Bombardier ILTIS

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by rob love

Bushwhackers still count because they will still be available for military restoration later.

Note that I have made my feelings for the Iltis known before on this forum, so I would have to question why anyone would bother, other than as a remembrance of the decay that was allowed to happen to the readiness of the Cdn forces by the governing parties of the last half of the previous century. Remember that it was only 3 years ago we were selling off the leopards as cold war relics with no replacement. How many service guys sacrificed their lives while the procurement processes were rushed to provide the DND with actual fighting equipment. Even today the opposition still whines when contracts are let without bidding on sole sourced equipment.

Rant over.

I had a Jeep buddy years ago who had a very nice CJ7. He went as far as to get a Personalized Licence Plate that said "NOTAYJ", because he didn't want his CJ to be confused as a YJ, which were considered inferior because of a bunch of reasons, as well as most memorably having Square rather than Round Headlights. The YJ was probably the 1/4 Ton Jeep's single longest step towards a departure from the WWII design.

I had someone give me an "Iltis" Circuit Breaker the other day thinking he was doing me a favour. I asked him what I needed the part for, and he replied, "Its for your Iltis"..... Unfortunately, I can't fit all of the letters "NOTANILTIS" on a Personalized Licence Plate.

For me, not unlike Rob, the Iltis and especially the LSVW, represent the "Rust-Out" "Bob Fowler" dark days of the CF. I know there is a huge following for the Iltis, and i'm sure the LSVW too when it finally/thankfully hits the market. But its not just because of when/where/who made it, how much was paid for it, etc etc... I drove these things many many miles as a Sapper during the 1990s. More than (arguably) most around here. Unfortunately they were not reliable, and in some cases this lack of reliability either, left me stranded, embarassed in front of Canadian Citizens or other NATO Forces, and in one particular incident, in danger. You never forget those situations. Maybe as "Single Owner" vehicles, carefully looked after, they will provide troublefree service. Who knows.

But to draw another parallel in a different dimension; I was a tad too young to serve when the M151A2 was in the system, but I climbed around on them as a Cadet, so the memory was burned in. It may have been/was/is a complete piece of crap for all I knew, but I wanted one. Since I was really never shamed by one, and even though they were cut up, away I went and started collecting them. I think this describes a good portion of the Iltis owners (wether young or old) out there. Then there are the occasional guys I run into who also served in them that start the conversation with "I always hated these things, but......."

Sorry guys, I gave the Iltis Circuit Breaker to the first Iltis owner I happened to run into

Scotty