The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre and a quick stop at Coningsby.

[BattleshipBob]

Hi John

A friend worked at St Athan as a civilian, he asked if i could have a quick look and take photos, the RAF said ok as long i brought some biscuits, so i arrived

The base police searched my car and noted the box's of biscuits, Roses etc and had to be bribed with a few chockies lol

I arrived at the hanger and my god what a wonderful sight!!! Met the chief engineer who was very happy about the goodies (money very well spent). He just said fill your boots, go where you like take as long as you like!!! So i did, wonderful day. Was given a tour and watched a engine being fitted, fantastic

[Guest]

Excellent photos john :smiling3:.
My Brother did 30 years in the RAF,he is a traffic warden now.

[stillp]

Hi John

A friend worked at St Athan as a civilian, he asked if i could have a quick look and take photos, the RAF said ok as long i brought some biscuits, so i arrived

The base police searched my car and noted the box's of biscuits, Roses etc and had to be bribed with a few chockies lol

I arrived at the hanger and my god what a wonderful sight!!! Met the chief engineer who was very happy about the goodies (money very well spent). He just said fill your boots, go where you like take as long as you like!!! So i did, wonderful day. Was given a tour and watched a engine being fitted, fantastic

I also had a friend working at St Athan as a civilian, but when I went there I was searched and made to leave my camera at the gatehouse. Perhaps I should have taken biccies! About all I can remember was seeing a Lightning in the airframe training hangar, with an apprentice bashing something in the cockpit with a large hammer. I remarked that was why I had to pay so much tax, for the RAF to have millions of pounds worth of planes for people to practice hammering on - my friend said that if necessary, the Lightning could be fuelled, armed, and at 30 000 feet within an hour!
Apparently when the Vulcans that were mothballed at St Athan were needed for the Falklands conflict, there was a frantic search for the control column from one of them, which was eventually found adorning the bar in the Sergeants' Mess.

Pete

[minitnkr]

Excellent pics Dzohn, thanks for sharing. Did notice the well done basket for containing excess crapintheback.:smiling2: PaulE

[JR]

HI John I can now see all pics now many thanks must be due to my low megabtite area an takin time to come through to my pc an glad you had a nice day out an my dad was in the raf an I see most of the veichiles on raf coltishall but I dint see that truck you are on about .But to me it looks like a scammel make but what it for don't know maybe just G/P for carryin heavy loads ?
chris

Thanks Chris, glad you can see them. That truck is getting to me, Id have thought by now someone would have said " Oh yes that's a so and so. " I though a Mack, but after a search I came up with this .


Ok not exactly the same , but a square rad front windscreen the same .. split , so think is a G.M.C.

Hi John

A friend worked at St Athan as a civilian, he asked if i could have a quick look and take photos, the RAF said ok as long i brought some biscuits, so i arrived

The base police searched my car and noted the box's of biscuits, Roses etc and had to be bribed with a few chockies lol

I arrived at the hanger and my god what a wonderful sight!!! Met the chief engineer who was very happy about the goodies (money very well spent). He just said fill your boots, go where you like take as long as you like!!! So i did, wonderful day. Was given a tour and watched a engine being fitted, fantastic

See a box of biscuits and your in. nice one Bob.:smiling3:

I also had a friend working at St Athan as a civilian, but when I went there I was searched and made to leave my camera at the gatehouse. Perhaps I should have taken biccies! About all I can remember was seeing a Lightning in the airframe training hangar, with an apprentice bashing something in the cockpit with a large hammer. I remarked that was why I had to pay so much tax, for the RAF to have millions of pounds worth of planes for people to practice hammering on - my friend said that if necessary, the Lightning could be fuelled, armed, and at 30 000 feet within an hour!
Apparently when the Vulcans that were mothballed at St Athan were needed for the Falklands conflict, there was a frantic search for the control column from one of them, which was eventually found adorning the bar in the Sergeants' Mess.

Pete

Wrong biscuits, or as in your case none.
The story about the hammer makes me cringe, what had hitting it with a hammer have anything to do with a one hr fly time. :surprised:
As for the Vulcan, I can quite understand that remark, oh lets have that in the bar, looks a treat !:smiling3:.

Excellent pics Dzohn, thanks for sharing. Did notice the well done basket for containing excess crapintheback.:smiling2: PaulE

Paul as soon as I saw that I thought of you had to photograph it :smiling3:
Can you Identify that truck at the beginning please.
Dzhon.




John .

[Allen Dewire]

Hi Dude 2,

I was a little hasty yesterday and didn't get to see the whole post you made as I had to go to bed early. I have been looking through my references and haven't found anything that matches the one you posted. It appears to be post war. It has tires used by the Germans. The winch is not found on any WWII trucks I saw as well as the headlights being mounted on the front bumper. The truck itself looks to be possibly a Skoda, Tatra, or a Magirus Deutz off shoot of the Einheit trucks with two rear axles, but single tires on each one. The windshield and back window are also oddities in how they are mounted. Is this a fuel tanker? It doesn't match any GMC products either I'm afraid. Sorry I can't be of more help buddy. It does look like you did have a blast and thanks for sharing the pics with us!!!

Prost
Dude 1

[JR]

Hi Dude 2,

I was a little hasty yesterday and didn't get to see the whole post you made as I had to go to bed early. I have been looking through my references and haven't found anything that matches the one you posted. It appears to be post war. It has tires used by the Germans. The winch is not found on any WWII trucks I saw as well as the headlights being mounted on the front bumper. The truck itself looks to be possibly a Skoda, Tatra, or a Magirus Deutz off shoot of the Einheit trucks with two rear axles, but single tires on each one. The windshield and back window are also oddities in how they are mounted. Is this a fuel tanker? It doesn't match any GMC products either I'm afraid. Sorry I can't be of more help buddy. It does look like you did have a blast and thanks for sharing the pics with us!!!

Prost
Dude 1

Dude 1 , thank you, Magirus Deutz mmm , Skoda, I shall at this rate have to ring them up ! its a pity it had nothing to identify it. It appeared to be carrying some sort electrical genset, as there were some thick cables in the back.
Dude 2

[minitnkr]

Sorry Dzohn, was confused on which truck. It is not US made. Winch take off, axles, wheels, bed, etc. are not US mfgr. Front bumper fairlead might be. Looks a Frankenstein composit. Allen has posited some good guesses. PaulE

[JR]

Sorry Dzohn, was confused on which truck. It is not US made. Winch take off, axles, wheels, bed, etc. are not US mfgr. Front bumper fairlead might be. Looks a Frankenstein composit. Allen has posited some good guesses. PaulE

Thanks buddy, tonight I found a Y tube video on the search light that I showed. That is German and came with the gen set, going to email the centre tomorrow and enclose the photo .
We will get to the bottom of this !

Excellent photos john :smiling3:.
My Brother did 30 years in the RAF,he is a traffic warden now.

Ralph, sorry I missed you for a moment,thanks for commenting .

John .

[JR]

Morning all .
In an attempt to find out what that truck was I've written to the centre, while searching for information I found this.

Dude 1 may find this very interesting.

also found this on Y TUBE

off to the bench and most probably the garden .
John.

[JR]

Just heard back from the centre, its a 1950 Volvo !

They said it came with the searchlight.

John.

[Allen Dewire]

Hey John,

At least I was right on two points, post war and not a GMC product. Funny that it would come with the searchlight as Sweden were neutral during WWII. Maybe it was a thrown together post war deal with the Swedes using the German searchlight for something and the Volvo powering it when used...….

At least you got to the bottom of it. The 60cm searchlight was the basis for the Infrared light version used to illuminate the battlefield for the night vision goggles and scopes. Thanks for the pics and one day I will get back to that project for sure!

Prost
Allen

[Steve Jones]

Great detective work DI Race. A lot of us will be able to sleep more easily now you have come up with the answer

[JR]

Great detective work DI Race. A lot of us will be able to sleep more easily now you have come up with the answer

:smiling3::smiling3:Steve, you know it really bugged me, most things had some sort of explanation on them or a name plate. I was not going to let it rest. I'd all ready spent half the night trying to find out, esp after Dude 1 said it wasn't German.:nerd:

JR



Hey John,

At least I was right on two points, post war and not a GMC product. Funny that it would come with the searchlight as Sweden were neutral during WWII. Maybe it was a thrown together post war deal with the Swedes using the German searchlight for something and the Volvo powering it when used...….

At least you got to the bottom of it. The 60cm searchlight was the basis for the Infrared light version used to illuminate the battlefield for the night vision goggles and scopes. Thanks for the pics and one day I will get back to that project for sure!

Prost
Allen

Dude 1. hi the power came from the genset , it was stored on the back of the truck, if you look at that superb video you can see it, the Germans certainly knew how the design and make things. In the Motherland they would have used a large candle and a mirror :smiling3:..

PM in bound tonight.

Dude 2