Andrew Hills
@fwdpublishing.bsky.social
Writer and publisher of books of historic interest. Author of Tanks of TOG, British Zimmerit, Striding Ashore, The Semple Tank, and The T.O.G. Amphibian amongst others.
Another box of Bowman and Hughes' Gun Carriage of 1900 to go out. Are you interested in ideas for armoured vehicles before 1915? Then please check out the latest volume in the Origins of Armour Series. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Another box of Bowman and Hughes' Gun Carriage of 1900 to go out. Are you interested in ideas for armoured vehicles before 1915? Then please check out the latest volume in the Origins of Armour Series. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
The Swiss liked the British Centurion. Well armed, with good protection and good mobility. Here's a brief bit of footage of a Swiss Centurion tank during comparative mobility trials doing river crossing, an icy embankment, and a river bank. Full video at youtu.be/ac2JnO0a-hM
2:30, no sound #tanks
2:30, no sound #tanks
November 14, 2025 at 3:15 AM
The Swiss liked the British Centurion. Well armed, with good protection and good mobility. Here's a brief bit of footage of a Swiss Centurion tank during comparative mobility trials doing river crossing, an icy embankment, and a river bank. Full video at youtu.be/ac2JnO0a-hM
2:30, no sound #tanks
2:30, no sound #tanks
Interior view of the Vickers 0.303" machine gun in a Rolls Royce armoured car. The top of the steering wheel can be seen in the bottom right. Spare ammunition belts were stowed behind the drivers seat but to fire the MG the operator would have to be kneelling or squatting inside.
November 13, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Interior view of the Vickers 0.303" machine gun in a Rolls Royce armoured car. The top of the steering wheel can be seen in the bottom right. Spare ammunition belts were stowed behind the drivers seat but to fire the MG the operator would have to be kneelling or squatting inside.
In 1931, the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence bought 12 Vickers-Carden-Loyd MG carriers. Tested in Manitoba they later went to the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle School (CAFVS), Camp Borden. Pictured in Windsor, Ontatio, 1937, this has been refitted with a 60 hp Ford V8.
November 12, 2025 at 5:05 PM
In 1931, the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence bought 12 Vickers-Carden-Loyd MG carriers. Tested in Manitoba they later went to the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicle School (CAFVS), Camp Borden. Pictured in Windsor, Ontatio, 1937, this has been refitted with a 60 hp Ford V8.
Continuing last week's post on Rolls Royce armoured cars and their tyres. This lovely front view shows an interest mix with a steel-studded tyre (front right) and spare on left of cab, and a grooved rubber tyre (front left) with a spare on the cab right.
November 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Continuing last week's post on Rolls Royce armoured cars and their tyres. This lovely front view shows an interest mix with a steel-studded tyre (front right) and spare on left of cab, and a grooved rubber tyre (front left) with a spare on the cab right.
Unused material from the artist's work on the Bowman and Hughes' Machine Gun Carriage of 1900. The cross section wasn't used in the book, but it does provide a good idea of the internal layout and the sort of space in which the men operating the gun would have to work.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
November 7, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Unused material from the artist's work on the Bowman and Hughes' Machine Gun Carriage of 1900. The cross section wasn't used in the book, but it does provide a good idea of the internal layout and the sort of space in which the men operating the gun would have to work.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM
No kidding. The thought of being burned whilst trapped in the tank is one which concentrates the mind somewhat.
November 4, 2025 at 3:42 AM
No kidding. The thought of being burned whilst trapped in the tank is one which concentrates the mind somewhat.
Fiat 18BL truck during testing using a 12-plate footed-wheel in an attempt to spread the load from the wheels and thereby to avoid sinking and improve traction on soft ground in France. Images are undated but likely taken around the time of the end of WW1 or just after. 1/2
November 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Fiat 18BL truck during testing using a 12-plate footed-wheel in an attempt to spread the load from the wheels and thereby to avoid sinking and improve traction on soft ground in France. Images are undated but likely taken around the time of the end of WW1 or just after. 1/2
An interesting little snippet from the development saga of the British A.9 Cruiser tank, July 1936. The whole turret was raised by 5.5 in. (140 mm) to improve the gun depression of the 2 pdr. main armament from -10 to -15 deg.
November 3, 2025 at 4:46 AM
An interesting little snippet from the development saga of the British A.9 Cruiser tank, July 1936. The whole turret was raised by 5.5 in. (140 mm) to improve the gun depression of the 2 pdr. main armament from -10 to -15 deg.
Happy Halloween people. Winston is rocking his TOG costume.
November 1, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Happy Halloween people. Winston is rocking his TOG costume.
Is your trailer tracked or wheeled? - Yes.
A wide range of deception programmes were used in the western desert in WW2 from sunshield-disguised tanks to track brushes. This was one of them used in Op. Bertram and is a modified weighted trailer used to make fake tank tracks.
A wide range of deception programmes were used in the western desert in WW2 from sunshield-disguised tanks to track brushes. This was one of them used in Op. Bertram and is a modified weighted trailer used to make fake tank tracks.
October 30, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Is your trailer tracked or wheeled? - Yes.
A wide range of deception programmes were used in the western desert in WW2 from sunshield-disguised tanks to track brushes. This was one of them used in Op. Bertram and is a modified weighted trailer used to make fake tank tracks.
A wide range of deception programmes were used in the western desert in WW2 from sunshield-disguised tanks to track brushes. This was one of them used in Op. Bertram and is a modified weighted trailer used to make fake tank tracks.
Something fun. An M110 Howitzer hull modified for testing the 40 mm CTAS cannon c.2019. Source: ndia.dtic.mil/wp-content/u...
October 28, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Something fun. An M110 Howitzer hull modified for testing the 40 mm CTAS cannon c.2019. Source: ndia.dtic.mil/wp-content/u...
Vol. 2 of 'Origins of Armour' is OUT NOW.
This series explores designs for armoured vehicles pre 1915 to provide a fuller picture of how ideas around armoured vehicles developed. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM/
This series explores designs for armoured vehicles pre 1915 to provide a fuller picture of how ideas around armoured vehicles developed. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM/
An Armoured Repeating War Gun: Mark Bowman and William Hughes’ Gun Carriage of 1900 (Origins of Armour)
Amazon.com: An Armoured Repeating War Gun: Mark Bowman and William Hughes’ Gun Carriage of 1900 (Origins of Armour): 9798285587699: Hills, Andrew, Hills, Jonathan D: Books
www.amazon.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Vol. 2 of 'Origins of Armour' is OUT NOW.
This series explores designs for armoured vehicles pre 1915 to provide a fuller picture of how ideas around armoured vehicles developed. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM/
This series explores designs for armoured vehicles pre 1915 to provide a fuller picture of how ideas around armoured vehicles developed. www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXWMKKCM/
Vickers light tank B.S.9865, 11th Light Tank Co., Peshawar came to grief on this mountain road in the Kohat Pass in Nov. 1937. Skidding off the road, the tank ploughed through a stone wall and rolled down the 45 deg. rocky slope before hitting a large boulder and stopping. 1/3
October 23, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Vickers light tank B.S.9865, 11th Light Tank Co., Peshawar came to grief on this mountain road in the Kohat Pass in Nov. 1937. Skidding off the road, the tank ploughed through a stone wall and rolled down the 45 deg. rocky slope before hitting a large boulder and stopping. 1/3
Eye injuries were a major hazard for crews of tanks in WW1 which lacked protective glass vision. A simple slit for vision could lead to dangerous splash entering and blinding the crewman. One option was this experimental rotating porthole device from M. Hublot. c.1918. 1/2
October 21, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Eye injuries were a major hazard for crews of tanks in WW1 which lacked protective glass vision. A simple slit for vision could lead to dangerous splash entering and blinding the crewman. One option was this experimental rotating porthole device from M. Hublot. c.1918. 1/2
If it fits. It ships. I’m not sure Vickers light tanks were meant to be carry-able like this but if it works…
October 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
If it fits. It ships. I’m not sure Vickers light tanks were meant to be carry-able like this but if it works…
Book delivery day to restock my own copies. See a title you are interested in? Check out all FWD titles at amazon.com/stores/Andrew-…
October 18, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Book delivery day to restock my own copies. See a title you are interested in? Check out all FWD titles at amazon.com/stores/Andrew-…
The '14-ton Special Tank' (TOG Amphibian) was not Britain’s first underwater tank experiment. In 1939, an A.9 was modified for submersion and successfully crossed the River Stour in June 1940 before War Office observers, at a depth of just over 3 m deep. 1/3 #tanks #history #WW2
October 17, 2025 at 2:55 PM
A bit of a puzzler for me as I've never seen or heard of this thing before - but what appears to be a 150 mm Fabry Mortar M.17 mounted on a cut-down French Schneider CA1 chassis c.1918.
October 16, 2025 at 4:06 PM
A bit of a puzzler for me as I've never seen or heard of this thing before - but what appears to be a 150 mm Fabry Mortar M.17 mounted on a cut-down French Schneider CA1 chassis c.1918.
The story of one of the more unusual British assault tank ideas from WW2 is out now on Amazon - 'The TOG Amphibian', or, more correctly, the '14-Ton Special Tank' was designed to assault an enemy coming from under the water.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMFQZLR9
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMFQZLR9
October 15, 2025 at 3:29 AM
The story of one of the more unusual British assault tank ideas from WW2 is out now on Amazon - 'The TOG Amphibian', or, more correctly, the '14-Ton Special Tank' was designed to assault an enemy coming from under the water.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMFQZLR9
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMFQZLR9
Poor quality newpaper photo of what is captioned as a "massive" 16-ton British tank (Vickers Medium Mk.III) which slipped off the road on the Swindon Road, Wiltshire 22/9/1934. One local scamp appears to be souvenier hunting. VRM MT9708
October 14, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Poor quality newpaper photo of what is captioned as a "massive" 16-ton British tank (Vickers Medium Mk.III) which slipped off the road on the Swindon Road, Wiltshire 22/9/1934. One local scamp appears to be souvenier hunting. VRM MT9708
The Cailloux experimental protective visor for tank crews shown here c.1918 on a French Schenider CA1. This was meant to replace the existing vision slit to provide better protection from bullets and splash along with improved visibility for the driver.
October 13, 2025 at 7:18 PM
The Cailloux experimental protective visor for tank crews shown here c.1918 on a French Schenider CA1. This was meant to replace the existing vision slit to provide better protection from bullets and splash along with improved visibility for the driver.
A.30 low-rider edition. This is A.30 Scheme 1 from Aug.'43 for the lowest silhouette and lightest version possible, just over 2m high and 28 tons. Grey colouration added to highlight her incredibly low profile - just 61" (1,549 mm) of headroom - it would have been snug in there.
October 12, 2025 at 5:10 PM
A.30 low-rider edition. This is A.30 Scheme 1 from Aug.'43 for the lowest silhouette and lightest version possible, just over 2m high and 28 tons. Grey colouration added to highlight her incredibly low profile - just 61" (1,549 mm) of headroom - it would have been snug in there.