Oddball and Different Modes of Locomotion

[Mossie]

That's it!  A quick perusal on the interwebthingmy reminds me of the facts.  The rockets didn't fire quite in sequence & sent it off course, then some of the rockets came free & it started to come back at the Brass watching it.  It then fell over & destroyed itself in a series of explosions.  There's some speculation that it was never a serious proposal & that it's demonstration on a public beach was meant to distract the Germans from the AVRE equipment that was being seriously developed.  I can't find the film on the net unfortunately.

Hey Simon,  do you rememebr the 'Dad's Army' episode featuring that wheel, so funny I nearly p#ssed my pants!!!

You know Robert, I just don't remember seeing that one!  I enjoy Dad's Army, but either I've managed to miss it despite the barrage of repeats on TV over the years, or the has faded the memory!!!  Probably the later.....

[kitnut617]

You know Robert, I just don't remember seeing that one!  I enjoy Dad's Army, but either I've managed to miss it despite the barrage of repeats on TV over the years, or the has faded the memory!!!  Probably the later.....

The funniest part was when the thing ended up chasing the gang back the way it had come, and Corporal Jones just keeping ahead of it --'Don't panic! Don't panic'   

[puddingwrestler]

My sources did say it wasa decoy from more serious porjects, but I don't know if they are to be trusted (heck, I can't even remember where I read about it anymore!)

[Maverick]

Whilst it may be so that the Panjandrum was a decoy, the MoD did field some ludicrous 'serious' projects for testing during WW2.  The 'Sticky' Bomb comes to mind, amongst others.

Regards,

Mav

[kitnut617]

Davecov (owner of the ATF forum) used to run a forum/website called Hello from Warmington or something like that, he had all the episodes of all the Dad's Army shows, and I asked him which one it was.  His reply included this:

Round and Round Went The Big Wheel" from Series 5 -

Round And Round Went The Great Big Wheel
The platoon is chosen for special duties during the test of a secret weapon.  It is a giant radio-controlled wheel containing explosives.  Unfortunately when Private's Pike and Walker sneak off to listen to the radio, they cause interference with the wheel's radio-control which then runs amok!

[BigH827]

I found this .too .Called an acetylene training tank . Does the acetylene simulate firing or is it compressed air bottles used for factory testing to save fuel .

The tanks were filled with what the Germans called city gas, i.e., natural gas, like your gas stove uses, and it powered the tanks engine. By doing this it released the gasoline normaly used by the tanks for use on the front lines.

[kitnut617]

I found this .too .Called an acetylene training tank . Does the acetylene simulate firing or is it compressed air bottles used for factory testing to save fuel .

The tanks were filled with what the Germans called city gas, i.e., natural gas, like your gas stove uses, and it powered the tanks engine. By doing this it released the gasoline normaly used by the tanks for use on the front lines.

In Britains case it would have been 'Coal Gas'.  My Dad told me that his Dad used to have this huge balloon type bag tied to the roof of his car which was filled with coal gas and used to power the car.  It was a way around getting more milage on the car without having to use the petrol ration coupons.

[Mossie]

Shades of Walmington on Sea again Robert!  Do you remember when they adapted Jones's Butchers van to gas, with the huge bag on top & they'd fill it up from the Vicar's gas fire???

[kitnut617]

Yes I do, it was while we were watching that episode that my Dad told me Grandad had it on his car.

[r16]

thanks to Big827 and Kitnut617 .

[BigH827]

thanks to Big827 and Kitnut617 .

Your welcome, glad to be of help first time out of the box. The only reson I knew is that I have the book that the drawing came from.