CRAIG MOORE & DAVID FLETCHER write for us

www.cmvmag.co.uk

Issue
189

Red
The T-34
Army Royalty
Medium Af
Tank Warrriican
Berlie
tsors
MRA, Panhar
ds
Ps
warf in bush and
are

NOVEMBER 2019 £4.70

River Recovery Bombs Away Super ‘Sarry’

ISSUE 222

The Tanks of Nevsky Pyatachok Land Rover 101 Forward Control Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier
Catawiki.indd 1 28/02/2019 16:25:48
www.cmvmag.co.uk
Are we killing our hobby?
Visitors on the grass bank at War and Peace Revival. ANDREW STONE
A question recently posted on the Classic
Military Vehicle Facebook page asked if
‘our hobby’ was dying as a result of the
ever-increasing prices of classic military
vehicles. John J Stafford said rising
prices were making it unaffordable for
many people to get involved.
As a relative newcomer to the field,
I get his point. Since joining CMV
earlier this year, I have been searching
through the classifieds looking for
a classic military vehicle that’s both
EDITORIAL AND DESIGN TEAM:
Andrew Stone, Dave Robinson, Andy O’Neil
Editorial Contributors: Vicky Turner, Craig Allen, Craig
Moore, Mark Nash, James Kinnear, David Garden,
Pedro Monteiro, Gerry van Tonder, David Fletcher,
Bernard Holloway, Nigel Hay
AD TEAM (including ad production):
Tom Lunn, Debi McGowan, Kay Townsin
tom.lunn@keypublishing.com
+44(0)1780 755131
Production Manager: Janet Watkins
Head Of Design: Steve Donovan
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Managing Editor: Roger Mortimer
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Chief Content & Commercial Officer: Mark Elliott
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Andrew Stone
Andrew has worked on a variety of titles over
the years. His interest in military history started
at a young age and developed as his journalism
career took off
affordable and practical to own.
Clearly one of the cheapest routes to
entering the hobby is buying an ex-military
Land Rover, but the prices of these still
require some justification when you have
children and a mortgage to consider.
John went on to say that more needed
to be done to bring ‘new blood’ into the
hobby. We completely agree, otherwise
many of these classics could simply end
up in museums gathering dust or as part
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Tom Lunn
Tom is the perfect member of the team with
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joining CMV
3
November 2019 Frontlines
of hidden collections belonging to wealthy
businessmen.
Part of the appeal of our hobby is
getting out and meeting ‘ordinary’ men
and women with a passion for not only
restoring these vehicles but taking them
to shows where they are driven around
dusty or muddy arenas affording us all the
opportunity to see them ‘in action’.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts
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keypublishing.com
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Features
06 Red Army Royalty
The T-34 Medium Tank

A
words and pictures Vicky Turner

bs way! I
Owner Paul Clarke has spent nearly
20 years restoring this 1976 Forward
Control and the long hours and
hard work have paid off

m
nitially conceived as a gun tractor in
response to the British Army’s need for

Bo
a vehicle capable of towing 4,000lbs,
the Forward Control (FC) earned its
nickname of the One-Tonne because of its
load capacity for ammunition.
Concept development began in 1967,
with the vehicle being unveiled at the 1972
Commercial Motor Show. Production at
Land Rover’s Lode Lane plant began in the
same year and it entered military service
in 1975 but was considered too utilitarian
and uncomfortable for the civilian market.
Placing the engine under the cab and
the driver forwards of the front wheels
kept weight down – a prerequisite as it
was intended for air transportation. This
also meant that the vehicle assumed
its distinctive cuboid shape, a deliberate
design feature with air transportability in
mind to suit loading space.
The FC shared the Rover V8 engine and
LT95 gearbox and transfer case already

‘The Forward Control

continued in service
in places like Kosovo
until the 1990s’
used by the recently launched Range
Rover but, unlike the IIA and IIB Forward
Controls, it came with a purpose-built
chassis while retaining the ability to have
its body panels removed to further reduce
weight as required.
Initially it was designed with a powered
1.5 ton trailer, driven by the power take-off
to effectively create a 6x6 vehicle. But this
clever concept which included a transfer
case allowing the axle speed of the
trailer to be synchronised with Forward
Control, was later abandoned as costs
were prohibitive – and the trailer had a
propensity to topple the FC over rough
terrain.
Sitting on relatively large 9.00x16in tyres,
the 101FC’s wheels have a rim around the
centre as a tread step to assist entering
the cab – unusual for Land Rover, although
common place with other manufacturers.
Among the final jobs was the application of several
coats of NATA Green and Black Cammo paint
The General Service GS model was
standard, but many were later fitted

22 23

22 Bombs Away
The 101in Forward-Control

32 Battle Wagon
Mastiff’s in Afghanistan

38 The German Wasp

Wespe self-propelled gun

Super
words and pictures Mark Nash

Sarry
or British Army Veterans of a certain
age (and certain campaign), no sight
brings back the memory of comfort,
relief and salvation more than that
of the Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier.
A true veteran, this Cold War vehicle was
reliable and loved by those that served on
and with them, although they
Cold War veterans -
loved by those who
served with them
were loathed by those that had to fix them.
Designed and built by Alvis, around
1,850 Saracens – or ‘Sarrys’ as they are
affectionately dubbed - were produced.
Each vehicle cost about £350,000, around
£8.3m today. The APC was part of a
wider family of vehicles designated as
the FV600s, which included the FV601
Saladin, the FV620 Stalwart or
‘Stolly’ (covered in CMV Issue
217, June 2019) and the
FV651/652 Salamander.
The Saracen’s story
begins in Malaya, in
1948. After World War Two, Britain began
to give independence back to countries
that were part of the empire. This triggered
a revolt in Malaya led by the Malayan
Communist Party (MCP), members of
which had fought with the British against
the Japanese during the War. The MCP
renamed itself the Malaya Races Liberation
Army (MRLA) and disappeared into the
dense jungle that covered most of the
country. By 1951, this guerrilla-fought
conflict known as the ‘Malayan Emergency’
was still ongoing. British Military leaders –
likely recalling experience gained fighting the
Japanese – realised that tanks
and heavy artillery would be
unsuitable for close-quarters
jungle fighting. Infantry,
supported by armoured cars
and Armoured Personnel
Carriers, would be the key.
Unfortunately, the British
Army was devoid of any
type of APC. As a result, the
FV603, as it was now called,
untried, untested and not yet
in production was pushed
forward. Still under
review by the
Fighting Vehicle
Research

Matt Kill’s Saracen ’83 BA

78’, is the vehicle featured
in most of the photos in
this article. It is an almost
15-year labour of love

42

42 Super Sarry
The Saracen 6x6

48 River Rescue
The Tanks of Nevsky Pyatachok

54 Sherman Muscle
The M32 recovery vehicle

60 African Warriors
Military vehicles in bush warfare

72 How to Repel an
Invasion
David Fletcher on defending the UK against
German invaders

78 Engineering Success
The Royal Engineers Museum

A T-34 leads a military parade in Russia.

For more information see page 6.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS / WWW.KREMLIN.RU

www.facebook.com/cmvmag

4
Classic Military Vehicle Issue 222 November 2019 Contents

Regulars
Gear TimeWarp
The Ace Pilot 5006 watch was designed
LeisureTrailer
A multi-purpose leisure / off-road trailer and tent offering stability,

Crack
Guide
as a tribute to the brave Spitfire pilots in security and versatility. Family and loved ones can travel and sleep in
World War Two, all of whom were true ‘outdoor’ comfort

Vac
heroes. The watch takes inspiration without having to
from the cockpit of the Spitfire fight for space with
featuring an easy read dial with holiday luggage.
luminous hands – essential when The Savuti trailer
flying missions in low light and has a deeper body

Travelbag with reference to the altimeter

– necessary for safe flight. A
(500mm), four
extension support Dirty carpets every time you leave your car, dropping coins and keys
This large weekender in sturdy canvas datehas a traditional
window is set atfeel
sixwith
with the legs and a drop down the side of the seat and excess dog hair all over the place.
characterful chocolate Old Calf leather
outerdetails
minuteand a reinforced
track base with
clearly visible down tailgate to These are some of the problems we face in our car almost daily and
studs. With robust rolled leatherensuring
top-handles, The Hunter
accurate reading.alsoThe
features
case mention just a few it’s because of these problems that the Roamwild Car Crack Vac was
a detachable/adjustable canvas webbing
is crafted strap
with which fixes
a vintage look to bag with
aspiring to of the features. made. In summary the product offers five products in one including a
solid metal dog clips, allowing
thethe bag to be
watches carried
worn whilstin the hand,
flying theover the
Spitfire Available from debris pick up system; a pet hair removal tool; a telescopic magnetic
A selection of tools, shoulder or across the bodyduring
as required. Lined in watch
the war. The brown has cotton
beentwill,
madethe ventertrailersuk. hook tool with an LED light to retrieve dropped items down the side

equipment and gadgets roomy interior has handy leather trimmed

exclusively
and phone. Enjoy the trip!www.rafmuseumshop.com
at
pockets
for the RAF to
Tremendous value: available while
stash your
Museum.
for £35
tickets
Available
stocks last.
com for £5,950 or under the seat; a stiff bristled debris brush for tight spaces; and a
soft delicate brush to clean dashboard dials and air vents. For more
from around the world Available from Hunter International for £125 information visit www.roam-wild.com

TopTanks Sitting
Pretty
The Tank Museum’s own top trumps
game features the best armoured

vehicles from the world’s biggest and
best collection of tanks. From Little
Willie, the world’s first ever tank, to the
featured German Tiger Tank each deck
includes 52 iconic vehicles with detailed
specifications comparing weight,
armour, armaments, speed, engines and
more. Suitable for children and grown-
ups alike, a game of Tank Museum
Top Trumps will challenge your military
history knowledge and is guaranteed
to provide hours of fun. Available
from the Tank Museum at https://
tankmuseumshop.org for £4.99
FlyingHigh
The Flying Tent is suitable for a short break outdoors, as well as for
tours in different terrain. You can use it as a hammock tent between
two trees, as well as a single-person tent on the ground. The smart
gear allows campers, backpackers or bikers to sleep in places where
it is unsuited to pitch a traditional tent, including wet ground, riverbeds
and steep terrain. Available in four different colours from flyingtent.
New models, new designs
and new colours feature in the
Outwell Furniture Collection.
Leading the way is the Inflatable Furniture
range, perfect for ensuring family comfort during camping
trips at military shows. The Lake Albernel Inflatable Chair
(£105.99), Lake Chamberlain Inflatable Sofa (£179.99) and Lake
Evans Inflatable Ottoman £47.99) are suitable for indoor and
outdoor use and open home-from-home inflatable comfort to
more campers. Available through outwell.com

Gift
com, prices start from £263

ModelArmour
The M18 Hellcat was a US tank destroyer of World War Two. Armed
with a 76 mm main gun, it was the fastest tracked, armoured fighting
AATowRope HeadProtection
A reproduction of the German
M35 Helmet, as worn by

Idea
vehicle during the war with a top speed up to 60 mph. Unfortunately This AA Tow Rope is suitable for Wehrmacht forces on
for the crew, this speed was attained by keeping armour to a towing vehicles up to 3.5 tons. It entry into World War Two.
minimum, being no measures approximately four The M35 Helmet was
more than one inch meters in length, complies largely based on its World
thick. Production of the with BS AU187, features War One predecessor,
M18 Hellcat began in quick release metal but with a few
mid-1943 and ended hooks and comes with modifications.
in October 1944 by a carry bag for easy The M35s have
which time, over 2,500 transportation and a rolled steel edge, later
had been produced. storage. Available economised on the M42 model.
This kit comes with from Halfords for These are made from a tough steel,
two models per box £32.98 1.6mm like the originals, and have the
and is available from correct shade of the field grey. They
Armourfast at www. also come with a quality leather liner,
This high-quality bullet keyring is ideal for military enthusiasts and armourfast.com for with a leather drawstring and chin strap
will last a lifetime. Features a non-explosive shell. Available from £8.40 already attached. Available from www.
www.armourgeddon.co.uk for £4 epicmilitaria.com for £49.95

Got a product you’d like featured in our Gear Guide? E-mail cmveditorial@keypublishing.com Got a product you’d like featured in our Gear Guide? E-mail cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
12 13

12 Gear Guide
Gadgets, gear and equipment from around
the world

17 News www.cmvmag.co.uk cmveditorial@keypublishing.com

Three Mk.IV replica tanks

News & Letters

and Letters
Military news and
correspondence from From left to right are the Mk.IV tanka belonging to the Tank Museum, Bovington, Norfolk Tank Museum and the Pond Farm,
With doors expected to open next year, the
National Museum of the United States Army is
the soldier’s story 364 days a year.” The museum
will immerse visitors in what it means to be a
Poelkapelle,
A Liberty Belgium
Truck. THOMAS STIJN BUTAYE
BRADING
stalled include an FT-17 tank, a Sherman tank, a
Higgins boat used during the D-Day invasion and

readers
quickly coming to life. Located on an 84-acre
hilltop site at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, just south of
the nation’s capital, the museum will offer free
admission to the public and give a comprehen-
sive look at more than 240 years of army history
and traditions. “The museum’s goal is ‘telling the
army’s story to an estimated 750,000 visitors
every year’,” said Tammy E Call, museum direc-
tor. “This will be America’s army museum telling
soldier in times of war and peace throughout a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. They were installed in
American history. The primary galleries are titled: 2017 before the building’s walls were built.
Soldiers’ Stories; Army and Society; and Fighting Since then, a Sikorsky R-4B helicopter and a
for the Nation. Each will have artefacts, films, UH-1B Huey
National helicopter
Museum have been
of the United installed.
States Army They
documents, and lifelike soldier figures. Visitors were all used in battle and are chronologically
will learn about army history through soldiers’ placed to visually tell the army’s history, through
stories from America’s colonial beginning, and every major conflict.
lead through the generations of service to the The museum is scheduled to open on June 4,
ground force it is today. Artefacts already in- next year.

Tiger Day 12

18 New
Eager crowds gathered at The Tank Museum
on September 14 for a day dedicated to Tiger
131, the only running Tiger 1 in the world. Tiger
131 runs only twice a year, on Tiger Day in
April and September, and always attracts huge
crowds when it does. With perfect weather
and 4,500 people visiting The Tank Museum
to see Tiger 131 alongside its World War Two
contemporaries, Tiger Day 12 was another
success. It was also an opportunity for Tiger
fans to visit the museum’s Tiger Collection
exhibition, before it finishes, to allow for the
re-development of the hall into an exciting
World War Two exhibition coming in early
2020. The Tiger Collection brings all the
members of the Tiger family together in
a world first. The highlight of Tiger Day was a
one hour display which saw Tiger 131 take to
the arena alongside its Axis and Allied contem-
poraries, including a Panzer III, Churchill Mk III,
Comet, Stuart, the famous Sherman ‘Fury’ and
an extremely rare Type-95 Ha-Go.

Books
Gary Lewi of the Museum of American
Armor posted a message on the Classic
Military Vehicle Facebook page saying
the New York-based museum had
recently acquired a Tiger tank replica.
Gary said this had sparked a debate over
‘real versus replica’. “With a real Tiger
unavailable, can a replica achieve the
goal of providing a context for discuss-

Night at the
ing World War Two with a public that is
detached from the enormous lessons
and legacy of that conflict?” he asked.

museum
“The museum says ‘absolutely’.” Several

Three new releases

Following the success of its Museum in the
Dark experience last year, the Overloon War
Museum in The Netherlands will again open
its doors to visitors after closing time. Another
six evenings have been planned taking place
on November 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23. The event
will give visitors the opportunity to immerse
themselves in three special historical authentic
story lines which bring the forgotten Battle of
replies were posted in response.
Jon Bernstein: “Agreed. Absolutely. Looks
great, Gary, congratulations!”
Joshua Stoff: “Nothing wrong with a replica
as long as you say it’s a replica.”
Stephen MacHaye (Norfolk Tank Muse-
um): “Totally, we have the replica WW1 Mk IV
Deborah II. The attention it draws is incredible.
Could readers tell me about the Studebaker
6x6 with dual front wheels on the steering
There are six surviving originals, and
we are giving people the chance who wouldn’t
normally see one to have that experience.”
Mick James: “Yes, there is nothing wrong with
replica as long they don’t try to pass it off as
the real thing.”
- Let us know your thoughts on the matter by
emailing cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
A lot of trucks could be duelled upfront
Dave and it was often done when driving in

21 Museum
Overloon to life. Through beautiful storytelling,
extraordinary images, video projections and
lifelike re-enactment, visitors become part of the
stories surrounding the Battle of Overloon. A buf-
fet dinner will be served in the museum’s café at
an extra cost. To book tickets, visit https://www.
oorlogsmuseum.nl/nl/museum-in-het-donker
front axle? Imagine the effort required to
drive or turn the truck. Once the duals were
filled with mud any advantage would be lost.
Keep up the good work.
Dave Parkin
Wagga Wagga, N.S.W, Australia
soft ground was anticipated. Apparently, it
did make steering difficult but improved trac-
tion. If readers have any further comments,
please email
cmveditorial@keypublishing.com - Ed

17

of the
Month
Brooklands Museum

29 Event List
Shows and events you need to know about

37 Military Vehicle Market

A round-up of what’s hot and what’s not

82 Moore’s Moore’s Manoeuvres words and pictures Craig Moore

Manoeuvres E
arlier this year Panther Ausf.D and Ausf.A.
I was invited Similarly, the thickness
to spend three of the side hull armoured
days at the US plates was increased from
Army Armor and Cavalry 40mm to 60mm.
Collection (AACC) Two prototype Panther
situated on the Fort II tank hulls were ordered.
Benning army base in On April 5,1943 it was
Georgia, USA. Among recorded at a meeting in
its huge collection of the Panzerkommission

Craig Moore’s military

armour, it has four that the MAN factory
Panther tanks and one reported that the first
of them is exceptionally Panther II prototype hull
rare – the only example would be completed by
of the Panther II hull ever mid-August 1943. Only

world
completed. one prototype was built,
I have found that data and it is the same one I
Rear three-quarter view of the Panther II hull. Many of the design features of this hull were
published in books and used on the later panzer V Ausf.G tank. US ARMY ARMOR AND CAVALRY COLLECTION was crawling over at Fort
on some websites is Benning, Georgia.

The Measure
often wrong, so to try The Panther II never
and ensure that the entered production. One
information displayed on of the main reasons for
the tanks-encylcopedia. the start of the Panther II

com website and in
the books I write is
correct: whenever I go to
museums and military
vehicle events I am armed
with a notebook, tape
of the Panther II
development programme
was the fear that the
40mm side armour in
the Ausf.D, would be
The first of a regular column from Craig Moore vulnerable to Soviet
infantry 14.5 mm anti-tank

ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): Measuring up: The side armour 60mm; The glacis plate armour was
measure and digital calliper.80mm thick on the Panzer V Ausf.D, Ausf.A and Ausf.G Panther hulls; The glacis plate armour was rifles.
Any chance I get you’ll 100mm; The side armour was 4mm thick on the Panzer V Ausf.D, Ausf.A and Ausf.G Panther hulls However, the
find me checking armour BELOW: The Panther II hull fitted with a Panzer V Ausf.G turret armed with a 7.5cm Kw.K.44/1 L/70 anti- implementation of
thickness and dimensions tank gun under cover in a Fort Benning tank shelter. US ARMY ARMOR AND CAVALRY COLLECTION Schürzen side skirt armour
of vehicles first-hand, so plates removed the threat
being able to get close from those anti-tank rifles
to the legendary Panther and reduced the need for
II prototype was an a thicker side armoured,
opportunity not to miss. heavier Panther tank
The Panther II tank was variant. A recommendation
being designed even after a meeting at the MAN
before the first Panther factory on May 4, 1943
tank saw combat on was that the Panther II tank
the Eastern Front in should not enter mass
mid-1943. Hitler had production at that time,
expressed concerns but improvements gained
about the original design’s from the Panther II project
armour thickness, so were to be incorporated
work began on designing in future Panther I tank
a new Panther with designs.
thicker amour and a hull In June 1943 companies
Author Craig Moore is an editor for tanks-en-
design that could be cyclopedia.com and runs tank-hunter.com, a
that had been told to
fabricated cheaper and more quickly. guide to where you can find surviving World prepare to start producing the Panther II were
The front glacis plate was to be 100mm War One and World War Two tanks now informed that they would be producing
thick rather than 80mm as found on the the Panther I for the foreseeable future.

82

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5
 word
s An
drew
Ston
e pic
tures
as cr
edite
d

Red A
rmy R
oyalty
The
T
worl -34 was
d th
play when it a e most
a ma p a
jor ro peared idvanced
le in n m
the d 1940 an edium t
efea d a
t of N would g nk in the
azi G o on
erma to
ny

T
here is a real sense of pride in
Tim Isaac’s voice when he talks
about the Cobbaton Collection’s
T-34/85 medium tank. The
museum, which was started by his father
Preston, has owned the iconic Red Army
tank for 30 years and it takes pride of
place among the ever-growing collection
of military vehicles and collectables.
Preston, 77, started collecting military
vehicles in the 1960s and had always
wanted a T-34, so when the opportunity
presented itself in the late 1980s, he
grabbed it with both hands.
“It was imported to the UK by Dave
Freeman from the Czech Army,” explained
Tim. “Dave was importing a lot of armour
at that time including T-34s, T-54s and
T-55s to sell. I think we paid about £12,000
for it in 1989.
“They had undergone complete
restoration in 1971 for an Egyptian Army
contract that never materialised. It was
put into storage and not used after that,
so when we got it, it had everything
you could want in terms of equipment
that comes with a T-34.” Apart from the
ammunition, the only thing missing was a
small tin of radio spare parts.
When it first appeared on the scene
in 1940, the T-34 was considered the
most advanced medium tank in the
world. German generals are said to have
expressed admiration for it, while the
British Army School of Tank Technology
‘
called the production of T-34s in vast
numbers an ‘engineering achievement of
t
the first magnitude’.
To this day T-34s are often selected to
p

6
 Pictured prior to its ‘tidy up’ with
the T-54. COBBATON COLLECTION

lead annual military parades in Russia
celebrating victory over Nazi Germany
- showing the high esteem that these
iron warriors are held in the country. The
tank’s wide stance, sloping armour and
firepower made it a powerful and
respected adversary on
‘To th the battlefield
wide tracks allowed it to traverse deep
snow and mud without sinking in, while
the sloped armour was difficult to
penetrate.
The initial T-34 was fitted with a 76.2mm
gun (referred to as a T-34/76) in a
two-man turret. This was later replaced
with an 85mm gun (T-34/85) in a turret
were produced during the war including
the T-34(M), T-34/76 Model 1941, T-34
Model 1942, T-34/57, OT-34 flame
throwing tank, T-43, PT-34 Mine Roller,
T-34/85 Model 1943, T-34/85 Model 1944
and T-34/85 Model 1945.
Much of the success of the T-34 was
down to the fact that it could be produced

to leais day T-3

– the big enough for three as enemy tanks – in large numbers. While the Soviets lost
such as the Tiger 1 heavy tank with its thousands during the war, an enormous

paradd annual 4s are of

88mm gun – caught up and number were produced – nearly 60,000
surpassed it. Several from 1940 to 1945 – ensuring there was
es in m te
Russ ilitary n selecte
variants always a supply.

ia’ 7
d
 SPECIFICATIONS
Type Medium Battle Tank
Nationality Soviet Union
Production 1940 to 1945 (USSR),
1951 to 1955 (Poland),
1951 to 1958 (Czechoslovakia)
Engine 12-cylinder V-2 with 500bhp
Transmission Five forward, one reverse
Fuel Diesel
Range 300km
Crew Five
Length 6.1m (hull)
Width 3m
Height 2.7m
Weight 32 tons
The Cobbaton Collection’s T-34 after its new paint job earlier this year. COBBATON COLLECTION Max speed 55km/h (road)

shipbuilding factories in Russia, located

The T-34 arrives at the Cobbaton
Collection soon after it was
purchased in the late 1980s.
COBBATON COLLECTION
Of course, it wasn’t all good. Early in the
war, workmanship on many T-34s was
poor and they needed frequent repairs
after minimal hours of service. This
resulted in them being abandoned on the
battlefield after breaking down.
Another problem was the quality of
tank crews manning them – many were
inexperienced and easy pickings for the
trained Germans. When the T-34/85s
started making an appearance later in the
war they were first given to elite Russian
units until their numbers increased and
they eventually replaced the older models.
Not only were their guns more powerful,
their engines were more reliable too.
The Cobbaton Collection’s T-34 was one
of 3,255 produced in 1945 at the Zavod
No 112 factory in Gorki. It was one of the
oldest
in the Sormovsky City District of Nizhny
Novgorod.
The shape of the turret differed from
plant to plant and turrets at this factory
were produced from a five-part casting,
one of the notable features being the
extremely rough finishes which can be
seen in the accompanying photographs.
“Unfortunately, we know very little of its
history, only that it was built between April
and November that year,” said Tim.
Just under 19,000 T-34/85s were
manufactured during the war, with
production in the Soviet Union going on
until 1950 before moving to factories
in Poland and Czechoslovakia the
following year. T-34s have since gone
on to serve in several major conflicts
around the world, including the Korean
War, Angolan Civil War and the Soviet-
Afghanistan War.
Not only was the T-34 the most
produced tank of World War Two, it
would go on the become the second
most produced tank of all

FILM STARS
Over the years, vehicles from the Cobbaton
Collection have been involved in film and TV work.
In 1982, six vehicles were used in the World War
Two sequence in Pink Floyd’s The Wall, filmed
at Saunton Sands in North Devon. In 1984 the
museum specially built a World War Two Long
Range Desert Group vehicle for use in a BBC film
The Secret Servant. In 1989, the T-54 was taken
to the Paris Motor Show as part of the World of
James Bond display. The T-34 has appeared in
Road to Berlin and was also taken to Poltimore
House near Exeter for a recreation of the final
days of World War Two in Berlin. More recently
it has appeared in Doctor Who, Monuments
Men and Fury. Vehicles in the museum’s fleet
are available for film work and for more information
e-mail info@cobbatoncombat.co.uk The T-34 on the set of a film
shoot. COBBATON COLLECTION

8

ABOVE & BELOW: The tank was given clean and new coat of paint before appearing at Tankfest
earlier this year. COBBATON COLLECTION
time (after the T-54/55).
Post-war variants included the T-34/85
Model 1960 and T-34/85 Model 1969,
both of which received modern upgrades.
More than 30 countries incorporated
T-34s into their armed forces at some
stage, including Egypt, Iraq, Mozambique
and Czechoslovakia.
“It was in a really good condition
when we got it,” said Tim. “It even had
fuel in it, so we just had to turn the key
to get it running. We haven’t used it
much since buying it as its part of the
Loaded and ready for transport to Tankfest. COBBATON COLLECTION
It was fully kitted out when the Cobbaton
Collection bought it, having undergone a
restoration in 1971. ANDREW STONE
‘It even had fuel in
it, so we just had
to turn the key to
get it running’
museum collection so has remained in
a good condition.”
Shortly before showing it off at Tankfest
this year, Tim said they had given the T-34
a ‘tidy up’, which had included a fresh coat
of paint and some other minor work.
“We tried to get the colour matched
to Russian 4BO and I don’t think we’re
far out,” he said, adding the tank was a
‘member of the family’ and they had no
plans to sell it.
“I’m not even sure what it’s worth. I know
one sold on Milweb for just over £100,000.
T-34 prices have never been up there A view from the driver’s seat while in the
with those of the US and German tanks, arena at Tankfest earlier this year.
which are popular right now. They don’t COBBATON COLLECTION
command the highest prices, but we have
no plans to get rid of her.”
He said the number on the turret – 146
– was a tribute to David Freeman. The
number one was in keeping with the
history of the tank, while the numbers four
and six signify the letters ‘DF’.
“It’s just a small way for us to
acknowledge the man who imported her,”
said Tim.
He said they did not have set plans to
take the T-34 to shows in the next 12
months and anyone wanting to view
Brackets were welded to the rear of the turret
it should visit the museum. Located in for crews to attach tarpaulins or other personal
North Devon, the Cobbaton Combat gear. ANDREW STONE
The front machine gun, located next to the
driver’s hatch. The hole above the barrel is for
the sight of the gun. ANDREW STONE
9
Collection covers mostly World War
Two but also boasts exhibits from the
Boer War right up to the First Gulf War.
These range from military surplus British,
Canadian, American and Russian army
tanks, guns, helmets, artillery, grenades,
and bombs to Home Front ration books,
gas masks, ARP and Home Guard
uniforms and blackout lamps.
A large shop on site stocks collectors’
items, inert ammunition, clothing, hats,
badges, survival equipment, books, CDs,
toys, souvenirs and much more. A rear view following the ‘tidy up’ carried out earlier this year. The fuel tanks can be clearly seen.
COBBATON COLLECTION
Having opened in 1981, services have

Tim Isaac at the controls. ANDREW STONE Car crushing for a publicity shoot. COBBATON COLLECTION

grown to include restoration work and

vehicle sales. A line on the museum’s
website describes best how the
business has grown: “A hobby that got
out of hand”.
“I started collecting as a schoolboy,
with flint tools found on an uncle’s farm,
progressing to various old hand tools,
then later old farm implements and
machinery,” said Preston.
“The first military items were bits and
pieces my father had saved from his Home
Guard days, a Devon’s cap badge, 9mm The T-34 looks right at home on the set of this film. COBBATON COLLECTION

Sten and US 30.06 bullets, and a real

BOOK REVIEW: T-34 TANK prize, a drill No 69 anti-tank grenade.”
One from the popular Owners Workshop Manual As his interest grew, he turned
his attention to military vehicles. A
series from Haynes Publishers, T-34 Tank covers
Canadian C8HUP was purchased
all models of this iconic tank from 1940 to date.
followed by others including a Windsor
Using maps, illustrations and colour and black and
Carrier, a Centaur and a Churchill.
white photographs, it provides a unique insight
Dave Freeman was a friend of
into one of the most influential tank designs of the Preston’s and when he started
20th century. The T-34 was the most advanced bringing in shipments of Warsaw Pact
medium tank in the world when it first appeared equipment during the 1980s, Preston
in 1940. Built in great numbers, it became the bought the T-34/85 and a T-54. “The
mainstay of Soviet tank formations and played collection has survived without any
a pivotal role in helping defeat Nazi Germany. government grants or handouts, and is
Following the war, the T-34 would go on to serve still growing, with more than 50
in conflicts around the world, including combat military vehicles and artillery pieces,
in Korea, the Middle East, Vietnam and wars in Africa. T-34 Tank tells the story and literally thousands of smaller items
of this formidable weapon from its development to use in the 21st century. The from 1939-45,” he said. “The quantity and
hardback book retails for £22.99. ISBN 9781785210945. For more information range of items restored and preserved
visit www.haynes.com over the last 50 years is quite mind
boggling.”

10
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Gear TimeWarp
The Ace Pilot 5006 watch was designed

Guide
as a tribute to the brave Spitfire pilots in
World War Two, all of whom were true
heroes. The watch takes inspiration
from the cockpit of the Spitfire,
featuring an easy-read dial with
luminous hands – essential when
flying missions in low light and

Travelbag with reference to the altimeter

– necessary for safe flight. A
This large weekender in sturdy canvas datehas
window
a traditional
is set atfeel
sixwith
with the
characterful chocolate Old Calf leather
outerdetails
minuteand
track
a reinforced
clearly visible
base with
studs. With robust rolled leatherensuring
top-handles,
accurate
The Hunter
reading.alsoThe
features
case
a detachable/adjustable canvas is crafted
webbing with
strap
a vintage
which filook
xes toaspiring
bag with to
solid metal dog clips, allowing
thethe bag to be
watches carried
worn whilein flthe
yinghand,
the over
Spitfithere
A selection of tools, shoulder or across the bodyduring
as required.
exclusively
roomy interior has handy leather
the war. The
trimmed
Lined in watch
for the
brown has
RAF to
pockets Museum.
cotton
stash your
beentwill,
made
Available
the
tickets
equipment and gadgets and phone. Enjoy the trip!at
Tremendous
www.rafmuseumshop.com
value: available while forstocks
£35 last.
from around the world Available from Hunter International for £125

TopTanks
The Tank Museum’s own top trumps
game features the best armoured

FlyingHigh
vehicles from the world’s biggest and
best collection of tanks. From Little
Willie, the world’s first ever tank, to the
featured German Tiger Tank, each deck
includes 52 iconic vehicles with detailed
specifications comparing weight,
armour, armaments, speed, engines and
more. Suitable for children and grown-
ups alike, a game of Tank Museum The Flying Tent is suitable for a short break outdoors, as well as for
Top Trumps will challenge your military tours in different terrain. You can use it as a hammock tent between
history knowledge and is guaranteed two trees, as well as a single-person tent on the ground. The smart
to provide hours of fun. Available gear allows campers, backpackers or bikers to sleep in places where
from the Tank Museum at https:// it is unsuited to pitch a traditional tent, including wet ground, riverbeds
tankmuseumshop.org for £4.99 and steep terrain. Available in four different colours from flyingtent.

Gift
com, prices start from £263

ModelArmour
The M18 Hellcat was a US tank destroyer of World War Two. Armed
with a 76mm main gun, it was the fastest tracked, armoured fighting

Idea
vehicle during the war with a top speed up to 60mph. Unfortunately
for the crew, this speed was attained by keeping armour to a
minimum, being no
more than 1in thick.
Production of the
M18 Hellcat began in
mid-1943 and ended in
October 1944 by which
time, more than 2,500
had been produced.
This kit comes with
two models per box
and is available from
Armourfast at www.
This high-quality bullet keyring is ideal for military enthusiasts and armourfast.com for
will last a lifetime. Features a non-explosive shell. Available from £8.40
www.armourgeddon.co.uk for £4

Got a product you’d like featured in our Gear Guide? E-mail cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
12
 LeisureTrailer
Crack
A multi-purpose leisure/off-road trailer and tent offering stability,
security and versatility. Family and loved ones can travel and sleep in
‘outdoor’ comfort

Vac
without having to
fight for space with
holiday luggage.
The Savuti trailer
has a deeper body
(500mm), four
extension support Dirty carpets every time you leave your car, dropping coins and keys
legs and a drop down the side of the seat and excess dog hair all over the place.
down tailgate to These are some of the problems we face in our vehicles almost
mention just a few daily and it’s because of these problems that the Roamwild Car
of the features. Crack Vac was made. In summary the product offers five products
Available from in one, including a debris pick-up system; a pet hair removal tool; a
ventertrailersuk. telescopic magnetic hook tool with an LED light to retrieve dropped
com for £5,950 items down the side or under the seat; a stiff bristled debris brush for
tight spaces; and a soft delicate brush to clean dashboard dials and
air vents. For more information visit www.roam-wild.com

Sitting
Pretty
New models, new designs
and new colours feature in the
Outwell Furniture Collection.
Leading the way is the Inflatable Furniture
range, perfect for ensuring family comfort during camping
trips at military shows. The Lake Albernel Inflatable Chair
(£105.99), Lake Chamberlain Inflatable Sofa (£179.99) and Lake
Evans Inflatable Ottoman (£47.99) are suitable for indoor and
outdoor use and open home-from-home inflatable comfort to
more campers. Available through outwell.com

AATowRope
This AA Tow Rope is suitable for
towing vehicles up to 3.5 tons. It
measures approximately 4m
in length, complies with BS
AU187, features quick
release metal hooks
and comes with a
carry bag for easy
transportation and
storage. Available
from Halfords for
£32.98
HeadProtection
A reproduction of the German
M35 Helmet, as worn by
Wehrmacht forces on
entry into World War Two.
The M35 Helmet was
largely based on its World
War One predecessor,
but with a few
modifications.
The M35s have
a rolled steel edge, later
economised on the M42 model.
These are made from a tough steel,
1.6mm like the originals, and have the
correct shade of the field grey. They
also come with a quality leather liner,
with a leather drawstring and chin strap
already attached. Available from www.
epicmilitaria.com for £49.95

Got a product you’d like featured in our Gear Guide? E-mail cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
13
 T
he classic military SUBSCRIBER
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l Great Savings
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Save £££s compared to buying
an increasing number of military
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it a thrilling time to be involved. The Subscriber copies go first
team at CMV are proud to be at the
forefront of covering these events, l Specials Discounts
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Editor

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www.cmvmag.co.uk cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
Three Mk.IV replica tanks
From left to right are the Mk.IV tanka belonging to the Tank Museum, Bovington, Norfolk Tank Museum and the Pond Farm, Poelkapelle, Belgium STIJN BUTAYE
Held over the August bank holiday weekend,
The Great Dorset Steam Fair is the biggest
gathering of steam tractors, road rollers and
fairground machines. This year, for the first
time, three working First World War Mark IV
British tank replicas were on display. They par-
ticipated in the storming of the hill in an arena
battle re-enactment each day. The newcomer to
these shores was the Mk.IV male tank replica,
built in Belgium, with the unit identity D29
painted on the side. Project leader, Stijn Butaye
said how privileged he felt, being able to bring
his tank to Britain and offer tank rides around
Tiger tank roars again
Eager crowds gathered at The Tank Museum
on September 14 for a day dedicated to Tiger
131, the only running Tiger 1 in the world. Tiger
131 runs only twice a year, on Tiger Day in
April and September, and always attracts huge
crowds when it does. With perfect weather
and 4,500 people visiting The Tank Museum
to see Tiger 131 alongside its World War Two
Night at the
museum
Following the success of its Museum in the
Dark experience last year, the Overloon War
Museum in The Netherlands will again open
its doors to visitors after closing time. Another
six evenings have been planned taking place
on November 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23. The event
will give visitors the opportunity to immerse
themselves in three special historical authentic
story lines which bring the forgotten Battle of
Overloon to life. Through beautiful storytelling,
extraordinary images, video projections and
lifelike re-enactment, visitors become part of the
stories surrounding the Battle of Overloon. A buf-
fet dinner will be served in the museum’s café at
an extra cost. To book tickets, visit https://www.
oorlogsmuseum.nl/nl/museum-in-het-donker
the arena. The first British tanks went into
combat covered in a multicoloured camouflage
scheme designed by the painter Solomon. It
was a waste of time as the mud soon covered
two thirds of the tank surface and obliterat-
ed the camouflage pattern. Tanks were then
painted brown to match the local soil colour.
The Norfolk Tank Museum’s Mk IV female tank
is painted dark brown. If you drive or take the
Eurostar train from Calais to Paris, you will no-
tice that ploughed soil is dark brown. The vast
majority of churned up earth of no-man’s-land
and the British trenches, where little vegetation
contemporaries, Tiger Day 12 was another
success. It was also an opportunity for Tiger
fans to visit the museum’s Tiger Collection
exhibition, before it finishes, to allow for the
re-development of the hall into an exciting
World War Two exhibition coming in early
2020. The Tiger Collection brings all the
members of the Tiger family together in
Gary Lewi of the Museum of American
Armor posted a message on the Classic
Military Vehicle Facebook page saying
the New York-based museum had
recently acquired a Tiger tank replica.
Gary said this had sparked a debate over
‘real versus replica’. “With a real Tiger
unavailable, can a replica achieve the
goal of providing a context for discuss-
ing World War Two with a public that is
detached from the enormous lessons
and legacy of that conflict?” he asked.
“The museum says ‘absolutely’.” Several
replies were posted in response.
Jon Bernstein: “Agreed. Absolutely. Looks
great, Gary, congratulations!”
Joshua Stoff: “Nothing wrong with a replica
as long as you say it’s a replica.”
Stephen MacHaye (Norfolk Tank Muse-
um): “Totally, we have the replica WW1 Mk IV
Deborah II. The attention it draws is incredible.
Could readers tell me about the Studebaker
6x6 with dual front wheels on the steering
front axle? Imagine the effort required to
drive or turn the truck. Once the duals were
filled with mud any advantage would be lost.
Keep up the good work.
Dave Parkin
Wagga Wagga, N.S.W, Australia
17
News & Letters
grew, was dark brown. Later tanks were painted
a lighter khaki brown because they were now
crossing enemy trenches and into the farmland
beyond. The colour of the cereal crops and
stubble meant that a dark brown coloured tank
stood out and was quickly spotted by artillery
observation teams. Pond Farm is on the Pass-
chendaele battlefield in Belgium. It was painted
the same colour as the local pasture. In the
1920s and 1930s, all British tanks were painted
green. The Army looked after the surviving
World War One tanks and painted them green.
Words Craig Moore
a world first. The highlight of Tiger Day was a
one hour display which saw Tiger 131 take to
the arena alongside its Axis and Allied contem-
poraries, including a Panzer III, Churchill Mk III,
Comet, Stuart, the famous Sherman ‘Fury’ and
an extremely rare Type-95 Ha-Go.
There are six surviving originals, and
we are giving people the chance who wouldn’t
normally see one to have that experience.”
Mick James: “Yes, there is nothing wrong with
replica as long they don’t try to pass it off as
the real thing.”
- Let us know your thoughts on the matter by
emailing cmveditorial@keypublishing.com
A lot of trucks could be duelled upfront
Dave and it was often done when driving in
soft ground was anticipated. Apparently, it
did make steering difficult but improved trac-
tion. If readers have any further comments,
please email
cmveditorial@keypublishing.com - Ed
New Books On the Shelf
M2/M3
American Half-
Tracks of the
Second World War
Edited by Robert Jackson
Publisher Pen and Sword
Year 2019
ISBN 9781526746559
Language English
Binding Softback
Pages 64
Size 21cm x 29.7cm
Price £14.99
www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
Another from the LandCraft
series, M2/M3 American Half-
Tracks of the Second World War
Panzerartillerie
Firepower for the
Panzer Divisions
Author Thomas Anderson
Publisher Osprey Publishing
Year 2019
ISBN 9781472820242
Language English
Binding Hardback
Pages 256
Size 19.6cm x 24.9cm
Price £30
www.ospreypublishing.com
In the opening years of World
War Two, Germans tanks
and infantry were deservedly
given much of the credit for
the army’s stunning successes
across Europe and the speed
at which they were achieved.
Frituur Zorro
Restorations
Publisher Narwal
Year 2019
ISBN 9789082834123
Language English / Dutch
Binding Hardback
Pages 180
Size 21.5cm x 28.5cm
Price £38.50
www.narwal.eu
This is the sixth book in the
successful Frituur Zorro series
and like those before it, will
have wide-spread appeal with
classic military vehicle restor-
ers. Thirty softskin projects
covers the design, production and operational
history of these vehicles. Highly sought after
by military vehicle collectors today, they were
among the most successful armoured vehicles
produced by the US during the war. Half-tracks
served on every battlefront and were as rec-
ognisable as other famous wartime vehicles
like the Willys Jeep and Sherman tank. Around
40,000 were produced between
1941 and 1945. Their versatility
allowed them to be used in a
variety of roles and they were
easy to assemble, operate and
maintain.
Verdict: Edited by experienced
military, aviation and naval
author Robert Jackson, this
volume in Pen and Sword’s
popular LandCraft series traces
the design, development and
manufacturing history of the
M2/M3 and provides a detailed
account of its operational role.
The Panzerartillerie units were an essential part
of the story, having provided vital support. Prior
to the outbreak of the war, just about all artillery
weapons were towed by motor vehicles or
pulled into position by horses or even soldiers.
The need to keep up with the advancing ar-
moured units gave rise to self-propelled guns. It
was not as straightforward
as it may sound though, as
the weight of the guns and
the strength of their recoil
posed significant challeng-
es. Panzerartillerie docu-
ments the history of the
research and development
into self-propelled guns
and is packed with rare
and previously unpublished
images.
Verdict: The book tells the
full story of these crucial
artillery units from the Blitz-
krieg to the end of the war.
were chosen from a large pool of offerings and
they include an Austin K2, Austin K5, Austin
Tilly, Bedford OCX, Bedford QL Dodge WC-60,
Ford GPW Jeep, Gaz 63, International M426,
AEC Matador and a War Lafrance M1. Each
vehicle is given its own chapter and colour
photographs along with basic
text take readers through the
restoration process showing
the vehicles at various stages.
The book is written in Dutch
and English.
Verdict: Frituur Zorro Resto-
rations is not a technical man-
ual and it does not explore the
restorations in-depth, instead
it is a record of the featured
vehicles and is testament to
the time and hard work put in
by all those involved. One for
the coffee table.
18
 Please contact TOM LUNN on
01780 755131
or email:
tom.lunn@keypublishing.com
for all your advertising needs

Come
find us on Stand
B17 at The War and
Peace Revival

TEL: 01233 770007

MOBILE: 07770 836438
WEBSITE: www.jeffreyeng.com Email: nick@jeffreyeng.com
Berry Court Farm, Smarden, Ashford, Kent. TN27 8RQ

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Brooklands.indd 1 26/09/2019 09:17:28
words and pictures supplied Museum of the Month Brooklands Museum

A Pioneering
Brooklands Museum
is in Surrey

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rooklands in
Weybridge,
Surrey will
be known to
many as the
world’s first
purpose-built
racing circuit
and home of British
S p i r i t Hawker Hurricane and, with its original 1917
Clerget rotary engine, a Sopwith Camel.
One of the highlights on the museum’s calen-
only
surviving Welling-
ton Bomber that saw active service, a

aviation where more
than 18,000 aircraft were first
flown, built or tested.
Since it opened in 1907 it has
endured two world wars and on September 4,
1940, the Vickers aircraft factories were the
target for the German
dar each year is the Military Vehicles’ Day.
This year it takes place on Sunday, November
17, and motorcycles, Jeeps, carriers, trucks Military motorcycles are always popular with
and every conceivable vehicle and apparatus visitors
that has a connection with conflict over the
past hundred years or more are welcome.
Visitors to the

‘The famous Test

Luftwaffe which resulted site will be able to
in 89 deaths and many chat to owners and

Hill will beckon

injured workers. re-enactors who
The scars of this con- often come dressed

only those drivers

flict can still be seen at in period clothing
the Brooklands Museum with some setting out

brave enough to
today which occupies 32 their collections and
acres of the original site. displays.

tackle the summit’

There are three sets of In addition to this,
air raid shelters, a Bofors there will be live Re-enactors at the museum
anti-aircraft gun tower demonstrations on
and a pill box used by the punishing terrain
the Brooklands Home Guard. of a 4X4 course which is accessed by a shut-
Inside the restored World War Two Bellman tle bus, while back on the museum site, the
hangar, now re-interpreted as the award-win- famous Test Hill will beckon only those drivers
ning Brooklands Aircraft Factory, is the world’s brave enough to tackle the summit.
This is always a crowd pleaser and a rare
chance to see these vehicles in action at such
Brooklands Museum close range.
Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Usual admission prices apply. Visitors will
Surrey, KT13 0SL also get access to all Brooklands’ attractions
Open every day, apart from a few days over
allowing for further discovery of the pioneers
December
Tel: 01932 857381 of speed, flight and adventure at the birthplace The day includes live demonstrations on the
www.brooklandsmuseum.com of British motorsport, aviation and home of punishing terrain of a 4X4 course
Concorde.

21
 A
words and pictures Vicky Turner

s w
Owner Paul Clarke has spent nearly
20 years restoring this 1976 Forward

b
Control and the long hours and
hard work have paid off

om
B

Among the final jobs was the application of several

coats of NATA Green and Black Cammo paint

22
Aw
ay! I nitially conceived as a gun tractor in
response to the British Army’s need for
a vehicle capable of towing 4,000lbs,
the Forward Control (FC) earned its
nickname of the One-Tonne because of its
load capacity for ammunition.
Concept development began in 1967,
with the vehicle being unveiled at the 1972
Commercial Motor Show. Production at
Land Rover’s Lode Lane plant began in the
same year and it entered military service
in 1975 but was considered too utilitarian
and uncomfortable for the civilian market.
Placing the engine under the cab and
the driver forwards of the front wheels
kept weight down – a prerequisite as it
was intended for air transportation. This
also meant that the vehicle assumed
its distinctive cuboid shape, a deliberate
design feature with air transportability in
mind to suit loading space.
The FC shared the Rover V8 engine and
LT95 gearbox and transfer case already

‘The Forward Control

continued in service
in places like Kosovo
until the 1990s’
used by the recently launched Range
Rover but, unlike the IIA and IIB Forward
Controls, it came with a purpose-built
chassis while retaining the ability to have
its body panels removed to further reduce
weight as required.
Initially it was designed with a powered
1.5 ton trailer, driven by the power take-off
to effectively create a 6x6 vehicle. But this
clever concept which included a transfer
case allowing the axle speed of the
trailer to be synchronised with Forward
Control, was later abandoned as costs
were prohibitive – and the trailer had a
propensity to topple the FC over rough
terrain.
Sitting on relatively large 9.00x16in tyres,
the 101FC’s wheels have a rim around the
centre as a tread step to assist entering
the cab – unusual for Land Rover, although
common place with other manufacturers.
The General Service GS model was
standard, but many were later fitted

23
 There’s still room in the rear for stowage of
other gear
‘They were soon
snapped up with many
being converted into
campers’
The wiring in the 101 needed work, it had only
four fuses and no relays, so Paul built a new
wiring loom to rectify the issues, fitting relays
for the lights etc as well as a new fuse box
A NATO hitch fitted as standard, for hitching up
the gun for which the mortar shells in the back
were intended
The reupholstery was one of the very few
jobs, along with the galvanising, that Paul
didn’t do himself
The 101 was developed because MoD needed an air transportable, heavy-duty four-wheel drive vehicle
with several other body types including a
24v fitted for radio (FFR) and a hard-top
ambulance configuration while a rare
Vampire, for electronic warfare, came later.
The production run was around 60% 24V
and 40% 12V with a larger number of left-
hand drive (LHD) vehicles being produced
than right in both voltages. This was due
to the commitment of the army to Europe,
especially for use in Germany, where LHD
is prevalent.
The Forward Control continued in
service in places like Kosovo until the
1990s, but when the Ministry of Defence
decommissioned the vehicle at the back
end of that decade, most were sold with
very low mileage, making them attractive
for enthusiasts.
They were soon snapped up with many
being converted into campers, which
makes this faithfully restored military
spec’d example quite a rarity.
Paul Clarke, the owner of this
magnificent restoration, can often be
found at shows and is happy to talk about
the work he’s done. He is rightly proud of
The 101’s SDI engine and original converted Range Rover gearbox were removed and replaced with
genuine 101 versions
24
the result of a 20-year long labour of love.
That may sound like he took his time,
but as Paul puts it, “life often gets in the
way”. “For 15 of those years, the vehicle
was last in a queue, behind renovating the
house, building a garage and restoring
several other military vehicles,” said Paul.
The partially stripped vehicle became a
makeshift work bench with work further
delayed when Paul bought, mid-way
through the process, another 101GS – this
one an FFR variant.
He bought the vehicle featured on these
pages in 1988 from a batch cast from
the army in 1987, many without engine
or gearbox and with various other parts
missing. Paul had decided he wanted to
build a kit-car but when he stumbled across
the advert for the Land Rover Forward
Control, thought “how hard can it be?”
He went ahead and bought the vehicle
with a view to doing it up and honing skills
he’d later use on the kit car. Fixing a semi-
built car had to be easier than building one
from scratch and this was a simple Land
Rover, right? Wrong!

Paul bought this Land Rover in 1988, from a batch cast from the Army in 1987. Most were missing their
engines and gearboxes
It was only later that Paul realised the
101 has many unique parts and that the
only available guide to its components at
that time were the drawings in the parts
manual.
Nevertheless, testament to his talents,
it was roadworthy if not pretty within a
year and soon became his daily drive.
Paul also took it to club meets in Leeds
and to shows, including to one in Belgium,
annually. Laid up while other work took
priority, the 101 was destined for a full
rebuild, time permitting of course.
Eventually it was dismantled, with
each nut and bolt kept. Everything was
cleaned of years of accumulated dirt
and the army-applied underseal was
stripped – a bloody awful job that Paul
says is best done when cold because it
chips off, although one made even more
uncomfortable because of that.
A new rear crossmember was fitted
and after galvanising, the whole chassis
was painted and the axles and steering
overhauled. With new tyres on shot-
blasted and powder-coated wheels, Paul
BELOW & ABOVE: These pictures supplied by
Paul show the various stages of restoration
25
SPECIFICATIONS
Make Land Rover
Model 101 Forward Control 12v LHD
Nationality British
Year 1976
Production Run 1972-1978, approx.
2,660
Engine Rover 2158 V8
Fuel 3.5L petrol
Displacement 3.528cc.
Power 120bhp (DIN) at 4.750rpm
Torque 176lb/ft
Transmission LT95
Type Manual
Gears Four-speed
Transfer Box two-speed transfer-case,
full-time four-wheel drive, centre diff
Suspension Live axle and leaf springs
Brakes Drum
Wheels 6.5×16in. The wheels have six-
wheel studs, not five as in other Land Rovers
Tyres 9.00x16in
Crew/seats Five
Dimensions (overall)
Length 4.2m
Width 1.8m
Height 2.1m
Wheelbase 2.5m
Weight One tonne
now had a rolling chassis – otherwise
known as his mobile workbench.
Apart from outsourcing the galvanising,
powder coating and upholstery aspects,
Paul did most of the work himself helped
by his wife who undertook the painstaking
task of stripping many of the panels.
The bodywork was in a poor state of
repair with most of the aluminium cab
corroded and covered in holes. Paul had
to fabricate various small bodywork
panels and brackets but with parts from
a donor vehicle, a single good cab was
made, although these donor parts had
added to the hours of paint stripping.
All the steel, including capping, was sent
for galvanising. Once the panels were
clean, the larger dents and bashes
were repaired – yet more hours of filling
and sanding and priming and painting,
ideal for Paul to perfect his skills.
The finish he has achieved on the Gloss
Deep Bronze Green BSC 224 paint is
remarkable.
A pneumatic riveter paid for itself
as everything was reassembled. Paul
reckons there were at least a thousand
rivets as well as countless bolts, nuts and
screws used in the rebuild.
The wiring in the 101 had always been
less than satisfactory with only four fuses
and no relays, so Paul built a new wiring
loom to rectify the issues, fitting relays for
the lights and a new fuse box as future
reliability was of paramount concern.
The overdrive linkage and brackets
A full British Army 81mm Mortar kit completes this 101. A plastic barrel, empty mortar shells, dummy
rounds and all the associated equipment illustrate what these vehicles would have carried during their
were the most difficult bits to make as
the alignment had to be perfect, but with
perseverance he was successful.
Next, the first rebuilt SDI engine and
original converted Range Rover gearbox
were removed and replaced with genuine
101 versions, with all parts being stripped
and overhauled or replaced if deemed
beyond salvage. This was where the
headaches really began as parts for the
vehicle were, to put it mildly, like finding
hens’ teeth.
Once he had the vehicle in good running
order and the rebuild complete, the final
coats of NATA Green and Black Cammo
paint were applied. The words ‘Polygon
Wood’ had been stencilled on the truck
at some point in its history, so Paul
reproduced them in their original position
(the Battle of Polygon Wood took place
from September 26 to October 3, 1917,
during the second phase of the Third
Battle of Ypres in the First World War).
time in service as Gun Tractors
The vehicle then flew through its MOT
and was back on the road looking better
than it had probably ever looked before.
During all the long years of intermittent
restoration work, Paul had set about
collecting a full British Army 81mm Mortar
kit. It has a plastic barrel and includes
empty mortar shells, dummy rounds and
all the associated equipment that these
vehicles would have carried during their
time in service as Gun Tractors. It is likely
that this was its role when in service with
the British Army in Germany. All the kit
was then faithfully reinstalled as a final
flourish for the restoration.
Paul’s collection now includes a 101
Land Rover radio body currently
undergoing a major service and minor
restoration, a Land Rover 90 TUL, an
Armstrong MT 500 motorcycle, a Honda
Quad (Military) a Bedford TM 4-4, 8 tonne
truck and an Onan generator set. Funnily
enough, Paul is yet to build that kit car...
26
ABOVE: This 101 had a manufacture date of
October 6, 1976 and a dispatch date of October
15, 1976 to the army’s Hilton Main Vehicle Depot
BOTTOM: Standard 101s came supplied with
a canvas soft-top while ambulance and radio
bodies came later
‘Everything was
cleaned of years of
accumulated dirt
and army-applied
underseal was
stripped’
Additional Notes
This Land Rover 101 had a manufacture
date of October 6, 1976 and a dispatch
date of October 15, /76 to the army’s Hilton
Main Vehicle Depot. It appears to have
then been put into storage until November
9, 1977 when the 101 was delivered to the
Ordinance Depot, British Army of the Rhine
(BAOR) at Antwerp. This 101 then spent the
rest of its military time with BAOR based in
Germany. The units that it served with were:
2 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers; 1 Worcester-
shire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment;
and 1 Queens Lancashire Regiment. On
March 2, 1987 the 101 was cast from the
army and auctioned off at Monchenglad-
bach and sold to PRB of Leeds.
 www.mod-sales.com

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27

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words and pictures Craig Allen

B
The Mastiff was first ack in the early 2000s in Iraq,
the British Army had a serious
fielded in Afghanistan problem with force protection
in 2006 and proved in the face of the increasing IED
generally popular threat. The Snatch Land Rover saga is well
known, although our US allies were fairing
with crews little better. Working out of the Green
Zone back then, I well remember their
Mastiffs lined up at FOB Edinburgh in Helmand ad-hoc efforts, welding old armour plate
2008, note the RPG grills and heavy-duty cables onto Humvee’s for extra protection. The
fitted to aid recovery challenging situation on the ground led
to urgent operational requirements being
sent out for better-protected vehicles to
counter the threat.
As it happens, a small British-led team
had been working on a solution at Force
Protection Inc in the US. Using mine-
protected vehicles employed in South
Africa and Rhodesia as a starting point,
and working to a USMC requirement, it
came up with a completely new design
named Cougar. This came in both 4x4 and

‘I reasoned that if I had to go in a wheeled vehicle,

the Mastiff was probably the best choice’

32
6x6 configurations and initial trials by the
Americans proved successful, leading to
some 4,000 examples being fielded by the
US Army and Marine Corps.
This did not go unnoticed by the British
who quickly ordered their own versions for
use in Iraq and Afghanistan, conversion
work being carried out by NP Aerospace.
The 4x4 was named Ridgeback in British
service but it’s the 6x6 version, designated
Mastiff, that we are concerned with here.
The Mastiff protected patrol vehicle was
first fielded in Afghanistan late in 2006
and featured British integrated electronics,
Bowman radio fit and a slab-sided armour
package. Able to carry eight fully-equipped
infantrymen, in addition to its two-man
crew and mount a selection of weaponry
for local defence, it was an immediate
success.
This quickly led to additional purchases
in 2007 followed by the development
33
of an enhanced version. Mastiff 2
incorporated several improvements to
the design including the use of Dyneema
unidirectional armour. Stronger axles and
suspension were also fitted to cope with
the tough Afghan terrain.
The turret now featured powered
traverse for the gunner and fire
suppression systems were fitted to the
engine and fuel tanks. The driver wasn’t
forgotten and gained a new thermal
The interiors are
quite cramped when
fully loaded, note the
gunner’s turret with a
manual hand crank in
this Mk1 version
imager to aid situational awareness.
Although the same V-shaped hull was
employed along with blast attenuating
seating, overall protection was improved
in the new version.
As well as the troop carriers, Mastiffs
were employed by the Royal Engineer
IED teams and a special mine clearance
version was developed. They were
also used as command vehicles and
armoured ambulances while the RAF
regiment fielded the Praetorian, a version
fitted with a camera system mounted
on a telescopic mast. There was also a
dedicated logistic version, Wolfhound,
used mainly for convoy work and as
artillery tractors for the 105 light gun.
My own encounter with the Mastiff
came about on the 2008 tour of Helmand
with 16 Air Assault Brigade. Given the
increasing IED threat at the time, my
personal preference was to be either on
my own two feet or in a helicopter but
there were occasions when wheeled
transport couldn’t be avoided.
While accompanying B Coy 3 Para as
a photographer for example, we were
required to make an operational move
from FOB Edinburgh to Musa Qala. A
fleet of Mastiffs was duly laid on for the
Troops from B Coy 3
Para prepare to mount
up for a road move to
Musa Qala in a fleet
of Mastiffs
34
purpose and I reasoned that if I had to
go in a wheeled vehicle, the Mastiff was
probably the best choice.
Close up they were impressively large
beasts, although there was surprisingly
little room inside once strapped in among
the clutter, weapons and equipment. It
was a 45-minute journey to the district
centre at Musa Qala and I was frankly
somewhat nervous at the prospect of an
Afghan road trip.
It was hot and noisy once inside and
forward vision was restricted to a small
TV screen mounted on the bulkhead. A
gunner stood in the turret hatch manning
‘Mastiff 2
incorporated
several
improvements to
the design’
The view out via the TV screen mounted to the bulkhead
From this angle you can clearly see the pre-cleaner and filtration unit mounted above the right mudguard
BOTTOM RIGHT: A front view, in this case, the
.5 Browning HMG is mounted in the turret and no
forward screens are fitted
BOTTOM LEFT: A close-up view of the .5 HMG
mounting with its integral armoured shield
THIS IMAGE: A side view showing the large run-
flat tyres, in this case, the forward RPG screens
are not fitted
a .50 Cal and I could see the rest of the
convoy behind through the vision blocks
in the rear doors.
We slowly wound our way over what
passed for a road in Helmand, conscious
all the while of the possibility of roadside
bombs and trusting in the Mastiff’s thick
armour. In the event, the trip passed off
uneventfully and by this stage, these
vehicles were becoming the preferred
SPECIFICATIONS
Model Mastiff 2 PPV, Protected Patrol
Vehicle
Manufacture Force Protection, (NP
Aerospace Coventry, UK mods)
Country UK
Year 2009
Engine Caterpillar C7 330shp
Fuel Diesel
Range 700 miles
Transmission Allison 3500SP automatic
Suspension 6x6 wheeled
Top Speed 55mph
Armament 7.62 GPMG, .5 HMG, 40mm
H&K GMG
Capacity Two plus eight
Weight 28 tons
mode of transport for road moves and
were generally popular with their crews.
So, what about the vehicle today with a
further improved Mastiff 3 now fielded
and over 400 examples of various types in
service? In fact, trials have recently been
carried out using the Mastiff in a
conventional mechanised infantry role.
It is further proposed that Protected
Mobility Battalions be formed as part of
the new Army 2020 Reaction Force to be
equipped with the Mastiff series. This will
be a new departure for a vehicle originally
designed for a counter-insurgency work
but will ensure it has a future role within
the British Army. It has been a long road
for a vehicle developed rapidly to counter
a particular threat facing our troops at the
time, but it has rightly earned its place in
the order of battle and should be around
for many years to come.
35
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36

036_CMV_NOV19_ad.indd 1 25/09/2019 15:33:21

words and pictures Nigel Hay
SAS Pink Panther from the Barry Pocock collection
goes under the hammer at Bonhams MPH sale
AuctionFever
Nigel Hay’s round up of the military vehicle market
S
eptember is always a month for auction
fever and Bonham’s MPH sale is offering
the exclusive Barry Pocock SAS Land Rover
collection – including two genuine verified and
heavily equipped Pink Panthers. The guide price is
currently at £65,000 to 75,000 each – plus those
auction fees of course. We'll watch this sale
with interest on whether it is best to sell an entire
collection of specialist vehicles or to rather ‘trickle’
them into the market (they have subsequently sold
- see cmvmag.keypublishing.com for details - Ed).
Eleven DUKWS came floating onto the market
this month – with all bar one up for auction. A
restored but long-term stored example sold at
a Bonhams Beaulieu sale for a high £43,500
including fees. Sold on behalf of a British Army
charity, it is a less challenging restoration for its
new owner than the eight ‘Ducky Tours’ DUKWs
that have all been converted for tourism for 30
passengers with enhanced safety equipment and
retrofitted with 200bhp Chevrolet 350 engines and
upgraded transmissions.
It would be a lot of work to restore these to
military spec, although there was an untouched
model, which should appeal to collectors.
Following a recent serious accident in the USA
and subsequent legislation, the appetite for DUKW-
based tour vehicles has all but dried up and despite
the obviously large amounts of money that have
been spent on them, we don’t see them fetching a
The hammer went down £43,500 on this dry stored DUKW
lot of money.
The late Charles Burnett’s DUKW, itself a former
Belgian beach DUKW with some history, was
advertised for a modest £10,000 and at that price
is a viable restoration project.
An optimist put a very tired and uninspiring
Hotchkiss Jeep on eBay and must have regretted
asking £30,000 for it. He received a lot of varying
messages of advice about the price – which
realistically was about £13,000 or less.
Milweb had two nice turnkey Hotchkiss Jeeps
for less than £15,000 – both of which sold quickly.
The strength of the euro continues to benefit the
continental buyers picking up good value vehicles
from the UK.
A nice Daimler Dingo went up for sale at £34,000,
contrasting with two Daimler Mk2/3 Ferrets at
£12,995 each. The price of Ferrets has dropped a
little this year and there have been several around
the £18,000 region that been on the market for
some time. A CVRW Fox Polecat with just 135
miles on the clock looked viable at £21,500.
This month’s best buy was a Dodge WC-51
Weapons Carrier for just €9,500 from Erik
Jostad, Norway’s most prolific seller of military
vehicles. Buying a vehicle from Norway is often
a good investment because its super dry Arctic
climate reduces the corrosion levels you would
normally find on a 75-year-old vehicle. Erik keeps
finding military treasures and a lot of his sales
A converted WW2 DUKW up for auction in the US
37
Military Vehicle Market
£30,000 on E Bay
– seriously?
end up in the UK.
Also seeming a little under-priced was a nice, late
war Leyland Hippo MK2A 1945 10 Ton 6x4 with an
Alexander body. Restored in 2011 and needing very
little beyond reconditioning, at £5,400 it was not a
lot of money.
But then, although the Hippo is always going
to be a large and lumbering truck, it is a vehicle
that needs time and commitment to operate
on the show circuit – and a friend who owns a
petrol station.
Harley Davidson XAs don’t appear for sale that
often and a German advertiser offered at €76,000
what he claims to be the best shaft driven XA in the
world, virtually entirely original.
It contrasts with the other UK-based XA we had
on sale at £35,000 – though neither of these had
the iconic disc wheels to make traction in sand
much better.
A pair of low-priced ex-Wehrmacht bikes offered
an entry level into German vehicles. They included
a 1941 German Victoria K 35 at £4,000 and a 1936
DKW SB200 at €4,750, which looked a good option.
With interest in German and British motorcycles
continuing to grow, there was also a 1944 James
ML at £5,250 and a Matchless G3L 1941 at £5,250.
So that’s our vehicle season done. The next
events to look out for are the Dallas Dig Out and the
Newark and Malvern militaria shows, which help
keep the hobby afloat.
A bargain at €9,500 is this ex Norwegian Dodge WC-51
 words and pictures Craig Moore

T
he Musée des Blindés, (Museum
of Armour) in Saumur, France is
only a short train journey from
Paris. It should be on every tank
enthusiasts list of places to visit. It has
the biggest collection of World War Two
German Armour, including artillery self-
propelled guns (SPG).
The Wespe was a German army artillery
10.5cm self-propelled gun based on the
Panzer II light tank (Sd.Kfz.121) hull.
Its full designation was 10.5cm Leichte
Feldhaubitze 18/2 auf Fahrgestell
Panzerkampfwagen II Selbstfahrlafette
(Sd.Kfz. 124). This long name was

p
abbreviated to 10.5cm LeFH 18/2 auf
Fgst. PzKpfw II (Sf). To make things

s
easier, it was given the nickname ‘Wespe’,
German for wasp – a little thing with

a
a big sting. The letter ‘W’ in Wespe is

The German
pronounced as a ‘V’, and the letter ‘e’ at
the end of the word as ‘a’ (Vespa). This
SPG could fire a 10.5cm fragmentation
high explosive HE shells at enemy targets

W
13.25 km (8.23 miles) away.
The words ‘Leichte Feldhaubitze’ (LeFH)
translate to light field howitzer. The letters
‘SF’ stands for ‘Selbstfahrlafette’ – self-
propelled carriage. The term ‘Fahrgestell
Panzerkampfwagen II’ translates to
‘armoured combat vehicle chassis’ or
‘Panzer II tank chassis.’
The Panzer II light tank was used in the
invasion of France in May 1940. It was
unable to knock out many of the heavily
armoured Allied tanks like the Matilda
II or the French Char B1 bis. Its armour
was thin and could be penetrated by the
British 2pdr (40mm) and French 47mm
SA 35 anti-tank gun. The Panzer II was
withdrawn from frontline active service.
The German weapons manufacturing In need of artillery support,
company Alkett, design team, converted the German Army was supplied with the Wespe,
the obsolete Panzer II tank chassis into
tank destroyers. The turret was removed,
a self-propelled gun praised for its reliability
and a 75mm Pak 40 anti-tank gun was and mobility
fitted, surrounded by an armoured open
top superstructure. They were known as
the Marder II (Sd.Kfz. 131). Later, captured
Soviet 76.2mm anti-tank guns were fitted guns became problematic. Horse drawn was only armed with a 20mm KwK 30/38
on top of Panzer II light tank chassis. They artillery guns and towed artillery guns soon gun. Alkett’s designers relocated the
were called Marder II (Sd.Kfz. 132). This got stuck in the mud or snow. Tracked engine from the rear of the tank chassis
was a quick way of mounting a large gun self-propelled artillery guns could cross to the middle of the hull. Air intakes were
onto a tracked vehicle that could keep up this testing terrain and keep up with the fitted on either side. This allowed the
with the Panzer Divisions as they crossed troops and tanks. The army wanted artillery fighting compartment to be shifted to
rough, muddy open countryside of Poland self-propelled guns. German industry came the rear. This enabled the gun crew more
and Russia during Operation Barbarossa, up with several different solutions, one of room to work the gun. The transmission
the invasion of the Soviet Union, in June which was the Wespe. system was kept in its original location
1941. At that time, a solution had not been Weapons manufacture Alkett’s engineers next to the driver on his right.
found on how to fit a 75mm anti-tank gun choose the Panzer II Ausf.F light tank Unlike other artillery self-propelled
into a tank turret. chassis for the conversion. They were conversions rear ‘trails and spades’ were
The advancing German Army also needed conscious of the substantial recoil that the not fitted to the rear of the vehicle. These
artillery support. As the rains of autumn tank chassis would have to absorb during legs were usually lowered at the back of
and then the snows of winter began to the firing of this large, powerful 10.5cm the SPG and hammered into the ground
take hold of the battlefield, towing artillery artillery gun. The original Panzer II tank to provide a better anchorage when the

38
gun was fired. The Alkett designers felt
this was not necessary on the Wespe.
The tank hull was lengthened at the
rear to make room for the Rheinmetall-
Borsig. 10.5cm leFH 18/2 L/28 light field
howitzer. It was mounted in the centre of
the open topped armoured superstructure
over the engine and behind a gun shield.
The gun could be traversed 17 degrees
left and right. It could be depressed -5
degrees and elevated +42 degrees. The
superstructure that was built around
the gun fighting compartment was only
10mm (0.39 inch) thick. Like other self-
propelled guns of this period it had a low
rear and open top configuration. It would
only protect the crew from small arms
fire and fragmentation high explosive
shell shrapnel. It would not protect them
from an armour-piercing (AP) round.
This vehicle was not meant to be on the
front line engaging enemy tanks. It was a
support weapon that fired over the heads
of its own troops and tanks from behind
the front line. The driver’s compartment
was at the front of the vehicle and was
fully enclosed in armour.
During inclement weather and scorching
summer days, a tarpaulin could be secured
over the open top to give the crew some
protection from rain, snow and some
shade from the scorching sun. The Wespe
artillery self-propelled gun was powered by
OPPOSITE: The Wespe Artillery SPG was built on a Panzer II tank chassis
ABOVE & BELOW: Captured 10.5cm Wespe Artillery Self-propelled guns were examined by the British
School of Tank Technology. This model is missing its rear exhaust silencer box below the rear hatch and has
the gun lock in place. STT
a Maybach HL 62 TRM 140PS six-cylinder
petrol 138hp (103 kW) engine fed by two
140 litre fuel tanks. It had an operational
range on the road of around 200km (120
miles) before it needed refuelling. The
ZFA SSG 46 Aphon gearbox provided one
reverse gear and six forward gears.
The Panzer II light tank weighted The armour on the rear of this Wespe was a lot
8.8 tons, but the weight of the Wespe thinner. It ranged from 8.7mm to 9.2mm
artillery SPG rose to 10.82 tons. This put
additional stress on the engine, but it
seemed to cope with the weight increase ‘It was given the
as it still had a reported maximum road
speed of 40km/h (24.85mph). nickname ‘Wespe’,
Additional truncated cone springs were
added to the first and second road wheels German for wasp –
on both sides of the chassis to reinforce
the suspension to help the vehicle absorb
a little thing with a
the gun’s recoil and additional weight.
The amount of track return rollers each
big sting’
side was reduced from four to three. The
frontal glacis armoured plate on the tank
chassis was redesigned. The driver was
given an armoured compartment on the
left side of the tank that protruded through
the slopping front armour. A tubular bullet
deflector was welded to the armour in
front of the driver’s cabin and vision slot.
The driver could only see to his left or
right through small slits in the armour
of his cabin. The shallow angle of the
front armour gave greater protection by
increasing the thickness of metal any
The armoured louvred grills around the Wespe
varied in thickness from 8.7mm to 9.5mm
The driver was given an armoured compartment
on the left side of the tank that protruded
through the slopping front armour
The thickness of the superstructure armour
plate on the right side of this Wespe varied
between 10cm to 10.4cm
39
 guns covered in
A column of German 10.5cm Wespe self-propelled
a Russia n village . AUSTRALIAN WAR
incoming round would whitewash, passing through
MEMORIAL 044595
have to penetrate. It
also provided a higher
chance of a ricochet.
The driver climbed into
his position through a
The tubes above and below the gun barrel helped two-piece hatch which
reduce the recoil. The gun shield armour on this opened forward and
Wespe varied in thickness from 10.8mm to 11.6mm
back over his seat. The
engine in the middle
‘Battlefield reports of the tank chassis

recorded that the

separated the driver
from the gun crew

gun crews praised fighting compartment.

The driver could access

its reliability and the engine compartment via a sliding door

behind his seat. There was a circular service
this was not available, it was painted on
the sides of the Wespe SPG using a paint

mobility’ hatch in the front armour on the right side of

The upper superstructure that protected the crew
from small arms fire and shrapnel was supposed
to be constructed from 10mm thick armour plate,
but the left side plate on this Wespe was found to
vary from 11mm to 11.4mm thick
Additional truncated cone springs were added
to the first and second road wheels on both
sides of the chassis to reinforce the suspension
to help the vehicle absorb the gun’s recoil and
additional weight
The 10.5cm leFH 18 gun used two-part
ammunition. The high explosive HE projectile
would be loaded first and then the cartridge
propellant case. Depending on the range of the
target different sized bags of propellant were
inserted into the cartridge. More bags were
used for longer range targets
the vehicle that could be unscrewed to allow
access to the transmission and steering
components. Alkett’s prototype Wespe was
produced at their Berlin-Borsigwalde factory.
On July 14, 1942, after the prototype,
successfully completed trials, the Panzer-
Kommission recommended that the Wespe
was fit for purpose. On 25 July, 1942 Hitler
confirmed an order for the production of
1,000 10.5cm leFH 18/2 (Sf) auf Fahrgestell
Panzerkampfwagen II ‘Wespe’ (Sd.Kfz.124).
Two factories in Poland were involved
in building the Wespe artillery SPG: Ursus
– Fahrzeug und Motorenbau (FAMO)
of Breslau (Wroclaw) and Vereinigte
Maschinenwerke/Famo Warschau in
Warsaw. FAMO had previously been
involved in building the Panzer II
Ausf.F light tank, the vehicle that would
provide the chassis for the Wespe. The
modification of the 10.5cm leFH 18
light field gun to enable it to be mounted
on top of the extended Panzer II tank
chassis was carried out by the gun’s
manufacturer, Rheinmetall-Borsig of
Düsseldorf. Records show that 676 were
manufactured. The start of production
was delayed until February 1943. It
stopped in June 1944, when the Soviet
Army took control of the area.
In March 1943 Eastern Front Panzer-
Artillerie-Abteilungen (armoured artillery
battalions) started to be equipped with
the 10.5cm Wespe SPGs. They first saw
action, alongside the 15cm Hummel
artillery SPGs during Operation Zitadelle,
the battle of Kursk. Later they were issued
to all three Eastern Front Army Groups.
The Wespe SPGs left the factory painted
in a dunkelgelb dark yellow base colour.
When they arrived near the front line, the
gun crews or field maintenance units
painted them with a variety of different
camouflage schemes to help the vehicles
merge with the local vegetation. Olivegrun
(green) and Rotbrun (red-brown) paint
were applied using an air-brush, but if
brush, sponge, cloth or broom. Some
regiments used Panzergrau (tank grey)
paint in their camouflage schemes. During
the winter, whitewash was painted over
the vehicles, so they were harder to see in
snowy conditions.
Battlefield reports were favourable.
This made Hitler order all other Panzer
II tank hull-based conversions to be
stopped. He insisted that all efforts
should go towards building as many
Wespe artillery self-propelled guns as
possible. Wespe SPGs were used in Italy
to provide artillery bombardment of the
Allied forces defending the Caesar and
Gustav lines. They provided support for
the German troops fighting the allies in
the Anzio pocket. By the summer of 1944,
some Wespe-equipped Panzer-Artillerie-
Abteilungen were sent to Normandy as a
strengthening measure to deal with the
expected Allied invasion.
In December 1944, Wespe SPGs were
in action during the Battle of the Bulge,
Ardennes Offensive. The Panzer Artillery
Regiment of the Heer Panzer Division
had three Abteilungen (Battalions). The
second and third battalion comprised
of towed 10.5cm, 15cm and 17cm
howitzers but the first battalion was
equipped with artillery self-propelled
guns: twelve Wespe and six Hummel
This 10.5cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18 (10.5cm
leFH 18) light field howitzer is in the Armageddon
Paint Ball Museum. It was this type of weapon
that was mounted in the Wespe. STT

40

0.5cm leFH 18/2 (Sf) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II ‘Wespe’ (Sd.Kfz.124) artillery self-propelled
gun from the 1st Abteilung, Panzerartillerie regiment, 8th Panzer-Division, Ukraine, summer 1944.
DAVID BOCQUELET
10.5cm leFH 18/2 (Sf) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II ‘Wespe’ (Sd.Kfz.124) artillery self-
propelled gun from an unidentified unit, Italy, summer 1944. DAVID BOCQUELET
10.5cm leFH 18/2 (Sf) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II ‘Wespe’ (Sd.Kfz.124) artillery self-
propelled gun from the 146th Panzer Artillerie Regiment, PanzerLehr Regiment, Normandy, summer
1944. DAVID BOCQUELET
artillery SPGs. They included:
• 1.Abteilung (1st Battalion)
• Stabskompanie (HQ company)
• 1.Batterie (6x Wespe 10.5cm Artillery
SPG)
• 2.Batterie (6x Wespe 10.5cm Artillery
SPG)
• 3.Batterie (6x Hummel 15cm Artillery
SPG)
Each battery typically had two
Panzerbeobachtungswagen armoured
artillery observation vehicles. These were
often based on tanks with the main gun
removed to provide additional space for
maps and radios. A dummy gun was
welded in its place so that the enemy
would think it was a typical gun tank.
Panzer II to V tanks were used as
Panzerbeobachtungswagens. Thirty-six
Panzer divisions, including SS and select
units, received Wespe SPGs. They saw
active service on all battle fronts after
41
SPECIFICATIONS
Crew 5 (driver, commander, gunner, two
loaders)
Propulsion Maybach HL 62 TR 6
cylinder, water-cooled 6.23 litre 140hp
gasoline/petrol engine
Speed (on/off road) 40/20km/h
(25/12.5mph)
Maximum range (on/off road):
220/140km (135/85 miles)
Main armament 10.5cm leFH 18/2 L/26
(early) or L/28 (late)
Secondary armament 7.92mm (0.31in)
MG 34 or MG 40
Main gun elevation - 5 to + 42 degrees
Upper hull armour 15mm (0.59in)
Lower hull armour 18mm (0.70in)
Side hull armour 15mm (0.59in)
Superstructure armour 10mm (0.39in)
Production Total 676
Dimensions (overall)
Length 4.81m (15ft 9in)
Width 2.28m (7ft 6in)
Height 2.30m (7ft 7in)
Total weight, battle ready 11 tonnes
(10.82 tons)
‘Designers
relocated the
engine from the
rear of the tank
chassis to the
middle of the hull’
1943. By March 1945, 307 Wespe SPGs,
less than half the original production
number, were still in service. Battlefield
reports recorded that the gun crews
praised its reliability and mobility. What
they did not like was the lack of
protection. They complained that the
armour was too thin and the
superstructure was too tall. Its high
profile made them an easy target to be
spotted and then fired upon. There was
inadequate protection at the rear of the
superstructure. The loaders working at the
back end of the vehicle were the most
exposed to enemy fire. Another complaint
was that the fighting compartment was
too cramped.
Further Reading
You can read about this and the other 19 Artil-
lery SPGs used by the Germans during World
War Two in Craig Moore’s new book “German
Self-propelled Artillery Guns of the Second
World War.” available on Amazon.co.uk.
Super
words and pictures Mark Nash

Sarry
Cold War veterans -
loved by those who
served with them

42
F
or British Army Veterans of a certain
age (and certain campaign), no sight
brings back the memory of comfort,
relief and salvation more than that
of the Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier.
A true veteran, this Cold War vehicle was
reliable and loved by those that served on
and with them, although they
were loathed by those that had to fix them.
Designed and built by Alvis, around
1,850 Saracens – or ‘Sarrys’ as they are
affectionately dubbed - were produced.
Each vehicle cost about £350,000, around
£8.3m today. The APC was part of a
wider family of vehicles designated as
the FV600s, which included the FV601
Saladin, the FV620 Stalwart or
‘Stolly’ (covered in CMV Issue
217, June 2019) and the
FV651/652 Salamander.
The Saracen’s story
begins in Malaya, in
1948. After World War Two, Britain began
to give independence back to countries
that were part of the empire. This triggered
a revolt in Malaya led by the Malayan
Communist Party (MCP), members of
which had fought with the British against
the Japanese during the War. The MCP
renamed itself the Malaya Races Liberation
Army (MRLA) and disappeared into the
dense jungle that covered most of the
country. By 1951, this guerilla-fought
conflict known as the Malayan Emergency
was still ongoing. British Military leaders –
likely recalling experience gained fighting
the Japanese – realised that
tanks and heavy artillery
would be unsuitable for
close-quarters jungle
fighting. Infantry, supported
by armoured cars and
armoured personnel carriers
(APC), would be the key.
Unfortunately, the British
Army was devoid of any
type of APC. As a result, the
FV603, as it was now called,
untried, untested and not
yet in production was
pushed forward.
Still under review
by the
Matt Kill’s Saracen ’83 BA
78’, is the vehicle featured
in most of the photos in
this article. It is an almost
15-year labour of love

NEV
The sand-coloured Saracen featured
in some of the photos in this article is
Fighting Vehicle Research and Development
Establishment, it presented itself as the
perfect vehicle for the required task.
The FV603, now named ‘Saracen’ in
keeping with the ‘S’ names of the series,
would have a baptism of fire, and Malaya
would be its proving ground.
The Saracen was 16ft 4in (4.9m) long, 6ft
6in (1.9m) tall (8ft (2.4m) with turret) and
8ft 3in (2.5m) wide. The width was dictated
by the conflict in Malaya. The country was
being planned. The Saracen can carry
nine troops. Eight of these men sit in the
passenger compartment facing inwards
with four seats on each side. The ninth man
sits to the left of the vehicle’s commander.
Entry is through a large two-part armoured
door at the rear of the vehicle. The Saracen’s
secondary armament was located on the
roof of this compartment. This consisted

also located on the same plot of land
as Matt Kill’s. The vehicle, a standard
Mk. 2 Saracen number ‘83 BA 22’, is
owned by Adrian Sergent, a friend of
Matt and a veteran of the Troubles.
Adrian “always saw them around
but never actually used one” during
his time in Northern Ireland. This
Saracen does not have as colourful a
past as Matt’s, spending most of its
years at the Royal Artillery base at the
School of Electrical and Mechanical
Engineering (SEME) from 1961 to
1976, and being used as a range
safety vehicle around 1988. Adrian
grew up in Benbecula in the Outer
Hebrides, and as a child saw Saracens
at Royal Artillery Range, Hebrides.
Adrian’s dad worked at the range,
so he often visited as a child and took
the chance to explore the Saracens.
Adrian said: “It’s strange having
a Saracen that I could’ve seen or
climbed on as a young lad.”
This year the vehicle was christened
Nev. This is in memory of Adrian’s
friend, Neville Stringer, who died from
cancer earlier this year and was also a
veteran of the Queen’s Regiment.
The plan, once the vehicle’s
restoration is complete, is that Nev
will be used for events to raise
money for veterans’ and children’s
cancer charities.
ABOVE: The rear of Adrian Sargent’s Saracen.
Passengers would enter and exit through the
large rear doors at the rear.
TOP: Adrian Sergent’s Mk. 2 Saracen with
engine removed
‘With increasing
the world’s foremost producer of rubber and
the trees, from which the sap used to create
the material is extracted, are arranged in
precise rows, roughly 8ft (2.4m) apart. It violence, came
increased
was necessary for the vehicles to be able to
pass through these trees.
Unladen, the Saracen weighed about 8.4
tons, fully loaded it was about 9.9 tons.
defences’
The vehicle was an all welded-armour plate
construction. This armour was of the rolled-
homogenous (RHA) type and was up to
.62in(16mm) thick all over the hull.
The Saracen has its engine front and
centre and is equipped with a small
machine gun turret. This turret is the exact
same model as used on the FV701 Ferret.
This turret is located just behind the driver’s
position, on the roof of the vehicle. It was
initially armed with the US-made Browning
Fender detail of the Sarcen. Here we seen
M1919 .30 Calibre (7.62mm) Machine Gun, the vehicles lights and horn. The large object
also known as the L3 in British service. This behind these are one of the two smoke grenade
would later be replaced with the 7.62mm banks. Both this one, and the second found on
the left fender, have three tubes
general-purpose machine gun, also known
to the ‘squaddie’ as a ‘Gimpy’. The turret
opened to allow the occupant to stand
shoulder height above it.
The driver’s compartment, at the front,
is protected by a large, central and sloped
plate with two smaller ‘cheeks’ which are
angled in, forming the cab’s somewhat
triangular shape. This section would hold
the vehicle’s crew, consisting of the driver,
the commander/machine gunner and the
radio operator. The driver sat centrally in
the vehicle. He had three periscopes at his
disposal: one in the front plate, and one Close up of the suspension system on the front
on each cheek. The commander/machine left wheel
gunner was located behind the driver and
sat on a swivelling chair. He operated the
machine gun and also guided the driver. It
was forbidden for Saracen’s to be driven
on public roads without a man in the turret.
Furthermore, should a Saracen crash or hit
something, it would officially be the turret
man’s fault for not correctly guiding the
vehicle. The radio operator sat down and to
the right of the commander’s chair.
The Turret of the Saracens were the same as
Behind the crew position is the passenger
those used on the FV701 Ferret Scout Cars.
compartment. The conflict in Malaya also They were initially armed with the Browning
dictated the length of this section. It was M1919 .30 Calibre (7.62mm) machine gun -
requested that the Saracen had the ability known as the L3 in British service. This was
later replaced with the 7.62mm general purpose
for a NATO-standard stretcher to be carried
machine gun
horizontally in the rear of the hull. This was
due to an ambulance version of the FV603

44
of a .303 Bren light machine gun, mounted
on a large ring. In later years, the Bren was
either replaced by newer weapons or the
position was removed entirely. Firing ports
with fold-out doors were also built into the
sides of this compartment. There were
three either side and one on the left section
of the rear door.
To speed up production and reduce costs,
as many parts as possible of the FV603
would be shared with the FV601 Saladin.
This commonality in parts would also make
maintenance much easier. Much of the
drive train and suspensions were identical
to the Saladin. The chosen engine was
the same Rolls-Royce B80 straight-eight,
five and three-quarter litre petrol engine.
This produced 160bhp, propelling the
vehicle to a top speed of around 45mph
(72kph), although 30mph (48kph) was
the recommended safe speed. This was
coupled via a fluid flywheel to a semi-
automatic five-speed Wilson pre-select
gearbox driving through a centrally placed
differential and a ‘forward-and-reverse’
transfer box. This allowed the vehicle to
travel just as fast backwards as it could
forwards.
Like the other FV600s, the Saracen was
a six-wheeled vehicle. All the wheels
were driven and had independent, double
wishbones of unequal length and shock-
absorber suspension. Due to the shape of
the hull, the shock absorbers for the front
wheels were placed above the wheel, while
they were placed below the rear sets. Drive
from the engine was sent from the central
transfer box to a bevel gearbox in between
the centre wheel stations which divided the
power evenly between the wheels. From
here, it was sent out to the centre wheels,
but also forward and backward to similar
bevel boxes behind each of the front and
rear wheels. Drive from here is then provided
via short, interconnected driveshafts which
run through universal ‘Tracta’ joints into
the wheels and their large protruding hubs
which contain reduction gears. These joints
allow the continuous drive to the wheels
while the suspension reacts to the terrain.
On the FV600s, it is the first four wheels
that steer. Power steering is provided by
a recirculating ball box which rotates the
wheels via a compensating linkage that
ensures the central wheels steer at a
reduced angle compared to the fronts.
The six-wheel-drive system was not
without issues, one of the biggest being
‘Wind-Up’. This has been explained in both
the January 2019 and June 2019 issues
of this magazine, so this will be a brief
description. Wind-Up occurs because it’s a
six-wheel-drive vehicle, and all six wheels
rotate at the same speed. Also, the vehicle
does not have a limited slip differential, just
a single differential. During steering and used in Hong Kong as police vehicles until
cornering, this can be problematic as each the late-1990s.
wheel turns on a different arc. This can It was also chosen for use in Northern
lead to failure of the bevel boxes when the Ireland. Allegedly, there was a political
vehicle is run on concrete or tarmac. Driving motive behind the decision as just a few
off-road on mud, grass or gravel would often years prior to the start of ‘The Troubles’, the
cure the issue. Experienced drivers would Prague Spring had occurred, resulting in the
know when they were getting wind-up deployment of Soviet tanks onto the streets,
because the steering would get heavier. An causing international outrage. The British
The Saracen shared many parts with the FV601 Saladin Armoured Car, most notably the wheels
and suspension system
Models & Variants
Saracen Mk. 1 (FV603A): Three-hatch turret, periscopes and side hatches for the driver
Saracen Mk. 2 (FV603B): Two-hatch turret
Saracen Mk. 1/5 & 2/5: Standard Mk. 1s and 2s fitted with partial applique armour and
vision blocks.
Saracen Mk. 3: A Mk. 2 fitted with reverse-flow-cooling for use in hot countries.
Saracen Mk. 5: A Mk. 2 with a full complement of applique armour and vision blocks.
Saracen Mk. 6 (FV603C): RFC and applique armour
FV604: Armoured command vehicle, no turret, canvas penthouses/tents carried.
FV610: Armoured command post, designed for the Royal Artillery, no turret, higher
rear-section, canvas penthouses/tents carried.
FV611: Armoured ambulance.
expedient remedy often used by these men Government did not want to repeat this by
involved driving one side of the vehicle on sending in the newer FV432 tracked APCs
soft ground and the other on hard ground. and opted for the wheeled Saracen instead.
One issue with the Saracen’s design was With increasing violence, came increased
its internal temperature. On the outside of defences. Most vehicles were fitted with
the driver’s compartment, there are square wire cages over vulnerable areas such as
outlets that duct hot air out of the engine the headlights and periscopes. Some were
bay. These had the effect of heating the even equipped with full cage armour to
sidewalls of the hull, vents on the rear of the protect the vehicles from RPG-7s. Another
hull, near the two main doors did the same. addition was ‘nudge bars’ that allowed
Further heat emanated from the fluid-fly drivers to slowly push rioters back. One
wheel which was located under the driver’s unavoidable feature of the Saracen was
feet, which emerged from small vents. exploited by enemies – its six wheels. They
These resulted in an uncomfortable level found the Saracen could be easily disabled
of heat and a Reverse-Flow Cooling (RFC) if a beer keg was pushed between the front
system was installed where cool air was and middle wheels, which resulted in the
drawn in through specially adapted access vehicle not being able to steer. This was one
covers to improve crew comfort. of the reasons it was replaced in Northern
The Saracen has served all over the world, Ireland by the FV1611 Humber ‘Pig’.
not just with the British Army. They were The vehicle featured in this article is ‘83 BA
sold to South Africa, Jordan, Kuwait and 78’, a Saracen Mk. 5.
Thailand, to name but a few and were even This was the designation given to Mk.
45

2 Saracens that received
additional appliqué armour. Armour around
the driver’s position was doubled with an
additional 16mm, while the sides and rear
of the vehicle received an additional .39in
(10mm) of armour. Other modifications
include the replacement of periscopes with
bulletproof vision blocks and replacement
of the mushroom ventilators with flat,
square ones made of welded armour plate.
The additional armour also resulted in a
weight increase of two tons, bringing the
total weight to about 10.4 tons.
The vehicle is owned by ex-Territorial
Army Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers
(REME) member Matt Kill, based in
Southampton. Matt has had an interest in
Saracens since the age of seven, largely due
his father, Robert ‘Bob’ Kill, who drove them
in the army.
Matt bought the Saracen in 2005 from Ian
Young for £2,000. He said it was in an ‘OK’
A head-on view of the Saracen.
Note the large pentagonal
nose and grille
Other Service
Malayan Emergency (1952-1960)
Borneo Confrontation (1963-66)
Aden Emergency (1964-1967)
West Germany (1952-1970s)
‘For use in Northern Ireland, the
now-ageing Saracen was chosen’
condition, heavily rusted, and none of the
hatches opened. In all, it took Matt, with the
aid of Bob ,who died in 2011, around seven
months to get it running and roadworthy,
and up to a presentable standard in around
16 months. “It’s an interesting thing to own,”
said Matt. “It has so much history and new
things keep appearing.”
Matt has been able to trace the vehicle’s
history. ‘83 BA 78’ was built in October 1956
but was not issued to an army unit until
1972. At some point between this, it was on
a shipment to Libya but was never unloaded
from the transport ship. This Saracen is a
veteran of the Troubles in Northern Ireland
46
and it was shipped straight from Libya to
Northern Ireland. When it arrived it was
still in a sandy desert livery where it was
used for a couple of months before being
upgraded to Mk. 2/5 standard. The vehicle
still bears scars from its time in Northern
Ireland including numerous bullet strikes
around the firing ports. At one time, it
was even turned into an ambulance. It is
thought that the Saracen was turned back
to an APC in the mid-1970s.
“There is always something to do on
them,” Matt said. He has upholstered
the passenger seats, repaired hydraulic
lines, and found an original intercom/
radio set.
“I did all the work myself, along with my
dear father,” he said. “Being ex-REME, I’m a
mechanic anyway. I’m used to working on
things like Land Rovers, Bedford four-toners,
and had done a little bit on FV432s.”
Thanks to this, he estimates that the entire
restoration has only cost around £1,500
while insurance for the vehicle only costs
around £100 a year.
As it stands now, Matt estimates that the
vehicle is worth around £8,000 to £10,000,
based on similar examples. He keeps the
vehicle as something of a memorial to Bob
and has said he would never part with it
because of this. As a tribute, he has even
added the insignia of his father’s unit - the
Queens Own Hussars - to the vehicle.
SPECIFICATIONS
Make Alvis
Model FV603 Saracen
Nationality Great Britain
Year 1951
Production Run 1,850
Engine Rolls-Royce B80
Type Straight-Eight
Fuel Petrol
Power 160hp
Speed 45-30mph (72 - 48km/h)
Transmission Pre-selector
Suspension Independent, double
wishbones and shock-absorbers
Crew Three (commander/gunner, driver,
radio operator)
Passengers Eight
Dimensions (overall)
Length 16ft 4in (4.9m)
Width 8ft 3in (2.5m)
Height 6ft 6in (1.9m) - 8ft (2.4m)
with turret
Weight 10,250kg
Marltrax.indd 1 24/09/2019 09:46:04
 words and pictures James Kinnear

The Leningrad Blockade Breakthrough Museum is home to a

unique collection of Red Army tanks recovered from the River Neva

i v e r
Recovery
MAIN IMAGE: A general view of the external tank display. The River Neva is located between the tanks and the woods in the far background
BELOW: The museum’s BT-5 breaking the surface of the River Neva during its recovery in the summer of 2007. ANDREY AKSENOV

R M
ost military vehicle
museum collections are just
that, collections of tanks and
other armoured vehicles that
have been gathered together, sometimes
with a binding theme, as general
displays of armoured vehicles.
Some, such as the Bovington tank
museum in the UK and the Kubinka
tank museum in the Russian Federation
are located on long-established testing
grounds, so there is a direct relationship
between some of the tanks and their
location.
In the Russian Federation, several
museum collections located in European
Russia have an even more direct
historical relationship – to major battles

48
y that were fought locally.
One such museum is that located at
Nevsky Pyatachok, to the east of modern-
day St Petersburg, formerly Leningrad.
The Leningrad Blockade Breakthrough
Museum was established in 1985 on
the bank of the River Neva between
the regional towns of Kirovsk and
Schlisselburg, on the 40th anniversary of
the end of the war in Europe.
The museum has slowly grown into a
panorama museum building surrounded
by a unique collection of Red Army
tanks that saw combat in the immediate
area during World War Two, but it is the
context of the museum’s location that
makes the museum particularly historic.
The town of Kirovsk, east of Leningrad
was the scene of intense fighting during
the Siege of Leningrad, which lasted
nearly three years from September 8,
1941 when Axis forces took Schlisselburg
until the siege was finally broken in the
same area in January 1944.
The Kirovsk region was strategically
important due to its location between
besieged Leningrad and the south
western shore of Lake Ladoga, over
which the city was supplied by small
ships in the summer months and by
means of ice roads in winter.
The UNESCO designated museum site
north of Kirovsk is located on the eastern
bank of the River Neva at the exact point
that the Siege of Leningrad was first
broken. The museum commemorates
‘Operation Iskra’ (Spark), whereby on the
morning of January 12, 1943 troops of
the 67th Army of the Leningrad Front
crossed the River Neva together with
forces of the 2nd and 8th Armies of
the Volkhov Front, breaking the almost
complete encirclement of Leningrad.
The 10 to 12km wide land bridgehead
formed at Nevsky Pyatachok during the
harshest winter weeks of January 1943
provided an additional land corridor –
the ‘Doroga Pobedi’ or ‘Road of Victory’
that allowed military forces, equipment
and supplies to be moved between the
49
Leningradsky front around Leningrad and
the Volkhov front to the east of the city.
With Red Army troops now holding
the Nevsky Pyatachok bridgehead east
of Leningrad, the city strengthened its
supply lifeline across the relatively small
land area near Kirovsk. As such the
region was bitterly contested throughout
the remaining year of the siege.
The Siege of Leningrad was finally
broken on January 27, 1944 when the
first echelons of Red Army troops to
relieve the city during the ‘Leningrad
Proriv’ or ‘Leningrad Breakthrough’
operation forced their way out of the
Nevsky Pyatachok bridgehead from
launch points around Kirovsk. Leningrad
was the first city to be awarded ‘Hero
City’ status in 1945.
To commemorate the Leningrad
relief operation, the ‘Proriv Blokadi
Leningrada Diorama’ (Diorama of the
Relief of the Siege of Leningrad) museum
was established in 1985, a diorama
originally being incorporated into one
of the approach ramps of a new road
bridge across the River Neva at Nevsky
Pyatachok, approximately 5km from
Kirovsk. This was later complemented by
a purpose designed and built museum
building with a small but growing
collection of Soviet tanks.
The collection at Nevsky Pyatachok is The first KV to arrive at the museum was this early welded turret model, with turret number ‘061’.
unique in that most of the tanks have The same KV tank today, more than a decade later
been recovered locally from the river and
surrounding marshland. Unsurprisingly, Dubrovka on September 26, 1942 and was restoration at the Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant
a significant amount of equipment was sunk after being hit by small calibre gun fire. in Schlisselburg. The BT-5 gave up some
lost into the River Neva in the Kirovsk The tank was recovered during winter secrets of its own. Even as the tank broke
region during the Siege of Leningrad and in February 2005. The T-38 was winched the surface of the river after more than six
the city’s subsequent relief, and in recent to shore by recovery vehicles using block decades entombed in the silt of the riverbed,
years the river has given up several tanks and tackle sets, the task requiring the the design was seen to be unusual.
lost during the siege. rescue team to cut a channel through the The standard rear-mounted BT-5 type
Although the River Neva is a relatively ice with chain saws. exhaust system had been replaced in
short 74km in length, it is wide, and up Unlike the KV tank recovered during the service by a modified twin-tube type as used
to 30m deep in places. The tanks in the same season, the tracks and running gear on on the later BT-7, with the original exhaust
museum were lost in combat or in most the T-38 were locked solid by corrosion, and it outlets plated over.
cases due to breaking through ice and had to be dragged to shore, though this was The reason for this curious modification
sinking into the River Neva or surrounding
lakes and marshland.
The tanks at the museum bear the
combined scars of combat and corrosion
damage. Tanks that had been resting in
silt fared considerably better than those
exposed to aerated river water, as can
be seen when comparing the damage.
Most of the tanks were recovered in the
first decade of the 21st century, and
from locations within line of sight of
the museum. The locations of several
other tanks have been plotted for future The BT-5 touches shore again for the first time in more than six decades. ANDREY AKSENOV
recovery and restoration operations. ...and the BT-5 in its current location at the museum after undergoing restoration

T-26
The museum’s T-26 M-1933 light tank
was recovered from the river in May
2003 as a result of unusually low water
levels revealing the tank’s hull above the
waterline, the turret having been removed
at an earlier date. Inspection showed that
the tank’s entire hull and running gear was
intact and in good condition having been
buried in silt. During restoration at the
Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant in Schlisselburg,
a replacement turret was located in St
Petersburg, which is believed according
to local sources to be the tank’s own
original turret, which had been removed
many years before due to it being visible
in shallow water and above water level for
prolonged periods. The turret is, as a result,
significantly more corroded than the hull.
The T-26 tank was put on display at the
museum on January 17, 2005.
T-38
The T-38 amphibious reconnaissance tank
located at the museum is relatively rare. This
T-38 is known to have belonged to a separate
amphibious tank brigade involved in a counter-
offensive over the River Neva near Nevsky
not a problem due to its relatively light weight.
As found, the tank turret had been partly
wrenched from its turret ring, but the tank
was otherwise in an intact state. Crew
members had apparently escaped safely,
leaving the tank with its full ammunition
complement, including wooden boxes filled
with F1 grenades and all repair tooling
neatly stowed in ZIP (spares and tool)
panniers. The T-38 underwent a prolonged
restoration at the Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant
‘The third KV tank at the museum was
recovered from a depth of 15 metres
in November 2011’
at Schlisselburg and joined the museum
collection on May 5, 2005.
BT-5
The Kharkov-built BT-5 located at the
museum sank in deep water in the middle
of the River Neva. It was raised onto a barge
in June 2007 and transported to shore for
became clear as the recovered tank was
being stripped for restoration. Inspection
plates and stamps within the tank revealed
that it had undergone a capital rebuild at
Plant Nº183 in Kharkov in 1938, including
replacement of the original Soviet M-5
engine with a US origin ‘Liberty’ engine
manufactured by Allison under licence
and stamped as having been produced a
decade earlier, in 1928. This was an interim
installation undertaken at the Kharkov plant
due to a shortage of new Soviet built engines
at the time of rebuild.
The BT-5 tank was fitted with later tracks
as used on the BT-7 and featured the use of
improvised grouser bars welded to some
track shoes.
The corroded armour on the hull and turret
of the recovered BT-5 was shot-blasted and

50
repainted with marine grade paint, while the
badly corroded sheet steel track guards were
rebuilt to exacting standards.
After a two-month professional restoration at
the Nevsky Shipbuilding Plant in Schlisselburg,
the tank was moved to its new location at the
Leningrad Blockade Breakthrough Museum
in October 2007. Respect for the sacrifices
A column of T-38 amphibious reconnaissance tanks in the Leningrad region during the Siege of Leningrad.
The museum’s newly restored T-38 soon after its arrival in 2005. Note the turret number, which is
taken from the wartime photograph. ANDREY AKSENOV
of military personnel in time of war is to this
day treated with greater reverence in Russia
and former Soviet bloc countries than is
common in many western countries and the
installation of the BT-5 at its final resting place
was undertaken as an official ceremony with
full military honours. A group of veterans had
place of honour at the event.
KV heavy tanks
The museum also has three recovered KV
heavy tanks, two of which were built locally
The author and Vladimir Gavrilov, his brother-in-
law and St Petersburg resident, standing by the
museum’s recovered and restored T-26 light tank
at the Leningrad Kirov Zavod (LKZ) before
its evacuation to Chelyabinsk. The original
LKZ facility remained in operation during the
Siege of Leningrad, repairing KV and other.
Although the main production facilities had
been evacuated the plant continued to play a
vital role during the long months of the ‘900
Day’ siege – actually 872 days and nights.
There are two early production welded-
turret KV tanks produced at the LKZ at the
museum, and a later final production KV-1S
as produced at the Chelyabinsk Kirov Zavod
(ChKZ) after the Kirov plant was relocated
there by rail in the autumn of 1941. The rarity
of the museum’s KV tanks makes them
particularly interesting.
The first KV to be recovered, restored and
exhibited at the museum, is a KV-1 M-1940
as built at the LKZ in Leningrad before the
plant’s evacuation to Siberia in the early
autumn of 1941. The tank has the distinctive
early welded turret and flame-torch cut
appliqué armour plates welded on the hull
sides to protect the turret race.
The tank was lost in 1941 while being
ferried across the River Neva on a log raft
mounted on pontoon boats. After first
underwater pressure jetting to remove the
accumulated silt, the tank was winched to
the riverbank on April 16, 2003, a process
made easier by the fact that after 62 years
in the water the tank’s wheels and tracks
remained free moving, allowing it to roll out
of the river rather having to be being dragged
out. It was rebuilt by the 61st Tank Repair
Plant at Strelnya, fitted with a modern tank
engine and delivered to the museum in
September 2003 where it was manoeuvred
into its current position under its own power.
The second tank to arrive at the museum
was built in 1943 and is the only known
surviving ‘original’ KV-1S (Skorostnoy - high
speed) heavy tank. The KV-1s was built at
ChKZ in Chelyabinsk in 1943 as a lightened
version of the KV-1 series with a new cast
turret, commander’s cupola, modified
transmission, a lowered rear engine deck and
new wheels.
The lightened KV-1S was intended to
prolong the viability of the original KV tank
until it was replaced by the Iosif Stalin
(IS) heavy tank series. When recovered
from what is now light woodland at
Karbuselsky Polye near the river Neva
in October 2005, the destroyed parts
were originally thought to be from a
single KV-1S tank; however as duplicate
sections including two engine decks
were uncovered it became clear that
the components were actually from two
separate KV-1S tanks, both destroyed in
combat during the relief of Leningrad in
January 1944. One tank had a complete
hull section, but the accessible upper track
51
links had long-since been removed for
scrap. There were however enough buried
track links remaining for the restorers at
the Nevsky shipyard to complete one side
on the KV-1S, with a few links on the other
side. The KV heavy tank was delivered to
the museum on January 17, 2007.
The third KV tank at the museum was
recovered from a depth of 15m in November
2011 and was recovered in full combat order
with the ammunition complement intact.
The tank is now painted in white winter
camouflage with the name ‘Leningradets’
(Leningrader) on the turret side. It also
features the additional armour screens
on the hull that were common on early
Leningrad production KV tanks.
Post-war tanks
On the other side of the museum from the
recovered wartime tanks is a small collection
of post-war Soviet tanks, including T-55M,
T-62M, T-72 and T-80 main battle tanks.
Nearby the museum, overlooking the river,
a plinth mounted T-34-85 war memorial
completes the tank collection at Nevsky
Pyatachok.
The museum is located within an area with
several historically significant sites, not least
the western and eastern shores of Lake
Ladoga between which supplies were ferried
to Leningrad by water in summer and by
vehicle over ice roads in winter. The
museums in the area are well worth visiting,
as they provide the historical context of the
Siege of Leningrad and its meaning to the
Russians, who lost more civilian dead in that
siege than the combined Allied Forces of the
US and UK during all of World War Two.
Museum Location and Opening Hours
The museum is located on the eastern bank
of the River Neva as the bridge on the A105
road crosses the river north of Kirovsk. The
museum is open daily 10am-6pm, except
Mondays. The main exhibits are on open
display, but the territory is fenced, hence the
requirement to keep to the opening hours
listed. Although it is possible to get to the
museum by public transport, the location is
well beyond the city boundary and it is best
to rent a car and driver from the city centre
(which will cost about £25 with the driver
waiting an hour or so – which compares
rather favourably with an equivalent
suburban journey by rail in Great Britain).
The journey time to the museum is about
40 minutes traffic permitting.
 agrément n° 2002-223

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 r m a n
words and pictures David Garden

S h e
MUSCLE
The M32 recovery vehicle answered
the call when the big guns got
bogged down on the battlefield

This view clearly shows the lack

of armament on the museum example
and how even the top superstructure is
laden with stowage to help disabled tanks

W
hen tanks break down, get
bogged down or knocked out
due to enemy action the crews
turn to the recovery vehicles to
get them out. The same vehicles can also
remove obstructions that limit or prevent
the movement of armour.
During World War Two the US M3 Lee
and then the M4 Sherman tanks provided
the basic chassis for the M31 and M32
armoured recovery vehicles (ARV)
respectively. Being based on the combat
vehicles the recovery vehicles used the
same parts and fuels and were also
mechanically familiar to the crews. The M32
and its family are surely among the unsung
heroes of the armour world.
The ARV became an important part of
the inventory to armoured advance as it
removed roadway obstacles, recovered
disabled vehicles and could handle in-field
repair duties. In World War Two such
vehicles were invaluable to clear vital
roadways, bridges and even airfields to clear

54
 RIGHT (FROM TOP):
M32B1A1 near Humhung
during the Korean War. Note
HVSS suspension. WIKIMEDIA
COMMONS; World War Two
photo showing an M32 with
extended crane ready to start
lifting. The Jerrycans at the side
show signs of recent refuelling;
The M32 was based on the
chassis of a Sherman tank.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; ARV
crew cook supper in front of
their vehicle while local children
wait for a share. Note 81mm
mortar in ready position

‘The M32 and its

family are surely
among the unsung
heroes of the
armour world’
the path for the advance of friendly forces. damaged or stranded armour on the
ARVs were assigned to tank battalions, a battlefield. This was based on observation
pair of them assigned to the Battalion HQ of British practice.
company with a dozer tank. The availability and reliability of the M4
When the US military began mobilising Sherman tank made it an ideal vehicle for the
and equipping for war the ordinance base of a new ARV, the M32. A fixed structure
department decided that the army would replaced the turret and an 18ft A-frame crane
require vehicles that could recover combat and a 27 ton winch were installed.
The A-frame crane was fixed to the front
of the hull but folded back to the rear in a
horizontal position for travelling. The crane
had stabilisers that locked it in place when
in use. The winch on the M32 could be
attached to a load on the front or rear of
the vehicle, over the crane or directly via an
opening in the front armour to the load.

55
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 It was operated by a power take-off (PTO)
from the main drive shaft. The winch was
mounted beside the driver and the drum
was mounted on the outside of the vehicle.
The prototypes of the M32 were produced
by the Lima Locomotive Company on
January 11, 1943. These prototypes were the
T5, T5E1, T5E2, T5E3 and T5E4. The designs
were tested in competition at Aberdeen
Proving Grounds against another two, the T2
and T7 which had turret-mounted booms.
After several weeks of rigorous testing the
T5 was felt to be the best design. Further
tests took place at Aberdeen with the T5
and T5E1, Camp Hood using the T5E2 and
Camp Seely which was given the T5E4. The
T5E3’s engine had seized and could not be
tested further.
The designs were standardised in June
1943 by OCM 21553 as M32 (T5), M32E1
(T5E1), M32E2 (T5E2), M32E3 (T32E3) and
the M32E4, (T32E4). The T7 was dropped
and the M32E4 never entered production.
Some M32s were converted into M34 prime
movers to tow heavy artillery. They were
unarmed and had equipment suitable for
their task to pull heavy guns.
The M32 had a Spicer manual
Model Kits of the M32
The M32B1 was first produced as a kit by Italeri in 1980. The original and later re-
boxes can be bought quite cheaply online and was a very good model for its time.
Tamiya also produced this version using the Italeri moulds but this I believe is quite
a rare find and I do not know what if any
improvements Tamiya made. In 2012
Tasca released a M32B1 followed by
Asuka in 2014. The only 1/72 model in
injected moulded plastic is by UM again
of the M32B1 version. There are various
resin replacement parts, photo-etched
detail sets and decal sets to enhance
your M32B1 model.
Striking 1980 box art for the Italeri 1/35th model
synchromesh transmission gearbox
with five forward and one reverse gear. Ammunition stowage consisted
Suspension was of the vertical volute spring of 30 x 81mm mortar smoke rounds, 300 x
suspension type for the earlier versions and 0.50 rounds, 2,000 x 0.30 rounds, 20 hand
horizontal volute spring suspension (HVSS) grenades and six smoke grenades.
for the later A1 versions. Turrets taken from gun tanks being
Armament consisted of one 81mm field converted to ARVs were kept in storage and
mortar mounted on the front hull. This was shipped to factories producing 75mm gun
designed mainly for smoke laying to shield tanks to save casting new turrets. As they
recovery operations. Also carried was one did not have the new cheek armour and had
0.50 M2 heavy Browning machine gun and no loaders hatches, they tended to be added
one 0.30 Browning M1919 machine gun. to M4 composite hulls.

Rear view of World War Two M32 fully stowed and with heavy tow
chain. The 0.50 machine gun is fitted for anti-aircraft
or local defence

A M32 Tank Recovery Vehicle on

display at Fort Knox, Kentucky. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Variants
M32B1: A M32 based on the M4A1 tank. A larger production total
of 1,085 vehicles were produced by the companies of Federal
Machine, Baldwin Locomotive and Pressed Steel Car Company.
Several were supplied to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease.
These were named ARV Mark III by the British armed forces.
M32B2: A M32 based on the M4A2 tank. Only 26 were built by
the Lima Locomotive Company.
M32B3: The M32 variant based on the M4A3 tank. A total of
344 were made by Lima Locomotive and Pressed Steel Car
Companies.
M32B4: This type never entered production. It was based on the
M4A4 tank and the prototype had a Chrysler Multibank engine.
M32A1: A M32 with HVSS suspension.
M32A1B1: A M32B1 with HVSS suspension, 175 examples being
converted by Baldwin Locomotive Company.
M32A1B2: A M32B2 with HVSS suspension.
M32A1B3: A M32B3 with HVSS suspension.
T14E1: M32B3 with HVSS suspension produced for the US
Marine Corps late in 1945. A total of 80 were produced.
M34 Prime mover: These were M32B1 recovery vehicles without
the recovery gear. Simply used for towing heavy artillery such as
the 240mm howitzer into their positions. It had no armament and
was provided with air brakes, tail lights and electrical outlets for
towing heavy loads. Four seats were provided for the crew. M34s
production started in 1944 and finished in 1945.
T1E1 Mine Exploder ‘Earthworm’: T1 mine exploder used with
the boom on the M32. First developed and produced in 1943 it
did see some limited service in combat.
T2E1 Mine Exploder: This used the T2 mine exploder attached
to the boom of the M32. It was designed for the US Marines but
was found to be impractical and was dropped in October 1943.
Chenca: A Mexican army designation of its M32s

57

of vehicles as clean as the museum’s collection. Each one spick and span to show off to the paying public
Lima Locomotive Company started
production of the M32 by converting five
gun tanks into M32B2s in June 1943.
This was followed by production of 26
M32B3s in May 1944 and 20 more ARVs
during the summer of 1944.
Pressed Steel Car Company was more
prolific making 163 M32s and 475 M32B1s
between December 1943 and December
1944. The same company converted 298
M4A3 Sherman tanks into M32B3s from
May to December1944. Licences were
granted to Baldwin Locomotive Works and
Federal Machine Works in November 1944.
The former produced 195 M32B1s by June
1945 and the latter producing 385 M32B1s
by May 1945. Overall 1,562 M32s were
produced.
The M32 succeeded the M31 ARV built on
the chassis of the M3 Lee Medium Tank.
The availability of the Sherman M4 tank
made it an excellent basis for conversion
to other battlefield vehicles. The M32 was
a classic example of this, being designed
from the outset as an ARV.
The M32 first started service with the US
Army in July 1943. They served in Italy,
Europe and in limited numbers in the Far
East. They were also used by the British
Army, the M32B1 being designated as the
Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV) Mark III.
A few M32B2s were given to Tito’s forces
in Yugoslavia. During World War Two the
M32 was considered adequate for the task
and were well received.
M32A1 variants produced by the
Baldwin Locomotive Company in 1945
served through the Korean war. However,
these were considered inadequate and
underpowered for the recovery of newer
tanks such as the M26 Pershing and the
M46 Patton when they were introduced.
After the Korean war the M32 was replaced
with the M74 Tank recovery vehicle based
on the M4A3. The M32 was planned to be
equipped with mine exploding equipment
such as the T1E1 ‘Earthworm’ and the T2E1
Every sergeant major would be proud
Mine Exploder. Only the T1E1 saw service in
limited numbers.
After World War Two, several M32s were
given to the Mexican Army. These were
called ‘Chenca’ and served until 1998. M32s
were also given to the Israeli Army in the late
1940s. They served during the Suez Crisis,
Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War in units
equipped with the M51 ‘Super Sherman’.
Tanks break down in or out of combat.
Things like trees, landslides, mud, sand,
landslips can all get a tank stuck and
prevent the progress of an armoured
assault. Tanks also collapse bridges, get
stuck on buildings, simply tip over or lose a
track. For all these a call for the ARV is the
answer to the problem and the best ARV is
the one based on the tank it recovers. The
M32 family answered the call and being
derived from the M4 Sherman gun tank
with which it served provided the ideal
solution until the introduction of heavier
main battle tanks.
An M32 ARV (aka M32 TRV) in Batey ha-Osef
58
SPECIFICATIONS
Type Armoured Recovery Vehicle.
Make M32
Nationality United States
Operators United States, Great Britain,
Israel, Mexico and Yugoslavia
In Service July 1943 to September
1952. (Mexico to the late 1990s)
Production run 1,562
Engine M32 and M32B1: Continental
R975-C1 or C4. Nine-cylinder radical
gasoline engine. 350 or 400hp at
2,400rpm. M32B2: General motors 6046
twin in-line diesel engine producing 375hp
at 2,100rpm. M32B3: Ford GAA V8 gasoline
engine producing 450hp at 2,600rpm
Transmission Spicer manual
synchromesh transmission. Five
forward and one reverse gears
Suspension Vertical Volute Spring
Suspension (VVSS). All the -A1
variants had Horizontal Volute Spring
Suspension (HVSS)
Fuel Capacity 148 to 175 US gallons
depending on model
Operational Range 120 to 150 miles
(190 to 240km)
Top Speed 24mph (3kph)
Crew Four
Armament One 81mm mortar, one
0.50 M2 machine gun, one 0.30 M1919
machine gun
Armour 51mm to 13mm
Dimensions (overall)
Length 19.3ft (5.9m)
Width 8.86ft (2.7m)
Height 9.66ft (2.94m)
Weight M32, M32B1 and M32B3 64,300 lb.
M32B2 67,600lb
Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
 Limited availability for 2020

✓ Full Restorations
✓ Resprays & Stencils
✓ Servicing
✓ Engine Rebuild
✓ Component Rebuild
✓ Fabrication
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59

059_CMV_NOV19_ad.indd 1 26/09/2019 11:27:50

 words
words Pedro
Pedro Manuel
Manuel Monteiro
Monteiro pictures
pictures as credited
as credited

Defendingane
P
ortugal was the first European
power to establish colonies in Africa
and the last to leave the continent.
Between 1961 and 1974 the
Portuguese armed forces were involved in
a counterinsurgency war against emerging
nationalist movements in three of the five
African colonies: Angola, Mozambique and
Guinea-Bissau. This war was fought by more
than a million men. They were mostly light
infantry troops, including the new special
operations and commandos, but ultimately
quickly nicknamed ‘mine blasters’ and were
said to be able to withstand up to 5kg of
explosives.
Most of the protection came from the sheer
mass and size of the engine and distance
between the front axis and driver’s seat.
Sandbags were also placed around the
wheel cavities and driver’s cabin for further
protection. Belmiro Ramos, who served in
the Portuguese Army, recalled an incident
when a driver showed more concern for a
damaged vehicle than himself after hitting
a mine when he yelled: “Oh, look what
happened to my dear Berliet!”
Although Berliet was a French
manufacturer, the trucks used by the
Portuguese Army were assembled in
Portugal. Most nations opposed these
wars and refused to sell modern military
equipment and weaponry to Portugal. This
eventually led to the development of the local
military industry. Gradually, the Portuguese
car industry became more involved in the

‘The five-cylinder
vehicles like Berliet trucks and Panhard war effort, first assembling Unimog 404
armoured vehicles became essential to and 411 trucks and then the Berliets. The

125bhp engine
transport and sustain troops across the vast French truck manufacturer partnered
African territory. with Metalúrgica Duarte Ferreira (MDF), a

Mine blasters
Berliets were admired by Portuguese
troops and were used for a variety of
purposes including transporting equipment,
ammunition, food and personnel. Compared
fuel ranging from
to the lighter Unimog and GMC models
also used, they offered exceptional off-road
capabilities and high levels of protection
could work with conglomerate founded by the Duarte Ferreira
family in the town of Tramagal and opened a
various types of truck assembly line in February 1964. Initially,
production started with commercial models,
such as the Berliet GCK and the GLC, but
this was soon ramped up to include military
gas and diesel vehicles.
GBC 4x4
to kerosene and
That same year the French showed off a

turpentine’
against the growing threat of land mines and smaller 4x4 version of the Berliet four-tonne
improvised explosive devices. They were GBC 8KT 6x6 model. It was based on the

60
 Af
Warrriican
ors

nempire
Gazelle truck, which had been used by the
French in Algeria, and was known as the GBC
Berliet trucks and Panhard
armoured vehicles helped
sustain troops in the wars
fought by Portugal in Africa during
the 1960s and 1970s

Initially, French engineers had believed it

4x4.
The Portuguese Army ordered a first batch
of 450, which were delivered from June 1965
onwards. Members of the armed service
who used the GBC trucks in Africa often
share anecdotes about its miraculous M520
multi-fuel engine. The five-cylinder 125bhp
engine could work with various types of fuel
ranging from gas and diesel to kerosene and
turpentine.
Between 1964 and 1974, the Tramagal
assembly line delivered 3,549 military trucks
to the Portuguese armed forces. Almost
half – 1,670 to be exact – were the GBC 4x4
variant whereas the 6x6 variant, introduced to
the armed forces around 1967, totalled 972.
The remaining 907 were the GBA 6x6
variant, which were developed in 1968 to
meet requirements for a simpler and cheaper
truck to replace the 2.5-tonne GMC trucks.
One notable change was the replacement of
the multi-fuel engine with a new M420/30X
diesel engine with 135bhp and lower fuel
consumption – yet the truck was still able to
carry up to four tons or 17 troops.
would be unrealistic to develop a new model
in less than two years, but their Portuguese
Made in Portugal
The indigenous Bravia Chaimite V-200
armoured vehicle was never as admired
and trusted by the troops as the Berliet
or the Panhard. A total of 84 vehicles
were ordered in 1967 and 1968 but the
first were only deployed in combat in
January 1971. The initial operational
reports sent from Guinea exposed
the countless design and mechanical
problems of the model. Three years
later, only 21 could be found in Africa
– seven in each of the three war
fronts. Ironically, it was a Chaimite
nicknamed Bula, after a Panhard-
equipped unit from Guinea, that became
the protagonist of the 1974 military
democratic coup when it carried the
overthrown dictator Marcelo Caetano
and his closest ministers into exile.
colleagues convinced them otherwise and
took the lead on the project. The first four-
tonne GBA MT 6x6 was delivered in March
1970 and the team even built a half-track
prototype two years later.
After becoming independent, Angola even
acquired 254 GBA 6x6 trucks for its newly
formed army. In December 1971, during
the peak of the conflicts, the Portuguese
Army had more than 21,300 vehicles in
service. Most were Unimog light trucks
(6,675) followed by the Berliet GBC (1,486)
and the GBA (169). Most of the GBA trucks
were deployed in Guinea – 106 – whereas
in Angola there were about 655 GBC and in
Mozambique another 632.
Armoured scout cars
Above all, geography limited the use of
armoured units during all three conflicts.
In Angola, the war was fought in the
northern forests and eastern savannas. In
Mozambique, on the northeast plateau, on
the shores of the great Zambezi and on the
borders with Tanzania. Meanwhile, Guinea
was a territory with 80 islands in the south
and marshlands which remained flooded

61
 A Berliet-Tramagal GBC in Mozambique. By 1971, there
The Portuguese army first adopted the smaller 4x4 version of the 4-tonne GBC 8KT 6x6. were already 632 of these trucks deployed in the Mozambique,
A total of 1,670 were assembled in Portugal between 1964 and 1974. AVELINO FEITEIRONA and other 655 in Angola. LUÍS H. MARTINHO

‘Above all, geography limited the use of

squad of riflemen transported in a Unimog
404,” he said.

armoured units during all three conflicts’

The riflemen were normally recruited locally.
“They were excellent soldiers who knew the
geography and climate of the region well,”
for most of the year. Due to such conditions, logistic and troop convoys on all three fronts. said Manuel. “I remember that one of my
the Portuguese had even used horses in the As an AML commander, Manuel Sousa men was Muslim, so I would always swap
eastern region of Angola. was involved in many of those missions. my can of tuna if he happened to get pork in
Col Luís Banazol, who served in one of these “In Mozambique, our cavalry company was his field ration.”
units, said horses proved so effective that equipped with the Panhard AML. We always At the head of the convoy was always a
they would later be used in the Rhodesian worked in pairs and had the protection of a Berliet, towing a one-ton trailer, to trigger
Bush War.
Luís would also later command a unit
equipped with five-ton Panhard AML scout
cars. “The AML was an excellent vehicle,” he
said. “Their small silhouette made it possible
to chase opponents even in densely wooded
terrain like the one we found in Cabinda
(Angola).”
The Portuguese used armoured vehicles
for armed reconnaissance and protection of

South African Friends

Under a secret agreement signed
in 1968, South Africa leased a
substantial amount of military
equipment to Portugal. This included
at least 32 AML, some of which
were the locally built ‘Eland’. These
ABOVE: An Eland from the Portuguese army patrols the airport of Luanda, the capital of Angola, in
were mostly deployed in Angola and the late years of the war. They were fitted with a E/R C-42 radio. VÍTOR FRANCISCO
Mozambique. In 1969, Manuel Sousa MIDDLE RIGHT: The smaller dimensions of the GP are evident in this view, although the vehicle has
and six other Portuguese officers and more room for the driver and passenger
BELOW LEFT: The French-built Panhard AML were armed with a 60mm breech-loading mortar and
sergeants were sent to South Africa.
two MAC 34 light 7,62mm machine guns. MANUEL SOUSA
“We spent a month in the School of BELOW RIGHT, BELOW MIDDLE RIGHT: Portuguese cavalrymen at Bloemfontein. The following three
Armour at Bloemfontein and for a images show the locally-built Eland, which is identifiable by the single Browning light machine gun,
whole week we had the chance to the un-ditching channels across the front hull and the rear design. MANUEL SOUSA
fully explore the driving and armament
capabilities of the AML in a field
exercise in a desert area,” he said.
They got to know their South African
hosts quite well and would regularly
be invited for weekend ‘braais’, the
Afrikaans word for barbecue. “They
wanted to join us in the war in Angola
and Mozambique,” he revealed.

62
 Af
Warrriican
ors

bique, Some say that the Berliet trucks could withstand up to 5kg of The Berliets leading a convoy would carry sand bags around the wheel cavities and driver’s cabin to
explosives. LIGA DOS COMBATENTES offer additional protection against mines and improved explosives. JOÃO GUIMARÃES MARQUES

any mine or improvised explosive. “My AML
would follow right after, but often I would sit
with the Berliet driver to boost the troops’
morale,” he recalled.
Around 1964, during the first years of the
conflicts, the Portuguese Army had only 57
armoured vehicles deployed in Africa. The
fleet included models which had seen action
in World War Two – such as the Humber
and the C15TA – and the more modern
Panhard EBR and ETT vehicles, which were
bigger than the AML. Portugal had acquired
the EBR and ETT vehicles in 1959 with the
idea of deploying them in both Angola and
Mozambique, but only 21 EBR and 12 ETTs
were sent to Angola for use by the Dragões
de Angola (Dragons of Angola), a Portuguese
military unit.
Initial reports revealed they were unsuitable
for African conditions. The EBR was fitted
with the same FL-10 turret of the AMX-
13 tank, but the long 75mm gun was
often removed so that the vehicle could
manoeuvre more easily, leaving it armed with
only three MAC 34 light 7,62mm machine
guns. At one point, the Portuguese Army
considered selling 16 EBRs to either Austria
or Morocco to finance the acquisition of the
newly-developed AML scout car. The small
but robust vehicle had just been delivered to
the French army in 1961, but the price tag
made the Portuguese hesitate.
In 1963, military planners came up with

ELAND/AML
RIGHT: The 60mm breech-loading mortar was
frequently used in the indirect fire role, having a range
of up to 3,000m. MANUEL SOUSA
BOTTOM RIGHT: A well-needed refill to face the hot
weather of Mozambique. HÉLDER LOSNA
BOTTOM FAR RIGHT : Crews would frequently name
their AML after a girlfriend or bride. This one, deployed
in Mozambique, was called Sónia. MANUEL SOUSA

63

A Panhard EBR is shipped back to Portugal after the independence of Angola in 1975. PEDRO TEODORO
a temporary solution when several Daimler
Dingos were acquired. The acquisition of
42 Daimler Ferret scout cars costing half
that of the Panhard AML was considered
but abandoned as Portugal managed to
acquire 40 Panhard AMLs and by the end
of 1966, 14 were deployed in Guinea. They
were well received and highly prized. José
Ramos, an AML driver in the country at the
time, remembers seeing a ‘Granadeiro’ (a
C15TA armoured truck), towing a damaged
AML so that it could fire its mortar during an
attack. Between missions, the crews took
care of them with great affection and drivers
were known to name the vehicles after their
girlfriends or brides.
The AMLs were extremely tough.
Sometime before 1972, one was hit by
an RPG while deployed in Guinea, but
the driver survived and the vehicle was
eventually repaired, said José. Deployed in
Mozambique, Manuel confirmed the AML
offered an unparalleled level of protection
and fire power. The HE 60 turret was fitted
with a 60mm breech-loading mortar with
a 300m range in the direct fire role and up
to 3,000m in the indirect fire role. However,
trees, bushes and other such obstacles
made it impractical to make direct fire over
short distances. “The AML had two MAC
34 light 7,62mm machine guns so we
Military Museum
The Elvas Military Museum in Portugal
houses the largest collection of military
vehicles in the country. A Panhard EBR
and an ETT stand guard next to the
walls that defended it for centuries
along the border with neighbouring
Spain. However, war veterans tend to
get emotional when they find among
the collection a Panhard AML and
the different variants of the Berliet-
Tramagal GBC, GBA and Unimog 404
and 411 trucks which form part of their
memories from Africa.
‘Initial reports revealed they were
unsuitable for African conditions’
could still fire one while the other was being
reloaded,” he explained.
The V-shaped hull provided protection
against land mines and Manuel survived an
explosion without injury. However, the vehicle
did have its limitations and two were lost in
combat in 1970 during operation Nó Górdio
in Mozambique.
“The AML was easy to drive but the
unusual electromagnetic clutch required a
lot of practice,” said Manuel. The exposed
tyres were vulnerable when driving cross-
country, while others who used the vehicle
said they were underpowered. At one
point, the Dragões de Angola made some
modifications to their vehicles, installing air
filters and replacing the original Panhard
four-cylinder air-cooled petrol engine with
an Opel one produced in South Africa to
increase power.
ABOVE: One AML after the explosion of a land mine in Mozambique, around July 1970. MANUEL SOUSA
BELOW: During the war, the Berliets became essential to transport and sustain troops across the
vast African territory. LUÍS H MARTINHO
64
The end is near
During the 1970s the conflict escalated in
Guinea as the guerrilla movement started
to employ sophisticated Soviet-made
weaponry, which included RPG-2 and RPG-7
rockets, 9K32 Strela 2 shoulder-fired, surface-
to-air missiles and even 122mm rockets and
armoured vehicles.
However, José, who fought in the country
between 1972 and 1974, identified distances
as the biggest challenge in combat
operations. On one occasion they had to
protect an ambulance during a 180km
drive to the nearest hospital in the middle of
the night so that a pregnant woman could
deliver her baby. “We operated in the north
and even transported a few AML by boat
for operations in the south,” he recalled. “By
1973 the French stopped providing spares
and ammunition for our Panhards. We kept
things running thanks to the spare parts of
an AML which had been destroyed by a mine
and eventually the army reinforced our fleet
with a handful of AMLs sent from Angola,
displaying the colourful camouflage of the
Dragões de Angola.”
Following a revolution in Portugal in 1974,
the country withdrew its forces from its
overseas territories leading to independence
in Angola, Mozambique and Guinea.
- This article is based on the author’s book
‘Berliet, Chaimite and UMM: The Great
Portuguese Military Vehicles’, edited in 2018.
The author thanks Avelino Feiteirona, Belmiro
Ramos, Luís H Martinho, Hélder Losna, João
Guimarães Marques, José Eduardo Couto,
José Ramos, Manuel Sousa, Pedro Teodoro,
and Vítor Francisco as well as Col Luís
Banazol and Maj Gen Pereira Coutinho for
their photos and stories. Thanks also to the
Ministry of Defence, Portuguese Army and
Liga dos Combatentes for access to their
archives.
Investo_FP.indd 1 11/09/2019 11:33
 wordsGerry
words Pedro Manuel
van Monteiro
Tonder picturespictures as credited
as credited

A captured Soviet-made BTR in service in the

Rhodesian Army. JOHN WYNNE-HOPKINS

Homegrownsolu
I
n the 1950s, British colonial Africa
witnessed a profound upsurge in
nationalism as new-born political parties
demanded independence based on the
expressed fundamental right of universal adult
suffrage leading to majority rule.
In the following decade, the right-wing
minority government of Southern Rhodesia
refused to acquiesce to calls for majority rule,
electing instead to unilaterally declare itself
independent of Britain on November 11, 1965.
Almost immediately, nationalist insurgents
started to cross into Rhodesia from Zambia
to use military means to force the government
into submission.
Elements of Rhodesia’s security forces
commenced ‘border-control’ operations,
successfully eliminating whole gangs of
poorly equipped guerrillas or ‘terrorists’, the
term used by the Rhodesians.
Troop deployments and motorised patrols
were conducted using standard, soft-skinned
vehicles such as the Land Rover, Bedford RL
trucks and Ford International F250s (one-and-
a-half ton). Where the terrain permitted, Ferret
scout cars were employed.
north-west of the capital Salisbury would
permanently change the manner in which the
Rhodesians prosecuted counter-insurgency
operations throughout most of rural Rhodesia.
Members of the Rhodesian Light Infantry
(RLI) and C Squadron, Special Air Service
(SAS), responded to attacks on two farm
homesteads, during which an RLI F250
detonated an anti-tank landmine planted by
the guerrillas. One soldier died of his injuries
two days later, while another lost both his legs.
Land Rovers
The Rhodesian security forces were
completely unprepared for this type of
warfare. Landmines – predominantly the
Soviet-made TM-46 – together with RPG-
7 anti-tank rocket grenades employed in
‘The Rhodesian
security forces
were completely
unprepared for this
ambushes, exposed the inadequacy of
existing vehicles.
In a short space of time, and while isolated
through international economic sanctions,
local private enterprise and the military
addressed the need for a range of vehicles
that would afford the occupants protection
from both landmines and ambush fire.
As the guerrilla war escalated to engulf vast
tracts of the Rhodesian countryside, where
most roads were untarred, specialist factories
rolled out a veritable ‘menagerie’ of locally
designed and constructed mine and ambush-
protected (MAP) vehicles: Rhino, Hyena,
The Rhino was one of the first Rhodesian military

type of warfare’
Then, over Christmas 1972, events in vehicles designed to afford driver and troop protection.
the Centenary commercial farming area JOHN WYNNE-HOPKINS

66

The Crocodile personnel carrier afforded
the driver and occupants far greater ambush
protection compared to the Puma. JOHN WHITE
olutionsLeopard, Kudu, Cougar, Crocodile and Puma.
Long-wheelbase Land Rovers were prevalent
throughout the military, British South Africa
Police (BSAP – national police force) and
government departments involved directly in
counter-insurgency operations. It is therefore
not surprising that the initiative to develop mine
protection on its vehicles came from Supt Don
Hollingworth of the BSAP.
Using data from the South African Defence
Research Unit, Hollingworth and a team
of industrial engineers, using the facilities
of Morewear Engineering in Salisbury,
developed Rhodesia’s first mine-protected
tion. A Rhino variant, adapted for use on Rhodesia’s
rail network. BOET DU PLESSIS
vehicle, the ‘Rhino’.
UN-imposed trade sanctions on
Rhodesia led to backdoor deals
and the development of some
interesting mine-protected vehicles
A roll bar enveloped capsule, with an 8mm
steel plate, 90º V-shaped hull, was mounted on
a Land Rover chassis. The design was a great
success and would see service throughout
the war. The Rhino was also adapted, albeit in
limited numbers, to operate on railway lines to
provide train escort protection.
Attention was then turned to applying
mine protection to the existing, standard
configuration Land Rover body and chassis.
This entailed affixing steel blast-deflector
plates behind the front wheel arches as well
as deflectors shielding the rear wheels.
Industrial conveyor belting was fitted
across part of the rear cab window to also
absorb blast from a rear-wheel detonation.
The cab was further protected by a
framework of roll-bars, made up of 32mm
steel water piping. This served to protect
the occupants should the blast overturn the
vehicle. Seatbelts were also fitted and the
wearing thereof made compulsory.
Many users also removed the cab doors to
allow easier debussing if caught in an ambush
and the vehicle disabled. The rear of the
Land Rover offered no real protection, so the
carrying of passengers was discouraged. In
67
Af
Warrriican
ors
the late 1960s, elements of the South African
Police (SAP) were deployed in Rhodesia’s
northern border areas to counter South
African nationalist guerrillas transiting through
Rhodesia to hit targets in South Africa. The
SAPs use of their own ‘Hyena’ mine-protected
vehicles in Rhodesian operations attracted
the attention of Rhodesia’s military. Based on
a Ford F250 truck drivetrain, with a V-shaped
hull, the Rhodesians would buy125 of these
ungainly but effective vehicles.
The Leopard
The key to affording maximum protection for
small numbers of vehicle occupants was to
provide an armour-plated and roll bar-encased
capsule, carried above offset front and rear
wheel assemblies. Considerable time and
personal resources to the development of
such a mine-protected vehicle, with hours
spent examining the wrecks of vehicles which
had detonated landmines. This resulted in
1974 in the ‘Leopard’, a custom-built, mine-
protected monocoque unit, which could carry
five passengers. It was powered by a relatively
inadequate Volkswagen engine and Type-2
VW Kombi gearbox and an external fuel tank
set well to the rear.

Eight hundred Leopards were produced
during the war, with 67 detonating landmines,
and only one death that could be directly
attributed to the explosion. However, the
vulnerability of the external power unit and
insurmountable issues with the Leopard’s
gearing would force designers back to the
drawing board. Addressing the two major
Leopard weaknesses, a prototype ‘Cougar’
rolled out the factory. Constructed on a Land
Rover chassis and powered by an armour-
protected Land Rover engine, this monocoque
proved to be a significant improvement. A
Nissan chassis and engines would later be
used. There would be no fatal casualties from
Cougar landmine detonations.
A Puma mine and ambush-protected personnel carrier. JOHN WHITE
The Kudu
In 1975, another commercial enterprise
came up with their version of a Rhodesian
landmine-protected vehicle by designing
the ‘Kudu’; originally the ‘Ojay’. The main
characteristic of this Land Rover or Nissan
4x4 chassis-mounted vehicle, was the zigzag
or concertina bullet deflectors on the sides of
the capsule; with a bit of fertile imagination,
this also resembled the corkscrew shape of
the horns of an African antelope, the kudu. At
this stage of the war, the Kudu became the
only mass-produced mine-protected vehicle
in Rhodesia. With a passenger capacity of five
to eight in addition to the driver, the powerful
Nissan motor often led to speed restrictions
or governing of the Kudu. Many criticised the
A seven-ton Isuzu upended by a landmine blast. The sandbags are from the bed of the truck.
PHOTO LEWIS WALTER
‘Arguably, the most innovative vehicle
to come out of the Rhodesian
counter-insurgency war was the
mine-detecting Pookie’
Kudu for being both top-heavy, and therefore
unstable and awkward to drive, with limited
driver vision through the relatively small bullet-
proof windscreen. As with the Rhino, there
was also a railway variant.
Pookie
Arguably, the most innovative vehicle
to come out of the Rhodesian counter-
insurgency war was the mine-detecting
‘Pookie’. From the same designers as the
Leopard and the Cougar, the single-seat
Pookie could detect anti-tank mines at speed,
and without detonating the concealed device
if driven right over. Powered by a 1,300cc
VW engine – later upgraded to 1,600cc – the
monocoque superstructure was fitted with
four Formula One racing car tyres, ideal for
weight distribution below the 300kg threshold
for landmine detonation.
Named after a small tree-dwelling, nocturnal,
native African primate, the galago, or bush
baby, is affectionately known locally as a
Pookie. A South African-designed Milton metal
detector was fitted centrally on either side of
the vehicle and directly under the belly of the
V-shaped capsule. In late December 1974,
the Pookie went operational in Rhodesia’s
68
north-eastern border area, clearing a main
dirt road of 12 landmines in a single journey
without any detonations. The Rhodesian Army
activated the Pookie Troop within C Squadron,
the Rhodesian Corps of Engineers, becoming
an omnipresent feature at the head of military
convoys travelling on unpaved rural roads.
Guerrillas started sourcing Soviet and
Chinese non-metallic mines to foil the now
much-loathed Pookie, causing the Rhodesian
military to simply equip its Pookies with
A Cougar with anti-rocket grenade screens affixed on
the sides
non-metallic detectors. During the bush war,
Pookies detonated 12 landmines, resulting
in one fatality. Pookie operators successfully
lifted 550 landmines during the conflict,
including 300 in the first year.
Heavy vehicles
While the mainstay of military heavy
vehicles and troop carriers was initially from
the Bedford and Mercedes stables, almost
all other paramilitary and government
departments, including the BSAP, had a
fleet of centrally maintained seven-ton
Isuzu and Nissan trucks. The chassis of
these vehicles became the base for the
mine-protected and armour-plated (MAP)
‘Crocodile’ and ‘Puma’ troop carriers. For
The Leopard was the first wholly Rhodesian-designed
and built monocoque vehicle. LEWIS WALTER

many years the general-service workhorse
of the Rhodesian military, the old Bedford
RL was modified and dubbed ‘Big Daddy’. To
reduce the impact of a high-pressure blast,
tyres were filled with water, and the driver’s
compartment and truck bed lined with a
combination of sandbags and industrial
conveyor belting. Later acquisitions of
Mercedes-Benz trucks – referred to
as Rodef RMs – underwent the same
protective-fitting regime. However, these
enforced precautions did not yet include
any protection from ambush, a cause for
growing concern in the Rhodesian Army.
The bed of the truck would hold a layer of
sandbags, and the driver’s cab lined with
d on The Kudu with its unmistakable zig-zag rocket deflectors. Note the
externally mounted fuel tank at the extreme rear of the vehicle
conveyor belting. There were no seats and
seatbelts in the back, and passengers would
often share the trip with stores and provisions
for keeps in the Zambezi Valley. Such goods
would include crates of bottled beer, so
one shudders to think of the outcome for
passengers if a landmine was detonated with
such minimal protection!
As the war escalated and spread across
Rhodesia’s borders to the east, north and west
of this landlocked country, there was a similar
growing imperative for the security forces to
transport and deploy large troop numbers in
protected personnel carriers. The standard-
production RLs and RMs were becoming
increasingly vulnerable to enemy landmines
and rocket and small-arms fire.
The driver of this mine-protected Land Rover survived after
ned detonating an anti-tank mine in Rhodesia’s north-east border area.
GERRY VAN TONDER
The Puma
The Puma was the first troop carrier
introduced into operational service to meet
these urgent demands. Built on five-ton
Isuzu and Nissan chassis, the sides were
constructed of 10mm mild steel, angled to
deflect enemy fire.
The military Puma had a two-man capsule
cab to accommodate the driver and a soldier
riding shotgun, looking out for potential
landmine and ambush sites. The small
windscreen was manufactured of 40mm
armour-plate glass, while access to the cab
was by means of two steel flaps. The belly of
the truck was of the now standard V-shape
design. The bed of the vehicle was fitted out
A South African-built Hyena at a Rhodesian para-military base in the operational area.
GERRY VAN TONDER
with a central, back-to-back bench seating
arrangement with seatbelts. The top was
uncovered except for two anti-blast roll bars.
All tyres were filled with water.
The Crocodile
The Puma was followed by a much-
improved armoured personnel carrier, the
‘Crocodile’. Based on the same Japanese
truck chassis, the Crocodile had higher sides
into which gun ports had been provided to
allow safer return of fire. The other major
modification was the doing away with the
separate driver’s capsule of the Puma which,
because of its abnormal weight, had placed
enormous stress on the affixing bolts. In
addition to the rear doors, the Crocodile
A Ford F250 after a right, rear-wheel anti-tank mine detonation, Centenary, 1972.
RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
69
Af
Warrriican
was fitted with trapdoors to ors
facilitate rapid egression when
required. During the war, Pumas
and Crocodiles together detonated
360 landmines, resulting in 15 deaths
and 588 injuries.
Mercedes-Benz
From 1965, UN-imposed trade sanctions
on the beleaguered country encouraged the
government to repeatedly enter into back door
deals to sustain the counter-insurgency war.
In one major acquisition, in defiance of the
embargo, a fleet of Mercedes-Benz two-and-a-
half, four-and-a-half and seven-and-a-half ton
vehicles found their way into the Rhodesia
security forces. Using the letters in ‘Bedford’,
the vehicles were respectively dubbed the
Rodef-25 (Unimog), Rodef-45 and Rodef-75.
The Rodef-25 was fitted with steel plates
over the front wheels to protect the driver
and passenger, the tyres filled with water, and
the carrying bed, when employed as a troop
carrier, sandbagged. When Portugal shed
its African colonies in 1975, the new Frelimo
regime in Mozambique immediately invited
Rhodesian guerrillas to established rear bases
in that country. This would have a major
detrimental impact on the Rhodesians ability
to defend its borders. One of the issues that
arose was the Mozambican use of British-
made Green Archer equipment to pinpoint
and track Rhodesian 81mm mortar fire. To

Specialist Rhodesian troops joke with an official army
photographer in front of a Pig, used here as a tactical
command vehicle on an external operation. JOHN WHITE
A well-concealed Daimler Ferret scout car of the Rhodesian
Army’s 2 Brigade. Note the externally mounted Bren gun.
RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
An Eland-90 and regular infantry troops on emergency
protective duty at the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation
complex in Salisbury. RHODESIAN LIGHT INFANTRY
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
‘In late 1979, right at the end of the
war, Rhodesia acquired heavy armour in
extremely unusual circumstances’
The Mercedes-Benz Rodef-45 in cross-border action
in its highly effective role as a mobile 81mm
mortar platform. JOHN WHITE
counter this threat, the Rodef-4.5 was adapted
to perform the function of a mobile mortar
firing platform.
To overcome the instability associated
with the standard anti-landmine V-shaped
hull configuration, a much shallower V was
employed, with the bottom of the V filled
with two tons of concrete for the mortar
platform. A swivel base plate was set in
the concrete and the vehicle’s width had
extended to take the mortar tube, ammunition
and crew. One hundred and thirty-two of
these mortar platforms were employed by
regular Rhodesian army units both internally
and on external ‘hot-pursuit’ operations
into neighbouring Mozambique. Using the
Rodef-25 Unimog chassis, the Rhodesian
security forces had no qualms about copying
the design of the West German UR-416
developed by Rheinstahl Maschinenbau.
The Pig
Although not anti-landmine protected, the
‘Pig’ was a heavily armed fighting vehicle,
favoured on cross-border raids on guerrilla
rear bases. It was fitted with three pivot
mounts for Belgian-made, 7.62mm, FN MAG
general-purpose machine guns. It could
also be equipped with twin AN/M2 12.7mm
anti-aircraft guns or modified Hispano 20mm
cannon. Towards the end of hostilities, the
Rhodesians put to use several captured
Soviet-made BTR-152 armoured personnel
carriers. Constructed on the chassis and
transmission of a ZiS-151 utility truck, the
vehicle had first entered service with a number
of Warsaw Pact member states in 1950,
A soldier of the Rhodesian African Rifles sat on a Polish-built
T-55 main battle tank, Bulawayo. JOHN WYNNE-HOPKINS
70
becoming the mainstay of Soviet motorised
rifle battalions.
Armoured cars
A legacy of the 1960s in the Rhodesian
armed forces was the Daimler Ferret scout,
or armoured, car. However, the vehicle was
not suited for guerrilla warfare, so its use
was generally restricted to the protection of
strategic urban installations.
In 1971, Rhodesia acquired 12 Eland-90 light
armoured cars from South Africa. Equipped
with a Denel GT-2 90mm gun and a co-axial
7.62mm Browning machine gun, this four-
wheel drive vehicle was manufactured in
South Africa under license from the French
Panhard AML. In addition to its protective role,
the Eland-90 was extensively employed in
cross-border raids on heavily defended rear
guerrilla bases in Mozambique.
Then in late 1979, right at the end of the war,
Rhodesia acquired heavy armour in extremely
unusual circumstances. Keen to support a fellow
dictator, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi had
shipped ten surplus Polish-made T-55LD main
battle tanks to bolster Ugandan head of state Idi
Amin’s war against neighbouring Tanzania.
However, by the time the French-flagged
Astor arrived off Africa’s east coast, Uganda
had lost the war. The Astor was then re-
directed to sail back around the tip of southern
Africa to unload its cargo in Angola. En route
the freighter called at the South African port of
Durban, where the tanks were seized by port
authorities, on the basis that South Africa was,
at the time, engaged in a proxy war with the
communist Angolan regime.
Retaining two of the tanks for research
purposes, the South Africans gifted the
remaining eight to the Rhodesian military.
Equipped with Soviet D-10 100mm tank
guns, the tanks, however, arrived too late to
have any impact on the outcome of the
Rhodesian guerrilla war.
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071_CMV_NOV19_ad.indd 1 30/09/2019 10:30:53

 words David Fletcher pictures archive
How to
RnEInP EioLn
a vas
Defending the UK against the threat
of a German invaders
S
ome years ago, while researching
a book for HMSO on military
transport, I included some
material on the use of buses. It
seems that, sometime after the fall of
France, the War Department impressed
many single deck buses, formed them
into Motor Coach Companies RASC and
issued them to the infantry as transports.
More recently, while reading Gen
Mike Reynolds’ book on Patton and
Montgomery, I learned a bit more. The
initial British reaction to the German threat
of invasion was one of static defence,
which accounts for all those pill-boxes
that you can still find scattered throughout
the countryside.
Subsequently this view changed and,
rather than try to defend everywhere,
several divisions were retained at
strategic locations to counterattack the
invaders wherever they landed. For one
division at least the means of transport
would be single-deck buses.
This is interesting for those with a sense
of history, because as long ago as 1908,
when the threat was as likely to come
from France as Germany, several London
bus companies combined to lift the
Brigade of Guards down to the Thames
72
Estuary with precisely the same object in
view.
However, in 1940 it was Montgomery’s
3rd Infantry Division, the Iron Division,
which covered the most vulnerable
area and for whom the motor coach
companies were on stand-by. Winston
Churchill himself claims responsibility for
this. He mentioned it in one of his famous
memos dated July 3, 1940 following
a visit to Brighton with Montgomery
where he saw coaches plying for holiday
business while 3rd Division, spread along
the Sussex coast, was obliged to march
everywhere.
Monty’s reputation has taken quite a
bashing over the years and there is no
doubt that he was a rather odd little chap;
on the other hand, it is generally agreed
that in the British Expeditionary Force the
3rd Division was the best organised and
the most efficient. It fought well, sustained
fewer casualties than most and came out
of France intact, with weapons and all.
Even so, these motor coach companies
must have been a mixed lot. Public
transport was already stretched just
getting people to work, although this was
primarily undertaken by double-deckers,
which were not impressed. Modern long-
distance coaches were also in demand
and, although they were available for
hire to the military, most retained their
company names and bright fleet liveries.
 ‘Trainloads of
tanks must have
been a very
tempting target for
enemy aircraft on
raiding missions’
Those coaches that ‘joined up’ were not,
therefore, the pick of the fleet.
Some were diesel, most were petrol and
a fair number came without such useful
luxuries as self-starters. Many Royal Army
Service Corps drivers who might have
hoped for something better now found
themselves out early on frosty mornings,
turning over the reluctant engines of old
coaches, many of which should have
retired long ago. Sprayed in camouflage
colours, with windows painted over
making them gloomy inside, the buses
proved a brief source of fascination
to the media who published various
photographs before moving on to get
excited about something else. ABOVE: An experimental train transporting tanks but rigged to look like private owner wagons
At the end of the war the Thomas Tilling ABOVE MIDDLE: Even short wagons are replicated although a bit of the tank sticks out at the back
Group published a booklet dealing with TOP: More wagons, suitably disguised for carrying tanks
LEFT: A bus column disgorging infantry on an exercise, one would need a bus expert to identify the
the wartime efforts of their constituent vehicles
companies entitled The War That Went MAIN IMAGE: A Medium Tank situated among the concrete tank traps at Arish Mell on the Dorset coast.
on Wheels. It includes photographs If that didn’t put invaders off, I don’t know what would

73
How to
RnEInP EioLn
a vas
of Royal Blue coaches, which operated
from London down to the south and west,
working with troops on exercises in their
smart, well-polished livery. The company
history also records that they were obliged
to have 134 coaches and drivers on
virtually permanent standby, particularly in
the event of invasion.
In passing, it is worth remarking
that virtually every shape and size of
commercial vehicle found its way into the
army at one time or another. Most never
left their home area but at least provided
a vital service at a time when there
was a dreadful shortage of just about
everything.
For example the 15th/19th King’s
Royal Hussars, which had been a
divisional reconnaissance regiment in
France equipped with light tanks and
carriers found itself, by the end of June,
designated as a motor machine gun
regiment equipped with 72 Austin 10
cars, 15 15 cwt trucks and 17 three-ton
lorries. The 12th Lancers, which had
Morris armoured cars in France now
had Standard Beaverettes with which
it attempted to defend the area around
Poole Harbour. Here it was joined for a
while by the 13th/18th Royal Hussars
which had similar vehicles.
However, it was later sent to Essex
where it was reinforced by two lorries,
each mounting an anti-tank gun, which
it is claimed were manned by the Royal
Navy. The 4th/7th Dragoon Guards, in the
same brigade, say that its regiment was
organised into five troops of four cars
each (Standard Beaverettes again) and a
bus troop “which provided a dismounted
party who travelled to war in a luxury
coach that had once carried happy
holidaymakers to the seaside”.
The saga of the impressed buses and
the new strategy of holding the reserves
back and only launching them once the
enemy had committed himself is mirrored
in the situation regarding tanks. Here, in
a way, the problem was even greater. For
one thing, obviously, tanks were in very
74
Standard Beaverettes en masse no
identification is visible, and we don’t
even know where this picture was
taken but it’s a good example of how
desperate the nation was
‘Virtually every
shape and size
of commercial
vehicle found its
way into the army
at one time or
another’
short supply at this time and many that
were being built were shipped straight out
to the Middle East.
Those that remained were issued to
the relevant armoured divisions but the
problem here was again one of location.
Troops are relatively easy to move, they
can travel by road or rail or, in the last
resort march. They would get tired of
course but at least they would get over
 that. Tanks were another matter. Trains
are probably the best solution because
a fair number of tanks can be carried
and the only problem, so long as the line
has not been blown up, is to get them
unloaded at some strategically sensible
destination.
Road transport is out, we simply did not
have more than a handful of specialist
tank transporters at this time and even
though several American trucks were
appropriated to the task they were not
ideal and there could never be enough.
Having the tanks march themselves by
road was equally limiting. For a start they
went too slowly and, like marching troops,
got tired and worn out. The difference
being that rest will not cure tired tanks,
they simply continue to get worse.
So, rail it had to be and there are
photographs in the Tank Museum
collection revealing how various problems
associated with this were overcome;
the chief one being how tanks were
to be unloaded at specific locations if
no suitable platforms or ramps were
available.
There were two major solutions, official
and improvised. The former was a very
clever piece of kit known as a ramp
wagon, which had been introduced during
World War One in conjunction with a tank
carrying truck known as a Rectank wagon
after the Railway Executive Committee
which initiated the design.
The theory was, and it worked perfectly
well in practice, that a train load of tanks
could stop virtually anywhere, just so long
as a ramp wagon had been marshalled
onto the end of the train. The wagon was
a flat four-wheeler which came complete
with built-in jacks, folding buffers and
removable axles.
It worked like this: if the train is
proceeding with the tanks all facing A Beaverette Mark 2 of 2nd Battalion Recce Regiment, attached to 2nd Infantry Division,
forwards it stops, the locomotive is photographed near Driffield in Yorkshire in April 1941 Soon after the Recce Corps was formed.
uncoupled and moves forwards a
reasonable distance. The ramp wagon, Rectank wagons are available and the was done by rigging a sort of curtain of

y
having been marshalled between the
locomotive and the rest of the train
remains coupled to the latter, whereupon
the crew lower jacks at the unattached
end, raise the wagon deck clear of the axle
boxes and then push the wheels out of
the way. The buffers are now folded back
to clear the end of the ramp and the jacks
lower the deck down until it is resting on
the rails. The tanks now start up and, one
by one, move along the Rectank wagons,
down the ramp and into a line-side parking
place. If they are heavy tanks, Matildas or
Churchills for example, jacks can also be
used at the end of each Rectank wagon to
ease the strain.
All well and good but assume that no
tanks must be carried on other rolling
stock, so there is no ramp wagon.
Several railway companies had designed
and built portable ramps for handling
tanks, but they do not appear to have been
readily available so, as the photographs
show, all manner of other things were
tried including railway sleepers and even
hay bales.
Trainloads of tanks must have been a
very tempting target for enemy aircraft
on raiding missions and, in the event of
invasion one would expect air activity
over Britain to increase. Somebody came
up with the idea of disguising them as
something else.
This would not be all that difficult and it
canvas around each tank, high enough
that one could not see the turret and
looking, at first glance, like a long open
wagon, the sort of thing that, once upon a
time, they used to carry bricks in.
Then someone came up with a
refinement. Rather than have a bland
train of similar looking wagons these
canvas curtains were all decorated
to look like private owner wagons. As
their name implied these were wagons
owned by firms who ran them over the
British railway system, for a fee, but had
them painted up as bright and bold as
possible since they were like big, travelling
hoardings.
Thus, this disguised tank train would

75
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a
trundle around the countryside advertising
all kinds of companies and products, the
very antithesis of camouflage. But was this
system ever used or was it a one-off trial.
We can laugh at these stratagems today,
and we do. At the time it was very deadly
serious and if you wish to get a flavour of
that potential invasion period, read Lord
Alanbrooke’s war diaries. Throughout the
worst period you will find him agonising
day by day, almost anxious for the blow
to fall and remember, General Alanbrooke
was at the centre of events and knew just
how serious the threat was.
He was not just getting wound up by the
press. Figures published by the Ministry
of Supply after the war show that in the
immediate aftermath of our eviction from
France, when the risk of invasion was
deemed to be greatest, there were 1,000
tanks in Britain, give or take a few dozen.
More than 600 of these were light tanks
of relatively little combat value; about 100
were modern infantry tanks and a similar
number of cruisers. The remainder were
BELOW LEFT: If no ramp was available
something else had to do, hay bales in this
case which are wrecked by a tank passing
over them. The tank is an A12 Matilda I,
with a Royal Tank Regiment driver
THIS IMAGE: An A12 Matilda I tests a
portable ramp for disembarking
ABOVE RIGHT: A portable ramp made in the St Rollocks
(Glasgow) workshop of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
THIS IMAGE: The RECTANK ramp wagon is shown to a War Office
party in London Docks in July 1941, the tank is a
prototype Churchill
out of date and mechanically suspect old
medium tanks of very little use at all.
Some 600 of the most serviceable tanks,
light, infantry and cruiser, were in the
hands of 2nd Armoured Division, the only
complete armoured division in Britain
at this time and it was based around
Lincolnshire.
The remaining infantry tanks were with
8th Royal Tank Regiment, the surviving
nucleus of the old 1st Army Tank Brigade
and a handful of other Royal Armoured
Corps regiments in the process of forming
or training. It did not seem very much
in the face of the perceived Nazi threat
which, everyone assumed, would be
spearheaded by a swarm of invincible
76
German tanks that the press was now
teaching everyone to call Panzers.
But just what was that threat in reality?
General Alanbrooke believed in it, as did
Churchill – at least he said he did – yet
despite the fact that preparations were
made on the German side of the Channel
many modern historians, including
Germans, reckon that it was little more
than a diversion which Hitler never took
very seriously.
Quite recently, a British author has
suggested that despite our obsession with
the Battle of Britain, or the brave men of
Bomber Command who constantly raided
the invasion ports on the German held
coast, it was in fact the presence of the
Royal Navy in various Channel ports that
would have ensured that Hitler’s Operation
Sealion failed – if it ever took place.
Indeed, a book titled The German Invasion
of Norway by GH Haar appears to show
that, following that operation, the German
Navy was almost impotent; most of its
destroyers were lost and some of its
surviving heavy cruisers were so badly
damaged that they would probably be
under repair for many months. But tanks,
what about tanks? The fact is that with
the vessels at their disposal the Germans
could never have shipped over enough
tanks to recreate the success they had
enjoyed on the continent. There is a
subject for anyone with a penchant for
historical research.
GrahamSykes_FP.indd 1 01/12/2017 16:47
 words and pictures Bernard Holloway
Engineering Success
Bernard Holloway visits the Royal Engineers Museum
and delves into the history of military engineers
T
here is no doubting the quality
and solidity of ECS Moore’s Royal
Engineers Museum design. The
imposing Grade II-listed façade
greets visitors to the Ravelin Building, which
is home to the Corps of Royal Engineers
museum, library and archive. Its slate-
covered two-storey red brickwork is relieved
with white Portland Stone embellishments -
pilasters, lintels, bandings, and plinths - and
the arched entrance is flanked by projecting
three-storey towers with ashlar cupolas, and
oversailed by a full-width stone balcony.
Constructed in 1904 in Brompton
Barracks to house the Royal Engineers
School of Electrical Engineers it was
converted for its current use in 1987 and
now has an inventory of some 500,000
exhibits. Those on show are diverse and
include a Harrier GR3, V2 rocket, one of
the first torpedoes, photographs, archives
and models and in the Medal Room 25 of
the 55 Victoria Medals awarded to serving
officers of the corp.
Once you tear yourself away from
the static display of bridge-layers and
equipment in the car park, the first section
of the museum you enter is the original
internal quadrangle of the building. It is
now enclosed to form a display area, with
a mezzanine floor providing space for
additional exhibits, viewing platform and
an opportunity to get up close with the
business end of that V2.
The museum is to be congratulated for
the clear and concise way it presents its
A section of the Berlin Wall complete with graffiti
78
The Ravelin Building and gate
guardians greets every visitor. Tear
yourself away from the armoured
vehicles in the car park and enter
through the arched entrance
information. This has been achieved with
the careful use of dioramas, interactive
displays, storyboards and exhibits. In
1998 the collection was the recipient of
‘designated’ status, as it was deemed to
be a collection of significant national and
international importance and one of only
three military or regimental museums in this
country to receive such an accolade.
The use of military engineers can be traced
back to the Norman Conquest and William
the Conqueror, the first Norman king of
England, who employed them to build the
first motte and bailey castles and forts.
But the origins of the modern corps are
primarily rooted in the Tudor period and the
government of that time established the
Board of Ordnance to act as custodians
of lands, depots and forts for home and
overseas defence and to supply munitions
and equipment to the navy and the army.
By the 18th century it had established
the Corps of Engineers, comprising
only 25 commissioned officers in 1760,
and the Corps of Artillery. The Artificer
Companies comprising professional
civilians and labourers undertook manual
work building siege lines, gabions, gun
batteries and fascines.
 By 1772, a Soldier
Artificer Company
was established for
service in Gibraltar,
the first-time non-
commissioned officer
military engineers are
mentioned in the corps
history. By 1787, the
Corps of Engineers had
been granted the Royal
prefix and adopted its
current name and in the
same year the Corps of
Royal Military Artificers
was formed.
The British Army’s mettle
above an interactive
display of the
battlefield and this
combination assists
in understanding the
battle and tactics.
In battle things did The Louis Brennan Torpedo of 1874 designed to hit
timber hulled vessels below the waterline, in 1882
not always go to plan the corps were commissioned to develop it further.
much to the chagrin Launched on tracks into the sea and attached to a
of the men and their steel winch system powered by a land-based steam
officers, Wellington engine it was never used in anger
in particular. During
the Peninsular wars
and the fortification of
‘The use of military
A typical storyboard in the Napoleonic
and Peninsular wars gallery. Clearly
Lisbon and its harbour, engineers can be
traced back to the
the engineers were
written and nicely illustrated
in the thick of it and

was soon to be put to the test in various
battles but the Siege of Gibraltar, 1779-1783,
the longest in modern history was to stretch
its resources and ingenuity. The French
and Spanish armies failed to capitalise
on their siege tactics thanks in part to the
judicious use of the British artillery cannon
and the engineers’ inventiveness designing
defences and a simple system of pipework
to distribute water to all parts of the island.
A highly accurate model of the ‘Rock’ is on
display and illustrates the important aspects Sir Charles Pasley KCB. Injured during the
of the siege.
The next part of the tour covers the
Napoleonic and Peninsular wars fought at
the end of the 18th and into the early 19th
century, and it is here the engineers as we
know them today begin to take shape. To
thwart a potential invasion by the French,
the engineers were commissioned to
design and construct a system of Channel
sea defences comprising 103 Martello
Towers from Suffolk to Kent and the military
canal on the Sussex and Kentish marshes.
Fortunately, they were never put to the test
because the anticipated invasion never
happened.
Ironically, what is purported to be a lock
of Napoleon’s hair, liberated by a barber
in St Helena, did make it onto British soil.
However, its origins cannot be verified as it
has not been subjected to DNA testing. It is
showcased next to an aged original survey
map drawn up by a team of engineers for
the Battle of Waterloo. The exhibits hang
This storyboard is typical of those placed by the
external display of tanks and bridge layers
Norman Conquest
played a prominent part.
While their bravery was never an issue,
lack of appropriate training and equipment
highlighted shortcomings and hindered the and William the
construction of siege lines, batteries and
breaches and these failures were identified Conqueror’
as issues contributing to casualty rates
and a lack of success, although it must be
emphasised at no fault to the corps.
A pivotal person in the history of the
engineers was Capt Charles Pasley RE, later
Napoleonic Wars he returned to England
and, because of his personal experience
of government war policy and the
training the Corps Engineers received, he
A Bedford QL used as an office, commissioned
became a critic of the system and sought in 1944
improvements.
After considerable lobbying he was
tasked in 1810 by the Board of Ordnance to
reconnoitre land for a permanent base for
the corps. He settled on Chatham because
it was geographically close to London,
the River Medway, the English Channel
and because the land was well suited for
trenching, artillery training and manoeuvres.
He established a school of military
engineering on the site and wrote a
syllabus to address the problems of
inadequate training and the lack of Four displays dedicated to Operation Herrick,
practical experience soldiers received the codename for all UK operations in
before they went into battle. Afghanistan between 2002 and 2014
Concurrent with the early days of the
school, the Royal Artificers became known
as the Royal Sappers and Miners. The
term ‘sapper’ is derived from the word ‘sap’
meaning trench and they were progressive
and innovative in the use of electricity and
communications.
An example of their ability was the
construction of a 21-mile telegraph system
in the 1830s during the Crimea War. In 1855
they were amalgamated as The Corps of
Royal Engineers, just one year after the During the Victorian-era gunnery skills were
refined using such equipment as this range finder.
Board of Ordnance was abolished because A system of ring forts was built to house artillery
of their poor governance. The board was along the coast with an overlapping field of view
superseded by the Commander in Chief to ensure the enemy could not slip through unseen
of all Forces and in 1856 the engineers

79

The 30-ton Terrier can be remotely controlled from 1,000m and the 61-ton Challenger 2 based Titan
AVLB are just two pieces of equipment that whet the visitors’ appetite on the outside
moved its headquarters from The Royal
Arsenal to Chatham.
Arguably the engineer’s greatest soldier
and motivator was Gen Gordon of
Khartoum. He was often referred to as
Chinese Gordon because of his leadership
during the Chinese wars. He attained a
popular profile which was enhanced by
the fact he frequently went into battle just
holding his baton – a great incentive to
troops under his command. On his death,
at the hands of Mahdi hordes in Khartoum,
he was viewed as a martyr. Retribution
The engineering regiments provided Harrier support, as for this GR3, its ‘hanger’ is shared by a Vickers
Vigor dozer and Howitzer Mod 56 illustrating the many aspects of the engineers’ duties in modern warfare
came in 1898 when the British under the
leadership of Kitchener defeated the Mahdi
at Omdurman.
Omdurman was soon followed by the
Boer War and it was here the British first
encountered the use of guerrilla warfare
tactics, but the engineers countered this with
the construction of pill boxes/blockhouses
at strategic points to minimise enemy
movements and to maintain supply lines.
Perhaps not so well known is the links the
corps has with architecture. It has been
responsible for the design of landmark
buildings including the Natural History
Building, Albert Hall and various prisons.
‘The term ‘sapper’ is
derived from the word
‘sap’ meaning trench’
A section is devoted to its architectural
achievements and one of its most
prominent architects Francis Fawkes.
Moving to the early 20th century one of the
corps most significant contributions was in
the fields of camouflage and deception used
to good effect during World War One. This
included the use of dummy trees, animals,
tanks and vehicles. The first gas masks and
suits were also designed by the corps using
the best-known materials and science of
the time including asbestos. At that time the
dangers of the material were unknown.
We also learn about their links with
the new weapons of war including the
aeroplane. The corps worked closely with
the Royal Flying Corp, constructing hangers’
communications and runways.
We should also not forget the use of mines
dug under enemy lines by the engineers,
very brave men many of whom were miners
by profession. The galleries dedicated to the
facsimile of a World War One trench and to
the ‘fallen’ are sobering and can only hint at
the senselessness and tragedy of war.
Moving on to World War Two, the Mulberry
Harbour can be counted as just one of
the engineers’ greatest triumphs. This
80
innovative design was built on pylons to
rise and fall with the tides and it is doubtful
the D-Day landings would have succeeded
without it. Another achievement was the
construction of 45 miles of Bailey bridges
during the Italian campaign. Neither must
we forget the bomb disposal units whose
bravery is, and continues to be, legendary.
The V1s and V2s posed a different threat
and the provenance of the museum’s V2
is uncertain. It may have been liberated in
Germany or Holland and is a reminder of
how close the Allies came to defeat had it
been perfected earlier.
More recent conflicts are not forgotten
with displays and storyboards illustrating
the Korean, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait
conflicts to name a few. There is also a
section of the Berlin Wall complete with
graffiti, various armoured vehicles, some of
which were used in Northern Ireland, and
an interactive exhibit of Camp Bastion built
by the corps. When fully operational it was
home to over 232,000 personnel and the
fifth busiest airport in the world.
Details of opening times and admission
fees can be found at www.re-museum.co.
uk. Booking a guide is recommended as
their knowledge and enthusiasm will
enhance your tour.
V2 standing guard as guide Chris Seymour
explains the logistics of the Berlin Air Lift and
the political significance of removing the wall
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81

Classified.indd 80 26/09/2019 15:44

Moore’s Manoeuvres words and pictures Craig Moore

E
arlier this year Panther Ausf.D and Ausf.A.
I was invited Similarly, the thickness
to spend three of the side hull armoured
days at the US plates was increased from
Army Armor and Cavalry 40mm to 60mm.
Collection (AACC) situated Two prototype Panther
on the Fort Benning army II tank hulls were ordered.
base in Georgia, USA. On April 5,1943 it was
Among its huge collection recorded at a meeting in
of armour, it has four the Panzerkommission
Panther tanks and one that the MAN factory
of them is exceptionally reported that the first
rare – the only example Panther II prototype hull
of the Panther II hull ever would be completed by
completed. mid-August 1943. Only
I have found that data one prototype was built,
published in books and and it is the same one I
Rear three-quarter view of the Panther II hull. Many of the design features of this hull were
on some websites is used on the later panzer V Ausf.G tank. US ARMY ARMOR AND CAVALRY COLLECTION was crawling over at Fort
often wrong, so to try Benning, Georgia.

The Measure
and ensure that the The Panther II never
information displayed on entered production. One
the tanks-encylcopedia. of the main reasons
com website and in for the start of the

the books I write is
correct: whenever I go to
museums and military
vehicle events I am
armed with a notebook,
tape measure and
of the Panther II
Panther II development
programme was the
fear that the 40mm side
armour in the Ausf.D,
The first of a regular column from Craig Moore would be vulnerable to
Soviet infantry 14.5 mm

ABOVE (LEFT TO RIGHT): Measuring up: The side armour 60mm; The glacis plate armour was
digital calliper. 80mm thick on the Panzer V Ausf.D, Ausf.A and Ausf.G Panther hulls; The glacis plate armour was anti-tank rifles.
Any chance I get you’ll 100mm; The side armour was 4mm thick on the Panzer V Ausf.D, Ausf.A and Ausf.G Panther hulls However, the
find me checking armour BELOW: The Panther II hull fitted with a Panzer V Ausf.G turret armed with a 7.5cm Kw.K.44/1 L/70 anti- implementation of
thickness and dimensions tank gun under cover in a Fort Benning tank shelter. US ARMY ARMOR AND CAVALRY COLLECTION Schürzen side skirt armour
of vehicles first-hand, so plates removed the threat
being able to get close from those anti-tank rifles
to the legendary Panther and reduced the need for
II prototype was an a thicker side armoured,
opportunity not to miss. heavier Panther tank
The Panther II tank was variant. A recommendation
being designed even after a meeting at the MAN
before the first Panther factory on May 4, 1943
tank saw combat on was that the Panther II tank
the Eastern Front in should not enter mass
mid-1943. Hitler had production at that time,
expressed concerns but improvements gained
about the original design’s from the Panther II project
armour thickness, so were to be incorporated
work began on designing in future Panther I tank
a new Panther with designs.
thicker amour and a hull In June 1943 companies
design that could be Author Craig Moore is an editor for tanks-en- that had been told to
cyclopedia.com and runs tank-hunter.com, a
fabricated cheaper and more quickly. guide to where you can find surviving World prepare to start producing the Panther II were
The front glacis plate was to be 100mm War One and World War Two tanks now informed that they would be producing
thick rather than 80mm as found on the the Panther I for the foreseeable future.

82
Wargaming_fp.indd 1 25/09/2019 14:54:35
Untitled-1 1 27/09/2019 09:45:12