Larkspur-man Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Good afternoon, This is my first posting on this forum, so hopefully it comes out right! I’m in the process of putting together a (working and authentic) complete Abbot and command post (FV432) radio and line communications system, to complement my other Larkspur radio communication projects and equipment (see my radio amateur call sign G3YVW on QRZ.com). I have the command post equipment, repaired and tested, but need to complete the Abbot equipment. I was able to visit the Muckleburgh Military collection a few weeks ago in Norfolk, very kindly being given permission by the owner, to have unrestricted access to one of their Abbots. This has helped me greatly see how the system is put together in practice and to see the items I am still in need of. I am putting together the Larkspur version of the comms system, rather than the later updated Clansman version, although I understand that it was only the radio (Larkspur) that was replaced with the Clansman (352?), all of the wiring and harness items from the original Larkspur fit remaining the same. So the items I am on the lookout for, maybe from someone who is breaking an Abbot, or from an Abbot no longer required, etc are:- Larkspur B48 VHF radio Radio-line Box - see photo Intercommunication junction box - see photo Intercommunication junction box (FV562042) - see photo Emergency crew junction box - see photo Receiver Induction unit as used by the crew (with the induction loop) - see photo Many thanks for reading this, and hopefully someone out there can help! Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Try Dom Blanchard of LRSeries, he is very helpful and has all sorts of bits and pieces. Gordon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur-man Posted March 21, 2022 Author Share Posted March 21, 2022 Thanks Gordon, I have had several bits from him already, but I’ll try him for the J.B.s Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 (edited) There were in fact three distinct comms fits for the Abbot: The original all Larkspur fit; A halfway house of the original Larkspur fit but with the radio replaced by a Clansman 352. This is the arrangement most commonly seen in remaining Abbots; A completely Clansman fit, only fitted to the small numbers of Abbots equipped with the MVMD barrel radar. Andy (owner of 08EB10) Edited March 23, 2022 by andym Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur-man Posted March 23, 2022 Author Share Posted March 23, 2022 Hi Andy, Many thanks for that. I’m obviously going for the original Larkspur fit, as that’s where my interest lies. Also I have obtained a couple of Larkspur 5W amplifiers (same dimensions as the Abbot I box and Radio-Line box - designed for the Abbot, although I haven’t seen any pictures of these fitted (I haven’t actually seen many internal pictures of different Abbots!) especially with a complete radio set up. I believe these 5W amplifiers - as per the EMER - were meant to replace the old Larkspur valve amplifiers - AF 2 No. 1 - part of Apparatus Loudspeaking No. 19 - although there is a Clansman amplifier of similar dimensions which may have been used with the all-Clansman fit? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 23, 2022 Share Posted March 23, 2022 Do you have Part III of the Abbot User Handbook? That details the comms fit and exists in two versions, one for the original Larkspur fit and one for the hybrid Larkspur/Clansman fit. There must be a third version for the all Clansman fit but I've never found it. It seems that the Larkspur fit used a 2W valve amplifier for the induction loops and loudspeaker, this was updated to the 5W transistor amplifier for the hybrid fit. The pure Clansman fit was different again. The amplifiers are bolted to the bottom of the RH turret wall just inside the door. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur-man Posted March 23, 2022 Author Share Posted March 23, 2022 Hi Andy, yes I do have the full Abbot user handbook, but this only details the Larkspur fit. Army code 14311, dated 1965. Have never seen any other versions/issues. I think I will keep to the ‘later’ Larkspur 5W amplifiers (although I do have the valve versions anyway) - will look a better installation/set up. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 AndyM was there anything different for the BATUS vehicles as I understood they were a value engineered vehicle, any comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 On 3/23/2022 at 6:34 PM, Larkspur-man said: Hi Andy, yes I do have the full Abbot user handbook, but this only details the Larkspur fit. Army code 14311, dated 1965. Have never seen any other versions/issues. I think I will keep to the ‘later’ Larkspur 5W amplifiers (although I do have the valve versions anyway) - will look a better installation/set up. Brian The later one for the hybrid Clansman fit is Army Code No. 14311 Part 3 (Revised 1980). Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 24, 2022 Share Posted March 24, 2022 21 hours ago, robin craig said: AndyM was there anything different for the BATUS vehicles as I understood they were a value engineered vehicle, any comments? The value engineered (or Suffield) Abbots went to BATUS and were also sold to the Indian Army. They were a very curious beast that omitted some non-obvious things such as the power traverse and air filtration system, if I recall correctly. Quite what effect the omissions actually had on the price, your guess is as good as mine! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur-man Posted March 25, 2022 Author Share Posted March 25, 2022 Thanks for that Andy, I will keep my eyes open for the part 3 (revised) just out of interest. Not sure when production on the Abbots actually stopped in the factory, but during any retrofits of the radio gear, presumably it was only the radio, c/w it’s ATU, aerial base and associated bits that were changed as all of the cabling would have course have had the brass Plessey Mk4/7 connectors, which the Clansman didn’t use. The newer 5W amplifiers also used these Plessey connectors. And I’ve never seen a Clansman version or equivalent of the (Larkspur) Radio-Line Interconnecting box that sits in the turret at the right hand side, top, ajacent the commanders seat?? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 Brian - As it happens, there's a Clansman Radio Lines Box on eBay at the moment - item 284232385497. If you ping me your email address in a DM I'll let you have a copy of the updated Part 3. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur-man Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Thanks for your help Andy, I now have the Clansman box on its way to me as well as the ECC Emergency crew comms JB, and also now the emergency 3 pronged microphone for the JB. Which leads me on to one other thing - the foot-operated acknowledge switch (operated by the No.1/commander) - I would like to get hold of one of these - feeds into the Radio-Line box - for authenticity, but I’ve never seen one, there are no diagrams/pictures of one and I couldn’t find one still fitted in the Abbot I visited recent,y. Any idea what make they are/type, etc, used anywhere else? Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 I'll have to think about that one, I've seen something somewhere but can't remember where! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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