Gypsy

Take a step back, chill, and don't let the b******s get you down. Very best wishes from another victim of the hound.

100% Pretty much my experience on exercises though to be fair to them the Crab Chinook ERT/MERT crews clearly thought they were matelots and I was once hooked from a very hairy situation by a Puma, much to our surprise. That said, they'd dropped us there in the first place.

Many happy memories of seeing a Jungly coming in several parts of the world... Good memories of jumping out of a few too. Good luck with the move.

Thank you very much indeed! Figure painting is something I quite enjoy - and am getting better at - so I'll do them myself! Loco weathering on the other hand needs a lot more practice, but practice makes perfect(ish), or at least good enough! Thanks again and best wishes, Gyp

Thanks Tom - I understand... I thought they might be Modelu - not sure what search terms to use though - can you remember how they're described?! Many thanks and best wishes, Gyp

I've said it before but its such a shame that Tom has felt unable to post outside Facebook (which I don't use, probably for similar reasons to his stopping posting elsewhere). Does anyone know, or could someone who does use his Facebook group ask, where the seated figure in the guard's van is from? Many thanks, Gyp

Maybe, but there is no resulting blast/flash damage to the paintwork. Appologies for the off topic, but of relevance (to the weathering) is that fact that there would be charring/smoke damage in the event of a fuel fire as well as considerably more rust. Your point about empty is very true though. I've seen a burst of tracer go straight through a fuel (petrol) bowser with the only result being several streams of petrol pouring out of the resulting holes.

Petrol, in my experience of warzones, tends to burn not explode. Certainly the Hollywood trope of a car exploding when a bullet hits it is BS. Petroleum vapour on the other hand does explode, but even that is surprisingly hard to do. The tank on the left has been hit by something that penetrated from the outside, though the creasing at the bottom of the hole does suggest a decent sized blast. The one one the right shows something either went bang inside or went straight through it. But the shrapnel holes don't fit with a fuel explosion so I would go with the latter. The lack of blast/flash scorching to the paintwork of both wagons also suggests that the damage is unrelated to any former contents. Knowing a little about Beirut, I would hazzard a guess at target practice or merely bored militiamen with access to too many dangerous toys.

Don't push things too hard and get better soon Rob

On the contrary, the more modern Almaza hoardings look nothing like that. Its one of the things that generated an instant recollection.

Stunning. The only time I visited Beirut was a fair bit after the period you're modelling but you have definitely captured the mashaeir ('vibe') that I remember.

Yes - just found this... Does Kato still do (what I presume is) the old style Portram chassis and if so where can I get one?!!!

Does anyone know if there are plans for a new run of any of the Quarry Hunslets?!

Merry Christmas Rob, thanks for the inspiration and here's to a quick recovery - all the best for 2024, Gyp

Merry Christmas - and thanks for the inspiration!!!

From memory they came in some time in the mid 90s. The ones I worked along side on the last UN tour of Bosnia certainly had them - that was 1995/6. The REME and RA wagons also got them - though I'm not sure whether it was the same time. Edit - on checking I've got a pic of a FOO truck that hit an anti-tank mine and lost a chunk of its Chobham side armour and that has the new drivers hatch. That was Jan 1996. The driver broke his foot but he was the only casualty. Good wagons to be in in that sort of situation. Certainly better than a Land Rover!

They look brilliant - but if I can be VERY picky the up-armoured Warriors have the wrong drivers hatch - they've got the earlier type with only one periscope instead of the later with three...

Absolutely hurrah - glad to hear it went well George. All the best going forward.

All the best. I had the same prognosis/surgery in 2016 in my (very) late 40s. Not going to pretend its all been plain sailing but I'm mobile, at least as fit as I was before and it beats the hell out of the alternative. Stick with it and remember the last bit!!!

They're not and haven't been since the (very early) 1990s. WW1 and immediatly after style puttees are much longer (up to the knee) while the post WW2 type only covered the ankle to the same height as the canvas anklets/gaiters

Same here - glad you're okay Wolfie. Ditto on the leathers - even in this weather... Had an old mate who headbuted a pigeon at about 90 on his Ducatti SS, smashed the side of his helmet and there was some pretty impressive gravel rash on his fancy Italian leathers but he walked away from it. Duke, not so much, so hope yours is fixable as it looks like a slighly lower speed job!

Oh Jeez ain't that the truth? Belated happy B day and have fun playing Vikings!

From the symptoms you have an issue at the L4-L5 joint in your lumbar/sacral spine where the disc bulging and impinging on the sciatic nerve - hence the referred pain in the back of your your leg. Non steriodal anti-inflamatories (and gentle heat) may help, but like I said, the key is to keep moving... its not much fun but you won't regret it in the longer term.

I feel your pain Rob. Literally. Having had various bits of my back rebuilt as a result of a miss-spent youth in the employ of the Queen I swear by yoga. I don't do it very well, or often enough, but it does mean that I can still get out in the hills with the hound and a (rather lighter) rucksack. If nothing else, keep moving and bending (or trying to). Gyp

It is indeed. And agreed. They are absolutely masssive. For those that can read an Ordnance Survey map, the pair of them take up half a grid square between them...