Military Archaeology

Tiger in the Cold

http://english.pravda.ru/russia/history/28-09-2005/8978-tank-0

 

Interesting article, thanx Za! But I always thought all the Porsche versions were turned into Ferdinands??

 

Pillbox For Sale Not sure if this is for real or scam...!

 

I take it you'll be inviting us all to the housewarming party...?

 

yep it'll be a bring a bren party....

 

You know, I'm almost tempted to email them! I know a bird called 'Bren' too btw!
Having said that, there's a 1950s vintage ROC elevated Orlit post in farmland about ten miles from here that would make a great observatory.The deck's about ten feet off the ground and surrounded by a four foot parapet, the 'office' could be used for a gas stove for cooking, and there would be enough room on the deck for a telescope and a little dome tent for shelter.
No-one for company but the cows below and the stars above. Now, where's my lottery ticket?..........
This is it-
Claylands Post

Found this snippet too-
New Battlefield Archaeology Centre established

[ 10. May 2006, 10:18 AM: Message edited by: The_Historian ]

 

Received some pics today of the very rare Tett Turret - two examples still hanging on at the site of RAF Hornchurch.

More Photos on this link.

 

Good pics, Ian. Was that one of the ones Two Men in a Trench discovered on site a couple of years back?

 

yes they are, from what I can make out there's only 6 still intact in the whole UK and these 2 are probably the best preserved.

Ian

 

Gordon,

Our pillbox is not that 'plush'! And you wouldn't get many more people than you and the bird called Bren in there for your house warming!!

It is, however, a genuine offer if anyone is interested. It will only be sold on the undertaking that it will be appreciated for what it is.

Will D

 

"Compact and bijou" is good, Will!
It's certainly a good piece of enterprise on your part.
1)Does the deal include access rights over third party land?
2)What's the building's "listed" status, if any?
3) What does the local planning dept's area guide say about development? Is it likely to remain a green belt site indefinitely?
4) What kind of price are you looking for? I'm in Scotland, so it's out for me unfortunately.

 

Thought we had a potential buyer on the hook there for a moment.....

 

Steady Martin! It's just research, you understand.....

 

Gordon,

1) The pill box has direct access onto the road so no access issues

2)No, it's not listed

3) Haven't asked them specifically. We are not looking to sell it for development. Am sure you'd appreciate, it is an important peice of military history and the last thing we want is for it to be lost in a sea of development

4) Happy to talk figures with anyone but not sure it's appropriate for an open forum at this point

Actually have been surprised by the level of interest in this so thanks to all that have looked at the site and emailed.

Will

 

interesting, we would probrably like to know more eventually

 

Two for the price of one today-
Suspected wartime aircraft dump at Kenley to be excavated

Mustang crash site in Northumberland to be excavated

 

Gordon,

They keep Air Historians frothing at the mouth in Australia with the "eldorado" of disposal sites like this near old airfields.

Sadly not much has turned up but with England being so much smaller, there would be less space to dispose of them.

I hope something surfaces in good enough knick to be of value.

 

Ali,
I hope they're right too. So many thousands of aircraft were dumped at sea at the war's end, this would be like hitting the mother lode. My mouth waters every time I see pictures of those vast aircraft scrapyards in the States.
Is there much in the way of surviving fortifications down under?

 

I'm sure the Kenley 'dig' will be great fun for those involved, but I doubt that there'll be much in the way of useful stuff to be found ( the 'on the surface' Spitfire was retrieved from Kenley many years ago ).

Recent digs in the UK have revealed that - finally - WWII alloys seem to be degrading very quickly now ; in just a short while there will be hardly anything of value or interest left to salvage.

 

Gordon,

The only reference I have seen, outside of the Major Ports Fortifications, was to some Tank Traps/Dragons teeth outside of Newcastle in NSW.

I would assume our major defence works would have been around Darwin and in the monsoonal weather they would dissapear quickly.

I just read an article about Airframes Assemblies digging up Buckingham Palace Rd to recover a Hurricane which crashed there in 1940, did much come of this??