Canada Day and Military Demonstrations

Jon Skagfeld · #1 02-07-05, 03:26

As part of Canada Day celebrations, many towns/cities have incorporated military "Dog & Pony Shows", in order to try and familiarize the civilian population with the vehicles and equipment currently in use in the CF.

One such town was Kincardine, on the shores of Lake Huron.

Here, I met up with MLU poster "Zipperhead", aka Warrant Officer Darrell Zinck, of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He gave me a thoroughly enjoyable and informative briefing on the Coyote (an armoured surveillance vehicle). It's capabilities are truly awesome.

Additionally, he gave me a similar run down on the new G-Wagen. Another awesome piece of kit. One particular feature on the G-Wagen was the positioning of two small solar powered panels which constantly trickle charge the 12V and 24V systems. No more dead batteries in the field!

Darrell took a pic of me beside the G-Wagen, saying that he would post it when he got back to Petawawa.

No matter what he says in his post with that pic, what is really going on is that Honest Darrell, the Used G-Wagen man talked me into buying it and has just handed me the keys to it!

(Their Transportation Allowance ran out in the local Legion, and they needed to come up with some money to get back to Pet)

:

Darrell Zinck · #2 03-07-05, 03:48

And now.........................................the rest of the story!!

Truly a nice day for us to come into Kincardine and do the ole "dog and pony show", as you say John. A long drive both ways but the crowds were good and the weather was fine right up to the thunderstorms but they were later.

There were some equipment shortfalls (Helo to higher tasks, Leo to bureaucracy, and Ferret to a blown thermostat) but a rather large display was put on. I thought the best was allowing the old vets to pull the cordy-thingy on the howitzer (snicker) gun. They seemed to get a real charge out of it (pun intended) and it was a nice gesture on the Gunners part.

We passed through about 1000 pers at our display of the Coyote. I just left the G-wagen locked beside us. Occasional times I would open up and give my A-material spiele to a VIP. Jon was only able to get a look after he caught me treating the "Beach Beauties" as VIP's!! What's a little blackmail amongst Forum members, eh?!

Say what you will, the G-wagen remains the property of Her Majesty's Canadian Armed........wait, that's out now, isn't it? Um, Canadian Forces. We were amply provided for in the usual penthouse suite, gold-plated Beemers to drive and Droit de Signor in the town itself. Peeled grapes do get so boring after awhile. I felt sorry for the Meaford bunch sleeping on the arena floor but at least they were indoors. I guess they knew us Pet boys were special. And not as in Special Olympics "special" either !!

Please enjoy Jon acting as he wasn't about to make off with my jazzy ride.

regards
D

Darrell Zinck · #3 03-07-05, 03:49

Forgot the pic!!

D

Stewart Loy · #4 03-07-05, 18:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Darrell Zinck
Forgot the pic!!

D

We know what Jon looks like - where are the pix of the beach bunnies?

Stewart

Snowtractor · #5 04-07-05, 06:15

....30 BUCKS
Price of G-wagon... 80,000bucks,
Selling a G-wagon for the 236th time for a TWO FOUR of cold libations...PRICELESS....

Sean

Jon Skagfeld · #6 13-07-05, 06:19

Darrell:

I know you are more of a Recce type than a C2 Leo type, but have you guys hummed along during a road move, on intercom, to the following:

Ob's sturmt oder schneit
Ob die Sonne uns lacht
Der tag gluhend heis
Oder eiskalt die Nacht
Bestaubt sind die Gesichter
Doch froh ist unser Sinn
Ist unser Sinn
Es braust unser Panzer
Im Sturmwind dahin.

If you did some TIR in Germany, I know damn well that you did hum this a lot!

Alex Blair (RIP) · #7 13-07-05, 16:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Darrell:

I know you are more of a Recce type than a C2 Leo type, but have you guys hummed along during a road move, on intercom, to the following:

Ob's sturmt oder schneit
Ob die Sonne uns lacht
Der tag gluhend heis
Oder eiskalt die Nacht
Bestaubt sind die Gesichter
Doch froh ist unser Sinn
Ist unser Sinn
Es braust unser Panzer
Im Sturmwind dahin.

If you did some TIR in Germany, I know damn well that you did hum this a lot!

Ob's sturmt or snows whether the sun us laughs the day gluhend heis or ice cold the night dust-laden are the faces are nevertheless glad our sense are our sense it brew our tank in the storm wind there.

Learn to speak German in 10 Days or your money back...
at least thats what it says on Bablefish..
It probably sounds better in German with a skin load of Loewenbrau....................
What gear is that sung in,Jon....

Keith Webb · #8 13-07-05, 20:45

I can see Jon was competing with the beach bunnies... just look at those knees!

The only reason he didn't drive it away was the security tether on the rear bumper, I see.

Col Tigwell · #9 14-07-05, 01:18

I see that MB in Australia are looking at releasing the new G Wagen .

It is I believe a completely new model, but to the un educated , like me, it looks very similiar.

Perhaps after the unimog fling, they are looking at the Australian Army as well.

All the G class, at least until recently had been independantly imported into Australia and the US.

They have a very nice 4 litre V8 diesel that could perhaps go into the G wagen, it is already being used in the LHD only ML400.

I do not see much wrong with John's knees, that a good load of vegemite and tim tams would not fix.

Regards

Col Tigwell
Downunder

Jon Skagfeld · #10 14-07-05, 01:31

Thank you Col Tigwell for your kind comments about my knees.

(No relation to the deciding officer in the Breaker Morant trial?).

Keefy: the tether is genuine Canadian Forces mine tape. Designed to thwart all foreign nefarious attempts at subversion.

Used also in training exercises to outline a "notional" trench, since we can't dig a slit trench because of environmental issues. God help us!

Alex in Ottawa (our home and native land)...regardless of what Babelfish says, here it is...

"If stormy and wet
Or the sun shines on us
The days hot as hell
And the nights filled with frost
Though dusty are our faces
High our spirits soar
Our spirits soar
As on like the whirlwind, our Panzers forward roll."

Remember this, from "Battle of the Bulge, when the German General's Gefreiter got the Jungen to sing whilst stamping their feet.

Alex Blair (RIP) · #11 14-07-05, 02:26

"If stormy and wet
Or the sun shines on us
The days hot as hell
And the nights filled with frost
Though dusty are our faces
High our spirits soar
Our spirits soar
As on like the whirlwind, our Panzers forward roll."

Remember this, from "Battle of the Bulge, when the German General's Gefreiter got the Jungen to sing whilst stamping their feet. [/B][/QUOTE]

Jon..
I like your translation better than Bablefish....

Darrell Zinck · #12 16-07-05, 20:31

Hi

Been away house-hunting in Moncton for the past week. No luck.

Altho' I'm familiar with Der Panzerleide, I don't sing it much.

Full song and translation are here.

Jon's knees were a bit mesmerizing in the bright sun but I thought it PC not to stare!!

Ref our "Security Tape", I'm sure that it would tear the bumper off before snapping. It's that great stuff called "Mine Tape" and near un-breakable. That stuff is a very very tight nylon weave of fine threads. Not to be confused with "Gun Tape". it was really there to control the local yard-ape population from running amok in our AOR.

Also I get all my translations done her at free translation.com. Good enough most times but I see their trans of the song is about the same as babblefish.

regards
D

Jon Skagfeld · #13 17-07-05, 06:42

Hey, guys...there's been many a parade, with and without Royalty, when these knees peered out just below the Ordinary Campbell tartan kilt!

(Snicker, aside...what would berets know about kilts anyway?)

At least the "hieland laddies" still are mandated to close with, destroy and contain the enemy.

Not like certain Recce types who, from 25 km away, "Reach out and Touch Someone".

Stand easy, Warrant Officer, it's TGIF! Speaking of which, I guess you might be doing TGIF in St Andrews Mess, or does Armour have their own Mess?

No luck on your house hunting trip? Try the good ol' boys in Oromocto!

Darrell Zinck · #14 18-07-05, 03:07

Ha!! It'd take a crowbar and the Greek Navy to get me to Oromocto/G'town. I'm not "School" material and that suits me fine. Moncton seemed very nice for the week we had. Found what seemed to be a nice place near the end of the trip time alloted and then it's inspection we had done was so negative, we pulled out and flew home the next day. Bummer. Still looking via MLS and have an eager agent there too. 8CH has a nice new building in town so the digs won't be as bad as CTC, to me.

Reichwald is the one Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess in Petawawa. Lamone Crossing shut down then was torn down years ago. Coupla JRs Messes (Coriano and Kyrenia Clubs )and also just one Offrs (I dunno it's name) mess. And a fine mess they are......bu-dum-pah.

Hope your summer is going well. Do you by chaance have a house for sale in the Moncton Area??

Audax et Cele.........wait..............Regi Patrique Fidelis now......well, soon anyway.

regards
Darrell

Jon Skagfeld · #15 20-07-05, 10:45

Sorry, Darrell, I got mixed up between Gagetown and Petawawa.

They're both such beautiful places for a posting!