1964 Alvis Stalwart
Discussion
LewG said:
This a superb bit of film I've just found, gets interesting from approximately 2 minutes on showing them blasting around in 1960s Germany, every vehicle you see there is a 23 EK xx reg number so I would hazard a guess that mine would be there with them
So good to see loads racing about!!!!
Krikkit said:
skwdenyer said:
What's fascinating is the mine-resistance (about 12:30 mins in that video) - we replaced the Stalwarts with soft-skin vehicles, and now we're replacing soft-skin vehicles with things that might end up looking like Stalwarts
A thicker bottom with a proper V in it, and you could roll a Stolly out into a lot of theatres!AW111 said:
Krikkit said:
skwdenyer said:
What's fascinating is the mine-resistance (about 12:30 mins in that video) - we replaced the Stalwarts with soft-skin vehicles, and now we're replacing soft-skin vehicles with things that might end up looking like Stalwarts
A thicker bottom with a proper V in it, and you could roll a Stolly out into a lot of theatres!
That is a pretty good idea about a hybrid set up using motors. It's amazing how relatively old fashioned a lot of modern military stuff is, mostly older vehicles with modern bits bolted on. When you think Challenger 3 is in development now to counter the latest kit and to my knowledge we're still using the same Rolls-Royce/Perkins CV12 in it that Challenger 1 was powered by all the way back in 1981. Challenger 2 has been around since the mid 90s, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in Ukraine as I suspect it may come as an unpleasant surprise.
Today we retrieved a centre bevel box from the parts horde ready to clean up for fitment. You may remember the huge struggle I had getting the sliding drive couplings back inside the centre bevel boxes as they'd rusted solid into the transfer box. Well these ones look quite a lot nicer!
They look really nice painted up in some 2k silver, next step fit to hull!
Today we retrieved a centre bevel box from the parts horde ready to clean up for fitment. You may remember the huge struggle I had getting the sliding drive couplings back inside the centre bevel boxes as they'd rusted solid into the transfer box. Well these ones look quite a lot nicer!
They look really nice painted up in some 2k silver, next step fit to hull!
LewG said:
That is a pretty good idea about a hybrid set up using motors. It's amazing how relatively old fashioned a lot of modern military stuff is, mostly older vehicles with modern bits bolted on. When you think Challenger 3 is in development now to counter the latest kit and to my knowledge we're still using the same Rolls-Royce/Perkins CV12 in it that Challenger 1 was powered by all the way back in 1981. Challenger 2 has been around since the mid 90s, so it will be interesting to see how they fare in Ukraine as I suspect it may come as an unpleasant surprise.
Challenger 3 is an upgrade of Challenger 2 - not a new tank. About 150 will be upgraded, out of a current fleet of something over 200. I'm guessing some of the balance are what we're offering to Ukraine That will still leave about 60 to be retired completely (no doubt to be used for spares).I worked on challenger 1 back in the 80’s. Company had been free issued by MOD a complete tank to use in the factory. H and S must have had nightmares when civilians were working on it. access to it was strict. Even climbing up onto the hull was iffy, and that was with steps and a handrail!
Never been in such an unpleasant environment since, claustrophobic, dangerous probably all tanks are like that. Must be ‘orible in combat.
The squaddies were in NBC kit and padlocked in during a training exercise so they could not cheat and nip out for a smoke, only the radio to call for help. Must have been awful experience.
Never been in such an unpleasant environment since, claustrophobic, dangerous probably all tanks are like that. Must be ‘orible in combat.
The squaddies were in NBC kit and padlocked in during a training exercise so they could not cheat and nip out for a smoke, only the radio to call for help. Must have been awful experience.
Seems a bit mad really that particularly in these tense times we've allowed our fleet to get so low. I know the days of the tank are pretty much done but you'd still expect more than that!
Through the hobby back in 2018 we had a look in Andy Baker's Chally 1 at War and Peace, stunning vehicle but if you were placed inside and didn't know any different you'd think you were in a Chieftain no doubt about it. I certainly don't envy anyone that's had to go to war in any of these things, let alone back to WW2 era and before
Through the hobby back in 2018 we had a look in Andy Baker's Chally 1 at War and Peace, stunning vehicle but if you were placed inside and didn't know any different you'd think you were in a Chieftain no doubt about it. I certainly don't envy anyone that's had to go to war in any of these things, let alone back to WW2 era and before
LewG said:
Seems a bit mad really that particularly in these tense times we've allowed our fleet to get so low. I know the days of the tank are pretty much done but you'd still expect more than that!
Through the hobby back in 2018 we had a look in Andy Baker's Chally 1 at War and Peace, stunning vehicle but if you were placed inside and didn't know any different you'd think you were in a Chieftain no doubt about it. I certainly don't envy anyone that's had to go to war in any of these things, let alone back to WW2 era and before
Back in the early 2000s, serious consideration was given to dropping UK tanks completely - the era of tank wars in Europe was over, apparently...Through the hobby back in 2018 we had a look in Andy Baker's Chally 1 at War and Peace, stunning vehicle but if you were placed inside and didn't know any different you'd think you were in a Chieftain no doubt about it. I certainly don't envy anyone that's had to go to war in any of these things, let alone back to WW2 era and before
At least we didn't actually do it, unlike, say, Belgium (no MBTs), or Netherlands (which only has 18 left, having retired most in 2011). France is down to our levels (although apparently with a lot more in storage - but how deployable those are I'm not sure).
The EU (+UK) really ought to have got a common MBT platform by now - tech up, marginal cost down, able to be deployed with common logistics and support. After all, our primary tank threat is going to come from the East...
Another day, another bevel box. This being the centre right hand one. Got the hull all cleaned out and tried dry fitting, it was tight as hell and after a great many tries it finally went all the way home. My mate Tyler cleaned out inside the hull underneath the cab floor and found one of the hull drain bungs, a 7/16 spanner and best of all a mummified mouse
We checked the wheel stations on the pallet from a few posts back and it looks like we have a front RH and a LH, and a LH centre. This could be a big bonus as it should save rebuilding the front right station, so it may be rolling sooner rather than later. Fingers crossed for Christmas 2046
Another Sunday another update. I look forward to reading about your weekends adventures.
I still can't fathom the sheer size and weight of everything. Do you need a HGV license to motor around in one?
My idea of a difficult fit is only getting two clicks of swing on a ratchet. I imagine your expectation is re-aligned after a few jobs on the stolly, where "difficult fit" means oxy-acetaline torch, cherry red, forklift, lump hammer and a 3m length of scaff tube
I still can't fathom the sheer size and weight of everything. Do you need a HGV license to motor around in one?
My idea of a difficult fit is only getting two clicks of swing on a ratchet. I imagine your expectation is re-aligned after a few jobs on the stolly, where "difficult fit" means oxy-acetaline torch, cherry red, forklift, lump hammer and a 3m length of scaff tube
Quote “Do you need a HGV license to motor around in one?“
Do you not need a captains ticket too if you sail it on the water?
I had a trip on a DUKW in Boston harbour and the driver stated he needed a HGV, PSV and some sailing qualification to drive it around Boston on sea and land.
The above qualifications are perhaps misnamed but you know what I mean.
Do you not need a captains ticket too if you sail it on the water?
I had a trip on a DUKW in Boston harbour and the driver stated he needed a HGV, PSV and some sailing qualification to drive it around Boston on sea and land.
The above qualifications are perhaps misnamed but you know what I mean.
Regards driving on the road the licence sort of depends on what you actually register it as. That is a bit of a concern to get sorted soon, as road registering them is getting difficult/impossible now. It's a bit of a grey area but I was hoping to potentially register as a 'mobile project vehicle' meaning I'd only be able to drive it for the purpose of 'education or display'. Ideally I'd rather not do my HGV as it's pricey and a bit of a faff. I keep on nagging work to find a reason to pay for me to do the licence but annoyingly as I work in the earthmoving department there isn't really any need as it's only big diggers and off road plant I work on, not cranes that need road test after repair etc.
There has been some progress since last time round, I need to get a move on in a big way over the next few months as early September all things being well I shall be a Dad
Tyler has been busy cramming all 6ft5 of himself inside and underneath the cab with a Henry hoover and reminding me what a crap job I did of pressure washing it all out
It is quite clear at some point she has had a front end prang as when he removed the floor plates there was loads of glass underneath and you can see the shoddy welds on the outside as they've grafted a repair section in up to the lower portion of the windows.
These are the treasures from his archaeological dig into her bowels, a rusty spanner, a quite dead mouse, and a hull drain bung!
We had a bloody good sort out at the weekend moving wheel stations that aren't needed at the moment back into storage, then pulled the old centre right station out to convert/refurbish.
I stripped the torsion bar this evening ready for bare metalling and paint, and cracked on with getting the new and old stations apart.
One pin came out, sadly the top one was absolutely solid even with heat and a sledgehammer so no messing about, let's chop it!
The 'new' recon station split in half ready to be masked, cleaned up and painted.
Torsion bar took some bashing apart, no surprise there!
Bracket and reaction arm ready for cleaning up
I need to rotate the 'old' station to split in half to remove from the wishbones in the same way I have the new, it's a bit seized up at present as it's full of half a river, so there's this week's challenge
You can see why I've taken the decision to completely replace this one, I will clean this one up for parts I think
There has been some progress since last time round, I need to get a move on in a big way over the next few months as early September all things being well I shall be a Dad
Tyler has been busy cramming all 6ft5 of himself inside and underneath the cab with a Henry hoover and reminding me what a crap job I did of pressure washing it all out
It is quite clear at some point she has had a front end prang as when he removed the floor plates there was loads of glass underneath and you can see the shoddy welds on the outside as they've grafted a repair section in up to the lower portion of the windows.
These are the treasures from his archaeological dig into her bowels, a rusty spanner, a quite dead mouse, and a hull drain bung!
We had a bloody good sort out at the weekend moving wheel stations that aren't needed at the moment back into storage, then pulled the old centre right station out to convert/refurbish.
I stripped the torsion bar this evening ready for bare metalling and paint, and cracked on with getting the new and old stations apart.
One pin came out, sadly the top one was absolutely solid even with heat and a sledgehammer so no messing about, let's chop it!
The 'new' recon station split in half ready to be masked, cleaned up and painted.
Torsion bar took some bashing apart, no surprise there!
Bracket and reaction arm ready for cleaning up
I need to rotate the 'old' station to split in half to remove from the wishbones in the same way I have the new, it's a bit seized up at present as it's full of half a river, so there's this week's challenge
You can see why I've taken the decision to completely replace this one, I will clean this one up for parts I think
Edited by LewG on Tuesday 14th March 21:46
LewG said:
Regards driving on the road the licence sort of depends on what you actually register it as. That is a bit of a concern to get sorted soon, as road registering them is getting difficult/impossible now. It's a bit of a grey area but I was hoping to potentially register as a 'mobile project vehicle' meaning I'd only be able to drive it for the purpose of 'education or display'. Ideally I'd rather not do my HGV as it's pricey and a bit of a faff. I keep on nagging work to find a reason to pay for me to do the licence but annoyingly as I work in the earthmoving department there isn't really any need as it's only big diggers and off road plant I work on, not cranes that need road test after repair etc.
Some have downplated them to 7.5t, have they not? But I guess you want to keep yours fully rigged?As regards road registering, is that the width issue, or something else?
Thanks all! Indeed it can be a bit of a busman's holiday but fundamentally I enjoy working on the thing and the time just flies by. Work has taught me some pretty valuable skills in working on big seized crap and borrowing their equipment on occasion is an additional plus
Annoyingly I passed my test in 2010 so the 7.5 tonne 'grandfather rights' are a no go for me. It is mostly the width issue to my knowledge, although with suspension adjustment I believe the measurement across the hubs can be reduced. We shall see, I'll have a go at registering and keep my fingers crossed.
Annoyingly I passed my test in 2010 so the 7.5 tonne 'grandfather rights' are a no go for me. It is mostly the width issue to my knowledge, although with suspension adjustment I believe the measurement across the hubs can be reduced. We shall see, I'll have a go at registering and keep my fingers crossed.
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