“The Antars are mainly 617 (Polish) Tank Transporter Sqdn – they had an overnight stay at Senelager – while the remaining Antars are from 3 Tank Transporter Sqdn. Bedford RL 3 ton was with 3 Sqdn RCT (Singapore). The Alvis Stalwarts were issued brand new, no mileage, to 33 Sqdn RCT (Bunde) There were a nice glossy bronze clean. This is the era when “most” army vehicles were kept clean with car polish; Bedfords, Stalwarts, staff cars, etc. When I was on Centurion and Chieftain tanks, polishing was different. We used kerosene/petrol and oil and buffed up with cotton waste”

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Alvis Stalwart

Alvis Stalwart

Alvis Stalwart (09 ER 48)

Bedford RL 3 ton Cargo (50 EL 82)

Chieftain Tank (03 EB 30) on traile

Chieftain Tank on trailer

Row of Alvis Stalwarts

Thornycroft Antar (12 DM 61)

Thornycroft Antar (12 DM 70)

Thornycroft Antar (12 DM 70)

Thornycroft Antar (12 DM 70) rear

Thornycroft Antar (50 EK 55)

Thornycroft Antar rear

Thornycroft Antar rear

thornycroft-antar-13-dm-14-pushing-

So enjoy these photos and if you’re interested in classic cars, have a look at our sister website www.classiccarblog.co.uk for loads of photos of more polished and shinier vehicles !

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Dodge WC-52 Weapons Carrier (RFF 17

Dodge WC-54 Ambulance (621 ASV)

Dodge WC-54 Ambulance (621 ASV) Cab

Dodge WC-54 Ambulance (621 ASV) Ins

Ferret Mk2 (NAS 845)(01-CA-11)

Land Rover 101 GS (TAZ 1013)

Land Rover 110 Defender (E 261 FRA)

Land Rover 90 Defender (MP 03 DND)

Land Rover S2 88 (MBJ 176 D)

Land Rover S2 88 (XBX 914)

Land Rover S3 109 (14 KC 46)

Land Rover S3 109 (LFM 110 N)

Land Rover S3 Lightweight (G 332 MU

Land Rover S3 Lightweight (OAW 146

Reo M35A2 6x6 Cargo (TFF 389)

Simba Armoured Car (F 447 GNT)

Willys MB Jeep (126 UXS)

Willys MB Jeep (578 UXL)

Willys MB Jeep (PSL 927)

Willys MB Jeep (UYJ 517)

Standard Vanguard RAF Staff Car

Another cracking model is this typically British Morris Minor 1000 Traveller from the 1960′s and 1970′s. The British Army used 1000′s of these as basic communications vehicles. With many army bases across Germany ready to defeat the threat of invasion from the Iron Curtain, they were used to carry post and paperwork between the command centres and camps. This model is painted with the famous bright red wings of the Bomb Disposal Squad, which carried engineers to difuse either terrorist bombs or many WW2 bombs found on construction sites around the country.

Morris Minor 1000 Traveller Bomb Disposal (29 FH 72)

Bedford MWD Western Desert 1942

Bedford OWB Bus Royal Navy (54 RN 12)

AEC Matador Gun Tractor Western Desert 1942

AEC Matador Gun Tractors

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them and have a closer study of the detail. We’ll certainly be looking for new releases later this year.

Rolf our dog is looking for a walk now, so on go the wellies and raincoat and I’ll be back soon !

Cheerio !

Simon

One by one we’ll be scanning this old collection to share with you. When we discovered them, we just had to have them to add to the Miliblog archives !!! So please enjoy them as we did too !!!

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AEC 0853 Matador

AEC 0853 Matador

AEC 0853 Matador (422 EH)

AEC 0853 Matador (45 RB 70) & G

AEC 0853 Matador (89 YY 98)

AEC 0859 Militant Mk1 10 ton Gun Tr

AEC 0859 Militant Mk1 10 ton Tipper

AEC 0860 Militant Mk1 10 ton Cargo

AEC 0860 Militant Mk1 10 ton Cargo

AEC 0860 Militant Mk1 10 ton Cargo

Albion FT103N Clansman 6x4 Machiner

Austin K6 3 ton Breakdown Gantry (9

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (01 CL 9

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (01 EK 1

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (07 DE 3

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (07 DE 8

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (11 FG 0

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (21 DE 8

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (24 ER 4

Bedford RL 3 ton 4x4 Cargo (26 ER 0

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Hillman Minx 10hp Light Utility (TRT 679)

Spitfire MkIX

German Luftwaffe Group

19 Mechanised Brigade (Subdued)

21 Engineer Regt (LAD)

19 Mechanised Brigade (Desert)

So as we come upto the anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6, lets’ get out there to some dry shows !

Cheerio !!!

Simon

Well we’re back once again after a bumpy few weeks and can’t wait to share some of new stuff we’ve been adding to the collection over the winter months. You may have read already on Miliblog how excited we were to see our first sample model from Oxford Diecast. Miliblog were quite flattered to have been asked by Oxford Diecast to work with them to launch a range of British military softskin models. The first is an absolute cracker and as you see below is a very good small scale replica of this lovely WW2 15cwt truck. All in a scale of 1/76 the same scale as Triang Hornby model railways or Airfix plastic model kits of military vehicles. Also ideal for wargamers and at about £4.50 an absolute bargain.  Click on the photo below to get a better idea !

Bedford MWD NW Europe 1944

Well in our part of the UK, the Easter holidays with the first classic car and military vehicle shows were a complete washout !   Who wants to take out their pride and joy out in the wet, wind and the mud ! In fact many shows and events were cancelled with some being rescheduled for later in the year. So what can we turn to instead ?

Cloth badges issued for army units were very popular in WW1 and WW2 and even into the 1950′s. But by the 1970′s and 1980′s, they all but disappeared. Come the new millienium, they seem to have come back again ! This time though they’re called TRF’s !!! ….or in their fullest description Tactical Recognition Flash !!! Many designs can be traced back to the second world war or even the colours or the individual regitment or corps.  So here at Miliblog, we wanted to start collecting them and share with you these very attractive badges.  This first one is for the Rifle Brigade know as The Rifles and is the largest regiment in the current British Army.

The Rifles

Next we have a nice TRF for the Royal Engineers, with the historic RE colours of red and blue stripes.

Royal Engineers

Now these TRF’s are great on the usual DPM modern British Army uniform while in the UK, but a bright basge in combat maybe isn’t such a good idea. So we have three versions of some TRF’s, UK, subdued for combat and then a desert sand version for guess where ! Now with the new MTP, or Multi Terrain Pattern uniforms I’ve seen a fourth version TRF ! So here we show the TRF  for the 1st Artillery Brigade firstly in a nice bright red and then a subdued version for combat situations.

1 Artillery Brigade

1 Artillery Brigade (Subdued)

What about some vehicles then I hear you shout ?!!! Ok, the Scannell Crusader EKA Recovery lorry is well known in military circles and we feature many photos of them serving with the British army. So now we’re seeing them in civvi street earning their keep towing broken down trucks in for repair. A bit like a repeat story of the 1950′s with AEC Matadors ! Here’s a couple of samples below for you to enjoy. More are listed under 1980s+ preserved breakdowns

Scammell Crusader EKA Recovery (BCV 160 T)(Copyright ERF Mania)

Scammell Crusader EKA Recovery (XHT 415 T)(Copyright ERF Mania)

Well let’s hope the weather picks up for next month and we can get out there enjoying some decent sunshine !

Until then….

Cheerio !

Simon