Norman D. Landing

[General Apathy]

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Jeep spotted in 1958 film shot in London.

 

A UK Jeeping friend was watching an old black and white movie dated 1958 filmed in London and he spotted a WWII Jeep parked at the side of the road near the Thames river.

It's not clear enough to see whether it is still a military or a civilian registered Jeep, In 1958 the British army were disposing of the last of the surviving Jeeps it had kept post WWII

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 17 May  2O26.

 

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[mikie]

4 hours ago, General Apathy said:

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While out in the Jeep I called into the Collins museum again today to see what progress had been made on the tank.

 

When I drove into the courtyard the turret was back on the tank, the ring gear had all been de-rusted and greased and it could now be turned around with a light one handed push on the stanchion legs of the crane.  Exterior painting was being carried out and I look forward to my next visit to see the finished painting.  Philippe had made some copies of wartime M31 shots and added some details to the photo's, and I took close-ups of these for posting here. 

 

Note the dark storm clouds in the first photo.  One of his sons had returned to the museum with three heavy chains a farmer had given him, and these will be used with the tank display

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 17 May  2O26.

 

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👍

Great to see this coming back to life! 
If there are any parts that ere missing, just have those gals knit them up 😁.

mikie

[Mr_Flibble]

So, I'm finally getting into (human-powered) WW2 two-wheelers. 
My latest project, the beginnings of a Mk.V bicycle. 

 

Found the original early-war brown paint under several layers of late-/post-war Olive Drab. 
It does have an ABL stamp, so it was used by the Belgian Army in the 1950s/60s.

The hunt is on for parts and accessories to turn it into a proper WW2-spec Mk.V. 
What have I gotten myself into this time?!  😄

And to keep this post US Militaria related:
US soldiers riding British (Mk.V*) bicycles along the French Riviera (as reproduced on a number of bicycle related pages, including Johan's ) 


 

[mikie]

6 hours ago, Mr_Flibble said:

So, I'm finally getting into (human-powered) WW2 two-wheelers. 
My latest project, the beginnings of a Mk.V bicycle. 

 

Found the original early-war brown paint under several layers of late-/post-war Olive Drab. 
It does have an ABL stamp, so it was used by the Belgian Army in the 1950s/60s.

The hunt is on for parts and accessories to turn it into a proper WW2-spec Mk.V. 
What have I gotten myself into this time?!  😄

And to keep this post US Militaria related:
US soldiers riding British (Mk.V*) bicycles along the French Riviera (as reproduced on a number of bicycle related pages, including Johan's ) 


 

👍

[earlymb]

7 hours ago, Mr_Flibble said:

So, I'm finally getting into (human-powered) WW2 two-wheelers. 
My latest project, the beginnings of a Mk.V bicycle. 

 

Found the original early-war brown paint under several layers of late-/post-war Olive Drab. 
It does have an ABL stamp, so it was used by the Belgian Army in the 1950s/60s.

The hunt is on for parts and accessories to turn it into a proper WW2-spec Mk.V. 
What have I gotten myself into this time?!  😄

And to keep this post US Militaria related:
US soldiers riding British (Mk.V*) bicycles along the French Riviera (as reproduced on a number of bicycle related pages, including Johan's ) 


 

 

We can search together, when the jeep is finished I'll continue  working on my Mk.V... what parts do you need?

 

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Beyond the frame, the front wheel, probably everything 😆

Rear carrier in the correct style.
Front Stirrup Brake Assembly. (Either vintage or Chinese reproductions).
Handle bars (current ones are pre-war from what I can tell). 
Pedals.
Lamp bracket.
Frame pouch.
 

[General Apathy]

11 hours ago, Mr_Flibble said:

So, I'm finally getting into (human-powered) WW2 two-wheelers. 
My latest project, the beginnings of a Mk.V bicycle. 

 

Found the original early-war brown paint under several layers of late-/post-war Olive Drab. 
It does have an ABL stamp, so it was used by the Belgian Army in the 1950s/60s.

The hunt is on for parts and accessories to turn it into a proper WW2-spec Mk.V. 
What have I gotten myself into this time?!  😄

And to keep this post US Militaria related:
US soldiers riding British (Mk.V*) bicycles along the French Riviera (as reproduced on a number of bicycle related pages, including Johan's ) 


 

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Hi Flibble,

 

I had a bike very similar to this but we believed it was a built somewhere 1946 -1948 looking at the numbers stamped on it, I had probably had it nearly forty years and never ridden it, just used it as a static exhibit at displays we did back in the day.  About three years ago I gave it to a neighbour in the village that has an interest in assorted militaria with no specific time frame.  

I thought I had posted about it when I gave it away but couldn't find it in a search I did on the forum, so no photo of it. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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[General Apathy]

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Mystery farm find found today by the son of the Collins museum owner.

 

I know what these are but for a bit of fun I am showing them with explanation of what they are.  Depending on what forum members think about them then I will post a photograph of these clamps in use.  Might be easier for someone like Johan or earlymb, they have more likely seen how these items were used. Apparently the farmer had a crate of them. 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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[cutiger83]

1 hour ago, General Apathy said:

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Mystery farm find found today by the son of the Collins museum owner.

 

I know what these are but for a bit of fun I am showing them with explanation of what they are.  Depending on what forum members think about them then I will post a photograph of these clamps in use.  Might be easier for someone like Johan or earlymb, they have more likely seen how these items were used. Apparently the farmer had a crate of them. 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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Since you mentioned others would have an example but not you, does it have anything to do with the front windshield?

 

...Kat

[aznation]

1 hour ago, General Apathy said:

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Mystery farm find found today by the son of the Collins museum owner.

 

I know what these are but for a bit of fun I am showing them with explanation of what they are.  Depending on what forum members think about them then I will post a photograph of these clamps in use.  Might be easier for someone like Johan or earlymb, they have more likely seen how these items were used. Apparently the farmer had a crate of them. 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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Victaulic Coupling?

[General Apathy]

2 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

 

Since you mentioned others would have an example but not you, does it have anything to do with the front windshield?

 

...Kat

 

2 hours ago, aznation said:

Victaulic Coupling?

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Hi Kat,   thank you for trying to answer the question.

 

Hi aznation

 

Welcome on board again, correct thank you,  These are the joint couplings for the PLUTO pipeline, ( Pipe Line Under The Ocean ), Victaulic is a coupling without need for welding, flaring or threading the pipe joints. it has a ' V ' channeled rubber seal inside the coupling, and amazingly the rubber seals in these couplings appear still un-perished even after eighty years unused.

Made by the Gustin-Bacon Manufacturing Company of Kansas, I wonder if the workers in the factory ever knew what they were making even though they must have made hundreds of thousands of them.  

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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[mikie]

2 hours ago, cutiger83 said:

 

Since you mentioned others would have an example but not you, does it have anything to do with the front windshield?

 

...Kat

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[mikie]

3 hours ago, General Apathy said:

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Mystery farm find found today by the son of the Collins museum owner.

 

I know what these are but for a bit of fun I am showing them with explanation of what they are.  Depending on what forum members think about them then I will post a photograph of these clamps in use.  Might be easier for someone like Johan or earlymb, they have more likely seen how these items were used. Apparently the farmer had a crate of them. 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 18 May  2O26.

 

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Obviously they are thingamajiggers for the hoohickey. 
mikie

[General Apathy]

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just heard the news.

 

just received the news that John Worthing has died, John and Mary Worthing possibly made ninety percent of the canvas products for British owners of wartime military vehicles for maybe forty or fifty years. Their use of American made canvas was a big selling point for their products, in many ways, the style, the feel, the look and its waterproofing qualities.  Their products also became used by continental owners of military vehicles.  John and Mary were early members of the MVCG group from its initial 1970's beginnings. 

 

They sold on the company a couple of years ago due to health and age issues.

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 19 May  2O26.

 

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[General Apathy]

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Then and Now shots Ste Mere Eglise.

 

As I stood in the road yesterday I had to step back onto the pavement to allow a modern  Jeep to pass me to the junction, I thought it funny that here I stood trying to capture the spot that a Jeep was photographed in 1944 and a modern Jeep filled the scene.  Anyway I got a shot of the scene once the Jeep had cleared the spot, I would imagine that the driver of the modern Jeep was blissfully unaware of the event at this junction 82 years ago.  

 

The other interesting feature in the wartime photograph is the Signal Corps engineer stood on the rear of a Dodge truck with a long pole fixing the wires across the street between the buildings, also note the machine gun fixed to the grille on the front of the Dodge. 

 

The same thing happened to me several years ago when I was stood in the street in Carentan and again then,  a modern Jeep entered the frame and I posted my comparisons back then on the forum. 

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 19 May  2O26.

 

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[Scarecrow]

14 hours ago, mikie said:

Obviously they are thingamajiggers for the hoohickey. 
mikie

No Mikie, they are watchamacallits, fastened to the kanoogabubble with a murphypin. 😁

[General Apathy]

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The M31-TRV ( Tank Recovery Vehicle ) at the Collins museum.

 

All the exterior of the tank is now repainted and work continues on the interior.  

A wooden crate recovered from a local farm with an American jack inside and three American medical department forks.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 20 May  2O26.

 

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[Mr_Flibble]

On 5/19/2026 at 9:34 AM, General Apathy said:

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just heard the news.

 

just received the news that John Worthing has died, John and Mary Worthing possibly made ninety percent of the canvas products for British owners of wartime military vehicles for maybe forty or fifty years. Their use of American made canvas was a big selling point for their products, in many ways, the style, the feel, the look and its waterproofing qualities.  Their products also became used by continental owners of military vehicles.  John and Mary were early members of the MVCG group from its initial 1970's beginnings. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 19 May  2O26.

That's sad to hear. I bought canvas parts for the MB from them a long time ago. 
 

[earlymb]

On 5/18/2026 at 4:20 PM, Mr_Flibble said:

Beyond the frame, the front wheel, probably everything 😆

Rear carrier in the correct style.
Front Stirrup Brake Assembly. (Either vintage or Chinese reproductions).
Handle bars (current ones are pre-war from what I can tell). 
Pedals.
Lamp bracket.
Frame pouch.
 

 

Happy I'm not the only one looking for parts 🤭

 

I mainly need both wheels and fenders, although it came with a set of post-war ones that will do for now, if I work on them a bit. My steer is for a Mk.V*, with the extra lugs for the rear brake assembly that I won't need with the coaster brake of the Mk.V.

 

You know this site? https://www.abbl1940.be/FIETSEN/BSA MKV algemeen.htm

 

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I've seen that page, Yes. 
Rob van Meel is helping me out sourcing some parts through his contacts. 
Those leather frame pouches go for some mad money. Almost inclined to get a Soviet 'copy' 😄 
1944 British SCC No.15 paint is going to be a bit of a pain to source, I think.(unless you want to order  a gazillion miniature painting pots). 

 

Yesterday someone gave my parents a bag of military equipment, "That boy of yours can probably use this"... 😐
Most of it was 1980-90s KL web gear, a 1960s West-German canteen and Kids pyjamas in Dutch forest camo .
But the Dutch helmet had a nice hi-pressure liner, passable for an M1 liner with a few tweaks. 
And there was a dirty M6 Lightweight Gas Mask Bag, 

Saved those two things....rest is probably going in the flea market bin

[General Apathy]

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clipping from a French newspaper.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 21 May  2O26.

 

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[earlymb]

5 hours ago, Mr_Flibble said:

I've seen that page, Yes. 
Rob van Meel is helping me out sourcing some parts through his contacts. 
Those leather frame pouches go for some mad money. Almost inclined to get a Soviet 'copy' 😄 
1944 British SCC No.15 paint is going to be a bit of a pain to source, I think.(unless you want to order  a gazillion miniature painting pots). 

 

Yesterday someone gave my parents a bag of military equipment, "That boy of yours can probably use this"... 😐
Most of it was 1980-90s KL web gear, a 1960s West-German canteen and Kids pyjamas in Dutch forest camo .
But the Dutch helmet had a nice hi-pressure liner, passable for an M1 liner with a few tweaks. 
And there was a dirty M6 Lightweight Gas Mask Bag, 

Saved those two things....rest is probably going in the flea market bin

 

Rob also helped me with a few parts. I asked Floris about paint, and according to him Fostex 'VW Bulli Green' is a very good substitute for the No. 15 paint. It comes in spray cans and you'll need about 3-4 of them. Easy to find and cheap... probably the only time you can say that about Mk.V 'parts' 😆

 

I followed his advice and got some for my bike, and I'm happy about the colour.

 

 

[earlymb]

54 minutes ago, earlymb said:

 

Rob also helped me with a few parts. I asked Floris about paint, and according to him Fostex 'VW Bulli Green' is a very good substitute for the No. 15 paint. It comes in spray cans and you'll need about 3-4 of them. Easy to find and cheap... probably the only time you can say that about Mk.V 'parts' 😆

 

I followed his advice and got some for my bike, and I'm happy about the colour.

 

 

 

*Fosco, not Fostex

 

Available from https://www.bootsandgoods.com/foso-industries-vw-bulli-green-spuitbus-legerverf.html and many more sellers.

 

 

[General Apathy]

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Fabulous sunny day for a ride out and visiting friends in the Jeep today,

 

On the way home I called into the Collins museum to see if there was anything else had been  found, 

 

From a farm the sons had recovered this large brass ring used for connecting the glider tow rope to the shackle that forms the towing connection.  As shown in an example already in the museum. 

 

I passed through Ste Mere Eglise there were about thirty 50 seat coaches on the large carpark behind the museum, the town was heaving with people being guided around.

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 21 May  2O26.

 

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[General Apathy]

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and another local barn find 

 

This leather bicycle seat had been recovered from a farm.

 

 

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, 21 May  2O26.

 

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