End of an era ...

[CoffmanStarter]

In the last few moments the final Land Rover Defender rolled of the production line at Solihull :(

BBC Land Rover Defender (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35436741)

So I guess it won't be too long before another British icon will disappear from what's left of our RAF, RN and Army airfields for ever. Very sad as I'll bet many will have possibly first learnt to drive on a Service Land Rover let alone taken their Airfield Driving Test in one.

What will SATCO's do in the future for transport (let alone house their Bird Scaring Kit) ? ... the Station Bike might be even more in demand ;)

Presumably some PFI contract will appear to provide airfield vehicles under some kind of lease arrangement at some point ... Making the Ford F100 Pick-Up or the Toyota Flatbed possible 'favourites' :yuk:

The Service 'Landy' ... Gone but not forgotten ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v684/fv1620/36AA21.jpg

Image Credit : Unknown : Series 1 Service Land Rover 50's

[Danny42C]

*Ideal replacement ?......................the Willys Jeep ! (you can lean down to pick up the crud off the runway).
What will SATCO's do in the future for transport ?
When did a SATCO ever leave his nice, warm office ?

[ACW418]

Coff,

Land Rovers have been part of the "White Fleet" for some time which is a sort of PFI as the vehicles are no longer owned by the MOD.

ACW

[CoffmanStarter]

Many thanks ACW ... Which may mean their 'exit stage left' might be a little bit swifter given residual vales etc.

Danny ... You better don your Steel Bowler given the number of ex SATCO's on here :}

[Pontius Navigator]

And BCUs have not even been white fleet but a separate contact.

[NutLoose]

I did a cross country freebie with Toyota some years back on the off road course at Silverstone, the usual stuff through mud and deep wading, We were using the top of the range new Landcruisers and Toyota had provided instructors who travelled the world demonstrating the skills etc, in a quiet moment we got chatting and I asked him to list his top buys and why..

They were

Landrover, simple, reliable, break down anywhere and you can normally fix it or source parts and get it repaired, be it in the the deepest darkest parts of Africa to the southern Americas.

Toyota Land Cruiser, similar reasoning except harder to get fixed / sorted due to reliance on a lot of electronics.

Mercedes G Wagon, as above but 10 times more expensive to repair.

BMW X Series... as above but worse, he also said at the time everything was computer controlled and if the 4 wheel drive failed it would select 1 wheel drive to get you home! which was pretty much useless when you are buried up to your axles in mud.

[MPN11]

When did a SATCO ever leave his nice, warm office ?
Frequently, Sir ... frequently! Indeed, I also had a Bicycle, Station Personnel for the use of, which I used for commuting from my OMQ and for popping across to Local. :cool:

Anyway, a SATCO can't have too many Defenders! Although I did do a swap with the Fire Section at Waddington, letting them have one of our SWB Landys in exchange for their J2 [?] van, as it was easier for the WRAF to use when laying out the night-flying lighting and had enough floor space to remove the need to haul a trailer-full of Glim Lamps around the airfield.

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm468/atco5473/PPRuNe%20ATC/img022.jpg (http://s319.photobucket.com/user/atco5473/media/PPRuNe%20ATC/img022.jpg.html)

"Rover 2" at Stanley was our "Alternate Approach" FFR LWB Landy, fitted for and equipped with DRDF and UHF r/t, which would go and hide in a cleft in the rocks [which explain the home-brewed colour scheme] and plug in to assorted aerials to do the job.

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm468/atco5473/PPRuNe%20ATC/img023.jpg (http://s319.photobucket.com/user/atco5473/media/PPRuNe%20ATC/img023.jpg.html)

[Always a Sapper]

Horrible things, one of the most uncomfortable vehicles I have ever driven.

A very cramped drivers position made even worse when they brought in the Defender and put a door trim on it, you had to have the window open and elbow out just to get comfy.

FFR version, once all the gear was loaded, radios, masts etc etc there was no room for the crew!

Then there was the heater that worked better as a fridge.

Remember the front wheel wobble that came in between 20 to 40mph and stopped all attempts at steering?

Tyres that told every one you were on the way.

Overpriced junk that kept on selling because the Govt kept on buying it to keep the industry going.

FWIW, the 'G' Wagons, we had at AFCENT (1992-4) while slightly more comfortable were so underpowered they made the 110 look like a overpowered muscle machine...

[ORAC]

Ah well, guess I'll have to settle for a secondhand Lambo. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamborghini_LM002)....

B8JRIg26stI&feature=iv&src_vid=zKXyqqo7WEE&annotation_id=annotation_252309

[cheese bobcat]

My worst experience in a Land Rover was when travelling from Scampton to Waddo for a sim detail in this brand new vehicle. My co-pilot was admiring all the marvellous new buttons not seen before in one when he said "I wonder what's this one for...". Within a few moments we were surrounded by police all looking very menacing. Apparently it was the vehicle used to collect the wages for the civvies at Scampton and that button was an alarm in case they were robbed!!

[Wander00]

The guy from LandRover on The One Show implied there was a "new" Defender on the drawing board. Anyone any clues?

[cattletruck]

Sign of the times, the new ones look like whitegoods on wheels.

[SilsoeSid]

Someone mention Land Rovers at Stanley?

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g11/silsoesid/murrayhts_zps0fwuguhb.jpg

Vehicle of choice for the duty driver; very handy for the Friday night post happy hour 'joint forces' drive to the chip shop in town, and really came to her own every evening when driving over the peat tracks to refuel the generator for the mast lights. Best of all, you could easily throw in all the mail bags full of all the replies from either penpals or clips from the papers/magazines that were sent of on behalf of others :E

Still remember the reg for my 'home for many a German exercise', the Gazelle Flt CP, '21GX78'. Never let us down :ok:

[SilsoeSid]

The guy from LandRover on The One Show implied there was a "new" Defender on the drawing board. Anyone any clues?

I don't think they're too sure just yet, however there are a few 'releases' to whet our appetites.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2018-Land-Rover-Defender-concept-408-626x382.jpg
2018 Land Rover Defender May Not Resemble Defender Concepts ? News ? Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog (http://blog.caranddriver.com/2018-land-rover-defender-may-not-resemble-recent-defender-concept-cars/)


http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/files/styles/gallery_adv/public/7/51/lr_defender_5dr_lwb_aav_0_0_0.jpg?itok=L2JZvQNV

http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/files/styles/gallery_adv/public/7/50/lr_defender_3dr_mt_aav2_0_0_0.jpg?itok=NSHKV5DM
New Land Rover Defender DC100 concept revealed | News | Auto Express (http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/land-rover/defender/19933/new-land-rover-defender-plans-large-family-for-2018)

[ancientaviator62]

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m19/ancientaviator62/MSPEXTRACTORRETARDER_zps62484877.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/ancientaviator62/media/MSPEXTRACTORRETARDER_zps62484877.jpg.html)

Tough old beasts. This one just did not want to die !

[Dan Gerous]

Passed my driving test in Jan 84 just before I was posted to Belize. Once my licence got sent out, my formative driving experience was in Landys in Belize, with some nice off road stuff. The visibility was poor in them, and to this day I always remove my seat belt to reverse any car, as it was impossible to move to see in the landy with the seat belt worn. Also when travelling as a passenger in the front seat I will always say clear left at junctions, as in the Landy with someone sitting there, you could never see clearly enough to the left.

[MPN11]

Someone mention Land Rovers at Stanley?In '83 the Staish asked all drivers to give a lift to any pedestrians heading between the airfield and the Coastels ... there was justifiable concern over people getting exposure/hypothermia [that winter was AWFUL]. I regularly loaded 12+ pax in my LWB as I crashed along the 'road'. Apparently, I eventually destroyed the rear suspension, to MT's horror/amazement.

My farewell gift from ATC may, indeed, have been from that vehicle ... along with a reminder of the speed limit on base ;)

http://i319.photobucket.com/albums/mm468/atco5473/PPRuNe%20ATC/P1020796.jpg (http://s319.photobucket.com/user/atco5473/media/PPRuNe%20ATC/P1020796.jpg.html)

[Royalistflyer]

Last time I saw a SATCO fire a very pistol from his pie hut landy - he set the airfield on fire ..... which was rather fun for the students trying to land.

[Krystal n chips]

" Very sad as I'll bet many will have possibly first learnt to drive on a Service Land Rover let alone taken their Airfield Driving Test in one " .

Very true....however....it did become a shade problematic when, as always, authority chose to become involved.

One felt, that, Landy driving at Valley when working the weekends as duty crew supplemented my training....... under instruction elsewhere on the scenic isle.

It's always the paperwork that causes authority to get agitated. :E

[pr00ne]

Seeing as over 70% of all Landrovers EVER built are still in active use, I think they will be around for the foreseeable future.

As to an eventual replacement, very strong rumours of a brand new factory in Coventry to build up to 250,000 of the things a year!

[Lyneham Lad]

Mid 'Sixties, E Dispersal Scampton on nights. Me barely 18 with a newly minted licence & airfield driving permit. Supper time! Probably a dozen in the back, at least three up front with whoever was straddling the gear lever stirring it in synchronisation with movement of my left leg and cries of "second", "third" etc. We generally reached the Mess in good time (and made it back).

[Willard Whyte]

Driven 'em, rode in 'em.

Crap.

[STANDTO]

There was a beautiful dark green LWB one, with a white roof on the MT at St Athan. V8 engine - we used to use it as a bit of a hack when I was there for a short time on the At Home Day team.

I have free access to my neighbours 90 for towing my trailer. Just a great piece of kit. And this morning, I'm off to the old RAF Jurby where the Motor Museum is hosting an 'End of Defender" event. 150 landys expected.

[onetrack]

Dreadful things. Rode like a dray, broke axles faster than I could change my shirts, so gutless they couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding, shocking brakes, noisy, and just plain agricultural.
Rolled over at the first opportunity with an inexperienced driver. Door seals had more gaps than a comb.

I can remember the legend about the Toyota and Landrover representatives having a get-together and the talk turning to dust-sealing of their respective vehicles. The Toyota reps poured scorn on the LR dust sealing.
They all agreed to have a test.

The Toyota people locked a cat in their 4WD, and they all went away, and came back an hour later - and the cat was dead - suffocated.

The Landrover people locked a cat in their Landrover, and they all went away, and came back an hour later - and there was no sign of the cat - it was gone!

LR bodies were totally rust free - but the chassis rusted instead. The first you knew of this was when the chassis broke in half. The chassis held corrosion-inducing moisture and mud in at least 20 points along it.

Unless you carefully pressure-washed the chassis regularly and ensured it was dry, it would corrode - horribly - and you couldn't see the corrosion until the chassis fractured on you.

The worst of any vehicle manufactured for total inaccessibility of components. If the cooling system got rusty, the welch (freeze) or core plug at the rear of the block corroded through and dropped all the coolant on the ground.
Guess where that plug was located? Yep, right against the firewall! You had to either remove the engine or cut a hole in the firewall to replace the plug. Guess how many LR's are running around with a patch plate on the firewall?? :D

In the Australian Army, LR was King. The AMF bought them because no-one in the Defence Dept knew what a good 4WD looked like - and besides, they were BRITISH! - so they had to be good! - What Ho, Chaps!
In 'Nam, the AMF actually utilised a 106mm recoilless rifle in a SWB LR! It worked O.K. up to a point - until you started to give the 106mm a good workout - and then the LR started to fall apart!

LR Gunbuggy (http://www.remlr.com/2_2Agunbuggy.html)

The Defence Dept didn't really care what LR running costs were. They bought them because the British Defence Agencies used them - and us Aussies had to have compatible equipment, old chap! :)
Couldn't have the disastrous experiences of WW2 repeated, could we! We had 117 different vehicles during the War! What a schemozzle for Logistics that was!

I am utterly amazed that the Landrover has actually lasted this long in production. I'm sure it was because Defence Agencies kept buying them because it was a tradition - nothing else.

Despite all that, I bought my 1st Landrover in 1967 - a 1960 Series II - and it did sterling service for the largely paddock work it carried out. We didn't know any better back then, anyway!

And guess what - I still have a complete, excellent condition 1979 Series III LWB diesel panel van sitting on blocks in my workshop!
It's just awaiting the motor to be re-installed, so I can take it along to vintage motor shows - and show off just how primitive 4WD-ing used to be! :D

[ACW418]

I drove all versions of the Land Rover and I have to agree it was an uncomfortable beast but the latest ones were not the same as is being suggested here. Whilst half shafts did fail regularly on the older ones it didn't stop you motoring - but they shouldn't have failed in the first place.

The later versions with coil springs and diesel engines that were reasonable did do the job reliably.

ACW

ps I am most definitely not a fan of them but felt we were indulging in our usual British bashing that is not based on facts

[MPN11]

Oh, there's PROPER! The old Crash One (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/10/3f/e1/103fe1675c42bd5c35ea117eebdaf290.jpg) ...

[CoffmanStarter]

Cold flannel for MPN11 please ;)

[aerobelly]

shocking brakes

Ah, sorry 'bout that. My instructions while on the drawing-board at Girling in 1973 were "Make them cheaper to make." I calculated they should be as effective as before, perhaps I was wrong. Should have been as good as British Steel's Landies I drove in an earlier job in 1970 though. They were carp though, you're right.

A superior Landie driver uses his superior judgement to avoid situations that would require the use of his superior skills.


'a

[Bigbux]

The death knell of the Defender started in the early 90s. The MoD was by far the largest buyer for the vehicle, and other traditional customers, such as the Australians had long since fallen out of love with it, when compared to a Toyota.

Before contractor leasing was in the military vocab, there was a study carried out to find out how many Defenders actually ever made it off-road (i.e. up to its axles in mud). The initial results showed that about 70% of the RAF Defender fleet was in fact, white fleet, and as a result, the MoD was overpaying for vehicles that probably weren't even the best choice for their intended purpose. Shortly after, Japanese twin-cabs started to appear on airfields.

Its a great shame -probably the best deal you could ever get, before disposals were rationalised, was an ex-mil Defender. Some were beefed-up and all were overhauled or serviced before sale. Their values have always held up and I can't seeing that changing soon.

[RUCAWO]

Spent about 15 years of my life in them, front and back, saved my life more than once still can't figure out what they will replace these with ;)

https://drscdn.500px.org/photo/62729089/m%3D2048/23f8cde50cfe1386ec1f4fade78a39cd

[Krystal n chips]

You can only admire his, erm, optimism here....


Iconic Land Rover Defender on eBay for £200k - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35484423)

[Stanwell]

I noticed last night there's an original and complete 1953 Series 1 Landy going on Fleabay Oz at the moment.
6000 miles on the clock and last registered in 2008.
Bidding is about AU$3500 at the moment with five days to run.

Might be worth a look, if you're keen.

[NutLoose]

I always thought the reason the 110 was a 4 wheel drive was down to the fact the turning circle was so bad, you invariably ended up off road trying to do a three pointer

[Courtney Mil]

RUCAWO,

Please delete or resize your picture so we can read the thread.

[Stanwell]

During my time in the army, we had the Series 2a.
We described them as the best front-wheel drives available.