Duffy Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 The Belgians were deployed in a number of noteworthy locations. Are there any records similar to the Tank Museum or Merlin Reports? Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbo Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I spoke to the chap from the belgian museum (who has been on here occasionally), who said they have a tendency to destroy the records when the vehicles are cast. Shame as i have a (very scratty) belgian scimitar in un white, and would love to know where it served. Favourites seem to be somalia or balkans... Cheers Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02FD43 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 The UN white scimitars that appeared for sale in the U.K. were last used on OPERATION RESTORE HOPE in SOMALIA. My one 65260 had graffiti about Somalia scratched into the paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 The Belgians were deployed in a number of noteworthy locations. Are there any records similar to the Tank Museum or Merlin Reports? Alan Belgian Army does not have a policy to keep service documents. Once out of service, docs are destroyed. CVRT's transferring to the Army Museum sometimes keep their documents but these are maintenance documents and do not carry service records.When vehicles are deployed the logistical chain follows them on their license plate but after the mission no tracks are kept.You might find a black square with a three digit number on it and this refers to the unit in wich it served, for ex. 057 = 2nd Lancers Regiment.This could give you a clue. Operations in wich belgian CVRT's were involved are numerous: Belgian Forces in Germany, Croatia, Kosovo,Somalia, Rwanda etc.Most of the CVRT's engaged served with the light cavalry regiments called "Jagers te Paard". We used to have three regiments of these, each equipped with around 100 CVRT's.of all types. Every recce platoon of the tank-and infantry regiments had 7 CVRT's, tank squadrons used Spartans as PC and LAD mec vehicle.In total Be Army had more than 7OO CVRT's. William Testaert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 27, 2013 Share Posted July 27, 2013 The Belgians were deployed in a number of noteworthy locations. Are there any records similar to the Tank Museum or Merlin Reports? Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Dozer Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I am looking for the year of manufacture of my belgian Spartan. Where can i find a hint? Or when are Spartans delivered to Belgium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I am looking for the year of manufacture of my belgian Spartan. Where can i find a hint? Or when are Spartans delivered to Belgium? Hello, At the right or left rear side (not the back) of your SPA you should find some letters and digit's ex: BESPA XXXX, put the number 65 before these digit's and you have your belgian MOD license plate. Now, the hulls were produced by a Belgian firm ASCO, they still exsist but manufacture airplane parts nowadays. Most of our CVRT's were produced around 1973-74. Samaritans where the last ones. For ex 65665 was hull 665, in this case a SULTAN. (my first CVRT when I joined...) This ALVIS club or something might be a bit more helpfull.. Hope I was of any help! Cheers, William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Dozer Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 (edited) Hello Bill License plate is 65457. How can i find the year of manufacturing now? Thank you. Edited July 29, 2013 by Mr.Dozer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin33ba07 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 my Spartan is 65472 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 [ATTACH=CONFIG]79914[/ATTACH] Hello Bill License plate is 65457. How can i find the year of manufacturing now? Thank you. Definitely a Belgian Spartan. Did you find a black square with a 3 digit number on it? I will hav to check a bit further. William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 my Spartan is 65472 ? See my reply above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timbo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Bill Are there many privately owned cvrt's in Belgium? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Bill Are there many privately owned cvrt's in Belgium? Tim I know of one bloke who collects UK CVRT's but his name I will have to look up. I just contacted a friend who was cvrt testdriver at ASCO who produced CVRT's under license in Belgium. He is almost 80 but still drivers our museum's Striker. He doens't recall any id plate whatsoever in our vehicles, so for the moment I stick to my stand: I cannot tell you when your vehicle was produced nor where it first served. We have a proto Spartan and a proto Scorpion and they have UK style ID plates but that's it. To find the black squares look at my pics. they might lead us to something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirhc Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 The bloke with the British CVRTs has a Belgian Sultan which was mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Dozer Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hello All There are black squares on the left hand side, one on the back cargo bin, one on the left side rear and one on the front, left beneath the licence plate. But they are all blank, maybe my Spartan was reserve stock??? The clock shows only 110 km's if not replaced since service. My Spartan was shortly imported to Switzerland and the only one here as far as i know.. I will show the vehicle the bigest HMV event here in Switzerland, www.convoy.ch in early august. To introduce and honor this vehicle to the public, i'm looking for the year of manufacturing and some history of the Spartan (or general belgian Spartans history) . Thank you for any hints, time is short to the event. Raphael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Definitely a Belgian Spartan.Did you find a black square with a 3 digit number on it? I will hav to check a bit further. William You all got me cornered with this idendification problem! I admit I did not pay much attention to this before. I looked into one of our Spartans and found an ID plate near the back switch-box but no other vehicle seems to have one! Serials are all mixed-up and correspond to nothing...more intriguiing than I tought! the only thing I can come up with sofar is that: When vehicles were built the licenseplate corresponded to the serial nrs. During the late 80ies our CVRT's underwent a major reconstruction, they were totally take apart and rebuilt. It is probable that they got licenseplates when they came of the constructionline wich then did not correspond to their former number. If you are interested all our OPS CVRT'S will be on display during the URSEL WING AND WHEELS show during the week-end of 10-11 aug. Urselairfield lies is in Ursel near Aalter easily reached from the coast trough the E 40. William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Locations are absolutely correct. Might be possible to grind one slightly, a number might appear. Might it be possible you found a red and blue square on it? William Hello All There are black squares on the left hand side, one on the back cargo bin, one on the left side rear and one on the front, left beneath the licence plate. But they are all blank, maybe my Spartan was reserve stock??? The clock shows only 110 km's if not replaced since service. My Spartan was shortly imported to Switzerland and the only one here as far as i know.. I will show the vehicle the bigest HMV event here in Switzerland, www.convoy.ch in early august. To introduce and honor this vehicle to the public, i'm looking for the year of manufacturing and some history of the Spartan (or general belgian Spartans history) . Thank you for any hints, time is short to the event. Raphael[ATTACH=CONFIG]80010[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill testaert Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 If what i see at the right rear stowagebin is a red and blue square this means that this spartan was used by an artillery batallion, most probably used by the forward observers. It is definitely a modernised vehicle since it carrie s new type fire extinguishers. License plat should be beneath the rear door, onto this special iron plate illuminated with the little light on top of it. William Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold_War_Collection Posted September 19, 2013 Share Posted September 19, 2013 Speaking of this, Here are two markings off of our Belgian Scorpion, 65068 (quite a low hull number!) Anyone have any thoughts on these ? 12 Recce , on the driver side front Gearbox cover, as well as on Drivers side stowage bin, "080" in black square, in usual location many thanks Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rewdco Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 080 is the Unit number, and means that this CVRT once belonged to the "2e Jagers te Paard" in Ludenscheid (Belgian Army in Germany). See also this website: http://www.legerdienst.be/index.html Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin33ba07 Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 I know its an old thread but I am still trying to find the date of my Spartan chassis BESPA184/65472 with no luck ,is there any one can help I have tried Brussels tank Museum Alvis Society Military Vehicle Trust BAE Systems all with no success ,MVT cut me off ,he is very busy .So as you can see any help grateful all I need is a nice letter for the Revenue man in Ireland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 There have been some interesting exchanges with a Belgian chap on this facebook group who has come up with some answers for others https://www.facebook.com/groups/156384151187384/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin33ba07 Posted August 11, 2016 Share Posted August 11, 2016 I have been on to Jo and Maarten of CVRT forum they are going to do some digging on my behalf ,let you know the result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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