What could possibly go wrong?

[Keith Webb]

A post by Mike Kelly on the C15A running down veterans on ANZAC Day has inspired this thread about disasters or near disasters involving collecting, rebuilding or operating old military vehicles.

Around any machinery we all have to be extra carefull. Some of us have had close calls while restoring vehicles and even at work . I've had cutting discs fly apart ( the ones you buy at the warehouse ).

Many years ago, I pulled into a petrol station in my restored WW2 Jeep, filled up , went inside to pay . As I walked out, my Jeep was rolling across the court towards a busy road. I ran after it , jumped in and saved the day . 10 seconds later and it would have been disaster time.

I had a c15 wireless van . Trying to move it , we pointed its nose downhill and it took off .. Off it went into a creek, at high speed ! The front springs sheared off , a clean break.

Be carefull .

I've heard stories of tanks rolling sideways off ramps, and was almost killed myself many years ago working under a car on timber blocks. I went in for a cuppa and came out to find the vehicle had slid sideways off the blocks and would certainly have flattened me had I been underneath. I learned a lesson that day.

There are many good recovery stories - I can think of one where an enthusiast (no names no pack drill) decided to salvage a 6X6 ACCO in the outback. He thought he had worked out the ownership which was disputed as he towed it a long distance in low range first gear using a Land-Rover.

Not to mention the stories like Mike tells of disintegrating cutting disks.

So think of this thread as sharing your experiences to help others avoid the same mistakes.

So what's your story?