T-16 S/N 5399 T.D. 97377 Restoration

[horsa]

Appreciate the confirmation that they are indeed front idler axles. Hopefully I'll never need them which is what makes them strategic spare parts. I've also got a spare complete bogie suspension assembly stashed away. But it was a rusted take-off item.

Figure they aren't making parts anymore and eventually all the spares will dry up. One accident could turn a decent running vehicle into a flower pot. Such was the case with our M29C Weasel when my brother was driving it like it was a new-made 4 wheeler down on some ranch property in south Texas in and out of ditches at high speed. He had a total separation of all four track bands on one side and wound up dug into the dirt thirty feet ahead of the thrown track. Took me two years to rebuild the track (actually did both sides) and it was only possible because I had spares. There are more Weasels rotting away for lack of tracks than there are running Weasels.

I don't let my brother anywhere near my jeep or carrier

Hope your M20 project is winding down Andrew. I'm getting anxious to get started on mine again now that its all torn down. Dismounted the tyres by hand over this past weekend so the rims would be ready when I decide to take everything to the sand blaster. I need to be patient though and wait out the cold weather since I do my painting in the back yard.

[horsa]

Some Carrier Candy made from Unobtanium that I was recently able to import from OZ where it has sat for several years waiting for unrelated issues to be resolved there.



One of the items is a Bren mount with cradle. The other is heavy Australian mount used on their carriers up front for a Vickers or Bren. The Vickers cradle would simply drop in as shown in one of the attached photos. The Bren could be used with the cradle pictured with the other mount but it would have had a larger lower section that fit into the mount. The cradle shown with the Bren has the same lower section as found on the pogo sticks.

Now the dilemma of what to do with them. Add one or both to my carrier which wouldn't be strictly correct. Or cave in to the wishes of the wife and kids. Kids want the Vickers to be mounted in the rear cargo area on the M29C Weasel and the wife wants the Bren for her '32 Citroen that is used by her FFI maquis group. Neither of these is strictly correct either so I've told them I might sell them and buy more firearms and beer

[Marc van Aalderen]

How many cans of beer do you want for the Vickers parts? I am interested to buy/swap.

Cheers,

[horsa]

Hey Marc,

The wife likes Amstel as she got hooked on it when we were in the NL jumping with Pathfinder. For some reason Amstel Light is what all the stores import over here though and its not anything like what we were getting on tap. Sent you a PM though so check your folder in case the eMail notification fails.

Also send PMs to all the other people answering various questions asked about the T-16, mounts, etc.

[ozm29c]

Originally Posted by horsa

Some Carrier Candy made from Unobtanium that I was recently able to import from OZ where it has sat for several years waiting for unrelated issues to be resolved there.



One of the items is a Bren mount with cradle. The other is heavy Australian mount used on their carriers up front for a Vickers or Bren. The Vickers cradle would simply drop in as shown in one of the attached photos. The Bren could be used with the cradle pictured with the other mount but it would have had a larger lower section that fit into the mount. The cradle shown with the Bren has the same lower section as found on the pogo sticks.

Now the dilemma of what to do with them. Add one or both to my carrier which wouldn't be strictly correct. Or cave in to the wishes of the wife and kids. Kids want the Vickers to be mounted in the rear cargo area on the M29C Weasel and the wife wants the Bren for her '32 Citroen that is used by her FFI maquis group. Neither of these is strictly correct either so I've told them I might sell them and buy more firearms and beer

G'day David,
I know very little about machine guns (even after 20 years in the Navy ) but you mentioned fitting a machine gun to your weasel. I have attached a photo of a machine gun fitted to an M29C in British service. Perhaps this would help you keep your weasel "Original".
Cheers
John W.

[Lynn Eades]

It looks like a Vickers K gun to me.

[horsa]

I agree Lynn, it's a Vickers GO K Gun. Was just studying the shot and figure it must be Walcheren based on the types of vehicles present and the British commandos participated in that landing which probably accounts for the K Gun.

Very cool photo so thanks for posting it John. I haven't seen all that many photographs of the Weasel in British service even though I've read lots of accounts of units having them.

Shots attached of our "Pickle Boat" with my father ratting around in the mud for fun a few years ago since we got onto the M29C Weasel topic. It isn't in British markings since we had it at a V-J event sponsored by the Nimitz museum a couple of months prior to that. Figured it was more appropriate to be in USMC type markings even though it doesn't have the floatation tanks bolted up.

[ozm29c]

Hello again David,
I don't want to highjack your thread but attached are some more photos of weasels in British service.
Cheers
John W.

[ozm29c]

And some more photos. I must acknowledge Leo Verhagen for these photos.