Our New (Adopted) 2pounder Family Member

[Mike]

PS: I grew up in Westfield.... as a kid I delighted in the one "cool old guy" in town who drove around M-F in a perfectly preserved Willy's. Radio, gerry Cans, Shovel, axe and pick.... full kit.

On the weekends he drove an M-43 Track........ now THAT raised a few eyebrows when it went by! ;>)

I have been working on 2 other deals for the last 6 years ..I HOPE that I can get them , we'll see.

One old Timer has an original covered with dust DUKW sitting in a Barn next to a 1943 MB (Willys) Jeep ..he told me when he's ready , they are mine ...trouble is , I've been ready for years ...he's still not ready. I've offered him money but , he won't take it ...he says I'll get them when his time comes.

Another Older Gent in upstate NY has a complete 1943 White HalfTrack in unreal running condition sitting in his Garage (big Garage) ..he bought it from Sarafan (MV Dealers) because it "Looked Neat" and he always wanted one ...he is not a Collector , just thought it was cool ..last year it looked like I would buy it but , he also said he's not ready to part with it yet

What's with these Collectors ?? Why do they keep stuff ?? .....uhh ...never mind

[Stogieman]

Hi Mike, I don't think they qualify as "collectors".... accumulators & pack-rats maybe.... they sound like my Dad... keep everything, you might need it someday!

[Mike]

Hey Mike, Ronnie's Ice Cream on Southbridge Street (Route 12) iis still there, but no Ronnie's on 20 (??????) Maybe I'm confused a bit! We can ask The (Truly) Evil Twin?.... but I don't think he gets out of the cave too much!

That's the one , close to where 12 & 20 meet ...the old Drive In Theater is down on the left ...New England Seafood , I miss it

Because of our Mess Hall schedule ..(7 days a week for 4 years now) I don't get to visit Worcester that often ...sometimes I don't even have time for the Hobby . So if you guys don't see me around for a while , I'm not MIA ..just tied up in the Kitchen

Speaking of Food ...gotta run...have to feed the Troops

[Stogieman]

Mike, thanks for showing your equipment and the fun reminisce of the local "flavor"!

[Mike]

Mike, thanks for showing your equipment and the fun reminisce of the local "flavor"!

Reminisce ?? ..There's no reminiscing on your end because you guys can have Tartar Sauce on your fingers in a matter of minutes ....All I can do IS reminisce because the only way I'll find Ipswich Fried Clams around here is if I "GOOGLE" 'em .. I'm jealous.

I'm glad you liked the pics ...for years now I've used (and loaned) parts of my collection for Public displays and ..it seems that the MV Vehicles and Larger items (Belt Feds etc) always attract the most attention . In a way , it bothers me a little but ..I guess that's the way the "Public" is. You can put out a fantastic named grouping with the Soldiers pictures Medals etc , and they'll walk right past it to look at the Panzerschreck or MG42. There's a well known TV show that borrows items from me ...they were doing a special segment comparing Saddams on-going Trial to the Nuremberg Trials. I have a friend who was one of the interrogators for the War Trials and I'm very lucky to have most of his documents/ID's/signed depositions/verbatim interrogations ..I have 4- 3" binders full of these orig Trial documents. Well ...they wanted to borrow a "stack" so they could look through and pick out a few items to show ...but they only had about 20 seconds available for covering the documents. I don't feel there's anyway they could properly represent the Nuremberg Trials or the Documents in a 20 second window .. these are not common items and I won't have them treated like "film props" ..so , I would not loan them out.

Maybe some Collectors wouldn't agree with my "attitude" on this but , I feel that since we are the "Custodians" of these items ..we do have an obligation to make sure (if they are used) they are used properly . When the Public views a WW2 display or visits a Military Museum ..they should leave with a better understanding and hopefully will have learned more about the subject than they knew when they first walked in the door ....I hope you don't think that's "snobbish" of me ..maybe I'm being too protective.

[Mike]

Thought you'd like to see how it came out . I changed the wheel bearings , new Tyres ..steam cleaned it and Zink Primer then OD

[Mike]

I did find a 1941 British sight that fits (No33 MkIIs) but , I think it's a Tank sight. Still looking for the Ammo Box and a Seat.

[Mike]

A Friend drove mine the West Point 4th of July Parade ...while I drove his.

I had to get back in the Mess Hall so , I'm still in my "whites" ..nobody could tell or even looked , that's a lot of Steel around me.

Edited September 4, 2006 by Mike

[Mike]

I wish the people in front of us stopped tossing out Candy because the Kids kept running in front of me ..and Half Tracks don't have modern power brakes ..

[Mike]

I already had a Veterans group ask if they could use it for a Parade next year ...it's great seeing these vehicles enjoyed , and the interest in WW2

[Chris Boonzaier]

I guess when you are towing one f those you seldom get some A-Hole tailgating you when he thinks you are to slow ;-)

[Stogieman]

Hi Mike! Nice to see these again and nice job on the cannon. Mess Hall?? PM me when you have a moment.... ;>)

Nice 'Track!

[Mike]

Thanks Guys ..I'm really glad I found it .

..you're right Chris , not that many people want to follow that close ...but when they pass , it's all smiles and thumbs up .

Guess they aren't use to seeing a Chef driving a WW2 Jeep with and Anti Tank Gun everyday ...sounds NORMAL to me

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I was thinking of painting this on my Armor Shield but ..that wouldn't go with a WW2 vintage Gun ...unless I changed "Iraqi" to "Japanese"