New Member from the Dark side, yes Post War ??????

[Maverick]

Hi There,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a fantastic 2008 but also to introduce myself.

 

My name is Stuart Beeney and I'm interested in Vietnam M series Vehicles. There Doesn't seam to be that much on the Forum about M series stuff but that may change?

 

I'm sure some of you on here already know me or have seen my truck at the shows.

 

Please see below (hopefully) what MV kit I own

 

The first is a M54 A2 6x6 Cargo. Its basically the same as what most people call a Reo but just has a larger payload, larger engine, bigger tyres and lots of other minor differences

 

The Gun is a M1A1 155mm Howitzer (American)

 

The Trailer is a M332 Ammunition trailer and it does exactly that carries ammunition mainly for artillery guns or tanks.

 

Enjoy the Pics

 

Thanks

Stuart

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/M541.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/M542.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/1551.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/1553.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/1552.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/M3321.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/M3322.jpg[/img]

[Marmite!!]

Hi Stuart,

 

welcome to the forum, nice kit you have there.. may be we'll see some of it at the Bunker Bash this year :whistle:

[abn deuce]

Its Big and O.D. Whats not to Like ? Welcome to the Forum .

[Jack]

Welcome Stuart and thanks for the introduction and images and some impressive bits of kit there!

 

There should be some room in the Clubhouse car park for the lot - it isn't flood lit at the moment as someone was trying to jump start a Ferret off the mains and blew the flipping fuseboard :roll:

 

[Mark]

Hello mate and welcome, you took your time getting on here I must say, glad you are bringing some sense along as well

 

enjoy

 

(ex Reo owner)

[Grasshopper]

There is only one real M series truck- M55. A proper mans truck. At least thats what Nick Chance has been trying to convince me for years.....

[Maverick]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome.

 

Lee: Thanks for the invite, if I cant get to the Bunker Bash with the MV I will certainly try and get there in the Car.

 

abn cckw: Glad you liked the toys.

 

Jack: Thanks for the parking space at the club house, hope there's a good turning circle in the car park?

 

Mark. Yeah I thought it was time I pulled my finger out and joined up, Now what's this I hear you have gone over to the even darker side of WW2 (only joking) Are you still a secret Reo fan or are you totally converted?

 

Grasshopper: Nicks been tell everyone that for years even when its not a M Series truck? I have to slightly agree with him, there isn't many 5 ton Reo's in the UK unless anybody knows different? I can only think of 5. How is he doing these days?

 

Regards.

 

 

 

 

[abn deuce]

Turning Circles???? Not a problem All Set there , as nothing here thats on wheels thats a 3 axle or more HE mans truck turns all that well as you know .so with things like my 1945 CCKW 353 with a radius of 35' and a 70' circle not exactly tight and a couple of other's with WLF's and not to forget the Antars or the Scamel's the turns are well layed out to give lots of room.Just as long as you keep the speeds reasonable , mind the jeep tires they use for speed bumps :whistle:

[LeeEnfield]

Hi Stuart,

 

Good to see you here. ;-)

 

See you soon.

 

(Thats 3 of us Easy Co. signed up.......... :-D)

 

Andy

[David Ives]

welcome to the mad house stewart see you soon :-D

dave

[Tony B]

Hi Stewart, don't worry about turning circles, or orbits, we'll just invade somewhere to get the room.

[Maverick]

Now I like the sound of that :-D

 

Regards

Stuart

[Tony B]

Yea, thers a nice little place called The Palace of Westminster, its in London. I'm sure we put the site to good use. :naughty:

[Joris]

Awesome truck and gun you have there!! When was the gun manufactured?

[Maverick]

Thanks Joris, heres some information on it. :-D

 

The Gun is believed to have been used during WW2 but where and by who is unknown. It’s then believed (Unconfirmed) that it went to the Italian Army after WW2, as did a lot of Artillery (a friends 155mm Long Tom went to Italy after the war as well). Nothing is known about its history until 1991 when it was confiscated by the IFOR/SFOR (United nations) During the Bosnian / Serb war. The Serbs were ordered to assemble all of their artillery at a camp in Bilea which was the main artillery depot of the region. It’s believed that the weapons were then sorted for decommissioning / destruction or anything else they decided to do with them. This howitzer was removed from the country and brought into the UK with one other Howitzer. There is only two 155mm Howitzers in private hands in the UK.

 

Manufactured by: Rock Island Arsenal

Date: Carriage 1942, Recoil Mech 1943, Barrel 1945, Originally built 1942 making it a early production

Country of Origin: USA

Crew of 11 (down to 4 men during the Vietnam war)

Weight of Carriage complete with Barrel: 12,700 lbs (5.5 Tons)

Weight of Cannon (barrel): 3,750 lbs. (1.7 Ton)

Total Length 24 Foot (end to end)

Muzzle Velocity: 1,850 fp

Rate of Fire, maximum: 4 rounds per min.

Rate of Fire, sustained: 1 round per min

Estimated Barrel Life Accuracy: 7,500 rounds

Estimated Barrel Life Expectancy: 15,000 rounds

Weight per Round (projectile) 95 LBS

Range 9.5 Miles

 

Below: This is a Picture of it sitting on the docks with some other interesting toys. Not sure where the picture was taken?

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155atdocks.jpg[/img]

 

Below: The next two pictures show the breech before it was cleaned and restored, the breech plug is a big lump

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155PLUG.jpg[/img]

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155BREECH.jpg[/img]

 

Next picture is of a Gun firing, note the distance of travel with the barrel?

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155INTHEUSA.jpg[/img]

 

Below: This shows a Gun in use during the Vietnam War

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155INVIETNAM.jpg[/img]

 

Below: This is a very sad looking 155 in Vietnam taken by me during my vist to the Ke Sanh Airfield in 2001

 

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii30/MAVERICK155/155ATKESANH.jpg[/img]

 

Regards

 

 

[Snapper]

Hey Stuart,

 

Good to have you on here. I haven't seen a reply from you about your truck pic in CMV. Did Jean-Luc get it to you - or do you still need me to get off my crippled derrier?

 

cheers,

 

Mark B

[Maverick]

Hi Mark,

I hope your well?

 

No I never got a copy of it, when you get 5 min can you send it to me?

 

Thanks :-D

[Snapper]

Will do - my emails has been doing stupid things and I've missed some emails, but my wife got them in her account.There's a BT man in Bangalore who has a contract out on him.

 

I'll do my best to sort this for you. But fear not, I've got a list of people who I've promised snaps and will get through them all eventually.

[Joris]

Thanks for the info on the gun mate! Awesome piece of history you have, how did you aquire it?

 

I'm looking for a 105mm myself..