Spasm

Yes, it was quite fun but never realised that you don't get much time to look round as the stall/tent was quite busy during the weekend. A nice show in the Somerset countryside with quite a few USMC and 101st people about.

Thanks Peter and yes, just about 3 weeks, the real work starts now....

Rogi, no idea where they are going but if you fancy one you can have one for the price of a new Aston Martin. A choice of three - go for the green one  (you'll need an engine though but they do deliver)

http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicle/,95,/77744/Sea_King.htm

Thanks Rogi, I hope it reminds him of his work with the Junglies (as the Sea Kings been retired too now) for a while to come.  

Another leaving do da for a Retiree from 848 Squadron Commando Helicopter Force over the weekend. An ex Para Major was heard to say that he may give up drink the next morning. 

A Sea King heli tail rotor tip painted for him to keep forever. I can imagine him in years to come with his packet of Werther's Originals and Grandchild on his knee who asks what this is replies "Well, there I was surrounded...."

Attended the annual Dig for Victory Show last weekend (11th/12th June). A small WW2 show held annually at the North Somerset Showground and well worth a visit to see a Sherman zooming around, anti aircraft fire at night to see off "Ze Germans" and a Battle of Britain pair (Spitfire and Hurricane this year) flying overhead.

We had a great weekend meeting a few old friends and making some new ones. Here's our new show tent with a Lovat Scout in conversation with the Admin Staff (big thanks to her for helping out and putting up with military talk all weekend.

Thanks Frank 

100 years ago

Leading Stoker J.G. Langford served aboard HMS Superb during WW1

Here's his awards along with my painting of the 18,600 ton Bellerophon Class Dreadnought HMS Superb during the Battle of Jutland.

 http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/remembrance/ww1-centenary/jutland-100/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwhN-6BRCJsePgxru9iIwBEiQAI8rq82naHczlxOAFfa2SjzZb7QLePd2WcV0g5SNaMv8L9QMaAtmY8P8HAQ 

Peter is quite right. This is a copy of the original postcard design by Bruce Bairnsfather (an Officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regt.).

The publisher Bystander produced sets of postcards called "Fragments from France" that were Bairnsfather's illustrations of Old Bill's 'adventures' in the trenches - sometimes based on Bairnsfather's actual experiences. Each set contained 6 postcards, there were 9 sets in total.

This one, called AD Nineteen Fifty was included in set 4. A pretty good copy but you can see some changes from the original. Just as a note - Gouache is a type of paint, similar to watercolour but very opaque (the colour you mix is the colour you get on the paper).  

A presentation rotor blade to the CO of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps based at Dishforth as a commemoration of the Regiment's disbandment this year. The blade is from a Lynx helicopter that flew with the Squadrons within the Regiment. Best of luck to them all.

An older mark of the Lynx helicopter tail rotor blade also dedicated to the Army Air Corps. The central design is based upon their Guidon complete with battle honours. Their historic regiment's badges are also included.

I'm pretty sure that both of these daggers are made from parts. The second one without scabbard definitely. Although I'm sure they are precious to you as belonging to your father, as collector's pieces they are erm, sorry...pretty bad. Most of these daggers were manufactured before the war when mass production was in it's infancy, daggers like these were expensive and made by hand. Each dagger was fitted together very carefully and individually, there were no gaps or errors, each handle was finished to perfection. An original untouched SA or SS dagger is really quite a beautiful thing to hold. 

The blade RZM markings were a sort of quality check on later manufactured daggers - probably being used from about 1934 onwards. The 807/36 marked blade is the SS contract number followed by the year of manufacture i.e. 1936 while the M7/36 marked blade is the manufacturer's code made by E&F Horster of Solingen.

Have a look here on the description of SS daggers

https://www.lakesidetrader.com/Education/Meine-Ehre-heisst-Treue/

Welcome to GMIC. Any chance you can take a few close up photos so the makers marks can be seen clearly. Ta.  

Les, thanks for that. 

I did try acid (I think it was brick cleaner from a builder's merchants) a long time ago trying to get chrome off of bike bits and pieces without success. In fact, I was left with a bucket full of some pretty nasty gloop (caused some doubts on how to dispose of) and some badly pitted bike bits (I think the acid ate the steel quicker than it ate the chrome). I also tried the electro method with a battery charger on some other stuff (after being advised to go that way) - another failure and another large bucket of gloop and chrome still in place. I found the best method was to go talk to a chrome plating firm with the few bits and bobs I had left.

I'm glad it works for you but I don't think I'll be getting many more chrome helmets and the bikes I have left will be stripped down and sold off as bits (no one seems to have any money for whole second hand chops and street fighters any more).

As it was a helmet I went for the elbow grease method as it was free, I wouldn't cause an erm... episode with the Admin Staff over using anything in the least harmful (the instructions on the paint stripper was read to me more than once) and I could sort it there and then - well over a few hours.

I would be interested in seeing your chrome removal process though as you never know what might come up in the future.

Steve

Chris - a layer of black bitumen paint applied to stick to the chrome underneath.

The black bitumen came right off with paint remover, thinners and acid burnt fingers and wrists. No matter if you wear gloves the fingers split whilst rubbing and splashes always get over the wrists. Takes a while to start burning until there's the jumping about stage ripping the gloves off and running hands under the tap.

Then the chrome took mechanical sanding - a drill with attachments to get through the chrome to the nickel layer. Done carefully so as to not wear into the helmet metal itself. Sanded smooth by hand then primed and paint. 

Really nice helmet that still has the rolling mill stamp so well worth the effort to keep it alive. But a lot of work I must admit.

The chroming was probably done in the 70s as it was done on nickel and pretty thick. As it's quite difficult to paint chrome someone had, some years later, applied the bitumen a sponge liner, some string for a chin strap and some hand drawn card SS runes on each side - probably to attend some fancy dress party. Remember these things were pretty cheap in the 70s. I will even admit to having an SS dagger that I found in a market for sale that I then welded to the sissy bar of my bike!!!!!!!!  

Thanks for that Peter, Have had a quick look (seems like I've seen some of the pictures before) and will have another wander around and maybe give them a nudge

Thanks Gents. Lots of elbow grease in that one but, as you say, worth it to bring it back to life.

Knock away Chris, looks like you have room now.

Struggling Peter, struggling. But we'll get there one day. Thank you and happy whatsits to you too.

An original German M16 helmet maker stamped TJ66 - made by C.Thiel & Sohne of Lubeck and size 66. In the crown is the stamped steel rolling mill number R1426 - Stahlwerk Rochling of Volkingen. When I obtained this helmet it was covered in a horrible bituminous paint with cardboard SS runes glued to each side, underneath I found that it had been chrome plated, probably in the 60s or 70s by some bad boy biker.

I've removed the bituminous paint, chrome plating and then painted as an aged camouflaged machine gunner's helmet and added a replacement liner and chinstrap aged to match. Turned out quite nice I think. 

One of only two in the whole world and the hiker received a certificate of appreciation and will be happy to maybe see it in a museum one day. Blimey, well done her.

Thanks Mil and welcome to the forum, nice to have you here 

Had to

Russian and looks to be redone with a Leningrad liner (probably during the siege). Pretty rare if it is and worth quite a bit of money. Horrible though I agree.

Paul, yes, South Norwood just the place for old Vets to get a free Gin or two. But taking her indoors along shows some vinegar. 

The clasps look good but with the straight hanging bar and the obverse detail not looking like Victoria's profile or the reverse of her placing the laurel on Wellington's head.

Given the date of the photo it must be though I suppose. 

I've been searching around some early photography and came across this image on Wikimedia Ambrotypes. It has a French title from the Archives de la photographie 1840-1940. It reads Anonyme Un veteran et sa femme (A veteran and his wife). I'm assuming the medal is a GSM Peninsula (as title refers) but as it is a French picture could it be something else? Such a great picture worth showing - assuming borrowing the picture from Wiki doesn't mean I've got to go hide in an Embassy. 

Close up

Jerry, yes, I went to see a friend at the fair. Only a small fair but very friendly with some interesting stuff.. He has convinced me to display (and maybe sell) some of my artwork at the next one. I'll be there on 22nd May.

I'll probably pay another visit to the museum to get a second look, well worth a visit just to see the snow capped mountains and feel that Northerly breeze down the valley - brrrrrrrr. 

By the way, isn't the Union Flag displayed wrongly?  

And an original letter written by one of the survivors written the day after the battle: