British Airborne Jeeps

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bobgourami
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British Airborne Jeeps

Post by bobgourami » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:33 am

I drove my Jeep to work yesterday and an older gentleman showed some interest, saying that he'd driven one during his time in the British Army. I thought you guys might be interested in the photgraphs he showed me.

He served in the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment from 1951-53 and these photographs were taken during that period near Ismailia, Egypt.

I think they're really interesting shots of British airborne Jeeps in the post war period. Note the mixture of tires and the wire cutter.... The last picture, he told me, is of a Jeep which was airdropped but the parachute failed to open. If you have any questions I can ask him next time he pops in.

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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by ironage » Mon Sep 26, 2011 1:07 pm

Excellent photos Mate, really interesting, imagine if you turned up at a show with odd tyres like that, the Jeep police would pull it apart!

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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by bobgourami » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:51 pm

Yeah the Jeep police would have a field day wouldn't they! I asked him about the odd mix of tires and he said "we didn't care about things like that". He was very proud of his particular Jeep and said he kept it running really nicely. It was numbered 13 and had its own parking space as you can see in the first pic.

I'm not sure how standardised airborne modified Jeeps were but these don't have side steps. Also, the front Jeep in the second and third pic's has a strangely shaped rear cross member?

To put the photos in a little historical context; Some 80,000 British troops were based in Egypt to protect Empire interests, namely the Suez canal.The immediate post war period saw rising tensions between the Egyptians and British over the military presence in the country. Violence towards British troops and citizens escalated. Ismailia was the location of a British base. In January 1952 the British suppressed an uprising by the local auxiliary police force. The events culminated in the eventual fall of King Farouk in July 1952, the withdrawal of British forces and the Suez Crisis of 1956.
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by AVG » Tue Sep 27, 2011 12:34 am

Interesting mods!
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by Steve Webb » Tue Sep 27, 2011 3:19 am

I know they cut down the front bumpers so they could load them onto C-47's to make the turn inside and they didn't have windshields and there were rifle mounts attached on top of the cowl. I'm suprised they don't have the coolant overflow tanks.
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by tipdog » Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:32 am

It appears they drilled holes in the rims too.

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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by gearhead » Tue Sep 27, 2011 9:53 am

Looks more like the wheel half bolts have been painted a dark "colour".
They do not appear to be "holes" to me anyway.

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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by gerrykan » Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:29 pm

The Common Wealth painted the bolts and nuts that split the wheel red so that they would not be confused with the lug nuts.
No big deal on a jeep, but the larger trucks had a much wider bolt pattern, placing the lug nuts closer to the wheel splitting nuts.
Very nasty things happen when you unbolt a two piece wheel under pressure.
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by AVG » Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:06 am

Just noticed the holes. Good eyes. :D
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by Luis » Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:03 am

Excellent Pics!! :shock:

Thanks for sharing!! :wink:
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by Luis » Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:27 am

Look this video http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=60309" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers :wink:
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by Luis » Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:23 am

And

http://www.suezcanalzone.com/pics04.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by bobgourami » Wed Sep 28, 2011 11:42 am

Thanks for the links..... there's another shot of the same flat Jeep on the page you posted

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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by Luis » Wed Sep 28, 2011 12:14 pm

Bob
I am very interested in the British Airborne Jeep because my willys 1945 will be configured in this way.
Now I have some parts, such as radio WS19 with all accessories.
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Re: British Airborne Jeeps

Post by horrocks » Thu Sep 29, 2011 12:50 am

interesting seeing the Jeep airdropped in the Pathe film. The fluids must have got pretty chased about. I bet they threw some smoke out when they were first started.
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