Norman D. Landing

[mikie]

Kind of quiet around here this week.  I hope you are all well, just busy with other things.  I'vebeen a bit distracted myself, and haven't anything interesting to share. Until I saw this posting this morning...

 

billl posted this on the vehicle page.  Thought maybe you folks may like to see these photos.  Thank you billl for putting these up.  

 

Enjoy!

 

Mikie

 

[General Apathy]

21 hours ago, mikie said:

Kind of quiet around here this week.  I hope you are all well, just busy with other things.  I'vebeen a bit distracted myself, and haven't anything interesting to share. Until I saw this posting this morning...

 

billl posted this on the vehicle page.  Thought maybe you folks may like to see these photos.  Thank you billl for putting these up.  

 

Enjoy!

 

Mikie

 

.

Hi Mikie,  

 

Thanks for adding comment and link to the pages of Jeep photo's all early or experimental models. Yes I am well, however as you mention very busy at present, hope to be posting something maybe Sunday or Monday, until then a shot of my coveralls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 22 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

On 5/17/2021 at 9:18 AM, Johan Willaert said:

 

There were three commonly used front axle drive types used (Rzeppa, Tracta and Bendix), and the steering knuckle housing on both sides of the axle had a small tag showing which type was used.
This was especially important to know when adjusting the drive flanges on the outside of the drums.

Here's an example of the Rzeppa type tags on the front axle of my Jeep... Photo taken before brake lines were installed..

 

 

.

Hi Johan,

 

this is mainly for the readers and members more unfamiliar with the Jeep workings. Whilst working on the friends axles last week I was amused to see inside the steering knuckle housing ( that you show above ) that a bolt had been inserted for one reason or another from the inside as a replacement for one of the four studs that hold the steering arm assembly.

 

The bolt head welded and secured to the inside of the knuckle housing.

 

Jeep manual showing the knuckle housing #8, the four studs #7

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 23 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

.

Jeep welding and repairs . . . . . .

 

I forwarded the first two photos of the work being done on the local friends Jeep here to a friend in the UK, and he returned a couple of photos of the work that he had completed on his own Jeep rebuild, all the photos show the body tubs upside down detached from the chassis's. 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 23 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[mikie]

On 5/22/2021 at 7:53 AM, General Apathy said:

.

Hi Mikie,  

 

Thanks for adding comment and link to the pages of Jeep photo's all early or experimental models. Yes I am well, however as you mention very busy at present, hope to be posting something maybe Sunday or Monday, until then a shot of my coveralls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

.

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 22 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Oh great. Now I'll need to figure out what that patch is. Shouldn't take me more than a month or two.

Mikie

[mikie]

2 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Jeep welding and repairs . . . . . .

 

I forwarded the first two photos of the work being done on the local friends Jeep here to a friend in the UK, and he returned a couple of photos of the work that he had completed on his own Jeep rebuild, all the photos show the body tubs upside down detached from the chassis's. 

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 23 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

Battle damage? Old age metal fatigue? Really bad driving? 

[Dogsbody]

Found this soundbite where British mortars are firing from the west bank of the river Maas onto the east bank in late 1944. The east bank is where my hometown Venlo is situated. My mom (4 years old), her brother and their parents would probably have been taking cover at that moment. 

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80007504

 

 

British 3 inch mortar:

 

 

 

 

[General Apathy]

14 hours ago, mikie said:

Oh great. Now I'll need to figure out what that patch is. Shouldn't take me more than a month or two.

Mikie

.

Hi mikie, 

 

The clocks ticking  . . . . . . . . . . . .  

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 23 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

14 hours ago, mikie said:

Battle damage? Old age metal fatigue? Really bad driving? 

.

Hi Mikie,

 

Not battle damage or bad driving just the usual ' rust-worm '  . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 24 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[General Apathy]

46 minutes ago, Dogsbody said:

Found this soundbite where British mortars are firing from the west bank of the river Maas onto the east bank in late 1944. The east bank is where my hometown Venlo is situated. My mom (4 years old), her brother and their parents would probably have been taking cover at that moment. 

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80007504

 

 

British 3 inch mortar:

 

 

 

 

.

Hi Rene,

 

Amazing what can be found on the internet from the seat in your own home, who would have dreamt some years ago that you could have found this site with mortars firing onto the Venlo east bank in 1944.

 

In the last few days from the seat in my house I have been been running through a classic car website in the USA, over four thousand pages at my fingertips averaging eight to ten cars per page.  Ninety percent of the 1940's classics have been cut, chopped and rodded, what amazes me is that after all the cost and years of work making these changes that they are then put up for sale, very often with very little added mileage since finishing, did the owners find out it was it a mistake in carrying out all these alterations to standard stock vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 23 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

  

 

 

[General Apathy]

.

And now for something completely different . . . . . . . 

 

I just added this same post in the weapons section of the forum, forum member SKIPH was highlighting possibly faked M6 leather scabbards.

 

Hi SKIPH,

 

I have wondered for several years whether I should post this photograph on the forum, finally seeing your post I have decided to do so.

 

This photograph of these knives was posted to me around 2000 / 2001 with an offer for me to buy if interested. EVERYTHING IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS FAKE the skilled seller made everything himself, the style, design, the metals used, the engravings, the leather work, the stamps and dates EVERYTHING. 

 

Before posting here I have annotated the photograph in order that hopefully it should never be used to authenticate any of these if they appear on the market.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 24 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

  

 

 

[General Apathy]

.

Sending sympathy to a friend in hospital this week . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

it's always sad to hear of a life-long friend in hospital, so it always pays to send a sympathetic card to cheer them up . . . . . . . .  and showing that we care . . . . . . . . . . 

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 26 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

[mikie]

On 5/26/2021 at 9:09 AM, General Apathy said:

.

Sending sympathy to a friend in hospital this week . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

 

it's always sad to hear of a life-long friend in hospital, so it always pays to send a sympathetic card to cheer them up . . . . . . . .  and showing that we care . . . . . . . . . . 

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 26 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

Hope your friend is better. They say laughter is the best medicine. And that is a pretty big dose you prescribed there, Dr. Lewis. 

mikie

[mikie]

On 5/24/2021 at 7:59 AM, General Apathy said:

.

And now for something completely different . . . . . . . 

 

I just added this same post in the weapons section of the forum, forum member SKIPH was highlighting possibly faked M6 leather scabbards.

 

Hi SKIPH,

 

I have wondered for several years whether I should post this photograph on the forum, finally seeing your post I have decided to do so.

 

This photograph of these knives was posted to me around 2000 / 2001 with an offer for me to buy if interested. EVERYTHING IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS FAKE the skilled seller made everything himself, the style, design, the metals used, the engravings, the leather work, the stamps and dates EVERYTHING. 

 

Before posting here I have annotated the photograph in order that hopefully it should never be used to authenticate any of these if they appear on the market.

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 24 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

  

 

 

That guy has some pretty impressive skills for sure. Scary stuff.

[General Apathy]

18 hours ago, mikie said:

Hope your friend is better. They say laughter is the best medicine. And that is a pretty big dose you prescribed there, Dr. Lewis. 

mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

Thanks for your thoughts on my friend, sadly he is now into his second week and it's a slow recovery, it's a large weeping open wound on his leg and the entire leg is covered in red blotches, it may well be some sort of animal, insect or spider bite. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 31 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

[General Apathy]

.

Militaria flea market yesterday . . . . . .

 

About five years ago a local friend and I were in a junk store looking around and he picked up an axe head and asked me if it was original, it was about five euros, what interested me is that it was made in Lewistown P.A., anyway he bought it.  I had a little bit of a strange premonition yesterday driving to the show thinking that I would find one of these same axes and sure enough I did.  The seller had done a pretty poor restoration on it he had brush painted the head with matt black paint, and the handle he had sanded back and varnished without washing all the sanded residue off the handle, so the handle was all rough and felt gritty.  I will sand down and smooth off the handle again, and I have started to remove all the paint on the head for this photo, once I have finished I will probably wall mount the axe rather than carry it on the Jeep.

 

Anyway here's the manufacturers details ' Mann Edge Tool Co., Lewistown P.A., USA ' on the reverse side it has a large ' U.S.A. ' embossed into the steel. 

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 31 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[mikie]

6 hours ago, General Apathy said:

.

Militaria flea market yesterday . . . . . .

 

About five years ago a local friend and I were in a junk store looking around and he picked up an axe head and asked me if it was original, it was about five euros, what interested me is that it was made in Lewistown P.A., anyway he bought it.  I had a little bit of a strange premonition yesterday driving to the show thinking that I would find one of these same axes and sure enough I did.  The seller had done a pretty poor restoration on it he had brush painted the head with matt black paint, and the handle he had sanded back and varnished without washing all the sanded residue off the handle, so the handle was all rough and felt gritty.  I will sand down and smooth off the handle again, and I have started to remove all the paint on the head for this photo, once I have finished I will probably wall mount the axe rather than carry it on the Jeep.

 

Anyway here's the manufacturers details ' Mann Edge Tool Co., Lewistown P.A., USA ' on the reverse side it has a large ' U.S.A. ' embossed into the steel. 

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 31 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

You bought an axe made in Lewistown. That's pretty sharp! 

[mikie]

Today in the US, we celebrate Memorial Day, honoring our war dead.  It is traditionally a day for veteran parades and backyard BBQ.

 

I'll be lighting up the grill in a few hours, but always like to show my respects more directly.

 

Wearing a paper poppy used to be part of the tradition, but it fell away many years ago.  But I like to do my part to keep it alive.  

 

God bless all those who served, especially those who never came back home. 

 

Mikie

 

 

 

[mikie]

Here is a story about a Normandy vet from my local paper yesterday.  Slow around here so thought I'd post it to keep people awake.

 

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/31/there-arent-many-of-us-left-anymore-once-stoically-silent-palo-alto-world-war-ii-veteran-opens-up-about-normandy-invasion-other-battles/

 

mikie

[General Apathy]

.

Normandy D-Day week 2021 . . . . . . . . 

 

Hi,  last Sunday was the first of the militaria fairs in an open field at Picauville 

maybe thirty dealers all French, dealers from the other European countries and

the UK have stayed away.  I managed to find a Jeep axe made in Lewistown P.A.

 

Today Tuesday took a run over to Grandcamp Maisy this is generally a great show

with lots of dealers and also many more of them selling vehicle spares.  This had been

moved from the sports stadium into the village square in front of the church. There

were only about twenty dealers several were the same ones as at Picauville. I bought

a brand new old stock Ford thermostat housing still sprayed with cosmoline grease. 

 

Theres another fair in the morning at the WWI airship hanger at Eccossville between

Ste Mere and Mountebourg, I'm not going to that. 

 

There are two more fairs on Saturday 5th one in the cattle market at Carentan, this is

generally the largest of the fairs with many non-professional sellers so generally many

surprises, lots of military found in house clearances. The second is on the sports ground

at Ste Marie du Mont, the weather doesn’t sound too good for Saturday so we will see.

 

Plenty of Jeeps running around, less of the medium / large stuff, and all the camps and 

parades are cancelled. 

 

So there it is as I see it for D-Day week 2021 . . . . . . . . . a very subdued 2021 methinks.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, June 01 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

 

[General Apathy]

2 hours ago, mikie said:

Here is a story about a Normandy vet from my local paper yesterday.  Slow around here so thought I'd post it to keep people awake.

 

https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/05/31/there-arent-many-of-us-left-anymore-once-stoically-silent-palo-alto-world-war-ii-veteran-opens-up-about-normandy-invasion-other-battles/

 

mikie

.

Hi Mikie,

 

many thanks for making posts to keep the thread open, thanks also for your reminder of Memorial Day in the USA, there will still be official wreath laying ceremonies here but without veterans and public attendance . . . . . . . . . . .

 

A 98 year old veteran died in the UK this week he was the last recorded survivor of Dunkirk in 1940, he also survived the landings on D-Day and fought right through until the surrender in May 1945, truthfully a survivor a great same he died at the beginning of the D-Day week, a week longer and he would have seen some of the commemorations. 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, June 01 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

[Dogsbody]

On 5/31/2021 at 12:12 PM, General Apathy said:

.

Militaria flea market yesterday . . . . . .

 

About five years ago a local friend and I were in a junk store looking around and he picked up an axe head and asked me if it was original, it was about five euros, what interested me is that it was made in Lewistown P.A., anyway he bought it.  I had a little bit of a strange premonition yesterday driving to the show thinking that I would find one of these same axes and sure enough I did.  The seller had done a pretty poor restoration on it he had brush painted the head with matt black paint, and the handle he had sanded back and varnished without washing all the sanded residue off the handle, so the handle was all rough and felt gritty.  I will sand down and smooth off the handle again, and I have started to remove all the paint on the head for this photo, once I have finished I will probably wall mount the axe rather than carry it on the Jeep.

 

Anyway here's the manufacturers details ' Mann Edge Tool Co., Lewistown P.A., USA ' on the reverse side it has a large ' U.S.A. ' embossed into the steel. 

 

.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, May 31 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

I hope you're not axe-ident prone.........

[Dogsbody]

1 hour ago, General Apathy said:

.

Normandy D-Day week 2021 . . . . . . . . 

 

Hi,  last Sunday was the first of the militaria fairs in an open field at Picauville 

maybe thirty dealers all French, dealers from the other European countries and

the UK have stayed away.  I managed to find a Jeep axe made in Lewistown P.A.

 

Today Tuesday took a run over to Grandcamp Maisy this is generally a great show

with lots of dealers and also many more of them selling vehicle spares.  This had been

moved from the sports stadium into the village square in front of the church. There

were only about twenty dealers several were the same ones as at Picauville. I bought

a brand new old stock Ford thermostat housing still sprayed with cosmoline grease. 

 

Theres another fair in the morning at the WWI airship hanger at Eccossville between

Ste Mere and Mountebourg, I'm not going to that. 

 

There are two more fairs on Saturday 5th one in the cattle market at Carentan, this is

generally the largest of the fairs with many non-professional sellers so generally many

surprises, lots of military found in house clearances. The second is on the sports ground

at Ste Marie du Mont, the weather doesn’t sound too good for Saturday so we will see.

 

Plenty of Jeeps running around, less of the medium / large stuff, and all the camps and 

parades are cancelled. 

 

So there it is as I see it for D-Day week 2021 . . . . . . . . . a very subdued 2021 methinks.

 

 

Norman D. Landing, Forum Normandy Correspondent, June 01 2021.

 

" Life's too short for reproductions "

 

"  Life is like a tank of gas, the closer you get to a quarter tank, the faster it goes "

 

.

 

 

 

 

It's a shame, really. I have better hopes for the Market Garden commemorations in September but you never know. I'm getting my first jab this coming sunday June 6th............

[Johan Willaert]

1 hour ago, General Apathy said:

Normandy D-Day week 2021 . . . . . . . . 

 

Really sucks not being there again this year... Especially since the Jeep is just about done....

Still have fun!
Will be over with Kristien in the Summer... See you then; Ken!

 

 

[mikie]

20 minutes ago, Johan Willaert said:

 

Really sucks not being there again this year... Especially since the Jeep is just about done....

Still have fun!
Will be over with Kristien in the Summer... See you then; Ken!

 

 

Nice, Johan.  It's cool to see your progress on putting the jeep back together.

 

Mikie