John Kettler Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 This is a great thread I found while trying to prove the "Flying Dustbin" was a HESH projectile. It has all sorts of fascinating material on the AVRE in combat, to include Royal Engineer dismounts and associated demo charges.http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/petard-mortar.12880/ Regards, John Kettler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver_88 Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 (edited) Cheers for that, just an couple good new bits and dits though to be honest. "Was it an successful design" someone asks, well had it been an complete failure I doubt we would have continued to field AVRE's in our armed forces up to the present day. I've read Major-General Tony Youngers book "Blowing Our Bridges", theres an small chapter about the invasion, he commanded 26 Assault Squadron. During an exercise they assaulted some beach on the Isle of Weight and destroyed the sea wall there (turn some of it into rubble so they could mount it and drive along and exit the beach that way) and later after the war some civil servant sent him personally an bill for the repair work to the sea wall. Another attachment that the AVRE could use was named the Boase Bangalore, according to the book was invented by Dickie Boase who was at the time of the invasion the commander for 3 Troop of 26 Assault Squadron. Jimmy Henry was the 2 Troop commander and Ray Mare was the 4 Troop commander. I would rather like some more attachments the AVRE in game, such as fascines for crossing small gaps, bobbins laying down mat on soft terrain to improve vehicles chances against bogging down. To be honest anything that gives my Sappers (armoured or not) more tasks sounds good to me. Edited March 7, 2018 by Oliver_88 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 (edited) Oliver_88, Having just gone through the thread, again I see my memory was faulty. Again. Evidently it conflated the few personal accounts with a lot of information from unit histories, general military history, Hobart's Funnies, newsreels and more. Nor was the situation helped by maddening repeats. The headline for the situation you describe: "He Blew It Up During the War, But Now The Ministry of Public Works Has Billed Him for Damages! Never heard of a Boase Bangalore, but the US had a huge ( as much as 400' bangalore torpedo called the Snake, which was pushed by a Sherman fitted with special brackets. Complete fiasco! We are supposed to get more Funnies (already have the Crab flail tank and, I believe, the Crocodile) in the second and final, Vehicle Pack for CMBN, along with such wonders as LVTs. Regards, John Kettler Edited March 7, 2018 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 (edited) All is not lost, though, for I found this great period newsreel clip of AVREs on exercise in a bunch of configurations. This says all that needs to be said regarding why I don't build tank models anymore: cost, dexterity, painting skill, etc., etc., etc. All are here. The AVRE proper is a marvel, but I do not believe his figure painting is anywhere nearly of that caliber. This is from the perspective of having been to some figure painting shows and seen what someone really skilled can do. That said, even when I had relatively steady hands, this level of work would've been beyond me. Also found this little ordnance gem via some digging. Monty visits the Glasgow plant where they make the Flying Dustbin! Sourcing here. Was amazed to read they made 230,000, never mind in 14 months! Details at http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSA00880 Regards, John Kettler Edited March 7, 2018 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Paddy :- "Field Marshall, does yer wife Betty know that yer wents up ta Glasgow to watch the lassies bending over in the factory?" Monty :- "Any more of that Sgt. and you'll be meeting your Catholic god far sooner than you think." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 Warts 'n' all, Funny! My immediate thought was what would've happened had it been Patton visiting, omnipresent cigar in mouth. Absolutely love pics taken at munitions plants because they show a side of war we seldom see, one surprisingly intimate. My favorite is the one of the man on the ladder ladling TNT into a 11,000 pound TALL BOY bomb of the type used to wreck the Tirpitz. Regards, John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver_88 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, John Kettler said: My favorite is the one of the man on the ladder ladling TNT into a 11,000 pound TALL BOY bomb of the type used to wreck the Tirpitz. Got an link? Though I think the most dangerous thing about that situation may just be falling from the ladder to be honest. Not to ruin the fun in that image for you though. Though from what I have read (sorry to say have no professional experience) in some military engineering manuals (both modern-ish and from the war) state TNT as being rather insensitive to shock/impact. And need another small bang to occur first in order to make them in turn go bang, hence the use of detonators and blasting caps. ETA: But here's me presuming the fun in that image is it being some perilousness situation, dropping the TNT from the ladder and etc. And me there giving some kinda boring lecture that could just amount to "suck eggs". When the fun is probably rather about the size of the bomb and that they've got to get up an ladder just to put the explosive into the thing. Edited March 8, 2018 by Oliver_88 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver_88 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, John Kettler said: Oliver_88, Having just gone through the thread, again I see my memory was faulty. Again. Evidently it conflated the few personal accounts with a lot of information from unit histories, general military history, Hobart's Funnies, newsreels and more. Nor was the situation helped by maddening repeats. The headline for the situation you describe: "He Blew It Up During the War, But Now The Ministry of Public Works Has Billed Him for Damages! Never heard of a Boase Bangalore, but the US had a huge ( as much as 400' bangalore torpedo called the Snake, which was pushed by a Sherman fitted with special brackets. Complete fiasco! We are supposed to get more Funnies (already have the Crab flail tank and, I believe, the Crocodile) in the second and final, Vehicle Pack for CMBN, along with such wonders as LVTs. Regards, John Kettler Ah interesting. I was wondering about getting an Buffalo in CM, though would that pack for CMBN just provide them for the Americans? Given the dates that separate CMBN and CMFB? And that sounds similar to the Boase Bangalore indeed. I've not been able to find any actual images for you showing them on an Churchill unfortunately (just this and this). Do not know whether they were ever used and worked in anger against any soft french sand dunes either, but Tony Younger mentions that tests with them succeeded and they became part their equipment. Edited March 8, 2018 by Oliver_88 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 7 hours ago, John Kettler said: Funny! My immediate thought was what would've happened had it been Patton visiting, The Lassie would've decked him with one punch. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted March 8, 2018 Author Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) Oliver_88, Am certain I've posted the image before, probably years ago, but so far, am bust on finding the photo (tried Google, DuckDuckGo and Bing), which is both ludicrous and enchanting simultaneously. The man is atop a frighteningly tall stepladder, ladle in hand, essentially spoonfeeding this gigantic state-of-the-art super bomb. The contrast between this ordnance marvel and manually filling it while perilously perched is extraordinary. Steve confirmed LVTs, but I have no hope for getting Terrapins. Learned about them in Patrick Delaforce's excellent Marching to the Sound of Gunfire: North-West Europe 1944-1945. Delaforce was in the thick of it from D-Day +4. The book below has some wonderful pen and ink sketches, including among them the Terrapin.https://www.amazon.com/Marching-Sound-Gunfire-North-West-Europe/dp/1783462647/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=&dpID=61nLF8FfUcL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=detail Regards, John Kettler Edited March 8, 2018 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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