British Airborne Jeeps Suez 1956

[simon king]

Anybody know anything about the British Airborne jeeps fitted with some sort of recoilless rifles used at Suez?

The back seems to have been cut out and a barrel clamp fitted on the scuttle in front of the passenger seat. There are newsreel pictures shown on the Pathe site of such a vehicle being loaded onto an aircraft carrier at the end of the "adventure". Does anybody know what sort of weapon was fitted.

I only ask because my jeep - ex British Army first road registered 1960 - had had the back panel cut out, had airborne modifications and had had some sort of weapon fitted on a pintle mount in the centre of the vehicle. In addition. there was an overall coat of sand paint below numerous green layers.

I had always assumed the back panel had been cut out in it's civilian life to make a pick-up - but the picture I have seen now points to the fact that it might have been done during its military service.

Any ideas - details of British modifications seem pretty sparce and details of post war modifications seem non-existent

Thanks

[simon king]

I've had a note back from the Parachute Regiment museum at Duxford to confirm that it is a 106mm recoilless rifle - although they only have photos of them fitted to Champs and Landys

Here's a jeep with the back cut out - in service at Suez

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=32457

2.23 into the film

anybody know more - especially how the weapon was mounted?

And does anybody here own 48YJ48 now?

[Barry Hampton]

Simon, thats a good clip. If yours was converted post war to carry a 106, thats pretty rare. Theres B*gger all info on airborne conversions of any age. The IWM archives sometimes throws up a few pics.