Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning ''Tracked Vehicle 206'' in English) is a Tracked Articulated, All-Terrain Carrier developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Systems Platforms & Services) for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 Personnel (6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear) and the trailer unit can be adapted for different uses.

Development of the Bv 206 All-Terrain Articulated Tracked Carrier began in 1974, three batches of trial vehicles were delivered between 1976 and 1978 and the first production examples were delivered to the Swedish Defence Administration in 1980. Like its predecessor, the Volvo Bv 202, the Bv 206 it's designed to carry Troops and equipment through snow and bog-lands in northern Sweden. The low ground pressure enables the Bv 206 to cope with a wide range of difficult conditions. It is also fully Amphibious, with a water speed of up to 2.9 mph. Over 11,000 units have been produced and they are used in more than 37 countries worldwide.

The total load capacity is 4,960lb and a trailer of up to 5,500lb gross weight can also be towed behind the second compartment. The Bv206 is referred to as a 'Small Unit Support Vehicle' (SUSV) pronounced ''susvee'' in United States service. U.S Military variants include the standard model (M973) a Tactical Operations Center variant (M1065) an Ambulance variant (M1066) and a Flat-Bed Cargo Carrier (M1067). U.S Military models are fitted with a 6-cylinder Mercedes diesel engine and a non-halon fire suppression system, since 1997 due to several cases where the front car caught fire and burned to the frame.

Users include the American and Australian Antarctic Research Organizations and British, Icelandic and Canadian Search and Rescue Services. They are also used for Search and Rescue Services in the Austrian Alpine Region. The Bv 206 was used in Combat by the Canadian Army during 'Operation Anaconda'. The Singapore Armed Forces uses the Bv 206 and recently transferred several of them to the Singapore Civil Defence Force for use as a Firefighting Platform. Decommissioned units have been purchased by private owners and rented as transports, particularly in Alberta, Canada, to access remote oil wells, as well as cut blocks which need to be reforested by tree planting.

Hägglunds Bv 206 Variants:-

**Bv 206A - An Ambulance version, which is capable of carrying stretchers in the rear compartment.

**Bv 206F - Fire Appliance variant.

**RaBv 2061 - (RadioBandvagn 2061) Swedish Army Communications / Command version, fitted with Radio Equipment and workplaces for Personnel.

**PvBv 2062 - (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2062) Swedish Army Anti-Tank Vehicle, an open top version of the Bv 206 armed with a 90mm Pvpj 1110 Recoilless Anti-Tank Gun.

**PvBv 2063 - (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2063) Swedish Army Anti-Tank Vehicle, similar to PvBv 2062, but fitted with the Launch System for an ATGM, either the TOW (Rbs 55) or the Bofors BILL (Rbs 56).

**Bv 206S - Armoured Personnel Carrier variant of the Bv 206, which provides protection from Small Arms fire for Personnel. It is in service with the Armed Forces of France, Germany (379 Bv 206D/S ordered) Spain, Netherlands, Italy (158 units) Sweden (50 units), Greece (Bv 208) and Singapore (300 units) which has replaced it with the Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier. Using a Steyr M1-''Monoblock'' engine (6-cylinder, 174hp) the vehicle can carry the Driver and 12 Combat-Equipped Troops, four in the front compartment and eight in the rear. The Bv 206S can be underslung and airlifted by Boeing CH-47 Chinook and Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopters or carried in the C130 Hercules Aircraft, amongst others. Canadian Troops taking part in 'Operation Anaconda' in Afghanistan made good use of this vehicle, riding over rough mountainous terrain with full Combat Gear, allowing the Troops to avoid the exhaustion they would have felt moving on foot at such high altitudes and in such conditions. The British Army is looking to replace its Bv 206D's by 2020.

**GAZ-3351 - Produced in Russia under license from Hägglunds by the GAZ Group at the Zavolzhsky Plant Of Caterpillar Tractors, uses a 6-cylinder Steyr M16 turbodiesel engine.

▪︎Type: Armoured Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: Sweden

▪︎Designer: Hagglunds

▪︎Mass: 4.5 tonnes / Length: 23ft / Width: 6ft 1in / Height: 7ft 9in

▪︎Crew: Driver + 5 Personnel (front car) 11 Personnel (rear car)

▪︎Cargo Load: 4,940lb - 1,390lb in front unit and 3,550lb in trailer unit

▪︎Powerplant: Ford Cologne 2.8-litre V6, 133hp

▪︎Gearbox: MB W 4A-018 automatic transmission

▪︎Main Armament: Heavy Machine Gun on ring mount

▪︎Secondary Armament: Smoke Grenade Launchers (front) / Mortars (rear)

▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph (roads) / 3mph (water).

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandvagn_206

Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning ''Tracked Vehicle 206'' in English) is a Tracked Articulated, All-Terrain Carrier developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Systems Platforms & Services) for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all four tracks powered. It can carry up to 17 Personnel (6 in the front compartment, 11 in the rear) and the trailer unit can be adapted for different uses.

Development of the Bv 206 All-Terrain Articulated Tracked Carrier began in 1974, three batches of trial vehicles were delivered between 1976 and 1978 and the first production examples were delivered to the Swedish Defence Administration in 1980. Like its predecessor, the Volvo Bv 202, the Bv 206 it's designed to carry Troops and equipment through snow and bog-lands in northern Sweden. The low ground pressure enables the Bv 206 to cope with a wide range of difficult conditions. It is also fully Amphibious, with a water speed of up to 2.9 mph. Over 11,000 units have been produced and they are used in more than 37 countries worldwide.

The total load capacity is 4,960lb and a trailer of up to 5,500lb gross weight can also be towed behind the second compartment. The Bv206 is referred to as a 'Small Unit Support Vehicle' (SUSV) pronounced ''susvee'' in United States service. U.S Military variants include the standard model (M973) a Tactical Operations Center variant (M1065) an Ambulance variant (M1066) and a Flat-Bed Cargo Carrier (M1067). U.S Military models are fitted with a 6-cylinder Mercedes diesel engine and a non-halon fire suppression system, since 1997 due to several cases where the front car caught fire and burned to the frame.

Users include the American and Australian Antarctic Research Organizations and British, Icelandic and Canadian Search and Rescue Services. They are also used for Search and Rescue Services in the Austrian Alpine Region. The Bv 206 was used in Combat by the Canadian Army during 'Operation Anaconda'. The Singapore Armed Forces uses the Bv 206 and recently transferred several of them to the Singapore Civil Defence Force for use as a Firefighting Platform. Decommissioned units have been purchased by private owners and rented as transports, particularly in Alberta, Canada, to access remote oil wells, as well as cut blocks which need to be reforested by tree planting.

Hägglunds Bv 206 Variants:-

**Bv 206A - An Ambulance version, which is capable of carrying stretchers in the rear compartment.

**Bv 206F - Fire Appliance variant.

**RaBv 2061 - (RadioBandvagn 2061) Swedish Army Communications / Command version, fitted with Radio Equipment and workplaces for Personnel.

**PvBv 2062 - (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2062) Swedish Army Anti-Tank Vehicle, an open top version of the Bv 206 armed with a 90mm Pvpj 1110 Recoilless Anti-Tank Gun.

**PvBv 2063 - (PansarvärnsBandvagn 2063) Swedish Army Anti-Tank Vehicle, similar to PvBv 2062, but fitted with the Launch System for an ATGM, either the TOW (Rbs 55) or the Bofors BILL (Rbs 56).

**Bv 206S - Armoured Personnel Carrier variant of the Bv 206, which provides protection from Small Arms fire for Personnel. It is in service with the Armed Forces of France, Germany (379 Bv 206D/S ordered) Spain, Netherlands, Italy (158 units) Sweden (50 units), Greece (Bv 208) and Singapore (300 units) which has replaced it with the Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carrier. Using a Steyr M1-''Monoblock'' engine (6-cylinder, 174hp) the vehicle can carry the Driver and 12 Combat-Equipped Troops, four in the front compartment and eight in the rear. The Bv 206S can be underslung and airlifted by Boeing CH-47 Chinook and Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion Helicopters or carried in the C130 Hercules Aircraft, amongst others. Canadian Troops taking part in 'Operation Anaconda' in Afghanistan made good use of this vehicle, riding over rough mountainous terrain with full Combat Gear, allowing the Troops to avoid the exhaustion they would have felt moving on foot at such high altitudes and in such conditions. The British Army is looking to replace its Bv 206D's by 2020.

**GAZ-3351 - Produced in Russia under license from Hägglunds by the GAZ Group at the Zavolzhsky Plant Of Caterpillar Tractors, uses a 6-cylinder Steyr M16 turbodiesel engine.

▪︎Type: Armoured Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: Sweden

▪︎Designer: Hagglunds

▪︎Mass: 4.5 tonnes / Length: 23ft / Width: 6ft 1in / Height: 7ft 9in

▪︎Crew: Driver + 5 Personnel (front car) 11 Personnel (rear car)

▪︎Cargo Load: 4,940lb - 1,390lb in front unit and 3,550lb in trailer unit

▪︎Powerplant: Ford Cologne 2.8-litre V6, 133hp

▪︎Gearbox: MB W 4A-018 automatic transmission

▪︎Main Armament: Heavy Machine Gun on ring mount

▪︎Secondary Armament: Smoke Grenade Launchers (front) / Mortars (rear)

▪︎Maximum Speed: 40mph (roads) / 3mph (water).

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandvagn_206

Deborah II, at the Norfolk Tank Museum, is a reproduction of the original Mk. IV Deborah Tank which was knocked out of action at The Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Deborah was a Mk. IV Female of 12 Section, 12th Company, D Battalion. Deborah was in the second wave of the attack tasked with attacking the Hindenburg Support line west of Flesquieres. Commanded by 2/Lt Frank Heap, she entered the village firing into the ruins to suppress the defenders. As she left the shelter of the village she was hit by several enemy artillery rounds and five of her eight crew were killed. 2/Lt Frank Heap and the two remaining crew members were able to retire back to British lines. He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for his gallant actions.

The Mk. IV was the third production tank in a series of World War One tanks. It was introduced in May 1917 after slight changes to the earlier Marks. Prior to the Mk. IV attrition rates had been enormous, the Mk. I had proved to be far from perfect on the battlefield. The first tanks were originally developed after intense trialing of different designs throughout 1915 and early 1916. The rhomboid design with the high climbing face of the track was designed to cross the wide and deep trenches prevalent on the battlefields of the Western Front.

Given the tank’s hull length of 26ft 5in and the height necessary for the shape, an armed turret would have made the vehicle too tall and unstable. Instead, the main armament was arranged in sponsons at the sides of the vehicle. The Mk. I was fitted with additional trailing wheels as an aid for steering, but were omitted on the Mk. II as they found to make no significant difference and were actually a hinderance. The Mk. II and Mk. III, both training machines, featured many modifications to the original Mk. I, these modification culminated with the production of the Mk. IV. The most significant changes being, an increase in armour thickness, moving of the fuel tank to the rear and a major redesign of the sponsons for ease of transportation, the sponsons were now able to be pushed inwards into the hull instead of being removed.

Originally there were plans to introduce a new engine for the Mk. IV, but a failure to develop it in time to start production of 200 tanks ready for the promised date of 1st April 1917, meant this did not happen. The Mk. IV went into production in May 1917 using the original 105hp Daimler in line, double sleeve valve, 6 cylinder, 13 litre water-cooled engine. This gave the vehicle a power to weight ration of 3.75hp per ton and a top speed of 4mph. The male tank was fitted with 2 Quick Fire 6pdr guns which were now short-barrel as compared to the previous Marks, and three compact, light and reliable Lewis machine guns which were favoured over the early Hotchkiss. The earlier Hotchkiss had been sturdier and more affordable, but was criticised for its lack of magazine capacity, 14 rounds compared to 96 for the Lewis. The female tank was fitted with five Lewis machine guns.

Another improvement to the Mk. IV was the carrying of an un-ditching beam, often made from oak and reinforced with sheet metal, which was stored at the rear of the tank, and also the fitting of two parallel rails running the entire length of the roof which enabled the deployment of the beam. The beam could be deployed by attaching its chains to the tracks, the tracks would then drag the beam over and then under the tank enabling the tank to pull itself out of boggy ground.

Conditions inside the tanks were certainly not crew-friendly, the smell, heat and fumes from the exhaust and the cordite from the guns firing would have made the early WWI tanks not a nice place to be. Rather than being in a separate compartment the engine was mid-mounted, meaning there was no separation between it and the crew. The men suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning from leaking exhaust fumes, heat exhaustion (there are reports of internal temperatures reaching an unbearable 50°c) and of course the noise itself from the massive engine resonating inside what is, ostensibly, a steel box. The only way the crew could communicate was to use hand signals.

Driving the vehicle was no simple task. Two drivers are positioned at the front of the vehicle, one in charge of the steering brakes the “Driver” and the “Commander” who was responsible for the clutch, brake and gear change controls, two forward and one reverse. There were also two “gears men”, one on either track, they were able to alter the track speeds selecting high, low or neutral. To make a turn the Commander had to bring the vehicle to a halt, one of the gears man would then engage ‘low’ on his side leaving the other gears men in ‘high’, this gave the tank a large turning circumference. Alternatively, putting one track in ‘low’ and the other in ‘neutral’ with the driver applying the correct steering brake lever, and not forgetting to also engage diff-lock, one could carry out a skid turn by locking one track. If diff-lock was forgotten the tank would not move at all. This was complicated teamwork made all the more intense when under enemy fire.

Communication with other tanks and HQ was achieved through different coloured flares or carrier pigeons. The crew were issued with the 0.455 Webley revolver in case they had to abandon the vehicle. Crew safety was an issue inside the tank, with each bullet impact on the tank mini-shrapnel or spall, which could be as small as a millimetre square, was produced inside the hull injuring the men inside. Following the first reports of spall thick leather jackets and helmets, or a combination of leather and chain-mail, were provided to the crews. Foam liners or padding inside the tanks to stop spall only appeared decades later.

SPECIFICATION -

▪︎Weight: 28 tons

▪︎Width: 11 ft 8 in

▪︎Height: 8 ft

▪︎Length: 26 ft 5 in

▪︎Maximum Speed: 4 mph

▪︎Power / Weight: 3.75 hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: None

▪︎Range: 35 miles

▪︎Crew of Eight: Driver, Commander, Two gears man, Four Gunner’s.

INSPIRATION -

The inspiration for the documentary was to try and recreate a replica Mk. IV Tank, the first tank to see successful active duty in the Battle of Cambrai. The Battle took place in Northern France on the 20th November 1917; 100 years ago. The British Army amassed 475 tanks to attack the German Hindenburg Line, a huge feat of engineering at the time. The Museum decided to build the tank as close to the original as they possibly could, using the modern technology available. They wanted to recreate the original sounds and smells to get a real feel for the enclosed space within the tank, so a petrol engine and a mechanical gearbox with chains to the final drives was selected. They knew that given this mechanical and ''true-to-the-original setup'' it would need three people to drive it: a commander who controls the clutch, brake and accelerator; a driver who steers the vehicle; and a gears-man.

THE BUILD -

To achieve a replica of this magnitude NorthOne TV, with Project Manager Stephen MacHaye, approached JCB to fabricate the hull. To demonstrate modern technology it was decided that state of the art computerised welding techniques would be used, and the rivets of the original design, although not practical to replicate, would be welded in place to give the effect of the 1917 build.

Chasestead World Class joined the team and fabricated the tracks from steel plate, 90 each side as per the original, along with many other smaller components including the drivers’ hatches and pistol ports. RH Barrel made the Lewis Machine Gun mounts and the driver controls. The volunteers at the Norfolk Tank Museum constructed the engine and transmission, utilising a Rolls Royce B60 engine connected to an agricultural transmission, an engineering jigsaw puzzle which used all the ingenuity of the museum team. On top of this they assembled a multitude of components including the tracks, sponsons and detailing, including painting, to finally bring the Mk. IV to life.

THE C4 DOCUMENTARY ''GUY MARTIN'S WWI TANK'' -

Pre-production talks between NorthOne TV, the Norfolk Tank Museum, JCB and Chasestead World Class began in May 2017. With the date of the 11th November set to celebrate 100 years from the first successful use of the tank, they had very little time to make it. The tank was finally completed on 9th November, just six months later.

Guy Martin was to be the presenter of the documentary, with a personal interest in the tank and its construction due to his engineering background. Guy spent several days filming at JCB, Chasestead and the Museum. With the tank complete and the deadline for the commemoration of the Battle of Cambrai looming, preparations were made to take the tank to France.

On a cold, wet and windy day in November the tank paid a fitting tribute to the brave men of the British Army that lost their lives fighting for freedom from tyranny, a sight that Guy and everyone involved in the build was able to witness. It has been a project that they are all very proud of.

Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/mk-iv-tank-deborah-ii/

The Land Rover Series III was built by Land Rover Ltd. in Solihull, England, between 1971 and 1985. It was the last of the "Series" Land Rovers, following the original Series I in 1948, the Series II in 1958, and the Series IIA in 1961. It was replaced by the Land Rover 90 and 110 models in 1983, which were in 1990 renamed the Land Rover Defender. The Defender, which was produced up until 2016, was the last vehicle to have its roots in the "Series" Land Rover line. The latest Defender model (L663), introduced in 2020, was an all-new design, unrelated to the original in all but name.

I spotted this Series III in poor condition sitting by the roadside in Bogor, Indonesia. All four tyres were flat, some of the glass is broken, the left fender is completely missing, the frame is rusting, the bodywork paint is faded and flaking off, the roof is damaged, and I'd be surprised if there weren't things living inside it at this point.

That said, it's not in as bad a condition as it could be; Indonesia is a humid country, and Bogor gets a lot of rainfall. The rust doesn't appear to be completely terminal.

It's not necessarily impossible for someone to restore it, if they had the time and money required to do so - there were over 440,000 examples of the Series III built, and they are sought-after vehicles, so replacement parts can be purchased for these cars even around 40 years after production ceased.

When the UK MoD procured the current military Land Rover fleet in 1996, the coil-sprung turbo-diesel inter-cooled engine Defender HS/XD or ‘Wolf’ version which primarily replaced the last of the leaf-sprung and petrol engined Series III fleet mostly built between 1971 and 1984, they also had on strength several thousand naturally aspirated diesel engine pre-Defender (mostly) long and short wheelbase Land Rovers mainly built around 1985-87. As these mid-80's vehicles had a planned service life of 15 years plus an expectation of a few more years in reserve stocks, only 8,000 of the Wolf model (plus 800 similarly engined stretched wheelbase Pulse Ambulances) were procured. However by 2006/7 the roughly 4,000-strong pre-Wolf fleet was both overdue for replacement and also assessed as being no longer compliant with the latest road safety regulations. Tithonus was a means of temporarily solving these issues without buying a fleet of new vehicles.

There is no doubt that UK MoD got its money’s worth with the pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet, which saw active service in quantity in the 1991 Gulf War and on following operations in the Former Yugoslavia, though it was mostly the Wolf which stepped up to the plate for the later conflicts in Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq, but by 2007 the now 20-year old fleet was getting a little jaded and most of the short wheelbase models had been replaced by their younger Tdi-powered siblings. However the option of buying more Wolf Land Rovers was no longer on the table, as not only had this model only ever been produced for the UK Forces and that part of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps designated to work alongside the Royal Marines, but once the original contract was fulfilled UK MoD expressed no willingness to support Land Rover in keeping the specialist Wolf jigs and pressings in store for future contracts. In 2007 there was no budget available to allow competitive trials, as required under EU rules, for a new vehicle fleet. The option of a mid-life upgrade for the best of the ageing fleet was, however, deemed viable.

It was therefore decided that around £10 million would be spent on cosmetically sprucing up the best 3,700 or so of the remaining pre-Wolf Land Rover fleet to theoretically extend in-service life to over thirty years. That figure, which works out at around £2,700 per vehicle, had to include fitting a new Wolf-style roll-over cage and bodywork strengthening fitments to the rear compartment plus fitting either a new Wolf-style hard top or canopy, and external protection bars also had to be added to the cab as well as a new paint job applied to make the vehicles look a bit smarter. It was suspected that the £10 million figure did not include ABRO staff wages and when the project team were questioned at DVD 2007 they admitted there was no money in the budget for major mechanical upgrades. The brief was simply: To repair the vehicles to field standard, refurbish bulkheads and chassis, renew all brake components, wheel bearings, hub seals and shock absorbers, wax inject chassis and bulkhead, repaint the vehicle and underseal the chassis.

The external inverted safety hoop over the windscreen was bolted to the the door and windscreen hinges and through the wing top and the two welded tubes which ran above and parallel to the door tops were connected through the new hard top to the front internal roll cage hoop by a single bolt. This bolted construction allowed for the top to be removed and the vehicle to be stripped down to waist height for reduced silhouette in combat environments, where safety from enemy attack naturally takes precedence over peacetime road safety considerations. Turning to the rear roll cage cum canopy support, looked quite similar to that of the 1997/8 Wolf model, but it was actually re-engineered by Ricardo to make it stronger. Marketed by the company as ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) the most noticeable internal difference of strengthening was the cross-bracing behind the cab.

Each Tithonus Land Rover was individually selected and fully refurbished by the MoD in 2007-2008 as part of the British Army LEP (Life Extension Programme) The project was to extend the overall service life of the Land Rover's by 10 years, from 20 to 30 years.

Defender 110 91 KE 17 -

▪︎Year into service: 1986

▪︎Defender 110 Tithonus Hardtop RHD

▪︎Features include

▪︎2.5 litre NAD diesel reconditioning engine

▪︎5 speed LT 77 gearbox

▪︎Hi / Low transfer box

▪︎Centre diff lock

▪︎Front disc brakes

▪︎Fully integrated Wolf roll cage including front external and rear internal hoop system

▪︎16in rims

▪︎7.50R16 Michelin XZL tyres

▪︎Updated Exmore front seats with head rest

▪︎Rear bench seats x2 with lap belts

▪︎Front and rear, sound proof rubber matting

▪︎Chequer plating to siils and bonnet.

Informed credited to - www.joint-forces.com/land-rovers/37091-mlr44-tithonus-a-s...

Freedom! The ability to travel into beautiful wild places is an American dream. This is Monache Meadows in the southern Sierra. I'm driving on a designated OHV road rated Class II and III: somewhat treacherous, requiring some skills over large rocks and ruts using low-range 4x4 gearing.

I understand the need for wilderness that restricts all motor travel. But there's already lots of it. Surrounding this 12-square-mile meadow is wilderness much larger than the OHV area. The few people who drive here with their jeeps, pickups and SUVs are causing less environmental impact than the hundreds of cows grazing. The bad roads already keep a lot of people out. On this prime summer day, I only saw about 6 other vehicles, and only one group of 4 people camping.

Off-roading is a misnomer. You can't drive off the roads; the signs warn it's against the law, and most off-roaders respect the need to protect the environment. The major off-roading organizations certainly do. 4x4 enthusiasts and their clubs subscribe to the "pack it in, pack it out" and "tread lightly" ethics.

There's room in this great country for backpackers, horseback riders, and off-roaders. Turning more areas into "wilderness" sounds good in theory but ends up depriving more human beings from enjoying nature. The ones most likely to respect nature, though, are the ones who have access to it. Experiencing natural beauty fosters an attitude of wanting to preserve it for posterity.

Caught this at just the right moment when the buggy had all 4 tires off the ground. Best shot of the day, no doubt.

ARO Emblem

Ocotillo Wells, CA - This is where we escape to and just play. It's somewhere north of nowhere and just south of somewhere.

Good luck getting a cellphone signal and even the GPS has issues working out here. As it should be.

Part I :-

This British Army World War Two M3A3 Grant ''Monty'' Medium Tank, was used by General Montgomery during the Battle of ''El Alamein'' the 1.5in Main Gun was replaced by a 'wooden dummy' Gun barrel to create more room in the turret for extra radio.

The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American Medium Tank used during World War Two, produced in two forms, the turret differed, one for U.S needs and one modified to British requirements to place the Radio next to the Commander. In British Commonwealth service, the Tank was called by two names, Tanks employing the U.S pattern turret were called ''Lee'' named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee, while those with British pattern turrets were known as ''Grant'' named after Union General Ulysses S. Grant.

Design commenced in July 1940, and the first M3's were operational in late 1941, the U.S Army needed a Medium Tank armed with a 3in Gun and, coupled with the United Kingdom's immediate demand for 3,650 Medium Tanks, the Lee began production by late 1940. The design was a compromise meant to produce a Tank as soon as possible. The M3 had considerable firepower and good armour, but had serious drawbacks in its general design and shape, including a high silhouette, an archaic sponson mounting of the Main Gun preventing the Tank from taking a hull-down position, riveted construction, and poor off-road performance. Its overall performance was not satisfactory and the Tank was withdrawn from combat in most Theaters as soon as the M4 Sherman Tank became available in larger numbers. In spite of this, it was considered by Hans von Luck (an Oberst (Colonel) in the Wehrmacht Heer and the author of Panzer Commander) to be superior to the best German Tank at the time of its introduction, the Panzer IV (at least until the F2 variant). Despite being replaced elsewhere, the British continued to use M3's in combat against the Japanese in southeast Asia until 1945. Nearly a thousand M3's were also supplied to the Soviet Military under Lend-Lease between 1941 and 1943.

The M3 brought much-needed firepower to British Forces in the North African Desert Campaign, early Grant's were shipped directly to Egypt and lacked some fitments (such as Radios) that were remedied locally. Under the ''Mechanisation Experimental Establishment (Middle East)'' other modifications were tested approved and made to Tanks as they were issued. These included fitting of sandshields (later deliveries from the U.S had factory fitted shields) dust covers for the Gun Mantlets and the removal of the hull Machine Guns, ammunition stowage was altered to 80 3in (up from 2in) and 80 1.5in with additional protection to the ammunition bins.

The American M3 Grant Medium Tank's first action was in 1942, during the North African Campaign, British Lee's and Grant's were in action against Rommel's Forces at the Battle of Gazala on 27th May that year. The 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 3rd and 5th Battalions Royal Tank Regiment going into action with Grant Tanks. Retreating in the face of large attack the 8th Hussars had only three of their Grant's remaining, while 3rd Royal Tank Regiment reported losing 16 Grant's. Their appearance was a surprise to the Germans, who were unprepared for the M3's 3in Gun. They soon discovered the M3 could engage them beyond the effective range of their 5cm Pak 38 Anti-Tank Gun, and the 5cm KwK 39 of the Panzer III, their main Medium Tank. The M3 was also vastly superior to the Fiat M13/40 and M14/41 Tanks employed by the Italian Troops, whose 47mm Gun was effective only at point-blank range, while only the few Semoventi da 75/18 Self-Propelled Guns were able to destroy it using HEAT rounds. In addition to the M3's 3in Gun outranging the Panzers, they were equipped with High Explosive Shells to take out Infantry and other soft targets, which previous British Tanks lacked, upon the introduction of the M3, Rommel noted ''Up to May of 1942, our Tanks had in general been superior in quality to the corresponding British types. This was now no longer true, at least not to the same extent''.

Despite the M3's advantages and surprise appearance during the Battle of Gazala, it could not win the Battle for the British. In particular, the High-Velocity 88mm Flak Gun, adapted as an Anti-Tank Gun, proved deadly if British Tanks attacked without Artillery support. Britain's Director of Armoured Fighting Vehicles nonetheless said before the M4 Sherman arrived that ''The Grant's and the Lee's have proven to be the mainstay of the Fighting Forces in the Middle East, their great reliability, powerful armament and sound armour have endeared them to the Troops.

Part II Link :- www.flickr.com/photos/139375961@N08/shares/1m4392

With auxiliary fuel tank in the cabin.

The 11.9 one is behind, unfortunately completely disassembled now.

Our Allstate Agency was offering Boat Insurance and ORV Insurance this past weekend, March 2-4th, at the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Classic at Northfield Stapleton, Interstate 70 and Quebec, Denver, Colorado.

The WZT (Wóz Zabezpieczenia Technicznego - Armoured Recovery Vehicle) was a Polish Post-World Two Amoured Recovery Vehicle series, there were five versions. The first two, WZT-1 and WZT-2 were built on the Soviet T-55 / T-55A Main Battle Tank chassis, the WZT-3 was built on the Soviet T-72M Main Battle Tank chassis, the WZT-3M was built on the Polish PT-91 Main Battle Tank chassis and the WZT-4 was built on the same PT-91M chassis for Malaysia.

In the early 1950's the U.S.S.R started developing an Armoured Recovery Vehicle built on the chassis of a T-54 Main Battle Tank (MBT) that was just entering into production, a prototype vehicle was completed after a short while and was named BTS-1 (BTS - Bronirowannyj Tjagacz Sriednij) production was launched and it became the basic Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) of the Soviet Army. In 1955 BTS-1 was upgraded with a hoist and a small folding crane, this upgraded version was given the name BTS-2. It was built on the T-54 chassis and later on the T-55 chassis. At the end of the 1960's Poland and Czechoslovakia bought the BTS-2. Basing on BTS-2 technical data the Zakład Produkcji Doświadczalnej Zakładów Mechanicznych ''Bumar-Łabędy'' (Experimental Production Institute of ''Bumar-Łabędy'') prepared a prototype of the WZT-1 Armoured Recovery Vehicle. It was accepted into the Ludowe Wojsko Polskie and became its basic ARV replacing the older designs. Production started in 1970 in ''Bumar-Łabędy'' and continued until 1978 when it was completely replaced by WZT-2 ARV.

**WZT-1 : were used in the upgrade of Newa SAM System to Newa-SC standard, the Launcher was mounted on a WZT-1 chassis (many sources claim the vehicle to be T-55 Tank but as a matter of fact vehicles never had tank turret in the first place) Upgraded and replaced many analogue components with digital ones for improved reliability and accuracy also improving mobility and also adds IFF capability and data links. Unlike oryginal ARV variant the Newa Launcher is still in use in the Poland Armed Forces.

**WZT-2 : Polish ARV built on T-55 chassis, it was built to perform repairs on T-55 and T-55A Main Battle Tanks. When it entered service in 1973 it was probably the best ARV in the Warsaw Pact. It is still able to carry out tasks that NATO gives ARV's of its class. Unlike the T-55 and the WZT-1, the WZT-2 it is still the basic ARV of the Polish army used for field repairs. It can carry out repairs not only on Soviet Tanks like the T-54 / T-55 and T-72 but also on Polish PT-91 and German Leopard 2A4 Tanks. However because all the Tanks currently in Polish service weigh more than 40 tonnes it is not able to tow them. It is used to tow lighter vehicles like BMP-1 and 2S1. A number of these vehicles were used by Ratownictwo Kolejowe (Railroad Emergency Response Services).

**WZT-3 : When the T-72 entered service with LWP in 1978 a need for a new ARV appeared, it was decided that T-72M chassis will be used. Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej (Military Institute of Automobile and Armour Technology) from Sulejówek pointed out the main requirements of the vehicle and Ośrodek Badawczo-Rozwojowy Urządzeń Mechanicznych in Gliwice made two prototypes caring out the Bizon (Bison) program. Tests and trials were carried out from 1986 to 1988 and it was immediately accepted into the Polish Army. During a short production run 20 of those vehicles were made until 2003 when they were all upgraded to the WZT-3M standard.

**WZT-3M : When PT-91 entered service in the Polish Army it was decided that the WZT-3 which was based on T-72M should be upgraded with elements from PT-91. The upgraded variant was given WZT-3M designation. The main difference was the engine. The original WZT-3 had a 780hp 12-cylinder diesel engine from T-72M. The WZT-3M has an 850hp PZL-Wola S12U 12-cylinder 38.9 litre diesel from PT-91. During the initial production run 9 vehicles were made before 2003 when 20 of the old WZT-3 were upgraded to the WZT-3M standard.

Specifications for the WZT-1 Armoured Recovery Vehicle only :-

▪︎Type: Armoured Recovery Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: Poland

▪︎In Service: 1999 to present

▪︎Produced: 1999 to present

▪︎Number Built: 9 + 20 upgraded WZT-3 for Polish Army and 352 built for the Indian Army

▪︎Mass: 42 tonnes / Length: 27ft 2in / Width: 10ft 8in / Height: 8ft 10in

Crew: 4

▪︎Armour: PT-91 Main Battle Tank armour

▪︎Main Armament: 12.7mm NSV ''Utyos'' Soviet Heavy Machine Gun

▪︎Powerplant: PZL-Wola S12U 4-cyl. 38.9 liter diesel engine, 850hp

▪︎Power / Weight: 20.2hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: Torsion bar

▪︎Operational Range: 404 miles - road / 373 miles - cross-country

▪︎Maximum Speed: 37mph.

Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZT

I photographed this truck in Pleasant Hill, Mo., as I finished walking a leg of the Katy Trail, which has a trail head there. The truck caught my eye by its sheer bespattered condition. When I stopped to take a photo, a screaming woman bolted from the adjacent home with a cigarette in one hand and a phone in the other. "Why are you taking photos of my truck!!!!" I slowly turned around and explained that I was a hiker and it was simply interesting. She waived me off as if to say, "Meh." BTW I never left the public right of way.

Part II :-

Grant's and Lee's served with British Units in North Africa until the end of the campaign, following 'Operation Torch' (the invasion of French North Africa) the U.S also fought in North Africa using the M3 Lee. The U.S 1st Armoured Division had been issued new M4 Shermans, but had to give up one Regiment's worth to the British Army prior to the Second 'Battle of El Alamein'. Consequently, a Regiment of the Division was still using the M3 Lee in North Africa.

The M3 was generally appreciated during the North African Campaign for its mechanical reliability, good armour protection, and heavy firepower. In all three aspects, the M3 was capable of engaging German Tanks and Towed Anti-Tank Guns.

However, the high silhouette and low, Hull-Mounted 3in Gun were tactical drawbacks since they prevented fighting from a hull-down firing position. In addition, the use of riveted hull superstructure armour on the early versions led to spalling, where the impact of Enemy Shells caused the rivets to break off and become 'projectiles' inside the Tank. Later models were built with all-welded armour to eliminate this problem. These lessons had already been applied to the design and production of the M4. The M3 was replaced in Front-Line roles by the M4 Sherman as soon as the M4 was available. However, several specialist vehicles based on the M3 were later employed in Europe, such as the ''M31 Armored Recovery Vehicle'' and the ''Canal Defence Light''.

British Commonwealth service names and variants:-

**Grant I - M3 with turret to British specification, no cupola

**Grant II - M3A5. Both the U.S-turreted and British-turreted Tanks were considered Grant's documentally. Some M3A3 also had Grant turrets, but they were never documentally identified as Grant's.

**Grant ARV - Obsolete Grant I and II converted in 1943. Guns removed and replaced with Armoured Recovery Vehicle equipment including winch. Some had the turret replaced with a 'dummy', the majority had turret removed and a hatch fitted with twin Bren Light Machine Guns for Anti-Aircraft Defence.

**Grant ARV I - U.S T2 (later M31) in British service 1944-1945

**Grant Command - Fitted with map table and extra radio equipment, on some, the 37mm Gun was removed or replaced with dummies.

**Grant Scorpion III - 3in Gun removed to allow for fitment with Scorpion III mine flail by REME workshops, few made in January 1943 for use in Tunisia Campaign in North Africa.

**Grant Scorpion IV - Scorpion III with additional Bedford motor at rear to increase Scorpion flail power.

**Grant CDL - "Canal Defence Light" 3in turret replaced by one with a powerful Searchlight for disorienting the Enemy and a Machine Gun. The Tanks had been replaced by M4 Sherman’s and were used to replace the earlier Matilda II CDL in anticipation of use in North West Europe. Some were fitted with a 'dummy' 1.5in Gun, 355 were produced by the Americans for six Tank Battalions, the designation ''Shop Tractor T10'' was used disguise its purpose.

▪︎Type: Medium Tank

▪︎Place of origin: United States

▪︎Conflicts: World War Two

▪︎Manufacturer: Detroit Tank Arsenal of Chrysler (M3 Lee / M3A4) / American Locomotive ▪︎Company (ALCo) (M3 Lee/ M3A1) / Pullman Standard (M3 Grant) / Pressed Steel Car Company (M3 Grant) / Baldwin Locomotive Works (M3 Grant / M3A2 / M3A3 (both Lee and Grant) M3A5 (both Lee and Grant)

▪︎Produced: August 1941 to December 1942

▪︎Number Built: 6,258

▪︎Mass: 27 tons

▪︎Length: 18ft 6in / Width: 8ft 11in / Height: 10ft 3in – Lee

▪︎Crew: seven (Lee) / six (Grant)

▪︎Armour: 2.0in (hull front / turret front / sides / rear) / 1.5in (hull / sides / rear)

▪︎Main Armament: 1 x 3in Gun M2 / M3 in hull, 46 rounds / 1 x 1.5in Gun M5 / M6 in turret, 178 rounds

▪︎Secondary Armament: 2–3–4 x .30-06 Browning M1919A4 Machine Guns, 9,200 rounds

▪︎Powerplant: Wright (Continental) R975 EC2 400hp /340hp

▪︎Transmission: Mack Synchromesh, five speeds forward, one reverse

▪︎Suspension: vertical volute spring

▪︎Ground Clearance: 18in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 175 gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 120 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 26mph (road) / 16mph (off-road)

▪︎Steering System: Controlled differential.

Part I Link :- www.flickr.com/photos/139375961@N08/shares/p5NL75

The American MGR-1 Honest John Rocket was the first Nuclear-Capable Surface-to-Surface Rocket in their arsenal, it was originally designated ''Artillery Rocket XM31'' the first unit was tested on 29th June 1951, with the first production rounds delivered in January 1953. Its designation was changed to ''M31'' in September 1953. The first Army Units received their Rockets by year's end and Honest John Battalions were deployed in Europe in early 1954. Alternatively, the Rocket was capable of carrying an ordinary High-Explosive Warhead weighing 1,500lb.

Developed at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, the Honest John was a large but simple fin-stabilised, unguided Artillery Rocket weighing 5,820lb in its initial M31 Nuclear-Armed version. Mounted on the back of a truck, the Rocket was aimed in much the same way as a Cannon and then fired up an elevated ramp, igniting four small spin rockets as it cleared the end of the ramp. The M31 had a range of 15.4 miles with a 20 kiloton Nuclear Warhead and was also capable of carrying a 1,500lb Conventional Warhead.

The M31 system included a truck-mounted, unguided, Solid-Fueled Rocket transported in three separate parts, the Honest John was assembled in the field before launch, mounted on an M289 Launcher, and aimed and fired in about 5 minutes. The Rocket was originally outfitted with a W7 Nuclear Warhead, with a variable yield of up to 20 kilotons of TNT in 1959, a W31 Warhead with three variants was deployed with yields of 2, 10 or 30 Kilotons. There was a W31 variant of 20 Kilotons used exclusively for the Nike Hercules Anti-Aircraft System. The M31 had a range between 3.4 and 15.4 miles.

Early tests exhibited more scatter on target than was acceptable when carrying conventional payloads. Development of an upgraded Honest John, M50, was undertaken to improve accuracy and extend range. The size of the fins was greatly reduced to eliminate weathercocking. Increased spin was applied to restore the positive stability margin that was lost when fin size was reduced. The improved M50, with the smaller fins and more ''rifiling'' had a maximum range of 30+ miles with a scatter on target of only 250 yards, demonstrating an accuracy approaching that of Tube Artillery. The Honest John was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Santa Monica, California.

In the 1960's, Sarin Nerve Gas Cluster Munitions were also available, designed to be interchangeable for use with either the Honest John or MGM-5 Corporal. Initially the M79 (E19R1) GB Cluster Warhead, containing 356 M134 (E130R1) Bomblets for the M31A1C Honest John. The production model was the M190 (E19R2) GB Cluster Warhead, containing 356 M139 (E130R2) Bomblets when the M31A1C was phased out in favor of the XM50 Honest John. Under nominal conditions it had an mean area of effect of 0.347 square miles.

The two basic versions of Honest John were:-

**MGR-1A (M31) was 27ft 3in long, had an engine diameter of 22+7⁄8 in, a Warhead diameter of 30in, a fin span of 9ft 1in, weighed 5,820lb (nuclear) and had a range of 3.4 to 15.4 miles. The Hercules Powder Company M6 Solid-Fueled Rocket motor was 16ft 5+7⁄16 in long, weighed 3,937lb, and had 99,000 lbf thrust.

**MGR-1B (M50) was 26ft long, had an engine diameter of 22.8in, a Warhead diameter of 30in, a fin span of 4ft 6in, weighed 4,320lb (nuclear) and had a maximum range of 30 miles, practically twice that of the M31. An improved propellant formulation gave the Rocket motor 150,000 lbf thrust.

In late 1950, Major General Holger Toftoy was a Colonel overseeing the development of the Rocket. The project was in danger of cancellation "on the grounds that such a large Unguided Rocket could not possibly have had the accuracy to justify further funds." On a trip to the White Sands Missile Range, Toftoy met a Texan man who was prone to making unbelievable statements. Whenever anyone expressed doubt about the man's claims, he would respond, "Why, around these parts, I'm called ''Honest John !'" Because the project was being questioned, Toftoy felt that the nickname was appropriate for the Rocket and suggested the name to his superiors.

Specifications:-

▪︎Type: Nuclear-Capable Surface-to-Surface Rocket

▪︎Place of Origin: United States

▪︎In Service: 1953 to 1991

▪︎Used By: Belgium / Canada / Denmark / France / Germany / Greece / Italy / Netherlands / Norway / South Korea / Taiwan / Turkey / United Kingdom / United States

▪︎Conflicts: Cold War

▪︎Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company

▪︎Number Built: 7000+

▪︎Variants: MGR-1A / MGR-1B / MGR-1C

▪︎Mass: MGR-1A - 5,820lb / Length: 27ft 3in / Diameter: 30in

▪︎Powerplant: Hercules M6 solid-fueled rocket, 99,000 lbf

▪︎Wingspan: 9ft 1in

▪︎Propellant: Double base solid propellant

▪︎Operational Range: 3.4 to 15.4 miles

▪︎Flight Ceiling: 30,000ft

▪︎Maximum Speed: Mach 2.3.

Extracts taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGR-1_Honest_John

The Ferret Armoured Car was developed in 1949 as a result of a British Army requirement issued in 1947, ''Light Reconnaissance Cars'' existed during World War Two, notably the Daimler Dingo given Daimler's experience with the successful Dingo (6,626 produced and one of two British Armoured Fighting Vehicles produced throughout World War Two) Daimler was awarded a development contract in October 1948, and in June 1950 the first prototype of the Car, Scout, 4x4, Liaison (Ferret) Mk.1 was delivered. The Ferret Armoured Car, more commonly known as the ''Ferret Scout Car'' was a British Armoured Fighting Vehicle designed and built for Reconnaissance Purposes. The Ferret was produced between 1952 and 1971 by the UK company Daimler. It was widely used by British Army Regiments, as well as the RAF Regiment and Commonwealth countries throughout the period.

Designated the FV701(C), it was one of several versions resembling the original Daimler Scout Cars, and represented the basic model Ferret. This shared many similar design features with the Dingo, notably the H form drive train in which a central differential eliminates loss of traction due to wheel-slip, and parallel drive shafts considerably reduced the height of the vehicle (roughly equivalent to that of a tracked AFV) compared to conventional Armoured Car designs. Like the Daimler Scout Car, the Ferret's suspension consisted of pairs of transverse links and single coil springs, the wheels driven by Tracta constant-velocity joints, but the Ferret benefited from epicyclic reduction gears reducing transmission torque loads, essential with the six cylinder 4.26 litre water-cooled Rolls Royce B.60 petrol engine. Connected by a fluid coupling to a pre-selector five speed epicyclic gearbox, all gears available in reverse, in its original form, the Ferret produced 116bhp at 3,300rpm and 129bhp at 3,750rpm in its final form.

This improved power-to-weight ratio, longer 7ft 6in wheelbase compared with the Dingo's 6ft 6in and the fitting of larger 9.00x16 run flat tyres increased speed and mobility over broken ground. Compared with the Daimler Dingo and Canadian Ford Lynx, the Ferret featured a larger cabin, directly mounted to the hull (the Ferret is much noisier than Dingo, lacking a monocoque body). 0.24in to 0.63in steel plate protects the Crew from shell splinters at most angles except directly overhead because the basic vehicle was open-topped and unarmed, with the exception of six Forward-Firing Grenade Launchers fitted to the hull over the front wheels (normally carrying Smoke Grenades) a feature found on all subsequent marks and models. However, the Ferret normally carried a .303in Bren Light Machine Gun or a pintle-mounted .30in Browning Light Machine Gun in addition to the Crew's Personal Weapons.

Ferret Mk.2:-

Compared to the lightly armed and protected Mk.1, the Mk.2 was designed from the outset to mount a .30in Browning Machine Gun in a one-person traversable turret, at the cost of one Crew member. While this offered better Crew protection and protected the exposed Gunner, the turret raised the height of the vehicle. In general terms, the most successful Wheeled Armoured Vehicles are purpose-designed. The lightest, commensurate with their mission, at the least disadvantage in relation to Tracked Vehicles in terms of ground pressure.

Small, light and fast enough to be useful in an urban environment, but sufficiently strong and agile to negotiate rugged terrain off-road, the Ferret, while no longer in service in the British Army, is still operated by several Commonwealth countries and proves popular with private collectors due to the compact size and affordable price, e.g. between £6,000 to £15,000 in the United Kingdom, depending on age and model. Mk.1 and Mk.2 Ferret's were used by Australian Military 1953 to 1970, at which time Australian Military Forces disposed of them at public auction. According to the U.S Military, 20 National Armies were operating the Ferret in 1996. A total of 4,409 Ferrets, including 16 sub-models under various Mark numbers, were manufactured between 1952 and 1962, when production ceased. It is possible to upgrade the engine using the more powerful FB60 version from the Austin Princess 4-Litre-R, this upgrade providing a 55bhp gain over the standard B60 engine.

General characteristics:-

▪︎Type: Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicle / Reconnaissance Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎In Service: 1952 to 1991 (UK)

▪︎Conflicts: Malayan Emergency / Algerian War / Aden Emergency / Biafra War / Black September / The Troubles / Dhofar Rebellion / Portuguese Colonial War / Lebanese Civil War / Rhodesian Bush War / Somali Civil War / South African Border War / First Sudanese Civil War / Second Sudanese Civil War / Suez Crisis / Sri Lankan Civil War / Ugandan Bush War / Internal ▪︎Conflict in Myanmar / Iran–Iraq War / Invasion of Kuwait / Syrian Civil War

▪︎Number Built: 4,409 (for UK and export)

Manufactured: 1952 to 1962

▪︎Mass: 3.7 ton

▪︎Length: 12ft 2in / Width: 6ft 3in / Height: 6ft 2in

▪︎Crew: 2 (Commander and Driver / Radio Operator)

▪︎Main Armament: 7.62×51mm NATO General Purpose Machine Gun if fitted / .30in M1919 Browning Machine Gun

▪︎Powerplant: Rolls Royce B60 Inlet over Exhaust I6 petrol engine, 130hp

▪︎Power / Weight: 35.1hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: 4×4 wheel

▪︎Operational Range: 190 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 58mph.

Sourced from en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferret_armoured_car

Used by the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (R.E.M.E) since the 1960’s the FV434 Armoured Repair Vehicle is part of the FV430 family and is still in service today but will soon to be phased out. It's primary role is the repair of damaged and disabled Fighting Vehicles as its 3 ton Hiab Crane makes it capable of changing the 'power packs' of Centurion and Chieftain Tanks as well as other vehicles in the FV430 series.

The Hiab Crane is situated on the right side of the vehicle and has a lifting capacity of 3 tons at 7ft 5in and 1.23 tons at 12 11in but it is not capable of lifting the current Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank's Power Pack (Hence, the reason for its replacement). In addition to the crane, the FV434 is fitted with a fold-away work bench to the rear of the vehicle and a full tool kit is carried. Like the FV432 Personnel Carrier version, it is capable of amphibious operation with the aid of a floatation screen. Once in the water, it is propelled by its tracks at up to 3.5mph, the flotation screens were removed from service in the 1970’s. There is a crew of 4, the Commander, Driver and two Fitters.

ARMAMENT:

7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun and smoke dischargers fitted to the front armour.

ENGINE:

Rolls Royce K60, 6 cylinder, 6.57 litres, water cooled diesel engine producing 240bhp at 3,750rpm coupled to a TX-200-4A automatic transmission with six forward and one reverse gear, giving the vehicle a top speed of 32mph on the road.

Suspension:

Torsion type and consisting of five pairs of road wheels each side with the drive sprocket at the front and idler at the rear. There are two track return rollers. The first and fifth road wheel stations are provided with hydraulic shock absorbers which are normally locked when the crane is being used.

General characteristics:-

▪︎Type: Armoured Repair / Recovery Vehicle

▪︎Place of Origin: United Kingdom

▪︎Manufacturer: GKN Sankey

▪︎Mass: 17.5 tons / Length: 19ft 3in / Width: 9ft 2in / Height: 9ft 1in

▪︎Crew: 4 - Commander / Driver / two Fitters

▪︎Armour: 0.5in Maximum

▪︎Main Armament: 7.62 mm L7 General Purpose Machine Gun

▪︎Secondary Armament: none, Defensive Smoke Dischargers

▪︎Powerplant: Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel engine, 240hp

▪︎Power / Weight: 15.7hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar, 5 units each side

▪︎Maximum Speed: 32 mph.

Taken from norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/fv-434/

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FV434#:~:text=The%20FV434%20is%20...(REME).

The ''Pink Panther'' often referred to as the ''Pinkie'' is a heavily customised Land Rover Series IIA built for British Special Air Service desert warfare operations in the Middle East. The SAS are globally renowned as being one of the single toughest and most effective special forces units in the world, so building them a 4x4 exclusively for desert use was no small undertaking.

The choice of pink may seem strange but it was discovered that it was the most effective colour for camouflaging vehicles in the desert, particularly in the dawn and dusk parts of the day. The story goes that an aircraft had been painted pink in order to make it highly visible, it crashed and proved impossible to find in the desert sands. It was later discovered entirely by accident.

The first SAS vehicles had been American Jeeps during World War Two, they’d be used for sabotage and reconnaissance missions behind enemy lines and they’d proven to be highly capable. In 1968 the British Ministry of Defence bought 72 examples of the Series IIA long wheelbase Land Rovers (the 109) it was officially known as ''Truck, General Service, 3/4 Ton'' or ''FV 18064''. These factory-stock 109's were sent to Marshalls of Cambridge for conversion to SAS specification.

The basic outline of this desert preparation included the following - four fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 100 gallons, a heavy duty chassis, heavy duty suspension, sand tyres, differential guards front and back, and a spare tyre was mounted to the front. Both doors and the windscreen were removed, as was the roof (this example has a soft top). Rifle boxes were added along with shovels, jerry cans, and sand ladders. For military purposes the vehicles were equipped with a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) an anti-tank weapon, rifles, grenade holders, smoke canisters front and rear, navigation equipment, and spotlights front and back.

The ''Pinkies'' came from Marshalls painted bronze green, but for SAS desert service they were painted in light pink, typically including the wheels and even the tires. It’s hard to know what the enemy combatants in the desert must have thought because they’re no longer with us, but it must have been a sight to behold seeing a bright pink truck come roaring over the sand dunes full of decidedly well-trained SAS operatives.

Most of the original 72 Pink Panthers didn’t survive their military service, and those that did (approximately 20) are now amongst the most famous and highly-sought after Land Rovers in the world. Many replicas have been made, but when an authentic Pinkie comes up for public sale word of it spreads like wildfire across the Land Rover world, and the classic car world to a degree. An original genuine 1968 Land Rover Series IIA ''Pink Panther'' would probably be worth in the region of £65,000 plus, so start saving !

Information sourced from - silodrome.com/sas-land-rover-pink-panther-pinkie/

M41 WALKER BULLDOG -

The M41 Walker Bulldog Light Tank was a development of the T37 Experimental Tank and designed to replace the World War Two M24 Chaffee, which gave good service during the war but its armament was found to fall short of expectations when used against the later versions of enemy tanks. The M41 underwent trials in 1949 and in 1950, the contract for mass production was signed. The tank was produced by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors.

The T37 incorporated the proven American 76mm main gun matched with a newly developed rangefinder system which proved to be too complicated and was thus simplified, the resultant vehicle was re-titled ''T41'' and after tests and field trials entered service as the ''M41 Little Bulldog'' subsequently gaining the ''Walker'’ tag after General Walton Walker who died in a Jeep accident in Korea in 1950. In all 3,728 examples were produced.

The M41 was an agile, robust, easy to handle and well-armed vehicle, on the other hand, it was noisy, fuel-hungry and heavy enough to cause problems with air transport. The M41 appeared in many variants, 1953 brought in the M41A1 with a hydraulically powered turret which, being more compact allowed for increased storage of projectiles, up from 57 to 65 rounds. In 1956 along came the M41A2 with a Continental AOS 895-3, 6 cylinder petrol engine featuring fuel injection.

Earlier marques were up-engined to this new unit. The M41 chassis was then converted to a Mobile Air Defence Weapon with the fitting of 2 x 40mm Bofors Cannons. The U.S Army finally replaced the M41 with the M48 ''Patton'' Medium Tank but worldwide the M41 continued to find widespread use, over 1,500 examples being delivered around the globe including Taiwan, Brazil and Thailand and remains in use somewhere in the world today, despite its outdated technology and high running costs.

ARMAMENT - The Walker Bulldog was fitted with a 76mm M32 Main Gun, Coaxial .30 calibre Browning machine gun and the Commander a .50 calibre Browning machine gun.

ENGINE - Continental AOS 895-3 6-cylinder gasoline, 500hp, producing 21.3hp per metric tonne, range 100 miles.

SUSPENSION - The suspension is of the torsion type and consists of five pairs of road wheels each side with the drive sprocket at the rear and front idler, there are three track return rollers.

Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/walker-bulldog-m41-light-tank/

These awesome XL Sport lights by Baja Designs​ are normally seen on offroad trucks. They do look amazing on #RallyFist though. The two pocket fog lights are Squadron Pro, also by Baja Designs. As small as they are, they are even brighter. If you have a vehicle with pocket fog lights, regardless if offroad or not, you owe it to yourself to upgrade to these for driving on dark roads. The difference is truly outstanding!

This off-road vehicle was primarily produced to meet the British Army's requirement for a Gun Tractor, and was designed to tow a Field Gun (L118 Light Gun) with a ton of Ammunition and other equipment in the rear load space, giving it the alternative name of the Land Rover ''One Tonne'' the vehicle was designed to be easily transported by air, the positioning of the 3.5 litre Rover V8 engine beneath and to the rear of the cab eliminates the bonnet at the front, making the vehicle more or less cuboid thus reducing unused space in Transport Aircraft. Of concern was the payload and limited stability, particularly when crossing an incline.

The official name of ''101 Forward Control'' is derived from the vehicle's 101 inch wheelbase, and the position of the driver, above and slightly in front of the front wheels which used a fairly large 9.00 x 16in tyre. To cope with the extra height above the ground, the wheels feature an unusual feature for a Land Rover (but used for many years on the much older and similar Mercedes Unimog S404) a flange around the centre of the wheel has an embossed tread pattern forming a step for the crew when entering the cab, named a 'wheel-step'.

Development of the 101 Forward Control started in 1967, with a design team led by Norman Busby (14th October 1931 to 30th June 2005). Production took place between 1972 and 1978, in common practice of the Armed Forces, many vehicles were not used for some years and it is not unheard of for Military Vehicle enthusiasts to pick up these vehicles after only a few thousand miles service. All the vehicles produced at the Land Rover factory at Lode Lane, Solihull were soft top ('rag top') General Service Gun Tractors, although later on many were rebuilt with hard-top Ambulance bodies and as Radio Communication Trucks. A rare variant is the Electronic Warfare Vampire body, it is thought that only 21 of these were produced and less than half of these survive today.

The 101 Forward Control also served with the RAF Regiment, two 101's were allocated to each Rapier Missile set up, the British RAF Rapier System used three Land Rovers in deployment, a 24V winch fitted 101 Firing Unit Tractor (FUT) to tow the Launch Trailer, loaded with four Rapier Missiles, Guidance Equipment and radio, a 12V winch fitted 101 Tracking Radar Tractor (TRT) to tow the Blindfire Radar Trailer, also loaded with four Rapier Missiles and Guidance Equipment, and a 109 Land Rover to tow a Reload Trailer with 9 Rapier Missiles and loaded with the unit's other supplies and kit.

The 101 Forward Control also served in the Ambulance role, the Ambulance bodywork was built by Marshall of Cambridge, and was manufactured in both left and right hand drive with either 12 or 24 volt electrical systems. Some 101 Forward Control's were produced with a PTO powered Nokken capstan winch mounted on the chassis at the centre of the vehicle, allowing winching from either the front or rear. Another variation on a small number of pre-production vehicles was the addition of a trailer with an axle driven from the PTO, creating a 6x6 vehicle, this adaptation was abandoned before full production when it was discovered that the trailer had a propensity to push the vehicle onto its side when driven over rough terrain.

By the late 1990's, the 101 Forward Control's were decommissioned by the MoD and were replaced with Defenders and Pinzgauer Vehicles. Many 101's have entered into private ownership and there is a thriving 'Owners Club' supporting these sourcing spares and providing technical support the club also keeps a register of known surviving vehicles throughout the world. A prototype 101 was built based on a Recovery Vehicle, but only one of these is known to be in existence, at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.

Sourced from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_101_Forward_Control

The Soviet PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank was introduced in the early 1950's and soon became the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact Armed Forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, Syria, North Korea and North Vietnam. The Light Tank's full name is ''Floating Tank-76'' (плавающий танк, plavayushchiy tank, or ПТ-76) 76 stands for the caliber of the Main Armament: the 76.2 mm D-56T series Rifled Tank Gun. The PT-76 is used in the Reconnaissance and Fire-Support roles. Its chassis served as the basis for a number of other vehicle designs, many of them amphibious, including the BTR-50 Armored Personnel Carrier, the ZSU-4 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, the ASU-85 Airborne Self-Propelled Gun and the 2K12 Kub Anti-Aircraft Missile Launch vehicle

About 5,000 PT-76's were produced, of which some 2,000 were exported, over 25 countries employed the vehicle, including Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, China, Congo, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Laos, Madagascar, Mozambique, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, North Vietnam, and Yugoslavia. The PT-76 was used as the standard Reconnaissance Tank of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact Armies. It was also intended for water obstacle fording operations and Naval Infantry landings. It served in the Reconnaissance Subunits of Tank Divisions and Mechanized Divisions of the Red Army and Soviet Marines Divisions. Although it has been replaced in front line service by the BMP-1, it may still be found in the Reconnaissance Companies and Battalions of some Motorized Rifle and Tank Regiments and Divisions, as well as in Naval Infantry Units. Aside from its reconnaissance role, it is also used for crossing water obstacles in the first wave of an attack and for artillery support during the establishment of a beachhead. The main disadvantage of the BMP-1 and the BRM-1 when compared to the PT-76 is the absence of a powerful Main Armament. However, the BRM-1 is fitted with more modern Reconnaissance Equipment. Also, both vehicles have stronger front armour and superior mobility features and the BMP-1 can carry up to 8 fully equipped Troops inside. The PT-76 is still on active service in a number of countries mainly in the third world. The Russian Army is reported to have used PT-76 units in the ongoing war in Chechnya.

After World War Two, the concept of Light Tanks was resurrected in the U.S.S.R, they were to be used in Reconnaissance Units and therefore an amphibious ability was essential. The requirements stated that the vehicle should be able to cross water obstacles with little preparation. Many prototypes of such Light Tanks were built in the late 1940's. The most successful was ''объект 740'' (Object 740) designed by the engineer N. Shashmurin working at the VNII-100 institute in Leningrad (a research institute of Chelyabinsk Tank Factory ChTZ) in 1949 to 1950, under an initial supervision of Josef Kotin from Kirov Plant. The vehicle was successful because it had a simple design, good navigational traits and a good cross country capability. At the time, its water-jet design was innovative.

A prototype was built at Kirov Plant in 1950 and the Tank was officially adopted on 6th August 1951 with the designation PT-76. Production started at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory (STZ). The Tank was subsequently modified. In 1957, the D-56T Gun was replaced with the D-56TM with double-baffle muzzle brake and fume extractor, and the hull was raised by 5in, additionally the Tank was equipped with new Vision and Communications Devices. First series Tanks were subsequently modified, receiving the D-56TM Gun and new equipment. In 1959 an improved variant, the PT-76B, was adopted and remained in production until 1967 (main improvements were: D-56TS Gun with stabilization and CBRN protection). In 1964 the United States obtained a PT-76 by undisclosed means, which was evaluated by the Tank-Automotive Center in February, and was deemed inferior to American Tanks !

▪︎Type: Amphibious Light Tank

▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union

▪︎In Service: 6th August 1951 to present

▪︎Designer: N. Shashmurin and Zh.Y. Kotin

▪︎Designed: 1949 to 1951

▪︎Manufacturer: VTZ, Kirov Factory

▪︎Produced: 1951 to 1969

▪︎Number Built: ~12,000

▪︎Mass: 14.6 ton / Length: 25ft (gun forward) - 22ft 8in (hull) / Width: 10ft 4in / Height: 7ft 7.5in

▪︎Crew: 3 (Driver, Commander / Gunner, Loader)

▪︎Armour: RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armour) 0.98in (turret front) / 0.78in (turret sides) / 0.5in (turret rear) / 0.31in (turret top) / 0.55in (hull sides) / 0.27in (hull rear)

▪︎Main Armament: 76.2mm D-56T Rifled Tank Gun (40 rounds) or AU-220M Baikal Turret with 57mm BM-57 Autocannon

▪︎Secondary Armament: 7.62mm SGMT Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) 7.62mm PKT ▪︎Coaxial Machine Gun (1,000 rounds) since 1967

▪︎Powerplant: V-6 Type diesel, straight-six engine, 240hp

▪︎Power / Weight: 16.4hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: torsion-bar

▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.6in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 55 Imperial gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 230–250 miles with external fuel

▪︎Maximum Speed: 27 mph on road / 6.3 mph swimming.

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT-76

Development of the ZSU-23-4 Shilka began in 1957, the first prototype was completed in 1960. After extensive trials it entered service with the Soviet Army in 1962. Production of the ZSU-23-4 commenced in 1964. It was a very successful design, that was built in large numbers. It was exported to a number of soviet allies. Also this anti-aircraft system saw action during numerous wars. Despite its age the Shilka is still in service with a number of countries worldwide.

The ZSU-23-4 Shilka is armed with quad 23mm machine guns, and is a modified variant of the towed ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun, it has a rate of fire of 3,400 rounds per minute, and also fires the same rounds as the ZU-23. The Shilka is fitted with target surveillance and tracking radar and simple fire control system. Its radar has a tracking range of 3.7 to 6.24 miles, depending on the targets altitude. The baseline Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) has a 30% chance of hitting an air target. The ZSU-23-4 was involved in a number of military conflicts, and has also been extremely effective against ground targets.

The thin armour of the ZSU-23-4 provides only limited protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters. It has been reported that the sides of the vehicle can be penetrated by standard Soviet 7.62x39mm rounds fired from an assault rifle. Though the front arc withstands this ammunition. The vehicle is also fitted with a Nuclear Biological Chemical (NBC) protection system.

The vehicle has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, radar operator and driver. The Shilka has a tracked chassis and uses many automotive components of the SU-85 self-propelled artillery system. The vehicles produced until 1970 were fitted with a V-6P diesel, vehicles produced since 1970 are powered by an improved V-6P1 diesel engine, developing 280hp, the ZSU-23-4 is also fitted with auxiliary power unit.

Variants -

▪︎ZSU-23-4V - improved variant developed in 1969.

▪︎ZSU-23-4V1 - improved variant with new fire control system, developed in 1971.

▪︎ZSU-23-4M1 - has improved radar, developed in 1972.

▪︎ZSU-23-4M2 - was optimized for firing against ground targets during Afghanistan war. It had no radar, but carried 3,000 rounds instead of 2,000. This vehicle was used against ground targets. This variant was developed in 1978.

▪︎ZSU-23-4M3 - fitted with friend-or-foe identification system, new fire control system, improved radar and laser rangefinder. This variant has a 74% chance of hitting air targets, comparing with 30% of the baseline model. This variant was developed in 1978.

▪︎ZSU-23-4M4 - upgraded version, fitted with two Igla surface-to-air missiles, new vision devices, improved radar and improved transmission. This variant was developed in 1999.

▪︎Donets - proposed Ukrainian improved variant, fitted with upgraded turret, armed with additional Strela-10M surface-to-air missiles. This variant was mounted on a T-80U main battle tank chassis and had much higher level of protection. It never reached production.

▪︎ZSU-23-4MP Biala - Polish upgrade of the ZSU-23-4 with added Grom anti-aircraft missile and a number of other improvements. Since around 2019 this air defense system used more capable Piorun air defense missiles.

General characteristics -

▪︎Type: Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun

▪︎Place of Origin: Soviet Union

▪︎In Service: 1960 to present

▪︎Designed: 1957 to 1960

▪︎Manufacturer: Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant (UMZ) / Mytishchi Machine-Building Plant (MMZ)

▪︎Unit Cost: U.S $357,000 (export price to Libya, 1972/73)

▪︎Produced: 1964 to 1982

▪︎Number Built: About 6,500

▪︎Mass: 19 tonnes / Length: 21ft 5.3in / Width: 10ft 3in / Height: 8ft 5.4in - 11ft 8.6in) with Radar elevated

▪︎Crew: 4 (Commander / Driver / Gunner / Radar Operator

▪︎Armour: Welded steel - 0.36in turret / up to 0.59in hull

▪︎Main Armament: 4 x 23mm 2A7 Autocannons (AZP-23 ''Amur'' Quad Automatic Anti-Aircraft Gun) 2,000 rounds

▪︎Powerplant: V-6R, 6-cylinder 4-stroke airless-injection water-cooled 20-litre diesel engine, 280hp at 2,000rpm

▪︎Power / Weight: 14.7hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: Individual torsion bar

▪︎Ground Clearance: 14.8in

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 11.2 Imperial gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 280 miles (road) / 186 miles (off-road)

▪︎Maximum Speed: 31mph (road) / 19mph (off-road).

Information sourced from -

www.military-today.com/artillery/zsu_23_4_shilka.htm

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZSU-23-4_Shilka

The MAN HX is a range of Tactical Trucks specially developed to meet military needs. It replaced in production the FX and LX ranges. The MAN HX60 Military Truck has a 4x4 configuration. The HX range also includes trucks with 6x6 (HX58) and 8x8 (HX77) configurations. These trucks are designed for off-road application, production of the HX range commenced in 2004. The HX60 trucks are in service with Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Germany operates only a small number of these vehicles, however the UK ordered over 5,000 HX60 Military Trucks in various versions. These replaced the Leyland DAF T244 4-tonne trucks. Vehicles have a projected service life of 20 years. New Zealand operates approximately 120 of these trucks. The MAN HX60 is essentially a successor to the MAN KAT 1 with 4x4 configuration. It has a payload capacity of 6 tonne. This military truck is used to transport Troops and general cargo, as well as for other applications, the vehicle can be used to mount shelters and also to tow trailers and Artillery Pieces.

The MAN HX60 is fitted with an all-steel solid modular cab, which is used across the HX and SX ranges of military trucks. It provides seating for driver and two passengers. Add-on armour kit can be fitted to the cab, there is an observation hatch on the roof. It can be used to mount a Light Machine Gun. Separated windscreens are designed for easier replacement. Also these are installed vertically in order to minimize light reflections.

The MAN HX range is based on the automotive components of commercial MAN TGA heavy truck range. The HX60 is powered by a MAN turbocharged diesel engine, developing 326hp. It meets EURO IV emission requirements, the engine is located behind and under the cab. This feature allowed to reduce height of the vehicle. Also such location protects damage of the radiator or blockage with mud. All models are fitted with ZF 12-speed automatic gearbox. Maximum road speed is electronically limited to 55mph. A central tyre inflation system is proposed as an option. Without preparation the MAN HX60 fords water obstacles up to 3ft 11in, with preparation it can ford up to 4ft 11in. The vehicle can operate in climatic conditions, ranging from -32°C to +50°C, they can be fitted with an Arctic kit for operation down to -46°C. The MAN HX60 can be airlifted by the C-130 Hercules Cargo Aircraft with little preparation. The MAN HX series was succeeded in production by an improved HX2 series. Also production of more capable MAN SX series reportedly ceased in 2019, so the new HX2 series trucks took the roles of the SX series.

General characteristics:

▪︎Country of Origin: Germany

▪︎Manufacturer: RMMV (Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles)

▪︎Entered Service: 2004

▪︎Configuration: 4x4

▪︎Cab Seating: 1 + 2 Personnel

▪︎Weight: 7 tonne (emptyt

▪︎Payload Capacity: 6 tonne

▪︎Length: 24ft 11in

▪︎Width: 8ft 4in

▪︎Height: ~ 9ft 5in

▪︎Powerplant: MAN diesel engine power 326hp

▪︎Maximum Road Speed: 55mph

▪︎Range: 500 miles

▪︎Gradient: 60%

▪︎Side Slope: 40%

▪︎Vertical Step: 1ft 11in

▪︎Trench: 1ft 11in

▪︎Fording: 3ft 11in.

Sourced from www.military-today.com/trucks/man_hx60.htm

After the Second World War the British Army needed a new armoured car with improved cross country performance and firepower. Saladin prototypes were ready for testing in 1952 but production was delayed as priority was given to producing the Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier needed for the Malayan Emergency.

The Alvin FV601 Saladin was eventually developed with a powerful 76mm gun and came into use in 1959 with the Royal Armoured Corps. Capable of fording streams up to 3 feet 6 inches deep without preparation, it also has the ability to get back to base after loosing any of its wheels to a landmine.

Production continued until 1972 when it was largely replaced in the British Army by the tracked Alvis Scorpion CVRT(T). The versatility of the Saladin had been recognised by the many roles it had performed, including internal security in Northern Ireland. It also participated in many Middle and Far East conflicts and remained in use in some of those countries until the 1990's.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Rolls-Royce 8-cylinder, petrol 180 bhp

▪︎Speed: 45 mph

▪︎Range: 250 miles

▪︎Armament: 76mm gun with co-axial 30 calibre machine gun and an anti-aircraft gun

▪︎Armour: 10mm to 32mm

▪︎Weight: 11.4 tons

▪︎Crew: 3.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

Mercedes-Benz World

A facility at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit owned and operated by Mercedes-Benz.

Home to the largest display of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK, Mercedes-Benz World is so much more than just a retail site.

The facilities include:

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Handling Circuit

Off-Road Circuit

Skid Pan

Café

Restaurant

Mercedes-Benz Store

Silver Arrows Display Team

Mercedes-Benz Premier Dealership

www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_un...

www.mercedes-benzretailgroup.co.uk/mercedes-benz-cars/abo...

Mercedes ML 250 4MATIC

A genuine 'mud plugger' able to cope with the most extreme off road conditions. That said I don't expect may of these will ever be used off road.

This model now discontinued and replaced with the Mercedes GLE which comes in 250, 350, 500 and AMG 63 versions.

I quite fancy the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC. A bargain at a mere £94,500, which can quickly escalate to £100K+ if you add on a few extras.

Mercedes-Benz World

A facility at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit owned and operated by Mercedes-Benz.

Home to the largest display of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK, Mercedes-Benz World is so much more than just a retail site.

The facilities include:

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Handling Circuit

Off-Road Circuit

Skid Pan

Café

Restaurant

Mercedes-Benz Store

Silver Arrows Display Team

Mercedes-Benz Premier Dealership

www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingdom/mpc/mpc_un...

www.mercedes-benzretailgroup.co.uk/mercedes-benz-cars/abo...

Mercedes ML 250 4MATIC

A genuine 'mud plugger' able to cope with the most extreme off road conditions. That said I don't expect may of these will ever be used off road.

This model now discontinued and replaced with the Mercedes GLE which comes in 250, 350, 500 and AMG 63 versions.

I quite fancy the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC. A bargain at a mere £94,500, which can quickly escalate to £100K+ if you add on a few extras.

HÄGGLUNDS BV 206 -

This particular vehicle is an ex- Swedish Army variant, complete with all its CES (complete equipment schedule) e.g. pick axe, shovels and tow ropes. The BV 206 was designed to work in some of the most hazardous conditions, particularly in the mountainous regions of Sweden where any normal vehicle would have failed. It is fully amphibious and yet this vehicle is just as agile in the desert terrains found in the Middle East.

It has the capability to carry up to 17 men, 6 in the front cabin and 11 in the rear cabin, or 2.5 tons of equipment or supplies at speeds of up to 40mph. The BV 206 saw service with the British Army from the mid 1980’s and is still used today. The only major modification is the replacement of the Ford V6 petrol engine, with a Mercedes diesel engine.

The museum uses the BV 206 predominately to give their visitors the experience of being in a military specification vehicle whilst being driven over their off-road assault course and test track.

PERFORMANCE - Hägglunds BV 206 is a special military vehicle designed for use as an all-terrain transport vehicle, capable of travel both on and off roads, under almost all conditions and in all extremes of climate. Its large track area allows the vehicle to travel over deep snow and soft ground which would be impassable to almost all other tracked and wheeled vehicles. It is also amphibious, being propelled in the water by its four tracks. The BV 206 consists of two track-driven cars that are coupled together by a central, articulated steering assembly. Steering is accomplished using hydraulic cylinders that turn the cars relative to each other, giving the vehicle a turning radius of about 35ft.

ENGINE - Hägglunds BV 206 is fitted with a ford V6 petrol engine producing 136bhp at 4,600rpm giving the vehicle a maximum speed of 40mph on the road and 30mph in water.

Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/hagglunds-bv-206/

The M24 Light Tank, named after General Adna Chaffee, first entered service with the U.S Army in 1944. At the time the firepower and protection afforded by the Chaffee surpassed that of all other light tanks, its 75mm gun being equal to that of the Sherman main battle tank. It was mechanically reliable and its high speed of 34mph added to its overall survivability.

During the Second World War it entered service with the U.S Army too late in to make a big impression but was used during the advance on Berlin in 1945.

It realised its true combat value in the Korean War in 1950-53. With the agility for reconnaissance and scouting, the Chaffee provided valuable support for the Sherman and Pershing tanks used by the U.S Army. Later they were supplied as military aid to several countries and some remained in service for many years.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Two 110bhp Cadillac water cooled petrol engines

▪︎Armament: 1 x 75mm gun

▪︎Armament: 2 x .30 caliber Browning machine guns

▪︎Armament: 1 x .50 caliber machine gun

▪︎Armament: 1 x M3 smoke mortar

▪︎Range: 174 miles

▪︎Crew: 5

▪︎Weight: 16.5 tons.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

This Navistar Defence Husky Protected Support Vehicle (KJ80AB) served with the British Army in Afghanistan between Operations ''Herrick 12'' (April 2010) and ''Herrick 16'' (October 2012) during this period the Vehicle was seriously damaged on three separate occasions by 'Improvised Explosive Device' (IED) incidents. Amazingly despite the 'Husky' receiving extensive damage, there were no casualties in any of the three incidents. The Husky was repaired after the first two incidents and put back into Service, but the third incident resulted in the Husky being withdrawn from Service. During ''Herrick 16'' the Husky was hit by a 'Command Wire' IED when returning to Control Base Wahid, after handing over a Check Point at Asmat to the local Afghanistan Police.

Husky KJ08AB still shows the extensive front end damage it suffered in 2012, in an early variant which had certain elements deliberately altered at the request of the British Army. The Husky is currently on loan from the Ministry of Defence to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford and was put on display in 2015.

The MXT-MV (Military Extreme Truck - Military Version) is an 'Infantry Mobility Vehicle' produced by Navistar Defense, a subsidiary of Navistar International, which is the owner of the International brand of vehicles, introduced in 2006 and developed in parallel with the civilian International MXT, the MXT-MV is extensively modified for Military Duty compared to its civilian counterpart, it is Transportable by the Lockheed C-130 Hercules Military Aircraft.

The MXT-MV was designed and developed by Navistar International's International Military and Government Division (now named Navistar Defense) and a subsidiary of Navistar International called Diamond Force Engineering (which was based in Dearborn Heights, Michigan) The development was led by Jim Bartel, Dick Rief, Wes Schultz, Ron Byrd, John Glass, Paul Klein and Britt Smart. The MXT-MV was exhibited at the 2005 edition of the annual Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Show, held in October at the Washington Convention Center. In August the following year, the MXT-MVA version was demonstrated to the United States Army at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The MXT-MVA was Navistar's entry in the 2008 'Selection Competition' for the US Army's MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) Program, but the Army chose to procure the Oshkosh M-ATV instead.

In 2009 a modified variant of the MXT-MVA was ordered for service with the British Army this variant is known as the ''Husky'' in British Military Service. The Husky was ordered to replace the British Army's 'Snatch Land Rovers' in Afghanistan, which had proven to be inadequate in protecting their Personnel from 'Improvised Explosive Devices' (IED) A total of 262 Vehicles were initially ordered, and in 2010, a follow up order was placed for an additional 89 Vehicles, worth US$56 million.

Variants are available with three different cab configurations: Standard / Extended Cab / Crew Cab.

▪︎MXT-MVE: Standard, Unarmoured version.

▪︎MXT-MVA: The MXT-MVA (Military Extreme Truck - Military Version Armoured) was designed by Israeli Vehicle Manufacturer Plasan. It offers the choice of two Removable Armour Kits, dubbed A-Kit and B-Kit, with increasing levels of Protection against Bullets, Mines and Improvised Explosive Devices.

▪︎Husky TSV: The Husky is a variant of the MXT-MVA modified to satisfy the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence requirements for the Tactical Support Vehicle (TSV) Program for the British Army.

▪︎M-ATV: Navistar built its rejected M-ATV candidate sharing some Powertrain and Suspension Components with the MXT, but with a completely Unique Chassis. This Protection System was designed by Navistar rather than its normal MXT and MRAP Partner, Plasan.

▪︎Operators: The Navistar MXT-MVA is the UK's Husky Tactical Support Vehicle (Medium) Contracts for 351 Vehicles.

Specifications :-

▪︎Type: Armoured Truck / MRAP

▪︎Place of Origin: United States of America

▪︎Service History: In Service 2006 to present

▪︎User: British Army

▪︎Designed: 2005

▪︎Designer: International Military and Government Division

▪︎Manufacturer: Navistar Defense

▪︎Produced: 2006 to present

▪︎Specifications: Length-21ft / Width-7ft 10in / Heigh-8ft 2in

▪︎Crew: 4 Commander / Driver plus 2 (variants 1+10)

▪︎Main Armament: Optional Remote Weapon Station

▪︎Engine: International VT 365

▪︎Transmission: Allison 2500 SP

▪︎Suspension: 4x4, Wheeled

▪︎Ground Clearance: 12''

▪︎Operational Range: 400 miles.

Developed in 1942 by the Americans and used during World War Two the M5 Half-Track (officially the Carrier, Personnel, Half-track, M5) was an Armoured Personnel Carrier developed when existing manufacturers of the M2 Half-Track Car, and M3 Half-Track could not keep up with production demand. International Harvester (IH) had capacity to produce a similar vehicle to the M3 Half-Track, but some differences from the M3 Half-Track had to be accepted due to different production equipment, they produced the M5 Half-Track from December 1942 to October 1943.

Using the same chassis as their M5 Half-Track, International Harvester could produce an equivalent to the M2 Half-TrackCar, which was the M9 Half-Track, there were also variants of the M13 and M16 MGMC's based on the M5. The M13 and M16 were exported to the United Kingdom and to Soviet Union respectively. The M5 Half-track was supplied to Allied Nations (the British Commonwealth, France, and the Soviet Union) under the ''Lend-Lease'' scheme. After World War Two, the M5 Half-Track was leased to many NATO countries. The Israel Defence Forces used it in several wars and developed it into the M3 Mark A and the M3 Mark B.

The first production run of the M5 Half-Track was completed in December 1942, changes to the demand for Half-Tracks led to reduced orders from the U.S Army, and the M5 Half-Track became ''limited standard'' in the U.S Military. A total of 7,484 were produced before production was stopped in October 1943. Almost all of the M5 Half-Tracks were sent to U.S Allies for further use. The added weight of the armour reduced the speed to 42mph and range was reduced to 125 miles. The final vehicles were completed in early October 1943.

In the UK, the Universal Carrier already fulfilled the Infantry Transport role and the M5 Half-Track was used instead as an Artillery Tractor for towing the British 6-pounder and 17-pounder Guns, some were also retained in the U.S for training purposes. The French Far East Expeditionary Corps used M5 Half-Tracks during the First Indochina War. The M5 Half-Track later saw service with the Israeli Army in the 1948 ''Arab-Israeli War''. They were commonly painted red to disguise them as agricultural tractors. In 1955, the Israelis used M5's to make the M3 Mark A and the M3 Mark B. The former was an M3 or M5 with a few modifications and the latter was a M5 converted into a Command Carrier.

Regular M5's were simply designated ''M3 IHC'' it was later used in the ''Suez Crisis'' and the ''Six-Day War'' by the ''Yom Kippur War'' the M3/M5 had been replaced by the M113 Armoured Personnel Carrier but some were still with service as a Command Vehicle with Reserve Units during the 1982 ''Lebanon War''.

▪︎Type: Half-Track Armoured Personnel Carrier

▪︎Place of Origin: United States

▪︎In Service: 1943 to early-1990's

▪︎Wars: World War Two / First Indochina War / 1948 Arab-Israeli War / Korean War / Suez Crisis / ▪︎Six-Day War / Yom Kippur War / 1982 Lebanon War

▪︎Designer: Ordnance Department

▪︎Designed: 1942

▪︎Manufacturer: International Harvester

▪︎Produced: 1942 to 1943

▪︎Number Built: 7,484 (not including M9 or Anti-Aircraft variants

▪︎Mass: 9.8 ton loaded

▪︎Length: 20ft 8in

▪︎Width: 7ft 3in

▪︎Height: 9ft overall

▪︎Crew: 3 + 10 Troops

▪︎Armour: 0.31in to 0.62in

▪︎Main Aarmament: 1 x 0.5n M2 Machine Gun

▪︎Secondary Armament: 2 x 0.3in M1919 Machine Gun

▪︎Powerplant: IHC RED-450-B, 451 in3, 7,390cc, 6-cylinder, 142hp

▪︎Transmission: Constant mesh

▪︎Suspension: Semi-elliptical longitudal leaf springs (wheels) / Vertical volute spring suspension (rear)

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 60 US gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 125 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 42mph.

Light Strike Vehicles (LSV) are military dune buggies designed to act as armed scouts and attack vehicles. They are built to be small and quick - to get in, hit the target and make a rapid withdrawal. LSV's fill the niche between the Desert Patrol Vehicle (DPV) or HMT 400 / Jackal and the quad bike. While they can pack a heavier punch than a quad bike, a lack of capacity to carry spare fuel, ammo and other stores is a limiting factor of the range and duration of missions the LSV can carry out. 22 SAS Mobility Troop has had various LSV's in its inventory, in particular, during the 1991 Gulf War, the Regiment had operated / tested LSV's manufactured by British companies Longline and Wessex.

LONGLINE LSV -

Longline produced their Light Strike Vehicle for the SAS during the lead up to the 1st Gulf war ''Operation Granby'' in late 1990 / early 1991. The vehicles were rushed into service in the Gulf as an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR). The SAS field-tested the LSV's during their pre-deployment desert mobility training.

In the end, the vehicles were found to be unsuitable, their suspensions were deemed too fragile for the terrain - a good call, it would seem, as several of the more rugged Land Rover 110's (DPV) eventually suffered broken axles while negotiating the rough ground. The LSV's also had too small a cargo capacity for the extended missions the SAS anticipated carrying out in Kuwait and Iraq. The LSV's, then, did not go to war with the A and D Squadron fighting columns.

The LSV, or Ground Mobile Weapon Platform (GMWP) as it was designated by the MoD, consisted of a tubular metal space frame / roll cage, to which its mechanical components were attached. The vehicle could accommodate 2 soldiers in side-by-side seating. A Vinghog softmount on the roll cage above the passenger station could accommodate a GPMG, HMG, or Milan anti-tank missile launcher. Side storage baskets ran along the sides of the vehicles for stowing stores such as ammunition boxes. A spare tyre or other stores could be mounted on the bonnet. Sling points on the frame allowed the LSV to be transported by helicopter as an underslung load or secured in the hold of a helicopter.

Various iterations of the Longline LSV existed -

▪︎The Mk.1 - 2 wheel-drive vehicle with a Volkswagen 1.9 litre water-cooled petrol engine.

▪︎The Mk.2 - 4-wheel-drive variant, also with a VW petrol engine, five of these were built.

▪︎The Mk.3 - 4-wheel-drive transmission powered by a VW turbo diesel engine.

WESSEX SAKER LSV -

The Wessex Saker was a rear-wheel drive buggy, powered by a Volkswagen 1.6 litre, air cooled, petrol engine. The body was constructed of steel tubing covered with aluminium body panels. It was a 2-man vehicle, with side-by-side seating and the engine at the rear. There were mounts for GPMG / HMG, one at the passenger's station, and another above and behind the seats.

Post Gulf War, the SAS unloaded their LSV's onto the Green Howards, 24th Airmobile Brigade. It is not publicly known if the Regiment currently have any LSV's in their inventory. The LSV concept is still viable, however, with other militaries still using such vehicles, so it is likely that the SAS either have a small LSV fleet for specific types of mission and / or regularly evaluate any new LSV's that become available.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS -

▪︎Country of Origin: Great Britain

▪︎First Produced: 1988

▪︎Manufacturer: Longline (later Ricardo PLC)

▪︎Crew: 1 to 2

▪︎Armament: .50 cal Heavy Machine Gun / later vehicles could also mount the Milan Anti-Tank Guided Missile System

▪︎Engine: Mk.1 & Mk.2 - 4 Cylinder petrol / Mk.3 - 4-Cylinder Turbo Diesel.

Information sourced from - www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/mobility-troop...

Land Rover 110 Defender 4x4 Utility Vehicle

The British Land Rover, one of the most influential and much-loved British vehicles of all time, was launched in 1948 and remained in production with much the same basic specification until 1983 when the Series III 109 inch was replaced by a new One-Ten model (110 inch wheelbase). The traditional Land Rover body shape remained but coil springs, introduced in the new Range Rover, replaced the long-lived leaf spring suspension, and the four cylinder engines were fitted with an all-synchromesh five speed gearbox. In 1984 the coil spring Ninety (with a wheelbase just short of 93 inches) fitted with a four cylinder engine was introduced. A V8-powered version appeared the following year and in 1986 a new 85bhp, 2495cc turbo-diesel engine became available, then in 1990 the Ninety and One-Ten range was renamed Defender 90, 110 and 130. Not surprisingly the new Land Rovers proved popular for Military use and UK Ministry of Defence.

Land Rover has a range of specialised Defence Vehicles including the Defender FFR (Fitted for Radio) model, a platform to provide modern Defence Forces with a flexible and highly-mobile range of Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4i) roles. The vehicle combines an upgraded dual-voltage power supply and full electrical suppression with the acclaimed all-terrain performance of the Land Rover Defender. It is capable of transporting sensitive electronic equipment safely through challenging conditions in support of C4i operations, and is also effective as a carrier of electronic surveillance and electronic counter-measures technology.

To support the power demands of the latest electronic equipment, the new Defender FFR features a new electrical architecture with a dual 12v / 24v power supply, replacing the 24v system of the previous model. The total output is raised from 100 amps to 280 amps, enabling a significant increase in the amount of C4i equipment that can be operated. Two high-output 12v glass mat, air-transportable military specification batteries are fitted, giving improved engine cranking at lower temperatures. The batteries are now stowed under the rear floor, releasing extra space in rear body for equipment. All of the Defender FFR’s electrical systems are fully suppressed in accordance with the most stringent test standards (including Def Stan 59-411 Class A and Mil Std 461F) enabling C4i equipment to be installed without further suppression work.

The operational performance of the Defender FFR is further enhanced by the standardisation of a heavy duty 3500kg chassis, providing improved payload capability, and the fitment of a new 90kW 2.4-litre diesel engine which offers over 35% more torque than the previous model.

Additional improvements include a more spacious and efficient driving environment with a new ergonomic dashboard design, and a foldable forward-facing radio operator’s seat with integral headrest and 3-point safety belt for improved comfort and safety.

Sources from :

www.classicdriver.com/en/car/land-rover/defender/1987/691401

www.army-technology.com/contractors/vehicles/land-rover/p...

youtu.be/UWKNcoKneqQ

The Scammell Pioneer was developed in the late 1920's as a logging and oilfield vehicle in areas where there were no developed roadways. This heavy tractor unit featured an articulated suspension system with dual powered rear axles and a powerful low revving Gardner diesel engine. The tractor was designed to handle a 20 ton load.

In 1932 the British military adopted the vehicle as an artillery tow vehicle and in 1939 a chassis winch was incorporated creating a tank recovery unit with a crew of three that was used by Allied Forces through the Second World War. Many early military Scammel's (sometimes referred to as ''coffee pots'') were shipped to France with the British Expeditionary Force and were subsequently abandoned during the evacuation.

During the war it was also used for towing the 6 inch 26cwt Howitzer and while slow was she that it was retained in military use for many years after the war and continued in service with civilian contractors. It may not be pretty looking but without question is a serious workhorse.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Gardner 3 litre diesel, 102bhp

▪︎Speed: 24mph

▪︎Range: 430 miles

▪︎Crew: 1 - 5

▪︎Weight: 8.4 tons.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

Deborah II, at the Norfolk Tank Museum, is a reproduction of the original Mk. IV Deborah Tank which was knocked out of action at The Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Deborah was a Mk. IV Female of 12 Section, 12th Company, D Battalion. Deborah was in the second wave of the attack tasked with attacking the Hindenburg Support line west of Flesquieres. Commanded by 2/Lt Frank Heap, she entered the village firing into the ruins to suppress the defenders. As she left the shelter of the village she was hit by several enemy artillery rounds and five of her eight crew were killed. 2/Lt Frank Heap and the two remaining crew members were able to retire back to British lines. He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for his gallant actions.

The Mk. IV was the third production tank in a series of World War One tanks. It was introduced in May 1917 after slight changes to the earlier Marks. Prior to the Mk. IV attrition rates had been enormous, the Mk. I had proved to be far from perfect on the battlefield. The first tanks were originally developed after intense trialing of different designs throughout 1915 and early 1916. The rhomboid design with the high climbing face of the track was designed to cross the wide and deep trenches prevalent on the battlefields of the Western Front.

Given the tank’s hull length of 26ft 5in and the height necessary for the shape, an armed turret would have made the vehicle too tall and unstable. Instead, the main armament was arranged in sponsons at the sides of the vehicle. The Mk. I was fitted with additional trailing wheels as an aid for steering, but were omitted on the Mk. II as they found to make no significant difference and were actually a hinderance. The Mk. II and Mk. III, both training machines, featured many modifications to the original Mk. I, these modification culminated with the production of the Mk. IV. The most significant changes being, an increase in armour thickness, moving of the fuel tank to the rear and a major redesign of the sponsons for ease of transportation, the sponsons were now able to be pushed inwards into the hull instead of being removed.

Originally there were plans to introduce a new engine for the Mk. IV, but a failure to develop it in time to start production of 200 tanks ready for the promised date of 1st April 1917, meant this did not happen. The Mk. IV went into production in May 1917 using the original 105hp Daimler in line, double sleeve valve, 6 cylinder, 13 litre water-cooled engine. This gave the vehicle a power to weight ration of 3.75hp per ton and a top speed of 4mph. The male tank was fitted with 2 Quick Fire 6pdr guns which were now short-barrel as compared to the previous Marks, and three compact, light and reliable Lewis machine guns which were favoured over the early Hotchkiss. The earlier Hotchkiss had been sturdier and more affordable, but was criticised for its lack of magazine capacity, 14 rounds compared to 96 for the Lewis. The female tank was fitted with five Lewis machine guns.

Another improvement to the Mk. IV was the carrying of an un-ditching beam, often made from oak and reinforced with sheet metal, which was stored at the rear of the tank, and also the fitting of two parallel rails running the entire length of the roof which enabled the deployment of the beam. The beam could be deployed by attaching its chains to the tracks, the tracks would then drag the beam over and then under the tank enabling the tank to pull itself out of boggy ground.

Conditions inside the tanks were certainly not crew-friendly, the smell, heat and fumes from the exhaust and the cordite from the guns firing would have made the early WWI tanks not a nice place to be. Rather than being in a separate compartment the engine was mid-mounted, meaning there was no separation between it and the crew. The men suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning from leaking exhaust fumes, heat exhaustion (there are reports of internal temperatures reaching an unbearable 50°c) and of course the noise itself from the massive engine resonating inside what is, ostensibly, a steel box. The only way the crew could communicate was to use hand signals.

Driving the vehicle was no simple task. Two drivers are positioned at the front of the vehicle, one in charge of the steering brakes the “Driver” and the “Commander” who was responsible for the clutch, brake and gear change controls, two forward and one reverse. There were also two “gears men”, one on either track, they were able to alter the track speeds selecting high, low or neutral. To make a turn the Commander had to bring the vehicle to a halt, one of the gears man would then engage ‘low’ on his side leaving the other gears men in ‘high’, this gave the tank a large turning circumference. Alternatively, putting one track in ‘low’ and the other in ‘neutral’ with the driver applying the correct steering brake lever, and not forgetting to also engage diff-lock, one could carry out a skid turn by locking one track. If diff-lock was forgotten the tank would not move at all. This was complicated teamwork made all the more intense when under enemy fire.

Communication with other tanks and HQ was achieved through different coloured flares or carrier pigeons. The crew were issued with the 0.455 Webley revolver in case they had to abandon the vehicle. Crew safety was an issue inside the tank, with each bullet impact on the tank mini-shrapnel or spall, which could be as small as a millimetre square, was produced inside the hull injuring the men inside. Following the first reports of spall thick leather jackets and helmets, or a combination of leather and chain-mail, were provided to the crews. Foam liners or padding inside the tanks to stop spall only appeared decades later.

SPECIFICATION -

▪︎Weight: 28 tons

▪︎Width: 11 ft 8 in

▪︎Height: 8 ft

▪︎Length: 26 ft 5 in

▪︎Maximum Speed: 4 mph

▪︎Power / Weight: 3.75 hp / tonne

▪︎Suspension: None

▪︎Range: 35 miles

▪︎Crew of Eight: Driver, Commander, Two gears man, Four Gunner’s.

INSPIRATION -

The inspiration for the documentary was to try and recreate a replica Mk. IV Tank, the first tank to see successful active duty in the Battle of Cambrai. The Battle took place in Northern France on the 20th November 1917; 100 years ago. The British Army amassed 475 tanks to attack the German Hindenburg Line, a huge feat of engineering at the time. The Museum decided to build the tank as close to the original as they possibly could, using the modern technology available. They wanted to recreate the original sounds and smells to get a real feel for the enclosed space within the tank, so a petrol engine and a mechanical gearbox with chains to the final drives was selected. They knew that given this mechanical and ''true-to-the-original setup'' it would need three people to drive it: a commander who controls the clutch, brake and accelerator; a driver who steers the vehicle; and a gears-man.

THE BUILD -

To achieve a replica of this magnitude NorthOne TV, with Project Manager Stephen MacHaye, approached JCB to fabricate the hull. To demonstrate modern technology it was decided that state of the art computerised welding techniques would be used, and the rivets of the original design, although not practical to replicate, would be welded in place to give the effect of the 1917 build.

Chasestead World Class joined the team and fabricated the tracks from steel plate, 90 each side as per the original, along with many other smaller components including the drivers’ hatches and pistol ports. RH Barrel made the Lewis Machine Gun mounts and the driver controls. The volunteers at the Norfolk Tank Museum constructed the engine and transmission, utilising a Rolls Royce B60 engine connected to an agricultural transmission, an engineering jigsaw puzzle which used all the ingenuity of the museum team. On top of this they assembled a multitude of components including the tracks, sponsons and detailing, including painting, to finally bring the Mk. IV to life.

THE C4 DOCUMENTARY ''GUY MARTIN'S WWI TANK'' -

Pre-production talks between NorthOne TV, the Norfolk Tank Museum, JCB and Chasestead World Class began in May 2017. With the date of the 11th November set to celebrate 100 years from the first successful use of the tank, they had very little time to make it. The tank was finally completed on 9th November, just six months later.

Guy Martin was to be the presenter of the documentary, with a personal interest in the tank and its construction due to his engineering background. Guy spent several days filming at JCB, Chasestead and the Museum. With the tank complete and the deadline for the commemoration of the Battle of Cambrai looming, preparations were made to take the tank to France.

On a cold, wet and windy day in November the tank paid a fitting tribute to the brave men of the British Army that lost their lives fighting for freedom from tyranny, a sight that Guy and everyone involved in the build was able to witness. It has been a project that they are all very proud of.

Information sourced from - norfolktankmuseum.co.uk/mk-iv-tank-deborah-ii/

The White M16 Half-Track is a U.S Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Weapon built during the Second World War. It was equipped with four 0.5 caliber Browning machine guns set in a Maxon quadmount. Nicknamed the ''Meat Chopper'' the M16 was famous for downing low-flying aircraft, making it very popular with soldiers.

As aircraft became more advanced the usefulness of the M16 was reduced, so in the Korean War it was relegated primarily to the ground-support role and in the Vietnam War was used in jungle warfare.

This example was reconditioned in France in 1963 and used in the Djibouti Cival War before being sent to Greece for scrapping. It was recovered and extensively rebuilt by The Museum.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: White 6 cylinder petrol, 147bhp

▪︎Range: 260 miles

▪︎Speed: 45mph

▪︎Armament: 4 x 0.5 calibre, 1 x 30 calibre machine gun

▪︎Tracks: Rubber (steel core)

▪︎Weight: 8.9 tons

▪︎Crew : 3 (plus 10 other personnel).

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

The Mk.1 and Mk.2 models of this armoured car were reputed to be amongst the more advanced wheeled armoured fighting vehicles of WW2. Amon the features, with the Tetrarch tank designed turret, was the introduction of disc brakes on all four wheels.

The Daimler pre-select gearbox has 5 gears, all of which can be used in reverse. It has a second backward facing steering wheel at the rear enabling the vehicle to be driven backwards at speed. The facility was designed to enable the quick withdrawal from a conflict without turning round. It is also equipped with powered steering which was inovative for its time.

Daimler Armoured Cars were in service with the British Army from 1941 to 1960. Although 2,694 of both models were built only 40 Mk.1's survive now. This example saw service in North Africa and Italy with the 8th Army in 1942-1943 and later was sent to Greece to quell the civil war against the National Popular Liberation Army in 1946-1949.

Specifications -

▪︎Engine: Daimler 6-cylinder petrol, 4,095cc, 95bhp

▪︎ Performance: Speed - 50mph, Range - 200 miles

▪︎Crew: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)

▪︎Armament: 1 x 2 pounder gun with 52 rounds, 1 x co-axial 7.92mm Besa machine gun with 2,700 rounds, 1 x .303 Bren anti-aircraft gun with 500 rounds, and 2 x 4in smoke discharger clusters.

▪︎Weight: 7.5 tons

▪︎Armour: 16mm armoured steel.

Information from The Muckleburgh Military Collection.

The American Willys MC, formally the 1⁄4-Ton, 4x4, Utility Truck M38, or the G‑740 by its U.S Army Standard Nomenclature supply catalog designation, is a Quarter-Ton Four-Wheel Drive Military Light Utility Vehicle made by Willys between 1949 and 1952. It replaced (in production) and succeeded the World War Two Willys MB and Ford GPW models, with a total production of some 50,000 units, less than one tenth the number of World War Two models built. Unlike during World War Two, Ford was no longer involved in the production.

The M38 was a Military version of the then-current civilian Jeep CJ-3A, it differed from the CJ-3A in numerous ways, including a reinforced frame and suspension, waterproof 24-volt electrical system, sealed vent system for the engine, transmission, transfer case, fuel system and brake system. Some M38 Jeeps served in the Korean Theatre of Operations, but the majority of units used there were remanufactured World War Two Jeeps. Approximately 2,300 M38 Jeeps were manufactured by Ford of Canada for Canadian Armed Forces in 1952, designated as the M38-CDN Jeep. The M38 Willys MC was succeeded by the M38A1 Willys MD in 1952.

The M38 windshield could be folded flat for firing and the body was equipped with a pintle hook for towing and lifting shackles front and rear. The headlights were no longer recessed as on previous models, but protruded with a guard wire in front. The ''pioneer'' tools (axe and shovel) which were carried on the MB's Driver side were transferred to the passenger side of this vehicle.

The entire engine air intake and the axle system was fully vented to allow for operation while submerged under water. Its full-floating front axle (Dana 25) was supported by the wheel hub, rather than the axle itself, and provided greater load capacity. The rear axle (Dana 44) was semi-floating. Its drivetrain was the L-head 2.2 litre with a T-90 transmission and the Dana 18 transfer case. A few M38 Jeeps were fitted with a transmission power take-off (PTO) driven winch. This feature was not used in regular production models due to increased weight on the front of the vehicle, as well as additional maintenance requirements.

▪︎Type: Quarter-ton [a] 4x4 Utility Truck

▪︎Place of Origin: United States

▪︎Conflicts: Korean War / Vietnam War / Laotian Civil War / Lebanese Civil War and others ▪︎Manufacturer: Willys-Overland

▪︎Produced: 1949 to 1952

▪︎Number Built: more than 45,473

▪︎Mass: 2,625lb empty / Length: 11ft 1in / Width: 5ft 2in / Height: 5ft 10in

▪︎Powerplant: Willys MC 60hp at 4,00rpm

▪︎Transmission: 3 speed, x 2 range trf. case

▪︎Suspension: Beam axles on leaf springs

▪︎Fuel Capacity: 13 U.S gallons

▪︎Operational Range: 220 miles

▪︎Maximum Speed: 60 mph

▪︎Ground Clearance: 9+1⁄4in at the rear axle.

Taken from Wikipedia en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willys_M38