never seen that one before and definite proof that the Turret did indeed rotate! I agree with you a fixed turret seems pointless but, as I said earlier, I've never seen a Morris with turret pointing anywhere but forward and it got me wondering if it was just an upward expansion of space for another gunner because the inside was very cramped indeed. Now I know better, thanks for that Kevin, It's really appreciated mate.

 

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The turret on the LRC does rotate 360 degrees on a very simple turret ring comprising of some angle iron and 3 bearings! nothing fancy 🙂 

the little doors in the top of the turret are big enough to get your head out of and maybe a shoulder if your small enough. the main hatches are much bigger and this is where the BOYS rifle was fired from. 

 

On a side note i have since sold this Morris and its now joined another Morris LRC up in Cumbria that was restored by Debbie and Paul at Rusty trucks. 

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  • 1 month later...

Can anyone provide some dimensions for the radiator opening on the rear plate of the Morris LRC? Just looking for a sanity check, by my reckoning it's square rather than oblong? overall height of the rear plate too, if available?

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  • 5 months later...

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