Norman D. Landing

[earlymb]

Hi Ken,

 

you could set up a nice side hustle, buying the brick sealer from the manufacturer and sell under your own brand with a 300% mark-up 😇

 

Just get James May or Richard Hammond as a spokes person and you're good to go 😆

 

I did buy the snake oil too though and I'll first use it at the underside of the tub as that will be the first section to get a few coats of OD, before I turn my attention to the chassis.

[General Apathy]

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Well it's rained non-stop today . . . . . 

 

a short amusing phone exchange today while in the cafe having coffee . . . . . . .

 

My phone rang while we had coffee and it was another local friend phoning to confirm our rendezvous for later in the afternoon, the conversation went thus . . . . . . . .

 

Hi Ken, just phoning to move this afternoon's rendezvous to 13h45, is that ok with you,  Yes that's fine.  Are you in the cafe having coffee and did you go in the Jeep,  yes the Jeep is sat out the front of the cafe', well it's pouring down of rain at our house, that's funny, it's also pouring down of rain outside the cafe . . . . . . . . 🙀

 

Anyway moving on to the rendezvous this afternoon it was a lunch for a mixed meeting of French and English collectors, The French guy sat across the table from me showed me a photo of his latest field find.

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 26  2025.

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[General Apathy]

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I decided to put on a different watch today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

As I was having lunch today with French and English collectors I decided to wear one of my watches I hadn't worn for a while and which might interest the French collectors.  It was made post war in 1945 by the German firm of STOWA and intended for use by the ' Armee Francaise ' as war reparations .

 

I showed it to the French collectors at lunch and came home, as I was sat here typing the previous post the watch became slack on my wrist and fell to the desk, the strap had become unglued and fell from my wrist, extremely lucky it happened indoors this evening, if it had of happened outdoors in the dark I may well not have felt that and lost it.  !!!!!

 

Amusing that it is German manufacture, inscribed on the rear ' Armee Francais ' in French,  and surrounded by ' Stainless Steel Back - Waterproof - Anti-Magnetic, in English.   

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 26  2025.

...

  

[BryanJ]

As I sit at home recovering from cataract and glaucoma surgery, and trying to figure out how to read again inasmuch as my near and far glasses prescriptions have totally changed, I realized that by popping out one lens in my glasses, I could read again somewhat, until my second eye was “fixed” and stabilized sufficiently to begin reading again.  So, because my ophthalmologist has restricted bending, stooping, lifting, yawning, coughing, scratching, etc., I’ve had time to read several outstanding books about the British SAS during WWII, namely Rogue Heroes, The Phantom Major (about the founder of the SAS David Sterling) and the biography “Paddy Mayne”.  These three books are amazing, in that if you want to learn about how Jeeps were utilized to their utmost capability during WWII, these books reflect that.  If you want to learn about the fearlessness of some very eccentric British/Scottish/Irish soldiers, read these books.  If you’re a yank like me, and you’ve never read WWII history from British, small unit, first person accounts, read these books.  After reading these three marvelous books, I’ve decided that if I can ever arrange a trip to the UK to research my Scottish/Irish ancestry, I most definitely want to visit Newtownards, Northern Ireland, to pay my respects to Blair “Paddy” Mayne, because he might be the most heroic figure I’ve read about during WWII.  You like Jeeps, read these books, and if you guys have ever collected any SAS memorabilia, please post photos.

[Johan Willaert]

Sunny day here today, think about the first one this year...
So got the Jeep out to run some errands...
Funny comment of a friend when I sent him this photo...
He said "Hey look, all original Jeep parked during WW2 and since a tree has grown in it.... " 😄

 

[mikie]

1 hour ago, BryanJ said:

As I sit at home recovering from cataract and glaucoma surgery, and trying to figure out how to read again inasmuch as my near and far glasses prescriptions have totally changed, I realized that by popping out one lens in my glasses, I could read again somewhat, until my second eye was “fixed” and stabilized sufficiently to begin reading again.  So, because my ophthalmologist has restricted bending, stooping, lifting, yawning, coughing, scratching, etc., I’ve had time to read several outstanding books about the British SAS during WWII, namely Rogue Heroes, The Phantom Major (about the founder of the SAS David Sterling) and the biography “Paddy Mayne”.  These three books are amazing, in that if you want to learn about how Jeeps were utilized to their utmost capability during WWII, these books reflect that.  If you want to learn about the fearlessness of some very eccentric British/Scottish/Irish soldiers, read these books.  If you’re a yank like me, and you’ve never read WWII history from British, small unit, first person accounts, read these books.  After reading these three marvelous books, I’ve decided that if I can ever arrange a trip to the UK to research my Scottish/Irish ancestry, I most definitely want to visit Newtownards, Northern Ireland, to pay my respects to Blair “Paddy” Mayne, because he might be the most heroic figure I’ve read about during WWII.  You like Jeeps, read these books, and if you guys have ever collected any SAS memorabilia, please post photos.

Since I started on my insane Bren gun project a year ago, I’ve been dipping more into British-side war history. Paddy Mayne was a remarkable soldier. Thanks for the book recommendations. 
I started a topic about building my dummy Bren on WMF if you want to check it out. I don’t have anything specifically SAS but they certainly used Brens. 
Not US, but hey, you asked…
mikie

[BryanJ]

Nice project!

[General Apathy]

18 hours ago, mikie said:

Since I started on my insane Bren gun project a year ago, I’ve been dipping more into British-side war history. Paddy Mayne was a remarkable soldier. Thanks for the book recommendations. 
I started a topic about building my dummy Bren on WMF if you want to check it out. I don’t have anything specifically SAS but they certainly used Brens. 
Not US, but hey, you asked…
mikie

.

hi mikie,

 

When I was at school aged twelve one of our form masters had a full Bren-gun on top of a storage cupboard, we were never allowed to touch it, and it would have been necessary to have stood on a desk to reach it.  Being twelve we neither had cameras in school or had the fore-thought to question the tutor about it, or the reason he had it in school on display. It may well have been a fully operational weapon as most of our tutors would have been ex-forces at that time. ( certainly Mr. Schilliam we always considered to have been an ex-SS member )

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent,  January 28  2025.

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[General Apathy]

19 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

Sunny day here today, think about the first one this year...
So got the Jeep out to run some errands...
Funny comment of a friend when I sent him this photo...
He said "Hey look, all original Jeep parked during WW2 and since a tree has grown in it.... " 😄

 

.

Hi Johan.

 

probably a couple of times in the past I have made mention of a friend back in the late 80's,  that he was driving to work one day and the windscreen started moving closer to his head as the frame under the body buckled and collapsed.  

 

Move on some several years and I was sat in my Jeep waiting to board a ferry in Cherbourg heading back to the UK. A couple of guys approached me and said that some years earlier they had found a Jeep on a farm and had to cut down a large size tree that had grown up through the floor just behind the front seats.  They sold it to someone that lived in the area I lived in and I realised that they were talking about Dave, who's Jeep had collapsed one day on the way to work.  Dave religiously resprayed his Jeep every year to make it look like a fresh restoration, however he only resprayed the upper visible body area and paid no attention to the frame.   He sprayed it so often that any areas that met at 90 degrees became 45 degrees with the build up of paint. 

 

Another time he phoned for help from the carpark of a supermarket, the old original cotton covering on the wiring under his dash had overheated and set on fire and he couldn't start or drive it.  I drove over to help him and he was expecting a tow home, I took a pair of wire cutters and chopped a length of the damaged wiring and hot wired it for him so he could drive it home.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 28  2025.

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[General Apathy]

21 hours ago, BryanJ said:

As I sit at home recovering from cataract and glaucoma surgery, and trying to figure out how to read again inasmuch as my near and far glasses prescriptions have totally changed, I realized that by popping out one lens in my glasses, I could read again somewhat, until my second eye was “fixed” and stabilized sufficiently to begin reading again.  So, because my ophthalmologist has restricted bending, stooping, lifting, yawning, coughing, scratching, etc., I’ve had time to read several outstanding books about the British SAS during WWII, namely Rogue Heroes, The Phantom Major (about the founder of the SAS David Sterling) and the biography “Paddy Mayne”.  These three books are amazing, in that if you want to learn about how Jeeps were utilized to their utmost capability during WWII, these books reflect that.  If you want to learn about the fearlessness of some very eccentric British/Scottish/Irish soldiers, read these books.  If you’re a yank like me, and you’ve never read WWII history from British, small unit, first person accounts, read these books.  After reading these three marvelous books, I’ve decided that if I can ever arrange a trip to the UK to research my Scottish/Irish ancestry, I most definitely want to visit Newtownards, Northern Ireland, to pay my respects to Blair “Paddy” Mayne, because he might be the most heroic figure I’ve read about during WWII.  You like Jeeps, read these books, and if you guys have ever collected any SAS memorabilia, please post photos.

.

Hi BryanJ,

 

wishing you a fast and speedy recovery, cataract operations are almost common place these days and highly successful, I don't wish to degrade the procedure you underwent as I dread the thought of it myself . . . . . . . . . . . I'm no hero.  !!!!

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 28 2025.

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[mikie]

21 hours ago, Johan Willaert said:

Sunny day here today, think about the first one this year...
So got the Jeep out to run some errands...
Funny comment of a friend when I sent him this photo...
He said "Hey look, all original Jeep parked during WW2 and since a tree has grown in it.... " 😄

 

It looks to me as if you were taking the tree for a ride. 😁

[General Apathy]

.

Photos from a documentary  . . . . . . . . .

 

A couple of evenings ago I re-watched a very interesting documentary about the German V-1 ( Doodlebugs ) and the V-2 bombing of the UK, and how it was dealt with by the British with use of  fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft artillery, barrage balloons, and later bombing raids by  British and American on the factories and storage areas of the V-1's and ±V-2's. ( the documentary was ' V FOR VENGEANCE ' )

 

A very unusual image appeared during the documentary it showed a photograph of the houses of Parliament and in the foreground the remains of buildings on this side of the Thames.  I was interested in trying to find a photograph of the buildings prior to the bombed image shown in the documentary. (  The second photo shows these building from the Houses of Parliament pre WWII. )

 

Whilst searching I found images of American troops parading across Westminster bridge at wars end in 1919, and another postcard showing WWI tanks during the parade. 

 

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 29  2025.

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[General Apathy]

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Some friends might be guilty of planning-ahead, but maybe not. !!!!!

 

Today 29th of January I received FIVE Christmas cards from friends in the UK, it would be nice to think that they are planning eleven months ahead, but sadly NO, over a month late for Christmas despite costing £2.80 postage each card . . . . . . . . I have emailed and thanked each sender and suggested they discontinue posting cards, as much as it's nice to be remembered each December, I feel it is no longer value for money.  

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent 29 January 2025.

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[mikie]

FYI, my dear daughter Kassidy’s wedding is one week from TODAY!!! I’m not freaking out at all. Totally calm and relaxed. 😳😱😵‍💫🥴
Militaria related, I’m planning on having my Dad’s regimental DUI crest in my pocket or pinned on my tux. 
Speaking of which, three things I don’t like or are lousy at are giving speeches, dancing, and wearing suits. And I’ll have to do all three all together. But hey, anything for Kiddo. 

Mikie

[tthen]

1 hour ago, mikie said:

FYI, my dear daughter Kassidy’s wedding is one week from TODAY!!! I’m not freaking out at all. Totally calm and relaxed. 😳😱😵‍💫🥴
Militaria related, I’m planning on having my Dad’s regimental DUI crest in my pocket or pinned on my tux. 
Speaking of which, three things I don’t like or are lousy at are giving speeches, dancing, and wearing suits. And I’ll have to do all three all together. But hey, anything for Kiddo. 

Mikie

Hang in there Mikie, you'll do just fine. My daughter got married 20 years ago in May and I felt just as you do. I think all us dads go through something similar.

Congratulations and enjoy the moment, the next thing you know it's 20 years later.

 

Tom

[General Apathy]

1 hour ago, tthen said:

Hang in there Mikie, you'll do just fine. My daughter got married 20 years ago in May and I felt just as you do. I think all us dads go through something similar.

Congratulations and enjoy the moment, the next thing you know it's 20 years later.

 

Tom

.

Hello Tom,

 

Welcome and Thank you for joining in and offering mikie some support.   I became a stumbling wreck during father of the bride speech two years ago, but the assembled family and friends of the bride and groom saw that it was heartfelt and offered their sympathy and support.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 29  2025.

... 

 

 

[General Apathy]

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This kid has a father with good artistic and technical skills,  not just a Jeep BUT a Slat-Grille Willys Jeep . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Funny back in the day my two / three year old daughter enjoyed sitting in a cardboard carton, but I never dreamt of modelling a Jeep !!

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 29  2025.

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[BryanJ]

This forum always brings a smile to my face, and is a great way to start the day along with some Twinings (English) peppermint tea.  Mikie, congratulations with the upcoming wedding.  I promise whatever speech you make will be lovingly received by your daughter and guests.  Enjoy the day!  Lewis, it should be illegal for your son-in-law to have such great facial hair.  The last time I went to my barber I suggested he give me a discount for having so little to cut.  He replied NO, that he should in fact charge more, because he has to spend so much time searching for it.  Yaw’ll have a great day!

[earlymb]

10 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

This kid has a father with good artistic and technical skills,  not just a Jeep BUT a Slat-Grille Willys Jeep . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Funny back in the day my two / three year old daughter enjoyed sitting in a cardboard carton, but I never dreamt of modelling a Jeep !!

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 29  2025.

...

 

 

With a matching M1917A1 helmet to boot! 😊

 

 

It's in better shape than mine now anyway 😋

[General Apathy]

17 hours ago, mikie said:

FYI, my dear daughter Kassidy’s wedding is one week from TODAY!!! I’m not freaking out at all. Totally calm and relaxed. 😳😱😵‍💫🥴
Militaria related, I’m planning on having my Dad’s regimental DUI crest in my pocket or pinned on my tux. 
Speaking of which, three things I don’t like or are lousy at are giving speeches, dancing, and wearing suits. And I’ll have to do all three all together. But hey, anything for Kiddo. 

Mikie

.

Hi mikie,

 

If you get stuck on the catering arrangements I am willing to help out,

especially with supplying some of my home-made glazed doughnuts . . . . . . 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Catering Chef,  January 30  2025.

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[manayunkman]

12 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

This kid has a father with good artistic and technical skills,  not just a Jeep BUT a Slat-Grille Willys Jeep . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Funny back in the day my two / three year old daughter enjoyed sitting in a cardboard carton, but I never dreamt of modelling a Jeep !!

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 29  2025.

...

The cardboard box was my first apartment.

[manayunkman]

On 1/27/2025 at 12:57 PM, mikie said:

Since I started on my insane Bren gun project a year ago, I’ve been dipping more into British-side war history. Paddy Mayne was a remarkable soldier. Thanks for the book recommendations. 
I started a topic about building my dummy Bren on WMF if you want to check it out. I don’t have anything specifically SAS but they certainly used Brens. 
Not US, but hey, you asked…
mikie

Let’s go Bren Gun.

 

Looking like you’re ready for the wedding.

[General Apathy]

28 minutes ago, manayunkman said:

Let’s go Bren Gun.

 

Looking like you’re ready for the wedding.

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Hi Peter & mikie,

 

When my daughter was about sixteen I told her to keep this quote on her phone and show it to anyone who paid her attention and she was unappreciative of their attention . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, January 30 2025.

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[manayunkman]

I could use some glazed doughnuts on Sunday mornings. 

[mikie]

Here is a picture of my Dad’s New York State National Guard regimental collar insignia. He joined the Guard in the spring of 1940 and was assigned to the 10th NYNG Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. In December 1940, after the 27th was federalized, the 10th was renamed the 106th Infantry Regiment. He served with the 106th throughout the war. I found this in a box on his workbench in the basement. His uniform jacket had the 106th insignia. I wish I had saved the jacket. No idea what my brother did with it after I moved away. I wouldn’t mind having the workbench either. Not to mention a basement.