correct measurements of rear mk1 armour plate

[Lynn Eades]

As you said. A MkI Universal. I can't see clearly enough, the back plate. Is it the same as this picture? This is a Mortar carrier hull. Note the rivets closing the holes where the battery box bolts on, The rivets filling the gun mounts holes, as well as the smoke discharger bkt, and the holes for the rubber rest angle iron along the side, and back.

I think this picture is the Overloon carrier. there is a thread on MLU about it.

[kevin powles]

Hi, One clue to the carriers original stowage design could be this : on the rear plate there are two holes drilled on a Mk1 carrier for mounting the bracket for the boys anti tank gun stock.

On a standard stowage carrier with bracket missing, there will be two holes.

On a mortar carrier one hole will be factory rivetted shut.

On a tank hunter carrier both will be factory rivetted shut.

On a scout carrier i cannot comment.

hope this helps.

[RichardT10829]

I know that the rivet spacing along the side armour on the bren and the scout is different to the universals and they are positioned slightly different. plus there is the different front idlers. but mainly as i initially stated and Lynn kindly posted a photo of, the ducting is different too.

[kevin powles]

I took these photo's of the front armour which came off martyns upgraded Mk1 carrier, perhaps it provides some clues?.

kev.

[shaun]

blimy some of you guys have got more photos of my old carriers than i have ! ha ha ha - Lynn you are right i was thinking of the wrong hull. i will now use the eye with out the finger in to find the details on that hull (no harm done Lynn) so yes Richard the measuerments will be correct for your mk 1. just out of interest, in the late 80'-early 90's i recovered 11 carriers from a farmers scrap pile 10 miles from my house. There was not the internet in those days and info was scares. one day i will post the photos i have of the recovery and 40ft trailer loads of carrier remains. some very early carriers were in the heap as well as a MMG carrier with all the stowage bkts.
Does that clear the water at all ? TTFN

[Lynn Eades]

I understand exactly what you are saying. I have made a lot of mistakes with my Armoured O.P. because the only pictures I could find were in Chamberlain and Ellis's book, and those photos were about 2inches long. The internet has changed this game dramatically.
I have been lucky enough to see two Brens (of 6) in N.Z. which have survived as well as Phillips Scout which is a project, but awfully good.
I have previously mentioned that we (N.Z.) had both British and Canadian Universals, We copied the Australian LP2/2a., I have been to Australia and seen their LP1, and lastly I have the poor remains of two N.Z. LP1's (which apart from the hydraulic brakes,(and a few other things) is a copy of the British Carrier Bren, No2 Mk1built in 1938.
Unfortunately I have not eyeballed a T16, or a MkII Universal, as N.Z. had neither.
I look forward to the photos.

[RichardT10829]

Kevin i beleive that carrier is not Martyns but a chap called Ben from here who bought it off Shaun at a very reasonable price !....unless i have also got them muddled up...I have stacks of photo's of that particular carrier could be one of the many that Shaun had lying about up Thetford before the move twas like a carrier ghost town

Gee we are a right bunch of anoraks hahahahaha I LOVE IT !