I Like to show you all my room

Hi Len

Now that is some big collection.

I know how you feel about (i could cut my throat)

I moved house once and had to sale most of my collection,moved into a flat,like you not much space,year or so later moved back into a house
and had to start all over again

One of the best sources of finding that 'treasured' item was in old sewing boxes at car boot/garage sales .. good old mum used to save family badges etc and a later generation thought them junk and disposed of them. My bar top was quite novel, it was all Regimental Badges mounted on green velvet, it could only hold 120 of them so I rotated them every couple of months.

Len (Ciphers)

That is an amazing collection.

so sorry to hear about having to dispose of much of it....I don't suppose putting it into storage was an option?

I kind of regretted it when my mom disposed of dad's collection after he died but, to be honest, I wasn't that interested in it and I certainly had no idea what was what or anything so I guess it was best. At least a fellow collector got his hands on the collection he'd drooled over for years and appreciated it!

I like your collection of busbies, Shakos, etc. Those must have been hard to track down, especially in just pristine collection, and cost a bit to boot!

A great-uncle of mine had, somewhere, an old picklecob (?) -- what the Kaiser's soldiers wore -- and my dad wanted to get it but never did. I have no idea what happened to it.

Mind you, it was obtained off the battlefield in WW1 and was in pretty sad shape all in all but still.....

Stephen Lock wrote:

A great-uncle of mine had, somewhere, an old picklecob (?) -- what the Kaiser's soldiers wore -- and my dad wanted to get it but never did. I have no idea what happened to it.

Stephen,

It was a Pickelhaube (cheated and looked it up )

Paul.

The 17 Lancers helmet was purported to be an original Balaclava item, but who really knows after all these years ... but it did cost me $2,000 some 30 years ago .. had some first class paintings too, my son has a couple of them, The Thin Red Line, General Brock dying at the Battle of York Town (Toronto) to name a couple
I don't think I could afford such a collection these days.

Len (Ciphers)

Just in passing in looking at those collections and reading the various articles on them. Reminded me of when I was in Norway in 71 on a Northern Defense of NATO Ex. We ended up in the fiord's somewhere. We were told of WW 2 German equipment that was dumped by the Germans in the local fiord at the end of the war. So being Canadians were down there on the ice digging it out. Mainly helmets and web gear. There were bunkers that were blown in at the front still holding weapons,ammo, etc. I think I read some where that since then the Norwegion Govt. has cleared them, as collectors were endangering them selves and locals by digging into them. Also saw Norwegians troops( I think local reserve troops) that were still armed with the German WW 2 issue sub-machine guns (MP 40). We also had a fellow working in their Msg. Center he said the equipment was all German stamped with swastika markings. One Norwegian Liaison Officer told us of a ware house full of German Issue winter gear WW 2 issue. Only the markings removed and replaced with Norwegion ones.

That wouldn't surprise me...no doubt there are still lots of such stashes and such all over Northern Europe. Bunkers, caves, fiords, castle cellars, schlossen cellars, sewers, catacombs, attics...you name it, it's got stuff.

I have long harboured suspicions the caves of the Hoennetal, near Hemer (and probably Felsenmeer as well), have got Nazi hoards stashed deep within their confines.

Much of the forest covering the Sauerland is pretty remote and despite settlement throughout the region for the last thousand years or so (longer), is not what I would call 'well explored.' Local sympathizers/Party members could easily find secret places to hide/dump stuff and nobody would know. Periodically, one hears of some hiker stumbling across such things by happenstance.

Add to that the regions the Nazis controlled throughout Northern and parts of Eastern Europe and the mind boggles at just what might still be 'out there.'

Norway was a favourite of the Nazis (even if the affection was not reciprocated) as one didn't get much more Nordic than Norway so it does not surprise me here either that there would be, literally,tons of equipment etc. there.

Well, Brian, that really is a totally immaculate collection you've got there! Some fantastic stuff indeed and well done. I'm sure it's just a question of time until various associations approach you for more info, since they've lost their own in recent "amalgamations".

You do seem to be very much in the know model-wise, so I'm wondering if you can be of assistance in the following case:

Our currant-bun (who's a Scaley, by the way. I know, I know) had a mucker whose Da had the most fantastic 432 model I've ever seen. It was all metal and painted "Bridsch Aamee Green", but with an attention to detail that was quite breathtaking. All the hatches moved, including the mortar-flaps, which could be folded back as on the "grown-up" model. Even the engine-covers were removeable to reveal the intake fans, which could be taken out to expose the very detailed engine beneath. The back door could be opened onto the interior with flap-down benches, but it (the back) even included the sealing toggles in miniature. Just to add to the detail, the flotation screen could be raised, braced and lowered, and there was even the inclusion of a flotation chamber for the front.

The model itself was about 12 inches long and weighed a ton, but it was quite beautiful and incredible in its way (if you see what I mean).

Underneath, on the belly plate, it had a stamp "P. Ryan Models Ltd" and a production code which was (I think, but don't quote me on that) "0193". I remembered the name so well because I actually served with a fella called P (Paddy) Ryan.

Unfortunately, the lad never knew how his Da (who'd died in the meantime) had laid hands on it, or what it had cost.

All this happened around the 1991/1992 mark, but I've looked regularly on t'interwebz in the meantime and failed to find anything even remotely connected. Whereby I'd hasten to add that my interwebz skills are non-existent to miserable.

Any idea where I could start a search? Because I'd just love one to carefully paint a big red cross on the side of such a model and display it. Cost is no real object.

MsG

Here you are Bugs. Someone found it for me and I am returning the favour.

http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowProduct.cfm?manufacturer=1&category=3&product=1617

Blimey, they're good !

Well done that man !

Baz.

Absolutely sparkling drills there, Teabag. Ta a bunch for the link.

I've now ordered one of those. However, I'll be a bit disappointed if there are no red cross decals I can slap on the sides. I suppose I'll just have to knock up me own if that's the case.

MsG

Bugsy wrote:

Absolutely sparkling drills there, Teabag. Ta a bunch for the link.

I've now ordered one of those. However, I'll be a bit disappointed if there are no red cross decals I can slap on the sides. I suppose I'll just have to knock up me own if that's the case.

MsG

Bugsy,

I think the model from Accurate Armour comes with a selection of interiors and decals (including registration numbers). I "Googled "432+Ambulance" and this showed up:-

http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowProduct.cfm?manufacturer=0&category=3&subcategory=5&product=1621

Hope the link works, it did for me.

Paul.

I think they are exceptional and really good on the detail. I am reluctant to buy one though because I would probably cock it up. Has anyone put one together and how difficult is it? Let's face it, it ain't airfix.

On these models,and on photographs of working units, I've noticed that Flotation Screen are no longer in place. When were flotation screens on the 432 removed?

Bloody hell forgot about the screens. Have you seen the photograph of my old one swimming the Weser?

Teabag wrote:

Bloody hell forgot about the screens. Have you seen the photograph of my old one swimming the Weser?

Ah, crossing the Weser in 432s, now that brings back memories of a little place called Ohr (which happens to be the Boxheed word for "ear", funnily enough), just south of Hameln.

Edge into the oggin in 1-2 and just before the tracks lift off, slam it into 4-6. And if you muff the change, you're Donald Ducked big-time and the Sappers have to come along in their big metal boat thingy and drag you back to the bank to start all over again.

And yeah, where did the flotation screens go?

MsG

gallahad wrote:

On these models,and on photographs of working units, I've noticed that Flotation Screen are no longer in place. When were flotation screens on the 432 removed?

If I remember right about 1980.

Back in the mid to late 70's we had to change a complete flotation screen on a MK 1- 432, just days before a river crossing on the Weser. There are quite a few dozen screws securing the screen, many of which were either rusted or snapped off. It was not an easy task re-drilling in the armour plating.The result was a bad job,and I suspect that as these screens came up for renewal, they would have to be done in a Base Workshop. or bin them.