Longest serving mv in cf

[Robin Craig]

Just so you know the same thread in the UK that I started has scared up a truly amazing result.

The 13 pounder guns used by Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery date from 1915


R

[rob love]

I think a better yardstick for a thread like this would be vehicles and trailers that are still on the books and used as vehicles. Problem with howitzers and guns are they tend to stick around in a ceremonial use forever.

To that end, I saw a number of M101 3/4 ton trailers in the range control compound at Connought the other week. I did not go close enough to them to tell if they were 50s or late 60s production. How these things manage to not get disposed of on retirement of a fleet is beyond me.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Just so you know the same thread in the UK that I started has scared up a truly amazing result.

The 13 pounder guns used by Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery date from 1915

There are some (well, one I could count) naval signal gun used by the sea cadets for gun drills that are at least pre-WWI. The tube is in-the-white gun metal. Before heavy snow cracked the roof trusses at the navy barracks at Dow's Lake, Ottawa, that gun used to be parked in the side of the drill floor - next to the 9 Pound Rifled Muzzleloader, circa 1875 ... beat that!

[Wpns 421]

Hey Robin Don't blame me for starting the weapons annotations, blame it on Rob Love, he started it. It's not my fault Dad, Rob did it. HaHa. It's easy to blame him, he's far away. But in the end we got some really excellent(UFI) info. That's what this forum is about. Just out of curiosity, Robin was the person who bought the Iltis at Rideau auction the same guy who has the MLVWs? Curious Gilles

[Robin Craig]

The Iltis were bought by one person, not the same as the ML guy.

R

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Wpns 421

Hey Robin Don't blame me for starting the weapons annotations, blame it on Rob Love, he started it. It's not my fault Dad, Rob did it. HaHa. It's easy to blame him, he's far away.

Only as far away as the keyboard.

The gun I quoted is on wheels, and presently used in a transportation role. The guns you quoted are shipborne, and the ships, quite frankly, are not that old.

Tsk tsk, when will the 421s learn that they cannot beat their masters (411s) in debate.

While this thread has meandered (as usual) it's always interesting to hear about what's still out there.

[Robin Craig]

Rob

Thanks for moderating this thread

Gilles thanks for your input on the weapons side.

The Kings Troop guns go out on a regular basis with a reg force unit but admittedly in ceremonial role.

So to clarify, in use for "work" we have the DUKWs in the UK

Link here to some pictures http://www.18coyrasc.btck.co.uk/2010REUNION

and in the "ceremonial" category the Kings Troop 13 pounders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_QF_13_pounder which according to this link were actually made in or started production in 1904. This makes them over a century old according to my math.

R

[45jim]

I took the last Sherman still on strength from LETE where it was used as a tug. Turret removed, it had been previously modified to mount magnets for range clearance and then relegated to hauling stuck vehicles. We got it to use as a power pack doner for our Sherman restoration in Calgary with the Strathcona's. It had CFR plates on it, we got the maintenance log books and had to do a normal vehicle transfer to get it. It was then struck off strength in Calgary. It was just before LETE closed, about 1994. I think I have some photos about. I'll have to ask about its current disposition, but I imagine Cold Lake or Wainwright to replace vehicles we removed for parts or restoration. So about 48 years, for a vehicle still listed as an "A" echelon vehicle.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Frow Wiki:

The Royal Marines still use four of these vehicles for training purposes at 11 (Amphibious Trials and Training)Squadron, 1 Assault Group Royal Marines at Instow North Devon. The DUKWs are used for safety to allow the training of all ranks to undertake Drills for boat work for the landing craft ranks and the drivers undertaking wading drills from the LCU (Landing Craft Utility

This RN-registered Duck was photographed ('shot' ) at Portsmouth Naval Base (HMS Nelson) in 1956 I think, at a round of Lorry Driver of the Year.

[Robin Craig]

Jim,

somewhere, I have prints of that Sherman in a wonderful yellow all over scheme minus turret with a powerpack hung off the rear and some kind of de mining kit out front. I undrstand it was used to clear up some lands being handed back to an aboriginal group.

When I saw it at LETE I was visiting to research another vehicle and it used to sit in a lone building off to the right of the main building at the back of the car park.

R

[rob love]

Originally Posted by 45jim

I took the last Sherman still on strength from LETE where it was used as a tug. Turret removed, it had been previously modified to mount magnets for range clearance and then relegated to hauling stuck vehicles. We got it to use as a power pack doner for our Sherman restoration in Calgary with the Strathcona's. It had CFR plates on it, we got the maintenance log books and had to do a normal vehicle transfer to get it. It was then struck off strength in Calgary. It was just before LETE closed, about 1994. I think I have some photos about. I'll have to ask about its current disposition, but I imagine Cold Lake or Wainwright to replace vehicles we removed for parts or restoration. So about 48 years, for a vehicle still listed as an "A" echelon vehicle.

With many of the M113A1s having a build date of 1966 to 1968, they are already at the 45 year mark and still climbing. Sure they have been upgraded to A2 and now A3 status, but they are still in that age range.

I remember that yellow Sherman when I was in Gagetown in 1980. I believe it went to Sarcee later to help clear the ranges I believe, and then to LETE.