No David, not selling those levelling things. In fact the opposite. If they are worth buying, I might get them, BUT only if they are worth spending money for.

Re Transport: Your observations are how I found things here also. To bring me those 25pr trails parts, I settled on a fellow who knows the seller. Seller is in very rural area, so nobody wanted to go get the parts without huge expense. Also, size of main piece is larger than standard pallet, so up goes the price again. Then, because it's fairly weighty, up goes the price further. The sellers contact is travelling out to see him in near future, so he will retrieve parts at that time, and isn't charging for that service because he's there anyway. The total cost is very reasonable. I do need to be patient in waiting for that visit out there though. It'll be good therapy for me!

I've checked over the recently acquired firing platform closely today. I don't think it will need as much work as I was mentally preparing for. Sure there's a number of stress cracks and some corrosion, but i have a near neighbour (read as my soon best friend) who could weld two cat turds together. I'm sure I can induct him.

Incidentally, if anyone is going to be in Brisbane at time of ANZAC Day parade, come say hello.
I'll be wearing this shirt!
Attachment 90167 Attachment 90168
Will be wearing my suit for Dawn Service, of course!

25pdr Guardian.
 

Passing through Avoca in Western Victoria today and spotted this Guardian. Correct me if I am wrong but I have not seen many sitting on their platform.

Cheers,

Dave

One more.
 

This looks to be an added extra, a tow hook attachment protruding through the front shield. Is this usually the case or an in service adaption?

Nice pics, Dave. I've seen several with that extra towing attachment. It is quite complex when you get down and study it, so took some engineering, but I've not found any documentation about the mod. The one at Murgon RSL in Qld has it, too.

Interesting gun, with the Australian all-welded trail and fitted post-war with a muzzle brake.

Mike

Gmh
 

A good source of info about the guns made here during WW2 is the 'war record' published by GMH . The book details the various sub contractors GMH used . I scanned the book and have it on a CD somewhere , my hard copy has a place for the GMH executive recipient to sign. The book has details of local production of 25pnder, 2 pnder, 20mm AA and 6 pnder plus more .

The book mentions the time consuming job of converting all the Gypsy engine drawings , because they arrived from the UK in metric form !

A couple more pieces arrived today.
Attachment 90355 Attachment 90356

Still looking for other sections of the linkage system that holds platform to trails. There's a lot more to find.

25pr shield attachment brackets x2
 

After an anxious time looking without result, a good pair of 25 pounder shield attachment brackets has become available. Release the Doves and Light the Beacons! Another case of an MLU member to the rescue, as is quite often the way. My great thanks to all you folks who have gone out of their way to help me with materials and information. My project would be nigh on impossible without all that assistance.
Attachment 90706 Attachment 90707
One bracket will get a small amount of attention/welding, purely for cosmetics.

The brackets have been ordered and should be with me in a couple of weeks.

At this stage, there is no firm date for delivery of my parts from Victoria, but they will come when the transport driver gets up this way next. Could still be a few weeks yet.

I've had a little ill health in recent months, which has slowed me down dramatically, and am looking to pick up the pace soon. Cooler weather will go in my favor.

Is there a reference source anyone can recommend for showing details of the welded trails 25pr version?
That will be my design of choice, so I am searching internet for photos. There's not a lot around. At least where I'm looking.

Tony.

You really are in the right part of the world to find a 25 pdr welded trail and saddle ,are there any in museums on display anywhere ? you may have to take a short break somewhere to photograph and measure up ,possible the one pictured above !
Non over here as far as I know of.

Rob...................rnixartillery

John Belfield still has one in his collection.

There is also a welded trail here in NZ, used to be about an hours drive from me. It's now down in the South Island near Christchurch.

Hi Tony,

AWM in Canberra have a nice restored example of a 25pdr with an Aust welded trail, saddle etc. It is in storage at the Mitchell annex. Access by arrangement. PM me if you want the details. Conservation restored two in 2008-2009: a riveted version and the welded version.

I'm sure there would be examples closer to home, but who knows what condition they will be in. Murgon's gun is riveted (like Tiaro's), but I suspect you already know that.....

Regards

Mike :salute:

Thanks guys. I'm really surprised there aren't any welded types I know of around my immediate area, that I'm aware of. I've only found 3 useful images on web, but that's no substitute for personal viewing. If I can locate ONE I can get to, I can get a library of images. Might be all I need. I can eliminate Bandiana Museum as a source. They don't have one.
Attachment 90727 Attachment 90728
The two photos above are the best I could find, so far. I still hope to find more, but they have eluded me for now. Am in the process of looking through images that the AWM have publically available, and have found the 3rd image that makes the last of what I've found to date, but it is not a good quality photo. I believe Chubb built some. Is there any other manufacturer/s who did also? It might help my search to know the builders.

Would be good to see the AWM example, but that's a long way from me, at this point in time. Then again, so is Bathurst, and I found myself there not long ago. Perhaps a trip to Canberra might make for an interesting holiday. It has been a while, and the AWM is one of my favorite places on the planet. Always a humbling experience, and recharges ones sense of respect for our armed services.

I'm committed to doing the welded style build. Apart from anything else, the trails have much less of the difficult to replicate details of the riveted version. Besides, I think they look kind of cool!

If I was building a replica of this.....I'd be finished by now!
Attachment 90753
Must admit, I do REALLY like the wheels. Made in 1890s, Melbourne, so the ebay listing says.

As with the lack of images Australian made 25pr, my online search for images of the correct illuminating apparatus box has had very little success. The only thing less productive that the photo search is my efforts to locate/purchase the actual box itself.

It is looking very likely that I will need to manufacture one of those boxes from scratch, or ideally, heavily modify another type of box around the same size.

Some time ago, a member (sorry, I forget who) posted several photos of the box, but I will need as many as I can possibly find, and box dimensions too. If anyone has photos showing ANY details of the box, or its measurements, I would be most grateful to see them!

My shield brackets must be a couple of days away from arrival, because I have been following the parcel tracking.

To our British Allies.
 

With sad and vile events of recent times....

My thoughts are with our British friends and allies.

https://www.generaaltjes.nl/Adverten...elen-25-ponder stumble across these, are they any use

Niels,

HELL YES! Only just saw your post now. Hope you didn't think I was ignoring you.
Have emailed seller, but suspect they may be sold now, at that price.
Do i understand he wanted that price for ALL the items? Iehova!

Will let you know if i do any good there. Shipping may be a crippling price though.

ARRRGGGGGGHHH!

The parts were sold last week. Possibly 30 seconds after they were advertised, I suspect.
Still, thanks for your help Niels. My lack of speed has done me in again.

well darn I will keep a look out....

Thanks Niels. Best to send PM mesage. Those alert on my email, and even I can't miss seeing those.

I can't believe I missed virtually all the parts I needed to attach platform with.

That must actually be quite horrible, you could ask the seller if he would disclose the buyer, maybe the person didn't need all the things?

Nah, I wouldn't want to make him feel compelled to do that.

In my brief interaction with you, I can't see you coming across as wishing to compel someone. Reckon a nice note would be worth a shot, never know the other collector might have ended up with extras.
Cheers Tim

I suppose it may e worth a try. Why not!

Nothing to lose, eh.

T

Been away, Thailand, 30deg, sure beats Melbourne.
Did you have some joy?
Cheers Tim

Hi Tim, I did get in touch with the seller and enquired about my contact details being passed on to the purchaser. Don't know if it was, but I've done my best, and i don't think the try would have done any harm.

I'll be posting some unfortunate news shortly, on the truck restoration thread of mine. I don't want to duplicate it here. Let's keep this thread a happy one.

Hang in there Tony. My career and hobby were ended recently by a no licence, no insurance, high on drugs bum who rear ended me at a stop light.

Oh Jesse, I'm so sorry to hear that. Your story REALLY makes me mad. These low-life scum won't have to suffer the type of consequences that has now befallen you, the innocent party.
I'm not a violent man, but the person who caused your life to change forever, well I would really like to land a good punch on their face. Perhaps two! Then i become the bad man, of course. I think I'd still do it, if i thought I could get away with it. For everything to change so suddenly, and for such a lawless reason, is VERY sad. I've often said, there's no justice in the world. Sickens me.

There is an excelent movie about an exceptionally brilliant man who gets pushed further and further into a situation where he snaps and becomes the bad guy. Its a Michael Douglas movie, called Falling Down. If folks have not seen it, get a copy. Some people feel sorry for him, some people think he's just a psycho. I tend to lean towards the sympathy side.

Cheers Tony, I hope everything else is going well.
Regards Tim

illuminating apparatus no1 mk1 (aust)
 

I have acquired the same unit do we know what batteries voltage we need ?
Gilles