film/book review CMV October Issue 185

[Bob Grundy]

May I draw chums attention to a review of Tankfest. On page 61; 'It's hard to believe the tiny Matilda I (should be 1) saw service in the Dunkirk campaign in 1940' This A11 Matilda did NOT see any service in the Dunkirk campaign. BTW it is hard to see the withdrawal to the port of Dunkirk as a 'campaign'. Back to the tank, as far as I know no tanks or armour of any kind was embarked on ships during the evacuation. So yet again incorrect info in this magazine.

[Degsy]

While I take your point about no armour being recovered during the Dunkirk evacuation is it possible that this vehicle was recovered after the D-Day landings or even post war?

[Richard Farrant]

Bob,

I take your point, as I think this is the Matilda you restored from several found on ranges in different locations in the UK. I inspected one on Lydd Ranges for this project .... god knows how long ago. So looks like these tanks never went to France in 1939.

 

Regards, Richard

[Bob Grundy]

It was early 1988 that you looked at for us Richard, some of the parts used were vital to the restoration however the main hull I described at the time as a 'riddled corpse'. It is my belief that this tank had a problem, as the steering clutch housing was dated 1940 while everything else was dated 1938, and so did not deploy with 4 RTR to France.

The chances of it being recovered post war and then stuck on the range at Otterburn are remote.

[Richard Farrant]

Thanks Bob, 28 years ago, where does the time go. The photos I took were sent to you, possibly via the Tank Museum and I never kept any myself, negatives will still be here, but might take 28 years to find them!

 

cheers Richard

[Brooky]

Mmmm its not improving is it

This month looks OK if you like Jeeps other than that very thin on content

[Runflat]

A bit harsh, Brooky. The contributions by regular stalwarts David, Les and Tim are up to par - and worth having the mag for those articles alone. No sign of the Nuffield jeep though...

[Runflat]

On page 61; 'It's hard to believe the tiny Matilda I (should be 1) saw service in the Dunkirk campaign in 1940' This A11 Matilda did NOT see any service in the Dunkirk campaign.

 

To quibble, it doesn't say that that particular Matilda was involved - more that the type was. Well they were in France in 1940, though yes it is probably more accurate to talk about them being involved in the Battle for France rather the Dunkirk "campaign".

[Brooky]

A bit harsh, Brooky. The contributions by regular stalwarts David, Les and Tim are up to par - and worth having the mag for those articles alone. No sign of the Nuffield jeep though...

 

True, however 24 pages of adverts out of about 80. Would have been nice to have a bit more about the half tracks in post war service and a bit more about the Wiesel

[Bob Grundy]

To quibble, it doesn't say that that particular Matilda was involved - more that the type was. Well they were in France in 1940, though yes it is probably more accurate to talk about them being involved in the Battle for France rather the Dunkirk "campaign".

Yes I will go along with the above.

[eddy8men]

unfortunately i have to agree, the magazine is quite poor. i don't know why they changed it so much

[dgrev]

unfortunately i have to agree, the magazine is quite poor. i don't know why they changed it so much

 

I agree. I know I am armour biased, but these days I flick through it in a newsagent and go Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad, Landy, Landy, Obscure Landy variant, Jeep, Jeep, Jeep, Ugly Truck, Ugly Truck, oh a tank..... Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad, Ad.

 

So why pay a small fortune (in Ausse $) for something 3 months out of date with a whole heap of ads for MV shows that have already happened and so it goes on.

 

The back page of the front cover has the same insurance ad EVERY issue.

 

Are we really so clueless that we don't know what a Sherman, a Greyhound, a Panther, a Stug is, such that every time one is featured we get the generalized history for that vehicle family type?

eg. pages 16 to 22 of June 2016 issue (most recent available out here).

The article could have detailed the benefits/pitfalls of actual ownership etc.

 

What really gripes me, is it is a magazine for enthusiasts: do they have so little inspiration that they need to get

3/4 of their article content from a Wikipaedia potted history of each vehicle?

 

Anyone can look that stuff up on the internet, so why pay for an edited version of it in a magazine? By 1995 that concept

was looking out of date, but in 2016?

 

Regards

Doug

[Matt McMahon]

Did You guys not respond to the CMV subscriber survey.....I told Key publishing that they had stuffed a once great magazine Completely ...I recommended they get hold of some old issues and have a read through them !.

[johann morris]

I have to agree with you and if you have been reading the classic land rover magazine, you would have noticed that it has also nose dived since Key publishing took it over. I guess that when these mags were run and written by real enthusiasts they reflect that enthusiasm, but with Key it seems to be all about profit and the easiest way of getting it.

 

 

Jon

[jdmcm]

I used to eagerly await my subscription every month...but now, it usually gets a quick skim and on to the pile...all these buyers guides and general articles about who had what vehicles in WW2...seems like page fillers...I to am armour biased but seriously how many jeep and landrovers articles do we need? So much interesting stuff going on, especially in the UK...can't we get some shop visits? Or drone photos from Kevin Wheatcrofts? Or anything exciting? Please!

[Degsy]

Come back Pat Ware, all is forgiven:-D

[Whittingham warrior]

'Come back Pat Ware, all is forgiven:-D '

 

 

A much better writer although he did like to convert all vehicles measurements in to Metric.

 

[Surveyor]

I was thinking of subscribing but reading this I am not so sure, yes I have a Landie but do like a broader range of knowledge away from grey funnel line

[Great War truck]

Come back Pat Ware, all is forgiven:-D

 

Cone on Degsy, get with the program.

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?55542-All-change-at-CMV

[Degsy]

Hi Tim, I have been following the other thread, I know John and wish him well but I fear that he may struggle against what appears to be a problem at the publishers.

[gas 44]

Im afraid most of you are very short of the mark. You are assuming the publication is for our benifit/enjoyment.....

Far from it, its there to make money......simple as. Sorry but thats it.

Which is why a forum like this is so important....thanks Jack

[Jolly Jeeper]

I have to agree with you and if you have been reading the classic land rover magazine, you would have noticed that it has also nose dived since Key publishing took it over. I guess that when these mags were run and written by real enthusiasts they reflect that enthusiasm, but with Key it seems to be all about profit and the easiest way of getting it.

 

 

Jon

 

You may be thinking of another magazine here or you may not - Key actually launched Classic Land Rover magazine and I have edited since it started. Maybe I'm not a 'real enthusiast', after all I only have eight Land Rovers; seven of those have leaf springs and I have had one of them since 1989, the same year as I got my first full time magazine job on a 4x4 mag...

Edited November 26, 2016 by Jolly Jeeper

[Jolly Jeeper]

Did You guys not respond to the CMV subscriber survey.....I told Key publishing that they had stuffed a once great magazine Completely ...I recommended they get hold of some old issues and have a read through them !.

 

I have the reader survey information. Two things that may interest you; 1. unsurprisingly you weren't the only one to criticise the current CMV (this forum is also evidence of that). 2. I will be taking into account much of what was said in the reader survey as we change the magazine for the better.

[Jolly Jeeper]

Im afraid most of you are very short of the mark. You are assuming the publication is for our benifit/enjoyment.....

Far from it, its there to make money......simple as. Sorry but thats it.

Which is why a forum like this is so important....thanks Jack

 

That could be said about any business - Jeep restorer, military collectables shop, fast food emporium or magazine but all businesses should aim for happy customers who will come back again... Let's look forwards

[ArtistsRifles]

Just adding my thoughts to the mix - no criticism or anything, just thoughts.

Have you looked at the likes of "Practical Classics" - this is the other mag I get on monthly subscription. For me there are a couple of definite draws in reading this one that perhaps are missing but could be added to CMV:

1) They have a regular readers vehicles section - 2 to 4 pages of short stories of readers restorations, either completed or in progress.

2) As well as the professional restorations there are full readers restorations of vehicles - and there is a big difference between people struggling in damp and draughty garages - or even gardens/yards and the professionals in dry workshops.

3) Readers - as well as reporters - accounts of entries on vehicle rallies (not rally sport or racing).

 

Would the future of CMV lend itself to such forms of articles?