Is that what is going on here? Attach some 3" rockets to a Churchill and see if it blows the mines out of the way? Or strap a big jet engine to a Valentine for the same purpose? As for the Universal carrier, what do you think would happen if the 3 rockets were fired at once? Ah, yes...
Looks like what's being described in "Churchill's Secret Weapons: The Story of Hobart's Funnies" I keep meaning to buy that book.
Great narrative history but very litlte technical data or photographs. There's another, more technical one (the title of which I can't remember now) which always sells for a small fortune.
Where the hell did you get those pictures from? Bizarre. I'm sure there were some pictures of experimental rocket assistance for stuck vehicles we've seen recently, maybe in that carrier book?... Are you thinking of that Futter book on the funnies Kyt? Surely does generally go for a fair few quid. Just noticed recently there's a Fletcher book on the 79th in that HMSO series... tempting.
Yep, that's the one - "The Funnies: The 79th Armoured Division And Its Specialised Equipment" by G W Futter - £70 for 130 odd pages!
I have picked up a few books on the 79th recently, the best being 'The Story of the 79th Armoured Division' printed in Hamburg in July 1945. That put me on to SADE, Specialised Armour Development Establishment, Woodbridge Suffolk who evolved from the 79th after it was disbanded in 1945. It inherited the famous bulls head insignia. They did a lot of work on rocket assistance, like the ones shown here. Mine clearing, rocket assisted egress from mud etc... There is a colour plate copied from another photograph in the new Vanguard, Osprey book, 'Universal Carrier 1936-48' by David Fletcher.
I have picked up a few books on the 79th recently, the best being 'The Story of the 79th Armoured Division' printed in Hamburg in July 1945. Do you have the companion volume entitled "FINAL REPORT OF 79TH ARMOURED DIVISION"? If so, any good?
Probably been posted before: Innovation in the face of adversity: Major-General Sir Percy Hobart and the 79th Armoured Division (it's a little slow to load)
Do you have the companion volume entitled "FINAL REPORT OF 79TH ARMOURED DIVISION"? If so, any good? No I don't have it. Thanks for the 'heads up'. I had heard that 'The Story...' had been reprinted as a two volume set. In the original single volume many of the maps and illustrations are on folding sheets, and it is only marked 'Restricted' and not 'Secret'. 'The Final Report..' does look interesting though.
When it comes to odd mine clearing I refer you to the bit I wrote about "The Garden Roller Man" ME! Sapper
When it comes to odd mine clearing I refer you to the bit I wrote about "The Garden Roller Man" ME! Sapper Thanks Sapper, but I couldn't find the thread with the Garden Roller man story in, something odd has happened to your old posts. I suppose the problem with blowing the mines out of the way with rockets is that some poor engineer like yourself still has to go and find the unexploded ones and make them safe.
Here ya go Bod, Search for "garden roller" on here: D-Day, Normandy and beyond We discussed it a little here.
Thanks, I had just found it as you were posting instructions. Bloody hell Brian, I'm glad to hear that your balls of steel are still intact. Well done that man. Bod
There is nothing quite so character forming than bending over a boobytrapped mine, or anti presonal mine while under shell and mortar fire. Seriously......! Steady hands matey...Or you may be minus a face and hands. or mangled, or dead. The infantry would never change jobs with us. They thought we were barmy...So do I. Sapper
Okay this maybe a long shot but does anyone know whereabouts in Woodbridge SADE was located? I know HQ 79th Div were located in Rendlesham Hall during the build up till D-Day, which isn't that far away, could it have been there as well?
Rockets used to pull an explosive hose, once hose lands it is detonated to clear a lane through a minefield. Post war Giant Viper entered service in the late 1950s (along with a smaller version IIRC), fitted in a large trailer towed by an AVRE, Python, also trailer mounted entered service a few years ago, the hose holds several tonnes of explosive, has been used in Afghanistan.
Everyone here seems to be talking about a universal carrier with three rockets. I see the Valentine with a gas turbine mounted on the rear (the Russians used jet mine clearers like this post war), but the second picture which appears on my screen is a strange small tracked vehicle (tracked jeep??, but certainly nothing like a universal carrier) towing a small, perhaps French, anti-tank gun and with no rockets visible. Can anyone explain? Chris
With the Jet engine. Did someone try and find a post war use for this in railway snow clearance? It did not work there as it blew all the ballast away and the amount of fuel required. http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/ondemand/nationonfilm/00339?bgc=C0C0C0&nbram=1&lang=en&bbram=1&ms3=4&ms_javascript=true&bbcws=1&size=4x3
