RecyMech Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Dunno if this has occurred to anyone yet or been mentioned before....but;- While doing a spot of reading up on FV432....the first batch were delivered under the (then) name Trojan in 1963:cool2: Which means the basic design is 50 years old this year !!!!! Brings a lump to the throat & makes ya feel proud to be British.. Aye'Wot ? Should we bake a collective cake ? Wonder who's got the oldest one in preservation ?? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m109a3uk Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Beltring/Westernhanger spot!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I thought we'd decided the anniversary was last year? Production started in 1962. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted February 27, 2013 Author Share Posted February 27, 2013 OK, fair enough.......I missed Beltring & the cake obviously According to Pat Ware, page 160, B Series Engine in National Service, Trojan was delivered in 1963. :readbook: So if thats correct then 1963 would have been been it 'in service' date. Clearly though its already been covered :blush: , no sweat it was just a passing thought. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I don't know in Aussie we look for any excuse to have a pint. If last year was a pint for 50th year since it was first built, I cannot see why this year is the 50th year in service :beer: We could think bigger and find month by month important dates to celebrate :-D:cool2::-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordf30 Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Greetings all ! We will definitely mention this in the Arena at W & P Revival. Cheers, Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 I think there was supposed to be a birthday party at Plain Invasion last year, but I'm not sure that it ever happened. The oldest remaining is probably Preston's one at Cobbaton. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Random thoughts...... Except for maybe a few battleships I was trying to think of another piece of kit that has done 50 years service with UK forces whilst still retaining its basic design. I could`nt think of a single item of uniform, personal kit, weapon system, aircraft, or other vehicle that can lay claim . Land Rover possibly, but then again it has gone through so many changes its a bit of a different animal now I suppose the Cent is a contender maybe...but then not all its service was with the British Harrier must come a close second ? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Random thoughts...... Except for maybe a few battleships I was trying to think of another piece of kit that has done 50 years service with UK forces whilst still retaining its basic design. Ferret!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caddy Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 The centurion wasn't far off. Worldwide it did over 50 years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 Ferret.....interesting , who has thoughts on its retirement from service date then ? Again, just quoting a Pat Ware book here..."first production contract 1951"......"withdrawn from service 1997"......making 46 years British Army service (not counting foreign operators)...someone may state differently though. Just counting British service mind, so that rules the Cent out, close but no cigar. (then again there might just be the odd tug or ARV working in some establishment somewhere ?) Actually I suppose British mess tins must have remained unchanged since Ceasar was a recruit ? That one probably takes the all time prize ? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 The Royal Marines still have some DUKWs in service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted February 28, 2013 Author Share Posted February 28, 2013 "The Royal Marines still have some DUKWs in service." You jest with me surely ? :rofl: H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Random thoughts...... Except for maybe a few battleships I was trying to think of another piece of kit that has done 50 years service with UK forces whilst still retaining its basic design. I could`nt think of a single item of uniform, personal kit, weapon system, aircraft, or other vehicle that can lay claim . Land Rover possibly, but then again it has gone through so many changes its a bit of a different animal now I suppose the Cent is a contender maybe...but then not all its service was with the British Harrier must come a close second ? H The 7.62mm NATO round is a hot contender, methinks. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?29706-DUKWs-in-Royal-Marine-service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 7.62 NATO round......good one, yeah......reckon we can count that As for the Marines DUKWs......well blow me down, you live & learn:bow: Blimey, even if you only took D Day as a start point, that makes the design (if not the individual vehicles) in service for 70 years next year !!!!!!!!! Incredible:wow: H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 The DUKW has it for soft skin vehicles what about armoured vehicles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g0ozs Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 I guess if the Centurion AVREs at Withams latest tender sale count as being "in service" until last month then anything else will pretty much have to be pre-1945 and still going to beat them as the longest lasting armour ? I suppose the Kings Troop RHA guns (18 pounder?) must be the longest lasting wheeled vehicle of any kind ? Iain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Wonder if the Marines have always had the DUKWs right through since D Day though or was there a gap ?, where they either had no vehicles of that kind, or maybe tried Stalwart & then went back to DUKW. Either way, still impressive that a design that old can hold its own today. I thought of another long lasting design too........the good old .50 cal !! Thats fired a few rounds in its time eh? H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Were the AVREs actually in service after 1991? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvinthemartian Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Random thoughts...... Except for maybe a few battleships I was trying to think of another piece of kit that has done 50 years service with UK forces whilst still retaining its basic design. I could`nt think of a single item of uniform, personal kit, weapon system, aircraft, or other vehicle that can lay claim . H English Electric/BAe Canberra comes to mind, first flight 1949, left service 2006. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g0ozs Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 Another thought for something that lasted - the Vickers Maxim machine gun - I see the Wikipedia article gives first regular army purchase in 1888 and I believe they were still around until the late 1960s so around 80 years in the front line ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecyMech Posted March 2, 2013 Author Share Posted March 2, 2013 The Vickers one is a good'un too. Not sure about the weapon being the same one as introduced in 1888 though. Vickers Medium Machine gun.... Wiki gives it as "1912 to 1968".......still a very good 56 years though. Canberra...57 years not bad ! H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 The VC-10 is another aircraft with a venerable history and, I think, only just about to go out of service. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pzkpfw-e Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 SMLE, 1895-1957? The Yanks wil come tops, the B52's first flight in April 1952, quite possibly they'll be still in service into 2040! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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