My '44 Flying Control Dodge

[armyairforce]

I took the Dodge for a last short drive today, before the winter sets in properly. It's been a couple of months since the Fishburn and Shildon events, and I wanted to exercise the mechanics before hibernation through the coldest of the weather. I also wanted to move it to avoid flat spots on the tyres from sitting for months without moving. The engine was a bit lumpy when cold and damp, but soon warmed through to give good temperature and oil pressure.

The shelter still leaks a bit, even after some silicone in the roof joints last winter, so the Dodge is still covered with a plastic tarp inside. In the Spring, I really need to get some corrugated sheeting and roof over the existing laminate board. I could probably do with making some doors too, as the canvas drop down door has suffered a bit with wind and damp and is torn along the bottom.

The Dodge mileage now reads 17950 miles, making 3359 miles of driving since I got the truck in September 2010.

[armyairforce]

May 6~8th

With a dry weekend forecast for early May, I brought the Dodge home for its springtime service. Overall it was in good condition from its five months of hibernation over the winter. A couple of areas that did need sorting was one stuck brake piston and a leaking axle oil seal. Fortunately both fairly easy jobs. No other issues were noted and a short test drive was made the following weekend. The Dodge is now ready for Blyth Battery next weekend, its first event of the season.

[armyairforce]

Blyth Battery Goes to War - May 21/22nd

The weather forecast wasn't looking kind for the Blyth Battery event a few days before the show, so I opted to travel each day rather than camp. The predicted showers never really materialised other than enough to put a few spots on the windows, but nothing more. Saturday was warm, sunny and quite windy, but the Battery had around 6000 people through the doors and so they were very pleased with the turnout for day one. This was the first event for the Dodge in 2016.

[armyairforce]

Sunday was bright and sunny again, although all of my pictures seemed to be taken in the moments the clouds came through! The wind dropped off quite a bit and the pleasant conditions brought lots more public down to the coast. In addition to my Dodge, there was a hard cab GMC, Bedford in civvy colours, a Ferret, a German Opel ( I think ), a couple of Champs, and about half a dozen each of Jeeps and Land Rovers, plus some big trucks from the present day Army. There were also a number of re-enactors camps with numerous weapons and small items on display. There was a battle on the beach both days, but I didn't see either due to watching over my own stuff.

[zepher11]

Very good to see you back on the road for another season Steve. Looks like it was a nice event. I am curious as to what all those little buildings are along the shoreline. Storage for something specific as they are all identical sans the color?

Great photos!

[armyairforce]

They are beach huts. Loads of UK sea side towns have them to buy/hire for people to keep stuff in and to get changed for swimming. I think it goes back to the Victorian era.

[zepher11]

I have seen those type of structures in photos in the UK before. Figured they were something like that, but figured I'd ask. They look nice a tidy.

Thank you Steve!

[armyairforce]

June 6th - D-Day, was an appropriate day to visit the Dodge. The Dodge was originally kept in a barn until the site was due to be cleared for open cast mining, forcing a move in January 2014. The truck was moved a couple of hundred yards to a new site, and in February '14, a roof was built between two containers making a shelter. It was ok, but never 100% watertight, and I always had to cover the truck with a plastic sheet.

In late May 2016, I got the chance at a cheap retired shipping container. Checking the dimensions, it was going to be a tight fit, and the dome would have to be unclipped, but it would be a little more secure and weather proof than the old shelter.

So this morning, I headed over to the yard, and arrived as it was being unloaded. I reversed in, as I figured that would give better access to the engine, but with only about 3 inches clearance each side, it was a challenge. Next time, I'll try going in forwards, and climb out through the rear doors.

[beepbeep]

I've been looking at containers for my car Steve but wasn't sure if they would be big enough.......now I know! I'm amazed you managed to get your Dodge in one and I'm still puzzled as to how you got out

Chris

PS the GMC hadn't blown a gasket at Blyth Battery the other week, the inlet manifold cracked, another one off the road until the parts arrive

[armyairforce]

I didn't have the doors on, so I climbed out over the front wheel arch.

[armyairforce]

Barnard Castle 1940's Weekend - June 25/26th

This was the first 1940's event held at Barnard Castle, and the support for the event was fairly good. There were around a dozen vehicles parked along the main road through the town, several re-enactor displays on the grassed area next to the castle, and also displays in local church halls and council buildings. I ended up moving the Dodge on the first day, both to spread out the vehicles and also to turn it so the forecast rain would drain off the back of the roof. Day one was bright and sunny until about mid afternoon, when a heavy downpour sent everyone running for the coffee shops!

[armyairforce]

In one of the other displays, I found a 1940's picture of the market place. Co-incidentally, only a few minutes before, I'd taken a picture of the same scene with the military vehicles parked up.





Next to the Austin K2 Ambulance, my daughter did a little Royalty re-enacting.

[armyairforce]

Day two stayed dry all day until we started packing away our tent, then we got wet! At least the majority of the event was dry, and the organisers hope to repeat the event again next year.

[armyairforce]

It's all been quiet on the Dodge front over July, 'though I have still attended a number of events with the Jeeps. These were the Fishburn Airfield Fly-In, the Yorkshire Wartime Experience and Breighton Airfield Fly-In. Having three vehicles, I'm spoiled for choice when going to events, but where we might have used the Dodge in the past, it is now less practical due to my daughter being at school.

She's been in Primary School for two years now, finishing at 3:10pm. Where we would have set off to an event at noon on Friday, we now have to wait until at least 3:30pm when she's home. We are now in a position where we would arrive too late to set up at a reasonable time in the evening and get her to bed, so for some of the longer distance events, I have a Jeep ready loaded on the trailer during the day, so we can leave as soon as she's home from school. Towing also means we can travel faster. However, I've no plans to part with the Dodge for the foreseeable future.

Back to the Dodge; it will be back on show this coming weekend for the annual Croft Nostalgia show, along with both Jeeps. The last time all three were together was Croft 2014. So until the pics from next week, here's a handful from the last few adventures.

Fishburn Airfield Fly-In


Yorkshire Wartime Experience


Breighton Airfield Fly-In


I also got to fly and land the Real Aeroplane Company's 1942 Ryan PT-22 Recruit

[armyairforce]

Croft Nostalgia - August 4th ~ 8th

For the 2016 show, I decided to take all three vehicles on display. The show began for me on Thursday 4th, collecting the Dodge from storage in the morning, and bringing it home. Because Lynne was working in Richmond, I was able to take the GPW to Croft on Thursday afternoon, and be collected on her way home. Because of roadworks, the 36 mile trip to Croft took 90 minutes, but it was only 4:30pm, so plenty of time to park up in the Croft Engineering shed, with the Circuit Jeep and a couple of other vehicles.





On Friday morning, we then drove the M201 and Dodge to Croft, but traffic through the roadworks was much lighter, and it only took 75 minutes. It then took about three hours to set up the tent and the display of vehicles, before going on duty marshalling MV's arrivals.