A day of contrasts
 

Not really sure where to put this as it encompasses flying, armour and softskins.

I spent an amazing few hours with a man who is one of our most significant living WW2 pilots - Tony Gaze, DFC**. The two asterisks mean he was awarded the DFC two more times. He was credited with 12.5 enemy aircraft, flew an amazing variety of both allied and German planes including various marks of Spitfire, Typhoon, Mosquito and Meteor. He was the first Australian to shoot down a Me262 and Arado 234. He flew both the Fw 190A and the Fw TA152.

The softskin part of the story is because I also photographed his photo album (will be able to scan it later) and there was an intriguing pic of some Fordson WOTs with the interesting caption of "Virgin hearses". I asked him why but he couldn't (or wouldn't) quite recall.

The second half of the day was spent roaring around a motocross course in Ron Fry's just finished (wet paint) Stuart which he has built around a derelict hull. The original engine needed rebuild so as an expedient Ron has fitted something which is quite collectible in it's own right - a Commer Knocker diesel which I must admit sounds quite amazing.

Driving around there was a lot of dust coming in - sort of like Saturday at Corowa 08 without the heat.

Ron was unable to attend Corowa due to work commitments but this tank would have been at Corowa if he'd been able to be there.

Keith
 

I take it that you mean the TS3 two stroke? How did it sound? a bit different to the original deep throated Aero engine?

Sound
 

Totally different but somehow quite good - just not the sort of noise you expect from a Stuart. I recorded a segment for the next DVD so you'll get to hear it in due course!

Talking of DVDs??

Bob while I remember how is project Phoenix coming along? :)

Bob
 

OK Bob I hear you...

Meanwhile here is another pic of Ron's Stuart

http://www.oldcmp.net/Galleries/Fry_...e/DSC_0115.jpg

You can find a gallery of images here.

Turrets or no turrets ...
 

A turret-less Stuart would be more manageable than one with the turret.

(Not a highjack but a divergent thought) Many years ago I was fortunate enough to attend a military vehicle gathering in Upstate New York. It was so far up the state, it was an easy drive from Montreal. There was a dealer who had M3 Scout car bodies that had been cut into fours, and other tables with various New Old Stock bits and pieces for vehicles I knew from pictures but had not developed an appreciation for.

I got to ride in the back of a halftrack. They are smaller than I'd expected. Maybe too many low angle photographs of soldiers from a shorter generation ... And, I got to ride in the turret of an M3. I have no idea whose it was. But I was impressed at how simple and how small it was inside. An average-sized man of today would be very cramped getting into the driver's seat.

The attachment is from the Interweb but just an illustration of how small WWII vehicles were, with a modern vehicle for reference.