Hi there everyone and welcome to what’s new on Miliblog this week

With 500 photographs now in the Eastern Front Collection, we though we’d take a break and add something else to the collection for your entertainment. So we’ve added about 30 new vehicle photos, including some nice Fordson Thames E4 3 Tonners, some M2 Alligators and a film star !

So I’ve added in some samples below for tempt you to visit them. The RAF used many Standard Vanguards in the 1950′s and 1960′s and our first photo shows a preserved Pick Up – or Ute as they are known in Australia. Next we have an unusual Bedford RL 3 Tonner GS, but with a Mine/Armoured Cab. The idea was that when the vehicle went over a mine in the road, the blast was driven away from the cab and protected the crew. The idea was later used by the South African Army vehicles and also later still with more modern military designs. Next is a Land Rover 101 GS with unusual arabic markings and camouflage  

Our next sample is a rather unusual Leyland Hippo Mk3, but as a 4×2 Tractor unit rather than the usual 6×4 Tanker or GS we normally see. Looking at the fashions in the photo it must be from the 1970′s. Next is a National Service special in the form of a Fordson Thames E4 3Ton 4×4 Breakdown truck. Anyone who collects old Dinky or Matchbox toys will recognise the cab from the Ambulance model that was made. Used as a breakdown truck in Aviemore, I’d be very interested to hear from anyone of you who lives in the town and could say if it’s still there !   

Next we have a very interesting photo indeed of a German manufactured vehicle in service with the British Army. It is a EWK-KHD M2 Alligator Amphibious Bridging/Ferrying Vehicle, and on this photo one of the sides has been dropped down. The other side will drop down and the vehicle driven into the river along with  a number of other Alligators. The idea is to join them all up side to side to form a quick bridge to get vehicles across. They even have a motor on the back to manouvre them about the river.

Lastly we have our film star ! The Chevrolet 1.5Ton driven by Pop Larkin (David Jason) in the British TV show of the 1990′s, ‘The Darling Buds of May’, it also carried Catherine Zeta-Jones who was making her first TV appearance before moving on to the bright lights of Hollywood. 

So have a great week doing your Christmas shopping and we’ll see you next week !

Cheerio !

Simon

Standard Vanguard Phase 1 Pick Up (TCV 432)

Bedford RL 3Ton 4x4 Mine-Armoured Cab (AVG 113 D)

Land Rover 101 GS (Arabic)

Leyland Hippo Mk3 10Ton 4x2 Tractor (07 AN 55)

Fordson Thames E4 3Ton 4x4

EWK-KHD M2 Alligator Amphibious Bridging Ferrying Vehicle (24 BT 88)

Chevrolet YP-G4112 1.5Ton 4x4 Cargo (PGC 123)