Most Memorable Vehicle [Archive]

Wader2

1st Nov 2007, 14:59

237 OCUs SWB Air Portable 14AA12.

I broke the gear lever off it whilst driving back from stores without a F600.

Happened at Ballykelly too. V-Force Alert Landrover. Someone broke the gear level and applied the logic game. Anyone see you do it? No, deny all knowledge.

Come the alert the groundcrew rushed out, piled into the waggon, chief in the drivers seat starts engine and slips landrover into reverse.

Well that's what his left hand was trying to do :}. Wished we could have seen it but we had already gone in the crew bus and were wondering where the groundcrew were. Eventually they joined us huffing and puffing.

We never found out who done the dirty deed.

Maple 01

1st Nov 2007, 15:12

Ropey crew bus (ex-V force?) with benches at the back - waking up in MT again after nightshift :O

Roadster280

1st Nov 2007, 15:25

Montego diesel staff car from Upavon MT.

Maxed out down "Turbo Hill" out of Marlborough towards Swindon, you could just touch the ton. Going the other way, you'd run out of steam at 60.

Oh to be young and stupid again!

orgASMic

1st Nov 2007, 15:31

The SWB Defender that was sent out to us in Oman for Ex SAIF SAREEA II from, I believe, St Mawgan. It was about 15 years old with less than 10000 miles on it. She had obviously never left the airfield and was a gutless dog until we had ragged her across the desert for a couple of weeks, including a few point-to-points between TLZs. She got better every day until she was purring like a kitten. God bless LR.

NutLoose

1st Nov 2007, 15:31

Nick D******r @ RAf Upavon after rolling a landrover belonging to the Gliding school on detachment in the 70's..

Punished by having to tow the gliders back to the winch over the weekend using our rover, unfortunately no one pointed out there was a speed limit and the sight of a landrover screaming across the airfield with an unmanned glider FLYING along behind it was priceless...... they didn't want him to play anymore after that.

Deicing the taxiways one night at Brize stuck on the front of a bowser with two Derwents either side of me wondering why the ice had suddenly turned black........ then realising it was sheet tarmac..... ooops :uhoh:

r supwoods

1st Nov 2007, 15:34

Diesel Montego without power steering .... a right cow to park!

OilCan

1st Nov 2007, 15:40

...sat in the front seat of a Green Godess giving the bell laldy. (pre blue light & siren)...

...overtaken by a guy on a pushbike!:O

XBD

1st Nov 2007, 15:45

6 wheel drive Stalwart amphibious over Otterburn ranges whilst loaded with explosives. Driver training and briefing consisted of " Do you fancy a go"

Roadster280

1st Nov 2007, 15:52

Diesel Montego without power steering .... a right cow to park!

Indeed so, but well worth the effort to park it nicely out the front of "the Ship" in Upavon village to wind the MT blokes up.

interpreter

1st Nov 2007, 15:57

Cyprus 1958 as a young Pilot Officer on Orderly officer Duty dismissing my driver and driving myself around Royal Air Force Episkopi in an open, battered, exhaust fumy Land Rover. That's a memory!

Gainesy

1st Nov 2007, 15:59

I remember a young JT at Honington who broke his wrist trying to demo a "handbrake" turn in a Landie. It does not work on the wheels but operates a drum brake on the propshaft.:uhoh:

Maxburner do you mean a J2, orrible Austin minibus thing?

It's Not Working

1st Nov 2007, 16:36

J2 or JU can't now remember but it was 'orrible'. Spent all day driving from Scampton to Peterborough to get 35 gallons of paint for a Royal Visit. The expected, 'job well done lad' on return was a, 'where the ell ave you been lad!'

Best car - getting collected by the Stn Cdr, every morning for 3-weeks, in his Morris Traveller Estate from a hotel in Ramsey to be driven to Jurby Head. Happy days.

RFCC

1st Nov 2007, 16:47

Sat in a wooden box between two RR Derwents on the runway snow removal machine, propelled by an ancient bowser.

Did an excellent job of melting the snow..... and then leaving a glass smooth sheet of ice. :ugh:

om15

1st Nov 2007, 19:14

RFCC,
There were a couple of those MRD death traps in use at Kinloss when I was stationed there in 1970-73, not used in anger very much, however we had to start them up every friday to check them out, always had difficult wet starts with great gouts of flame everywhere, if you opened them up you could push the bowser backwards, the h&s brgade would have a fit now.
One of the clapped out Leyland Hippos forming part of the lash up was flogged off, and I came across it again in the mid 80s in use as a maintenance bowser at Air UK Norwich.
I think this was an invention of some enthusiastic Chief Tech who was probably awarded ten quid for his efforts.
Best regards,
om15

ACW418

1st Nov 2007, 20:21

Standard Pennant Estate with Blue Flashing light used by QRA crews to get to the aircraft on alerts. Co-pilot always drove until I drifted it neatly alongside the port undercarriage (didn't hit it). Wasn't allowed to drive it again.

ACW

4mastacker

1st Nov 2007, 20:53

J2 with the column change.. could never get the b:mad:d into top. Not forgetting the Forward Delivery Box Bantam - rolled like a pig and done 25(ish) flat out with a following wind.

Pontius Navigator

1st Nov 2007, 21:14

All the vehicles in the Luqa detachment pool from Safi with the warning "Contaminated brake fluid drive carefully"

diginagain

2nd Nov 2007, 04:07

I wonder if those gentlemen of the Army Fire Service based at Middle Wallop in 1988 remember with any fondness their spanking new appliance?

The one they took out onto the airfield in the wee small hours to check its handling with only half a tank of water.

I'm sure they'll remember the effects of 'free surface', after it rolled over a couple of times.

BEagle

2nd Nov 2007, 07:33

Virtually any vehicle allocated to 1312 Flt at Base Aerea Gringo in Bennyland for QRA was a clapped-out pig. When the hooter went, the VC10 crew plus bags would pile into the shagged-out LR and set off across the aerodrome to the aircraft - on changing up into top with any wind from the West it would actually slow down.....

Of course the resident staff had all the good vehicles - the pongoes insisted that the LR 'country sedan' was a perk for WgCdr/LtCol/Cdr level. And anything new had 'Not to be driven off-road' painted on the dashboard. A Landrover that wasn't to be driven off road? Only a Malvinas blunty could come up with that!

Most fun was the huge desert-bashing GMC thing we were allocated during Ex Imminent Thunder at Tabuk - although someone had chundered in the back of it at some stage and it stank. However, the Upchuck-Truck had a ginormous 454 ci engine and went like the clappers. But a hole in the exhaust made it sound like a low flying Superfortress!

At least the nav wimped out of driving it!

One of the Golden Rules for detachments - "Never let the navigator drive!"

L J R

2nd Nov 2007, 07:52

The one I lost my Virginity in....

Pontius Navigator

2nd Nov 2007, 07:59

The Ops Astra in Ascension. As you drove sedately uphill, off shift, turning at just under 1g, the seat squab side would collapse pitching it into the door.

When it was clapped they sold it to the wives' club - President Mrs Staish, Chairwoman Mrs Admin. Membership 2. Annual Fees 0.

Load Toad

2nd Nov 2007, 08:08

http://www.churchhopping.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/popemobile.jpg

No votes for a pope mobile - fully armoured - there's faith in action for you.

2port

2nd Nov 2007, 08:46

Don't suppose Whitey is still going?
Bit like Trigger's broom, it's had new wheels, new engine, new seats etc.
"New" being 2nd hand - obviously!

2P

55HTB

2nd Nov 2007, 11:54

OK, so I haven't been allocated one of these, but I have developed a very close affinity with the Rhino over the past few months. Not pretty, not fast, aircon's lousy and the suspension's c:mad:p, but it is bullet-proof so I'll be thankful for small mercies..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhino_Runner

cornish-stormrider

2nd Nov 2007, 12:01

Borrowed the rocks V8 petrol landy at lossie some moons ago, very non standard and frighteningly quick, I suggested they paint INTERCEPTOR on the back in white and start driving it round asking after the toe-cutter.

Only shame was the standard suspension and brakes and it needed a full
set of polybushes.

or the winterised landys on 33 with the aux hand throttle to surprise a new driver:E. Le** tried it on me and I didn't cr4p meself.

Mal Drop

2nd Nov 2007, 20:16

Deffo Montego Turbo Diesel. With my trusty Chf Tech at the wheel, Leeming to High Wycombe in 20 Silk Cut flat!

Failing that the Bentley Continental GT that was brought onto a secret military airbase somewhere in the South-West for a photo-shoot with some of Her Maj's finest airframes that were in for a display. Bloke who had it didn't have a FMT600A so I drove.

Poor chap must have been prone to car-sickness because he got very pale and sweaty in the passenger seat.

Sloppy Link

2nd Nov 2007, 22:06

Many nominations, a Land Rover Lightweight (or Airportable) that our MT somehow managed to get a V8 from a 1 tonner into. Bloody thing was lethal, MT hadn't got round to uprating the brakes, the diff or drive train.
A BSA B 40 that I learnt to ride on. Single cylinder 350cc four-stroke, kicking it over was a skill that if not got right resulted in either being catapaulted over the handlebars or breaking your shin. Handling was "heavy", gearbox was vague and performance was pathetic. However, once off road, because of the low down torque and one gear fits all, it could climb Everest. A relatively low CofG, a universal X-Country gear setting of second, a valve lifter and of course the invincibility of youth, the Military Training areas were simply a playground.
A third nomination, the Norton Rotaries the RMP had that a pal I served with let me have a go on. Only rode it for a day, launched myself off down the road, pushing 100kmh, bend approaching, drop a gear, let the engine revs do the braking and accelerate out of the bend......Uh-Oh....no engine braking on a rotary. I had to clean the eye ball fluid marks from the visor, my eyes popped out that far.
Anything with tracks, just gives you a feeling of power. Just avoid big areas of water, it always washes over the glacis plate straight into the drivers compartment.

Pontius Navigator

2nd Nov 2007, 22:31

the Norton Rotaries the RMP had that a pal I served with let me have a go on. Only rode it for a day, launched myself off down the road, pushing 100kmh, bend approaching, drop a gear, let the engine revs do the braking and accelerate out of the bend......Uh-Oh....no engine braking on a rotary. I had to clean the eye ball fluid marks from the visor, my eyes popped out that far.

When was this?

I remember the RAFP issued with Nortons at a secret base off the A1. They didn't last long. Something about putting oil in the engine, or not :}

Sloppy Link

3rd Nov 2007, 10:35

PN, would have been around the late eighties, perhaps even very early nineties. What I forgot to mention was that with all the Police fit on, the thing weighed nearly half as much again and the CofG was now much higher. After the initail scare, I have to admit to riding like Miss Daisy.

goudie

4th Nov 2007, 10:58

Agree the J2, absolute pig. As and enthusiastic young Cpl/Tech I received b:mad:ng from 617 'B' flt Commander because he reckoned he saw daylight under two wheels as I raced from dispersal to get spare from Gin palace for Vulcan on Q.R.A.. When I explained urgency he said 'well done'. What a gent! :)

A2QFI

4th Nov 2007, 11:03

I remember the J2 well and not fondly! So long as it had reverse and any 2 forward gears on the ghastly column shift it was regarded as servicable!

goudie

4th Nov 2007, 11:27

What about those mini pick-ups. I heard they only cost £90.00. For the hammering they took on the Sqdns at Akrotiri in the '60s they were good value for money.

teeteringhead

5th Nov 2007, 09:37

Remember getting one of the first turbo-diesel Montegos as a Barnwood desky for a visit to St Mawgan. Empty M5 going at the speed of heat in the middle lane (and clearly not checking six in mirror full of sun!). SAAB turbo whizzes past at warp factor extremely quick, closely followed by Police Jam Sandwich who pulls across my bows very close as if to say - if it wasn't for the SAAB, we'd be having you!

It was also one of the first MT vehicles with "civilianised" numberplates. Later that day after several wets in the Mess, tannoy goes "Sqn Ldr Teeters to reception please". Met by A/Cpl Unpaid RAFP. Surreal conversation follows:

"You'll have to move your vehicle sir, it's in a "Service vehicle only" parking space."

"But it's a service vehicle"

"You'll have to move your vehicle sir, it's in a "Service vehicle only" parking space."

"And anyway I've been drinking so I can't move it"

"You'll have to move your vehicle sir, it's in a "Service vehicle only" parking space."

"Goodnight cpl"

"I'll have to report you sir"

"For why??"

"Parking a non-service vehicle in a "service vehicle only" parking slot!"

......strangely I heard nothing more........

BEagle

5th Nov 2007, 09:47

I guess for those with boring cars, the wretched Montego Turbo diesel seemed reasonably quick..... But it most certainly wasn't; a miserly 81 bhp gave it a sluggish 0-60 in 12.5 sec and, for those who could stand the noise and vibration, 102 mph flat out. It was actually slower than the 1.6 petrol version! But no doubt some dimwitted MT Warrant Officer thought that 'Turbo' naturally mean that it was a high performance vehicle..:rolleyes:

At RAF Abingdon, we were supposed to go and have a 'special driving test' if we wanted to drive the boss's Montego. I refused point blank because for one thing, it was a diesel :yuk:. Diesel is not an officer's fuel! Secondly, it was very much slower than my current car of the time, a Stage 3 Manta GTE....:E

Never did drive the Montego, nor ever wanted to. But the boss and/or CFI managed to reverse it at reasonable speed into a huge white bollard outside our building.......just after delivering a minor collective bollocking to all and sundry about driving standards...:hmm:

Boy were we ever so sympathetic!

MadsDad

5th Nov 2007, 09:54

Many years ago when competing in Rallies we often used to get service entries, usually army in Landrovers of various sizes. I believe these were treated as 'navigational exercises' by the service. The entries were accepted with the landies running at the back of the field and on the unofficial understanding that if anyone needed a tow they would oblige.

I remember Jack Tordoff telling the tale of when his Porsche broke down in Dalby Forest one of the army entries stopped to give him a tow to the stage finish. They set off quite sedately but gradually got faster and faster - the Landie driver said at the end of the stage he had forgotten they were towing the Porsche. Jack did say that the point when he got worried was when he looked at his navigator and he was putting his helmet back on - they had taken them off when the car broke - and he was too busy steering to put his on.

I also remember someone doing a conversion of a long wheelbase Landrover to a short wheelbase the quick way, with the assistance of a railway bridge.

Bob Viking

5th Nov 2007, 09:59

Granted, not a particularly memorable car in itself.
However, when you set it in gear (2nd = about 10-12 mph) down the runway of RMB Chivenor (summer 2000) and jump out leaving just the boot unlocked or the sunroof open and then chase it to re-gain control with your mate (Ghost Car as we christened it!). Or seeing how fast you dared to jump from the roof whilst it was moving (20 mph seemed a reasonable maximum!) into the unmown grass along the edge of the runway.....
..... then it becomes a very memorable vehicle.
Ahh, the days of being a young holding Officer with absolutely no responsibility whatsoever!
BV:ok:

Al R

5th Nov 2007, 10:17

The BV 206 was probably the most fun. Great performance from the Merc/Ford drive and staggering grip and traction. Once, crossing a frozen lake in Norway one year, myself an an arty gun bunny went through the ice. That crack, which sounded like small arms, the sudden lurching forwards and downwards of only an inch or two, then a drop of a foot.. and then another one, before green water slammed into the near vertical windscreen.. we just looked at each other and made like Shaggy and Scooby Do. The doors wouldn't open, so we negotiated an expeditious exit via the sunroof. An absolutely awesome vehicle, on sand and on snow. Negotiating the near vertical 15 metre drop at the Defence Driving School, into water was possibly, one of the nerviest pre planned things I've done. You wouldn't think it possible, that a vehicle could do what that vehicle does.

That Norway driving course was interesting. It was only a few weeks long, and we found out that the final week was supposed to be spent doing admin nif naf jobs for the army out there. Sod that. We told them we were needed back in Blightly, to which we received a smirk and a 'Well, if you can go back, you can do.. but you'll have to pay for it yourself.'.

Rrrrrring!!

"Boss? Hi, yeah. Err, the army wants us to stay here and paint things for a week. If we pay for our ferry tickets back, will you reimburse them? We can be out of here tonight. Excellent news! Thanks.'.

Another peach was/is the REME fitters version of the FV 432. We once found ourselves automotivally embarrassed once between warring Serbs and Bosnians. There had been a small fire in the back of the CVRT, we had no power as a consequence and had to use the hand genny to power the means, which created an extra hazard as I seem to recall we had to deploy the trailing wire antenna. Anyway, we eventually got recovered (those bastards didn't call the Warrier 'white death' for nothing by the way - a great piece of kit) and we were eventually able to make our way into the REME clank after it recovered us, after night fell.

It was warm, dimly lit by red bulbs, safe and just how the back of a tank should be.. smelling of damp socks drying, sweat, damp uniform, tea on the go, warm POL, leather, plastic, wpns oil and ammunition and.. well, pretty much like an old aircraft I guess. The engine in them was a RR marine craft engine, and it was as smooth as silk, a joy to drive. The vehicle cmdr twisted his elbows in, dropped down from the cuppola, gave us a cheery smile and threw us a few small bottles of champagne. 'From the Sun' he souted '.. Happy f#cking Xmas boys!'.

I still have one of the bottles, unopened.

http://homepage.eircom.net/~steven/images/100.jpg

http://www.rememuseum.org.uk/vehicles/trrv/vehfv434.jpg

catbert

5th Nov 2007, 10:23

Talking of the Montego Turbo Diesel, I was driving a brand new one back from Brampton to Innsworth with my boss and an Aussie exchange officer on board when a truck reversed back onto a roundabout, straight up the bonnet and through the windshield! You would have thought we had ejection seats the speed we debussed. The call to MT was a classic, they were glad we had totalled another one of their least favourite cars.

Wader2

5th Nov 2007, 10:45

turbo-diesel Montegos

It was also one of the first MT vehicles with "civilianised" numberplates.

We used to use one of these for the run from Waddo to Geilers. Not only did it have civilian number plates, it even had a spare set with different numbers and tax disc for the continental run. I would have loved to see what was on the DVLA computer.

Anyway, before the run we would properly civilianise it.

Hide the green canvas and plywood wallet. Add a few freebie stickers - brats on board etc - newspapers, maps and sundry crap.

Pulled into Wattisham for a qucik top up. - Yes, same as the RAFP bit but we got fuel more easily. Then the fun bit, the ferry crossing.

As we got to Felixstowe we would drive down the freight lane with all the trucks flashing and honking cause no matter how 'civilianised' dear old movements always booked us freight :}

At least we got to use the truckers' restaurant which was inclusive - :) munch munch munch.

larssnowpharter

5th Nov 2007, 11:04

Best service vehicle ever driven was a Mercedes G Wagen. Unfortunately, it belonged to ( and was liberated from) the Argentinian Army and was impossible to get registered in Germany.

talk_shy_tall_knight

5th Nov 2007, 11:14

1.6 Astra Estate (red) Granted, not a particularly memorable car in itself.

Recall the tale of a Chinook Loadie who had a brand new one of these on hire during a recce in Czech. He stumbled upon a public track day at the Czech GP circuit at Brno. 10 blatts later (about £6) and he was ragging the Astra around with local Touring Cars much to the delight of the lubricated locals who were waiting for their go on their bikes. It's not really built for it apparently.:uhoh:

Al R

5th Nov 2007, 11:18

Anyone here ever drive the Unimog? Was it modified at all, was it any good and are any still in service?

moggiee

5th Nov 2007, 11:34

Virtually any vehicle .......at Base Aerea Gringo in Bennyland for QRA was a clapped-out pig.
The left hand drive Ops Metro van was great fun - until the front suspension balljoint gave way. Having a bash at "swimming" in a BV206 was great, too.

As a holding officer in the early 80s, I had great fun in a SWB Landrover with canvas roof bombing up and down the beaches of the Outer Hebrides looking for Russian sonobuoys.

We had 13 people on one once - I was driving and had to get someone else to change gear on my call as there were 4 of us up front.

TEEEJ

5th Nov 2007, 11:41

Best service vehicle ever driven was a Mercedes G Wagen. Unfortunately, it belonged to ( and was liberated from) the Argentinian Army and was impossible to get registered in Germany.

One at RAF Museum, Cosford

http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/images/display/M/0029778a.jpg

http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/images/display/M/0029778b.jpg

Details

http://navigator.rafmuseum.org/results.do?view=detail&db=object&pageSize=1&id=106573

4mastacker

5th Nov 2007, 16:48

I didn't realise the Montego Turbo Diesel was viewed with such "affection". When it was selected as the new grade 'B' car - it won the "competition" from out of nowhere behind the Nissan Bluebird, new-style Vauxhall Cavalier and the Peugeot 405 - the CMovO's staff were plagued with "I want one" calls. After the first few had been delivered into service, they started getting the "I want my Cavalier back" calls. IIRC, the first one to get trashed, never completed its delivery journey from Ludgershall Depot - something to do with the driver testing its off-road performance!

AARON O'DICKYDIDO

5th Nov 2007, 17:20

I remember a night in mid '70s when I was part of a gang from 71 MU Bicester staying on the outskirts of Hull for the night. We went into town using the teams Ford Transit and after an evening doing the rounds of the pubs we were about to return to our digs when the gear shift broke off half an inch from the bottom !!! So, the gang boss, 'Tricky' Dickie Hayter reversed two and a half miles from the town centre back to the digs. Next day he managed to lever the gear stick into third and we drove all the way from Hull to Bicester in that gear. Those were the days.

om15

5th Nov 2007, 17:52

I remember Dick Hayter from around that time on 71MU, he was on salvage and I was on ARF, later on in the late 80s Dick joined Channel Express as a line engineer on the Heralds and Electras, however following a nasty fall one dark night he was quite seriously injured and went in to retirement.

Not for long, up to about 2000 Dick was working as a stores drver and workshop odd job man, despite his health, a huge amount of stories and escapades, I think he settled in Bournemouth when he retired properly, I hope that he is still going strong.
Best regards,
om15

jez_s

5th Nov 2007, 19:24

That looks like the G-Wagon 18sqn had at Gutersloh, I remember trying to get spares for it from the local Mercedes garage but as the Argies hadn't actually paid for the wagon the chassis numbers were blacklisted!!

The moggies were replaced by JCB Fasttracks...Moggies were more fun though, used to bury them till the tops of the tyres where hidden by sand, stick it in crawler gear,climb out and watch them chug they're way out then bimble across the bondou.

rockridge

5th Nov 2007, 19:35

Im sure thats the G wagon 230 sqn painted in tiger stripes in the late 80,s..or was it ours in the first place????

Goer Round

5th Nov 2007, 22:00

My claim is for 2 vehicles - both LWB Landrovers.

First - an open driving cab/enclosed rear half kitted out as the sigs vehicle for the Sharjah Mountain/Desert Rescue Team. We were going out into the local area for a 'famil' drive. As I had just arrived I was keen to get out and see the said local area. No seats in front so I volunteered to go in the back. Colin Pibworth, the team leader, voiced his concerns but I convinced him it was no problem. It wasn't. Until we hit the first bit of off road when a particularly rough piece of road turned the back into something approaching a Zanussi front loader. After the dust had settled and the blood had been staunched I completed the trip squashed into the front on the "third" seat.

Second - expedition to North Wales on the way back to sunny Scampton. If one switched off the ignition on a descent and then switched it back on again it would give a very satisfying backfire and the sheep for miles around would leg it like their backsides were on fire. First few times was OK then we hit a long straight descent. BANG! Sheep ran but the Landie sounded like a tank thereafter as the silencer box had been blown apart. Got some funny looks as we passed through the various towns on the way back.

Arclite01

6th Nov 2007, 02:47

So many SWB Landrover stories

petrol tanks under the seats - leaking and smoking at the same time.............

The broken half shaft - 'just put it into 4 wheel drive - we'll have a two wheel drive landy' - it took MT a week to get out the 2 hammered ends of the half shaft............

and being towed behind one in the snow on an old tea tray - magic (I still have the scars)

Awesome..............

Arc

Al R

6th Nov 2007, 06:12

That last tale reminds me of riot shield races across the Salt Lake at Akr. Each section would get a 6 foot riot shield, attach to the towing eye with Don 10, and then have an LAC (they were usually the lightest) to sit on it and hold on tight. Then race. God, that polycarbonate would get hot.

Also, another jape. Again, on the Salt Lake, set the hand throttle to say, 6 mph and have the driver trundle the thing forward in a straight line. The driver then has to jump out, run around the back, pass infront, and then jump back in before it hits something/the Med/trundles off into the distance. Did I mention he had to wear his S6?

Owning an ally air portable Land Rover would make my happiness almost complete.

spectre150

6th Nov 2007, 06:20

The Blue Bomber will doubtless be remembered by anyone serving on 100 Sqn in the early 80s (and maybe remembered by some of our 'guests'). Cant remember the model, some pre-Sherpa minibus contraption but it worked (usually) and was great for gettig down to the beach or the NAAFI ( I dont think we could take it of the SBA). Ekaton Sminos!

Montego turbos - often given one of these for staff visits to stations; slow to accelreate but seemed to wheeze along alarmingly if you had the patience and open road to get to a reasonable speed. They became very light at the front I recall and steering was, umm, interesting.

I suppose OC Admin's Metro was 'interesting' after we filled it with water at Happy Hour at Laarbruch - that must have ben late 80s/early 90s/ I dont suppose that sort of 'high spirits' happens any more.......

Arkwright

6th Nov 2007, 09:08

05KD47 RAF Lightweight Land Rover issued for VGS duties.
Best Land Rover I've ever driven! Superb engine, great drive. Oh, the summer days at 618 VGS RAF West Malling........ :D

cornish-stormrider

6th Nov 2007, 10:00

I remember nearly seeing a corsa being mated upon by the MFV. OC eng's pet shiny borrowed his corsa and pulled out of the waterfront without looking. coming the other way was said MFV. MFV stopped over the corsa with all firemen plastered across widscreen. Shiny couldn't open the door and had to be helped out of passenger seat.

WeeMan18

6th Nov 2007, 11:29

Al R,
Owning an ally air portable Land Rover would make my happiness almost complete.

With all the mentions of Land Rover Lightweights / Airportables, here's my baby:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/WeeMan18/LRLW-1.jpg
Many would have spotted me at the back of the Offrs Mess at Odi stripping it down to parts and then rebuilding it and then repainting it in 18 Sqn / 1310 Flt markings (possibly historically inaccurate for a Lightweight but hey, it's my toy). When it's stripped down for summer (doors off, screen folder flat etc) it looks even better (and I have the soft top and various other 'options' as well).

As for the 18 Sqn G-Wagen, a bit before my time, although it did make an appearance at 18's 90th, I believe Mercedes wanted to impounded it because (as already mentioned) the Argies never got round to paying for it. Hence it was shuffled around from place to place in the back of Chinnies for years so Mercedes couldn't get their hands on it. Eventually, because getting spares was proving impossible it was given to the RAF museum.

Al R

6th Nov 2007, 11:56

Fantastic stuff WeeMan. Does she get driven in anger a lot? I did a recce for one a few months back, and it seems that one with a Perkins Diesel lump is the honey to go for. 60 years old next year too, of course.

Did you strip the paint right back, what condition was the ally? People say they don't rust, but the chassis does of course, and ally scabs up like a bugger too. You're right, in summer rig they're the dogs bollocks.

A good resto, I like it. :D

WeeMan18

6th Nov 2007, 12:36

Thanks Al,

This is how it looked when I bought it on ebay for £400; a bit of a wreck with a rotten bulkhead and chassis, but exactly what I was looking for:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/WeeMan18/a4_12_sb.jpg

The chassis was so bad that when scrapping it, the first 'cut' to separate it into two parts, forward and aft, I did by hand without tools. I managed to source a rust free replacement chassis, bulkhead and top rail from ebay. The springs, bushes, brake system etc are new. The first priority was simply to get it road legal and presentable. In the future I may fit a different or reconditioned engine and gearbox and make other mods.

In terms of corrosion, most of the large steel parts needed to be replaced (but this is 1968 vintage and they were made until '84 I believe). Fortunately brand new galvanized chassis are available and items like the bulkhead can be sourced.

Most of the aluminium parts were in very good condition underneath the paint. In some places there had been electrolytic corrosion where the Al was in contact with steel. These aluminium parts, where too far gone, were easily replaced and refiited with plastic sheeting between the Al and steel to hopefully limit its recurrence.

Small steel items I restored with electrolysis, a technique that brought rusty old components back to shiny bare metal ready to red oxide primed and hammerited, with minimal effort. The batting staff may have wondered what the bin of bubbling brown liquid with wires coming out was! Bolts and fixings were a nightmare to remove (I am now familiar with about 20 different ways to remove seized nuts and bolts) and so were all replaced with zinc plated items which were then liberally greased.

After a lot of blood and sweat, here's how it looks underneath - good as new:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/WeeMan18/DSC01088.jpg

I guess I have accidentally become a bit of a Land Rover geek. I am a big fan of a no-nonsense machine that does what it is designed to do, very well. I don't have much time for cars which are little more than fashion statements, or which you are afraid to get scratched or dirty. The Land Rover is the epitome of simple, rugged engineering and if ever you do have a snag, a hammer and leatherman will mostly get you home!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/WeeMan18/DSC01165.jpg

It's currently off the road for a brand new wiring loom to go in. Roll on next summer!

Al R

6th Nov 2007, 12:49

For rust, try this.

http://www.bilthamber.com/deoxc.html

Probably the best stuff on the market, and biodegradable too. I chucked a couple of Rover V8 manifolds in earlier this year and overnight, they were restored to new. Awesome stuff.

Yours looks like its a good sympathatic job and I agree with that you say about them. AND they're uber chiq too. With that in mind, a quick search of that devil site, Autotrader, reveals 8 on offer, starting at £1800. They won't go down any, so yours looks like a nice little success story.

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/LAND+ROVER+LIGHTWEIGHT/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146,N-4294954970-4294967210/search.action

PASN

6th Nov 2007, 13:35

Ford Mustang, coupe, natch, which proved itself capable of travelling from the Hard Rock Cafe in San Diego to the Hard Rock Casino Las Vegas in 4H28M.

TEEEJ

6th Nov 2007, 18:23

Fantastic, WeeMan. Lots of hard work put in there! Thanks for sharing. :D

brokenlink

6th Nov 2007, 18:46

Some years ago I borrowed my ATC squadron's ex RAFG Sherpa crewbus to move a fridge from the mother-in laws to our place. Twas the middle of winter, starting to snow like it was going out of fashion. Missus was cold (and expecting). Belting past Marham at all of 45mph the locks failed on the engine cover between us and we became temporarily blinded by a cloud of snow and years of assorted c@*p blowing round the cabin. Finished the journey with Mrs BL sitting with her feet holding the damm thing down. Had to get rid of it a few months later cos the rust was seperating the body from the chassis!

Grey'npointy

6th Nov 2007, 18:47

Best 'service' car I've seen was the limousine (ex funeral directors) bought and 'modified' by 197 Cse at Linton a few years back. Pure class. That course travelled in style - it even did a high-speed drive-past and j-turn on graduation day, sending the then CI into a towering rage, which was rather amusing to see. I'm sure someone must have some pictures of it. I believe it went to Valley but no idea on its fate....

GnP

Report Line

6th Nov 2007, 19:35

Anyone get to use a Trabby as a Sqn runaround in Germany after the wall came down? We had one and had it painted black like a staff car. Think it even had Tac plates for authenticity. Those were the days.:O

catbert

7th Nov 2007, 13:11

When I was at Newton in the early 80s the RAF Police had a Royal Blue Land Rover that was used solely for visits to RAF units by the Queen, a bit like the Popemobile but without the bullet proof glass. It was absolutely immaculate with white cotton seats, chrome bars for the Queen to hold on to and every bit polished to within an inch of it's life, even the tyres. It was about 30 years old but had only done a few hundred miles as it was trailered to parades. In 1983/4 it was sold off as surplus to requirements for a few hundred quid to some knowledgeable old copper. I wonder where it is now?

Grey Area

7th Nov 2007, 19:20

Ah, airborne en route Topcliffe from Linton, those were the days. Shame about that tractor ........

621andy

17th Nov 2007, 14:13

96AM02(If I remember correctly) - a 109, that was apparently a military hearse in a former life(chrome bumpers and the all important hand throttle:E)

Scene- Weston super mud airfield, summer course at the VGS. Sun shining and roof off...
Take one Mark 3(T31) recovery trailer, hang it on the back of said 109, and attach a rope to the steering wheel. Find unsuspecting fool, to sit in the passenger seat and drive off across the airfield...then set the hand throttle, climb out of the drivers seat, out over the back and onto the trailer. The rope gave about 5° of steering in either direction and it was possible to get right out onto the fantail rampy bit on the back of the trailer;) Ben Hur? HA!:E

Also, 'reverse tug of war' with 2 lightweights- Both facing the same way, but one pushing and the other reversing...the noise of squealing tyres was amazing:E

Sledging- Towing a Moggy Minor bonnet behind a Lightweight around the airfield on a wet day:} The bonnet had been liberated from the dump on the edge of the airfield, and had Westland helis logo all over it once upon a time.

Finally, Cheddar Gorge....We had a gliding site at the top of the mendips: Halesland- Now home of a civvy club.. Anyway, heading back to Locking on a sunday, the favourite game was to start at the top, turn off the engine but leave the ignition on, and coast down to the bottom whereupon the engine was started again...the resulting backfires echoing off the sides of the gorge had an amazing effect on the grockles!
The best one was seeing some chappie with one of those sandwich board 'end of the world is nigh' jobbies doing his thing to the crowds...he certainly thought it was, as he leapt 6' in the air as the driver(who'll remain nameless:E) timed it perfectly:ok: ....Didn't do the exhaust box much good though:O

Aaahh, the folly of youth;)