NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 22 MARCH 2010
Hi and welcome to this week’s what’s new. I’m sorry that we haven’t any new photos this week but instead we have a fantastic story that we were told by one of the stand-holders at the West Midlands Military Show last week.
A chap he knew had been in the British Army and was involved with ordnance, that’s weapons and ammunition. When he left the army, he got involved in a number of projects connected with the military until at one stage he published and sold books on military. He had a stand at a military show in the Colchester area and was approached by a guy in his late teens/early twenties asking for a wiring diagram for a Tiger 1 tank. Thinking this guy may not bethe full ticket, he went along with the request. Are you sure you want a wiring diagram for a Tiger tank and not something else ?
Then the story came out. The guy said they had a diesel powered Tiger tank in a barn on the family farm, which was used for a bit of fun. It even had some of the original ammunition still inside. He said some rounds had a green ring on the, others had a white ring and there were some with red rings. Our ex-army chap knew immediately from his experience that these meant these were AP (Armour Piercing), Smoke, and HE (High Explosive) shells !!! Our guy continued that they even had some MP-40 Schmeisser sun-machine guns that they used to shoot rabbits with until they ran out of ammunition. Our chap was by now was well and truly paying attention and asked how they got the Tiger.
Well the guy’s grandfather was serving in the RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) of the British Army in Germany. It was 1945, the war was over and there was loads of military stuff all over the place. His job was to drive the large tank-transporters and so it was no surprise when his CO, Commanding Officer, told him that they had found a rare diesel powered Tiger 1 tank. It was new, straight out of the factory and had all the kit, ammunition and sidearms in place and ready to go into battle. His orders were to load it up and then take it back to England, where he was to report to a certain army camp where the Tiger was to be used for weapons and armour assessment.
Off he went but on reaching the army camp was told they had loads of tanks for assessment and so just to get rid of it. In typical army fashion, I don’t care what you do with it, but just get rid of the damned thing !
So he did ! At his family farm within 20 miles of Colchester, where it remained working and being used for jobs over the years. Pretty useful for pulling dead trees out of the ground !!! The reason the guy wanted a wiring diagram was that there was an electrical fault and they wanted to repair it !!!!
So is the story True or False ?
Perhaps someone out there knows and can tell us, but even so, it’s a good story to tell over a pint of beer in the pub !!!!!!!
So until next week…..
Cheerio !!!
Simon
Hi there are welcome to a catch up of what’s new on Miliblog this week.
Well this week Miliblog visited the WMMS Show at Aldersley Leisure Village near Wolverhampton. WMMS stands for West Midlands Military Show and features many examples of wargames from all eras along with all you need to kit out a model army to go with it. We also attended the show last year and I think this year was even busier and more popular with everyone there having a good time. From models to books to re-enactors, the show is well worth a visit. Not a massive show like the IPMS show in Telford, but still worth a visit. To fall into line with the era Miliblog covers, we have some sample photos below, but for a more detailed report visit our show report, which can be found under Shows and then 2010.
So back to work and see you soon
Cheerio !
Simon
Normandy Landings Wargame
Minimi Models 1:72 Scale Allied Vehicles
Meir Model Club 1:35 Scale Tanks
Believe it or believe it not, this was the 34th West Midlands Military Show organised by the Alumwell Wargames Society. Run by Dave Jarman and Paul Yates, this year’s venue was once again at the Aldersley Leisure Village just outside Wolverhampton and was held on Sunday, March 21.
There were lots of enthusiasts at the show, many with their wallets out and treating themselves at the selection of the trade stands. There were also many live wargames going on from all periods of history, from Ancient Greeks, American Civil War and even WW! Aerial Combat with small planes on wires.
Our first photo shows a nice wargame featuring the the Normandy town of Courseuilles which was part of Juno beach on D-Day and demonstrated by the Earlswood Wargamers from Birmingham.
Normandy Landings Wargame
We then move on the first of the trade stands and feature a superb range of cast resin military vehicle models from Minimi Miniatures. Martin and Andy were there helping owner Lewis on the stand and you can see below the level of detail in these one-piece castings in 1:76 scale, As an idea, the Jeep model is around 50mm long.
Minimi Models Allied Vehicles
Minimi Models Allied Vehicles
Minimi Models Italian Vehicles
Minimi Models German Vehicles
Can you believe these detailed German vehicles and guns are a single casting ?!!!!! Next we moved onto QRF Models who had a similar range of 1:76 scale models but cast in metal rather than resin. Quite a large range with many unusual models available.
QRF Models Stand
QRF Models
We then had a chat with a couple of guys from the Meir Model Club of Stoke who had brought along some samples of their work, including many WW2 Russian models.
Meir Model Club 1:35 scale tanks
Meir Model Club 1:35 scale tanks
Other stands appearing at the show included Kit Korner specialising in rare current plastic kits and Pendraken Miniatures who have a huge range of small cast metal figures from all eras and model military vehicles in 1:100 scale which are a delight and we couldn’t resist in buying some.
So a nice show with a great atmosphere and highly recommended. Watch out for the 35th show in March 2011.
Here we have our first photo of a Canadian truck in British Army service.
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 8 MARCH 2010
Hello and welcome to this week’s newsletter and what’s new this week on Miliblog.
Well Spring is well on its way now having seen the first daffodils in the garden over the weekend. So our thoughts turn towards the forthcoming show season in the military vehicle area and to the new releases from the kit manufaturers in the world of model making. In fact we’ll start off with model making, as I read this week that Airfix are planning to bring out a model in 1:76 scale of two Bedford QL’s, a basic QLD 3 Ton GS and the longer bodied QLT Trooper, or Drooper as they were called. There are models in this scale of QL’s by a specialist firm called IBG, who also make a range of Canadian Chevrolet C15 15cwt, but they are very finely detailed indeed and probably not for the novice modeller. Also I heard that having had a success with their Austin Tilly in 1:48 scale, Tamiya have now tooled up for the Tilly in 1:35 scale as well. Knowing Tamiya models for many years, I’m sure this will be an absolute dream to assemble when it arrives. Getting one though may not be that easy. When I used to make models some years ago, it was pretty easy to find a local toy or model shop that stocked them, but for some reason these shops seem to have disappeared and we have to rely upon mail order service companies. Anyone remember the Beatties of London national chain of model shops at all ? There used to be a great one in central Birmingham !
So this week we’ve been adding some more military vehicle photos for your delight, and from a variety of countries and eras ! As usual to tempt you to visit the various galleries we have, I’m showing 10 samples below. To start the ball rolling we have a Foden 8×6 Drops; just look at the size of those wheels !
Back to the wartime era now to two similar gun tractors used by the British Army, and very popular with recovery and timber companies after the war and even still to this day. The first is an American FWD SU-COE being used by a funfair, which has a Stafford registration number. Secondly is an AEC Matador used by a company in Rochdale to tow in a broken down Ford D Series lorry. The Matador very familiar to us all who used to make Airfix kits in our youth. Recently the Matador is winning new friends after the publication of a new book all about them. If you’re a fan of Matadors, visit our Britsh WW2 Gun Tractors gallery, where there are over 130 photos of them !
British Army 1960′s/1970′s are the next area to visit starting off with a nice Alvis Stalwart showing the different angles of steering on the two front axles, very useful to our modelling friends amongst us. Next we have a purposeful looking Alvis Saladin armoured car, based in fact on the same running gear as the Stalwart. I wonder if the visability for the driver is amy better than a Daimler Ferret ? And to complete the trio is another Alvis built on the same running gear as both the Stalwart and the Saladin and that is a Saladin armoured personnel carrier. This version is the taller GPO (Gun Position Officer) Armoured Command vehicle, used as the name suggests to direct artillery fire onto enemy positions, or often used just for a local armoured command post with tents attached.
We move over to Japan now and feature an Isuzu TW540/TWD 20 2.5Ton 6×6 Cargo, modelled very much on the wartime American GMC 353 Cargo but with a postwar design of cab. Used in the early 1950′s by the Japanese Self-Defence Force, it was also available with a winch on the front.
Our next port of call is the jeep or small 4×4 field car section. We have many photos of everyones favourite military vehicle, the Willys MB/Ford GPW Jeep and here is another example that’s just been added to the Jeeps gallery. From a different country and different age comes a Gaz 69a 4×4 Field Car, this example having what looks like some excellent winter weather protection and looking a very rugged vehicle indeed. See if you can spot one in the next James Bond film you watch !
Lastly, not only do we have photos of military vehicles and aircraft here on Miliblog, but also a huge collection of military cloth badges from a variety of countries, both WW2 and for post-war. This example shows the Canadian WW2 2nd Corps badge, a unit raised in 1942 and was part of the Canadian 1st Army that landed in Normandy and took part in the campaign along the coastal route through Dieppe and northwards along the Channel coast towards the Scheldt Estuary.
So there we are for this week. We will be attending the West Midland Military Show at Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton next Sunday, so if you’re there and see our logo, then come and say hello.
Cheerio !
Simon
Foden 8x6 IMMLC Drops (AG 21 AA)
FWD SU-COE 5Ton 4x4 Gun Tractor (PRE 17)
AEC 0853 Matador Gun Tractor (981 BN)
Alvis Stalwart Amphibious Truck (91 ET 45)
Alvis Saladin Armoured Car (07 BB 40)
Alvis Saracen GPO (Gun Position Officer) Armoured Command
Isuzu TW540-TWD20 2.5Ton 6x6 Cargo (23-0117)
Willys MB - Ford GPW Jeep (676 WU)
GAZ 69a 4x4 Field Car (LSU 344)
Canadian 2 Corps Badge
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 1 MARCH 2010
Hello and welcome to this week’s newsletter. Or should I say Hiya ! to our growing number of vistors to Miliblog from the USA and a Guten Tag und wie gehts ! to our similar gowing number of visitors from Deutschland.
Well this week I thought we’d return to our military vehicle photos and bring some new ones in for you all. As before, I am showing ten samples below to tempt you to visit our many galleries of photographs here on Miliblog. With over 6,000 photos, we had to introduce the many catagories right at the start to give you a chance of finding your own particular area of interest. Don’t forget, you can always use the Search tab at the top of the page to find a particular vehicle or registration number. Many of our visitors have been amazed to find a photo of their own vehicle taken 20 years ago, often with their family including small children that are old enough now to own their own military vehicles. Also look into the photos and see what’s going on in the background. Even some of the old fashions can bring a laugh, and even ask did I really wear similar clothes to that years ago !!!
So let’s move onto our samples this week, starting off with a rare Albion gun tractor taken in a ‘waiting for my turn to be tarted up’ area. An FWD SU-COE gun tractor is next with similar bodywork to our old friend the AEC Matador. Built by the Americans for the British army, they are pretty rare now. Immagine what you would feel to discover one tucked away in a corner of your local bus depot, like on this photo. We’ve four other photos of FWD’s added this week, Just look under the British WW2 Gun Tractors gallery to find them.
What happens to army vehicles after demobbing ? Well the next photo answers this ! Anyone know if the Lochcarron Garage is still in business ? Maybe even the QL is still there ?!!!!!! A similar ex-army vehicle is this Morris FAT, or Field Artillery Tractor, down in Falmouth, Cornwall. Any of our Cornish visitors know what happened to this old soldier ? Maybe it’s been saved and is now a pampered pride and joy, owned by one of us.
We now move onto two similar American International F1800 Series vehicles in US service on the roads of Britain but with different uses. A 4×2 Tractor and a breakdown truck or wrecker as it’s known, and despite 1963 and 1976 registrations, there’s not much difference between their two cabs.
Some nice British post-war stuff now starting with a Humber 1Ton converted to carry the Merkeva rocket system and renamed the Humber Hornet. As vehicles have different owners – or masters ! – through their life, each treat their vehicle differently. Here we have the same AEC Militant Mk3 after being demobbed but in different paint schemes, but which came first ?
Lastly, especially for the tankies amongst us, is a Chieftain Mk5 ARRV. Enjoy !
So once again, have a great week and don’t work too hard !
Cheerio !
Simon
Albion FT15N 6x6 Field Artillery Tractor
FWD SU-COE 5Ton 4x4 Gun Tractor (010 CN)
Bedford QLD 3Ton 4x4 Demobbed
Morris C8 FAT Mk3
International Loadster F1800 4x2 Tractor (63B-11922)
International Loadster F1800 9Ton 6x6 Wrecker (76C-82)
Humber 1Ton Hornet Air-Portable Malkara Missile Launcher (06 BK 66)
AEC 0870 Militant Mk3 10Ton Recovery (WOT 428 H)
AEC 0870 Militant Mk3 10Ton Recovery (WOT 428 H)
Chieftain Tank Mk5 ARRV (06 FF 85)
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2010
Hi there once again and welcome to this weeks newsletter
Well we’ve popped back into the Eastern Front Collection and added another 130 photographs, so no rest here at Miliblog ! Volume 4 is now completed and now we have started Volume 5. Each volume contains 250 photos which I think is big enough for any one of us to handle.
I’ve just included 5 samples this week, so enough of my rabbiting and I will let you have another look at all the stuff we have for you. Remember the main portal you must enter to see our vast number of photos on Miliblog is the ‘Gallery of Photo Collection’
Our first sample shows a mashed up Soviet T-34 tank, an early version with the smaller turret and the 76mm gun. We next have a photo of Hans and his bunker. Maybe a place to keep out of the cold winter nights, but I bet it was still a pretty damp place to live in. A convoy on what looks like Mercedes Benz lorries comes next, in the winter snow. It could even have been photographed in the UK this year with a re-enactment group, with the amount of snow we had this year. One for our modelling friends comes next: a Panzer III tank, with winter white camouflage that’s been crudely applied with big brushes. A proud officer standing by his Opel staff car and no wonder that he’s looking proud, as from the civilian registration number, it look like it’s been commandered and a ‘WH’ painted on the mudguard to show new ownership by the Wehrmacht, or German Army.
So I wish you one again a great week and good luck with any military vehicles you’re working on getting ready for the show season.
Cheerio !
Simon
Eastern Front Collection No 937
Eastern Front Collection No 962
Eastern Front Collection No 970
Eastern Front Collection No 981
Eastern Front Collection No 1051
Here we have some nice photos showing mainly shot down or destroyed Russian WW2 aircraft probably taken early in the Eastern Front Campaign in 1941/42. A selection of Polikarpov I-15 biplanes, I-16 single-wing fighters and trainers and then the more modern looking Yak-1 and Yak-3 fighters.
NEW THIS WEEK – MONDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2010
Hi there and welome to what’s new on Miliblog this week.
For a change we’ve added a whole load of military vehicle photos and I’ve shown 10 samples below to tempt you look around Miliblog website. There’s so many different areas to military vehicle collecting from diggers to trucks and from American to Italian vehicles. If you don’t have the room or the budget for the full size vehicles, then there’s plenty of scale models of these vehicles also to collect.
So we start our samples with an unusual Fiat Allis tracked loader in British Army service. Following we have a nice preserved Magirus Deutz Uranus heavy prime mover, with a now popular crew cab. Next is a nice Volvo 6×6 especially for our Scandinavian readers. The famous Royal Signals ‘White Helmets’ motorcycle display team used this unusual Leyland T45 Tractor in the 1980′s to carry all the bikes around and provided a full repair and maintenance base while at the shows.
Not all military vehicles are painted green or sand, and here we have an excellent photo of an UAZ 469 Field Car in United Nations Protection Force colours of all-white with massive UN letters on the side. An AEC Matador 2500 galls aircraft refueller of wartime manufacture is next, but in post-war service, complete with post-war registration numbers. Still looks in fantastic condition though !
Most of us know the Austin K9 1Ton 4×4 in either GS or Wireless body format, but here we have an unusual Austin FV16012 1Ton Cargo. It just looks an Austin though, doesn’t it ! It looks a cross between a K9 and a Loadster. Quite unusual, we now have three photos listed this week of preserved examples. Have a look ! Following on is another typically British post-war piece of kit, an AEC Militant Mk1 cargo. To extend the service-life of these trucks, a hiab crane was fitted to them and this example is a flat bed, with the body sides removed. Still, a nice photo with the driver’s window open as a form of early air-conditioning !
Now we have a classic WW2 Austin, a K3 4×2 3 Tonner. Now to begin with, I thought this may have been a K2 2Ton or even a K30 30cwt, but I’m pretty sure it’s a K3 due to the longer wheelbase and the twin rear-wheels. Anyone any thoughts on this ? And finally, far from being a star or prima-donna, is a post-war Bedford OL 3Ton 4×2 Cargo, another example of vehicles used by the 1950′s National Servicemen. Nice preserved example though, at a show in the late 1980′s.
So I wish you all a good week and back to the scanning box to see what new items we can find for you !
Cheerio !
Simon
Fiat Allis FL5B Tracked Loader (99 KG 59)
Magirus Deutz 250AE-L Uranus 6x6 Heavy Prime Mover (USV 414)
Volvo TL22 1.5Ton 6x6 Cargo (SLF 569 W)
Leyland T45 Roadtrain 4x2 Tractor White Helmets Display Team (00 WH 05)
UAZ 469 4x4 Field Car (UNPF-3328)
AEC 0854 Matador 5Ton 6x6 2500galls Refueller (27 AD 59)
Austin FV16012 1Ton 4x4 Cargo (Q 754 GFX)
AEC 0860 Militant Mk1 10Ton Cargo (AHJ 112 C)
Austin K3 3Ton 4x2 GS (GSK 611)
Bedford OL 3Ton 4x2 Cargo (MDF 475 F)
