Hornet
 

Wow, look at this.

Hornet
 

I mean, seriously, this is a good deal more crazy than the 'sci-fi' Dinky toy......

Until now I had not really realised that this was an Australian project that we bought.....

So we shipped the Humbers out to you, you lot did some crazy stuff with them, we bought them back off you.

I am sure that Clive can give you a more accurate account.

Pretty cool machine, though.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Humber Book
 

Found this copy on a Japanese book sale site....about a million yen or something....I don't really get the currency but I am sure you could work it out.

http://kakaku.ecnavi.jp/item_info/20479923370825.html

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Tom, well that doesn't look too out of place!

Being tracked & the single missile on the roof (20 malkaras inside) looks like the proposed Heavy Tank Destroyer FV410 weighing in at 46 tons.

Although the waterproof cab & tracks looks like the proposed FV426 Orange William launcher, except the missiles swing out from behind shutters on each side.

So not such a crazy toy after all & remember in the end that it was going to be Hornet that fired Orange William, Malkara was originally only a second option.

Ah we were posting at the same time. The PC didn't like the link, get wanting to instal a Japanese character programme, I kept declining that it took me to some dating site shall we say. So missed what that was all about.

No the Hornets were made in UK, by Wharton Engineering of Elstree. There were 12 operational, 12 in reserve, I think 4 prototypes & 2 wooden ones. Cost by 1963 just for the Hornet project, which excludes the missile development, was £90 million.

BTW that picture of the Hornet firing was taken by a friend Capt Peter Russell was was EME for Cyclops Sqn 2 RTR, the troop trials unit.

check this out i want one

http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowP...4&product=2069

Nice stuffz Walt
Bit pricey though, you can just about buy a real one for that... In fact I think Tom did..
Quote from site
"Today it is one of the most sought after MV's for private ownership."
Not over here it ain't ...(apart from me, that is, still looking)
You will have noticed that that "British Classic" the Champ is also available.
Cheerio
Rich.

Model Humber
 

Wow! - That's the baby - I want one too. That is a NICE model.

This is easier to post than a real one...
Everyone here should buy one - just to make it worth the guy's while to have made such a cool kit.

Just imagine a sun-bleached model, with no glass, stuck out in the bush - or a mouldy wrecker with Harvey Frost crane stuck behind a garage, burried under tyres & old bumpers...

I will wait until mine is running before I get one..... ( but this has gone onto my Crimbo list)

Nice one Waltz.

Tom
Portsmouth
UK

FV 1600 book
 

On e-bay UK at the moment, item 230185372868 , as discussed above, but missing a couple of pages. So they are out there. Just need to get around to getting a credit card, otherwise I would not be pointing this one out!
Rich.

Humber Wireless Truck on eBay
 

Hi all you Humberites! - You may be interested in looking at this truck on ebay at the moment - not sure if it is all original but a nice truck all the same. The truck looks familiar and may be one we have seen on this thread before... it is on ebay uk http://www.ebay.co.uk, item no. 110235754436. Pic attached.

Regards,
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Museum Humber
 

This is the Bandiana army Museum Humber that was restored by the Altmanns at Stawell. It is a runner if not run very often. Tried it on for size over the weekend, and it fitted very well. Seriously looking for one now, but the visit raised some more questions. What are the little ball things on the roof that look like Martian antenna's, and is the engine off set to one side? If so is to allow for the transfer case? Used up too many favours to get a play in the engine bay, but noticed the starting handle socket is not central, and from underneath the sump appeared to be towards the passenger side.
Cheers
Rich.

There are four of those ball things in all. You can see the front two, but there are another two to the rear of the passenger's hatch.

They are mountings for a gun that has a frame to engage these mountings. The roof on the passenger's side is reinforced to allow for this extra weight.

The engine is no doubt centrally balanced but you are right has the effect of being offset.

Thanks Clive
This system of mounting on the roof is new to me, can't remember seeing any pics of it in THE book. Just what the Humber needed, more weight.
Rich.

Roof top gun mount
 

Hi Richard-
further to Clive's comments, I have seen one of these gun mounts, but sorry no photos.

Basically it is a metal ring about 4" deep and the same size as hatch opening, suspended almost 2 foot above the roof hatch - this has four metal 'legs', each one is like a 'V' shape made of metal rod - a cup at the foot of each of the legs fits on the balls and the top ends attach to the ring.

I think that a bren gun or similar can be attached to the ring. As far as I could tell it does not swing on a pivot, rather it is on a fixed mount facing out from the ring, and this mount runs around the ring like a curtain track.

And of course the seat on that side can be raised so you sit with your head out of the hatch - but I guess you would stand on the seat to shoot.
Does this help you picture it?
Tom
Portsmouth, UK

Latest Ebay Humber - ends Sunday
 

Have a look at this.
Ebay number 180235053389 - ends on the 27th.

Apparently there is a second chassis with a rear body in addition to the main vehicle. I would like to see some more photos if anyone is in South Devon area. This has a rooftop cab extension so would fit well into Les Freathy's photo archive.

Tom
Portsmouth, UK

Thanks Tom
A very succinct description. Sounds like the old gun rings that osbervers used in WW1 aircraft. Hopefully a photo will turn up eventually, surprised it was not mentioned in the Humber 1600 series book.
Re the one on ebay.
Take a chainsaw with you. Sounds pricey for over here, no sign of shedding, or perhaps the brambles are waterproof?
Regards
Rich.

It's in the shed, Rich.
The BIG BLUE SHED as we know it over here in OZ.
One hell of a lot of our gear is stored in the Big Blue Shed around the land.
I reckon their brambles are our black-berries, but they don't have the poisonous snakes to share them with, like us.
Rick

Actually Rick, they have the big Grey shed over there, wish we had one!
Rich.

eBay Humber in the Big Grey Shed
 

Hi Rick and Richard -
Yup, our Big Grey Shed is not too good for storing stuff. A good crop of moss growing on the wing is not a good start, but the roof gutter is still there, which is a good sign over here...it is better than the yellow tow-truck off ebay I posted last year. OK, it may be beyond fixing but there's plenty of bits - axles, transfer boxes, etc. etc.

In terms of price - the last time I paid £500 for a Humber I drove it 220 miles home! It's too much for me but there may be room to negotiate.

Here's a picture for those who miss the listing. I still have the seller's phone number if anyone is interested.

Gun Mount
 

Just received my copy of Pat Wares "In National Service", and page 52 has a nice colour pic of Humber with mount, just as described. This is a terrific book, covering not only Humbers but anything (everything) with a "B" series motor.
NB. Can't get any of Pats books here in Oz, but have had three sent over from UK. including "Quater ton" & "Tugs of War". All pretty much cover pommy ( and odd US one) vehicles from late WWII to the 60's. Highly recommended to say the least!
Happy reading
Rich.

Humber on Ozebay
 

Had high hopes,
but too rough for me. Done some work, by the look of it, it has had double wheels fitted all round. Starting at $450 for anyone near Sydney who wants bits.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Vintage-Milit...QQcmdZViewItem
Rich

Ozebay Humber Truck
 

Hi Rich - sorry she was too far gone.
Loas of parts, I hope that some get saved - I e-mailed seller and suggested he try again and advertise elsewhere too before finally scrapping her.
As you will expect me to say, I reckon it could be brought back by someone with access to a few other wrecks for cheap & easy parts and a pragmatic attitude towards finish and originality. But the worst thing would be the whole lot to go into the crusher with no bis saved!

I have saved the seller's phone number of anyone misses the sale - located Varroville, Sydney.
Note to anyone in UK - may not cost too much just to ship a tailgate or a single panel....

Photos attached for the record.
Regards to all -
Tom
Portsmouth
UK

Humber parts from Australia
 

Hi.
Hello Clive, it was good to meet you in July at Beltring. I am still impressed by the original registration number you managed to get on your Pig! Last week I visited Bovington Tank Museum and saw their Hornet - the first I have seen in the flesh and a very impresive machine.
Anyway - I have been in touch by e-mail with John Parker, the seller of the ebay Humber near Sydney in Oz. A really nice guy who knows his stuff - has trucks going back to pre-1920 and has in the past sold 130 brand-new Humber dashboard units, some of them shipped back to UK.
He is very approachable and I have his e-mail address if anyone wants to ask about specific bits.
Interestingly he mentioned a bloke called Russel Altman in Victoria who apparently breaks up Humbers for parts - he has promised to forward contact details if he can find them. Maybe someone on this site knows him?
Regards,
Tom

Richard, Pat's book certainly has some good pictures. I briefly looked at it some 12 years ago, but decided not to buy it on the strength of errors that I saw on the pages that were of interest to me. I made the following notes of things that just caught my eye that I felt should need correcting.

FV1609 & FV1620

Page 51 Top caption.
Delete: the box on the offside front wheel arch may not be original.
Insert: the box on the offside front wheel arch houses the separation kit for remote firing, most photographs available show prototype vehicles before the separation kit became available.

Page 105
Middle caption delete: FV1609, insert: FV1611
Lower caption delete: FV1609, insert: FV1612

Page 106 Paragraph 5
Delete: At least one 'Pig' was fitted with the turret from a 'Ferret' or 'Saracen'.....
Insert: At least six 'Pigs' were fitted with turrets from 'Shorlands'....


Page 110 Column 2 Paragraph 4
Delete: 10,000m
Insert: 4,030m

Delete: (HEAT)
Insert: (HESH)

Delete: 27kg
Insert: 25kg containing 15.8kg of high explosive

Tom yes it was good to meet you & witness first hand your Humber enthusiasm. If you go to the Great Dorset Steam Fair next week you will be able to see another Hornet.

Tom
Will PM you Russell and Rose Alltmanns details tonight(8.00 am and going to work now) more known for his stock of Champ parts. Good bloke.
Rich

Tom
PM sent,
the museum Humber in Post#191 was restored by Russell

Clive, when your as starved for information on Humbers as I am over here you can learn to ignore annoying inaccuracies!
Rich

here's mine loaded up for home after stoneleigh country festival

First time I've seen a Humber with two Humber trailers. Sure looks good. Don' know if it would be legal in OZ. I've hooked my jeep trailer on behind my Humber trailer. Maybe I should have bought the one just sold on Ebay.
Rick

i dont know if its legal here but i didnt get stopped mabey to much paperwork involved?

Maaaagnificant Waltz, Green with envy.
I was talking to a guy who used to tow his 25 pdr and limber behind his gun tractor, over 30mph the last in line wandered a fair bit.
Rick should be alright, they're going to allow BTriples over here, that means he's got room for another.
Rich