Achilles was the US M10 (Wolverine) upgraded with the 17 Pounder UK gun mounted (the same that we mounted on the Sherman to create the Firefly version)

As it happens I'm located about 2 miles from Bovington - and I'm a bit of a tank geek and rivet counter Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

I am the same , a Tank Geek lol, we could have some good chats, up near where i live (York) there is a place on the North York Moors where a Cromwell Tank sunk into the bog during exercise, it just sunk and they left it there, still there today buried in the peat bog.

I've always been fascinated by tanks.
As a kid I collected just about every Airfix 1/76 tank model there was at the time. Had them lined up on a shelf above my bed.
I was able to quote facts from the packages like max speed, range , barrel size etc. Jules

Tankie1rtr wrote:

Thanks for your replies guys. I haven't got any ramps, but I do have axle stands, so I suppose i can do it that way. I will give it a go, Its a 2009 with 133k on the clock, so I dont think it would benefit from a flush, what do you think? and I will use fully synthetic oil. ROMMEL and thank you for your FEAR NAUGHT.. are you a Vet?

jules wrote:

I've always been fascinated by tanks.
As a kid I collected just about every Airfix 1/76 tank model there was at the time. Had them lined up on a shelf above my bed.
I was able to quote facts from the packages like max speed, range , barrel size etc.

If you haven't been to the Tank Museum at Bovington in recent years, I can heartily recommend. A lot of improvements over the last 10 years or so.

To whet your appetite, here's a couple of pics of Mrs Do$h getting acquainted with the museums "Frankenstein" Type 59 - a Chinese derivative of the T54, fitted with the British L7 105mm (hence the extractor) as part of an export enhancement programme. I bought her an experience day as a christmas present a couple of years back (she's a tank nut too).

Click image to enlarge

And a 10 minute talk on the M10 and Achilles from the Tank Museum's resident expert, David Fletcher

 Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

I was down at the museum about 8 yrs ago, we got there at 09.00 and when they were closing my missus sulked because she wanted to go around again for the fifth time, lol, i just couldnt get her away, her favourite of all the tanks for some reason was the Sherman M4A1 with the Flails on the front, she also fell in love with a Churchill gun tank called "Bob" lol

Bovington is on my bucket list.

My favourite WW2 tank was the Panther - a futuristic looking design at the time - sloping frontal aspect and clean looking turret; aspects copied to the King Tiger and T34 Jules

Yes the Panther was advanced for its time, and as you know it was designed by Ferdinand Porsche but it was too over engineered and they couldnt make replacement parts because they had to be precisely engineered instead of mass produced, plus it was very slow and the gearbox broke down very easily due to the weight. it also needed constant servicing.

That weakness in the gearbox (when it failed the tank lurched in the opposite direction to the steered/intended direction) was used against the Germans when the SOE Pimento Circuit started taking out all the railway lines between Toulouse and Normandy.

As a result of the actions of the Resistance and SOE, Das Reich had to make their way to Normandy by road, with colossal delays bought about by mechanical failures. 1400 vehicles travelling in a series of formations by road also made a juicy target for air attack. The division was already down on serviceable vehicles, having only received around half the anticipated Panthers and Panzer IVs in the spring of 44.

The work by the Resistance and SOE wasn't without its price. The heinous acts at Tulle and subsequent destruction of Oradour-sur-Glane by Lammerding and his men was as a reprisal against the delaying actions and ambushes that had delayed the movement of Das Reich. Oradour remains a national monument to the atrocities carried out by Diekmann and his men. Diekmann was killed in action in Normandy and never faced punishment for his crime. His remains lie in the German cemetery at La Cambe.

Did I mention that I'm a bit of a tank geek?  Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

His remains lie in the German cemetery at La Cambe.

Along with those of Michael Wittman. ! 2013 FL2 XS.
Defender 90 300 TDi.
Defender 90 300 TDi CSW.
1964 MGB Roadster.
1944 Willys MB "Jeep" with bullet holes. (gone)
17 hand Irish Drought Thoroughbred (mostly lame)
Nagging Old Boiler.

LOL, We are very much alike, both Tank geeks, I did 15 years as a Continental Coach Tor Driver, and I have done most of the battlefields, I use to always take my bugle and play the last post at the War Cemeteries, I have also visited Oramour and it may sound soft, but i stood in front of the Church remains and I cried.. did you get the lin to the Tanks I sent you ? I have just ordered 4 heater plugs, so I am going to collect them tomorrow and do them whilst the engine is warm, I am off out to spray each on with WD40 in a few minutes, then I will spray them tomorrow again after i come back and leave it for about an hour, then fingers crossed they will come out no problems. I have ordered Bosch, £63.90 inc vat, I thought that is a good price.

https://www.facebook.com/britisharmy/videos/743558584099276

Rommel wrote:

His remains lie in the German cemetery at La Cambe.

Along with those of Michael Wittman. !