Vehicle & Weapons Scrap yard - Site 2 (The Big One!)

[skypilot]

I think Steve has summed up my reaction pretty well! What you can't see too well in the pictures due to their size is that there's a fair bit of WW2 kit in amongst that lot. There's a picture of an artillery piece dial that is clearly dated 1940 and there's a fair few DPM's and mags in those heaps of small arms, and undoubtedly some of those tripods and mortars will be WW2 vintage. I'm led to believe that the finned rocket element is the front section of an SA-3 SAM - you can see larger sections of other more complete missiles in other pictures.

Anyone able to ID any of the artillery pieces?

The frustrating thing is aboslutely no-one is bothered about the stuff and it will just sit there forever....and I had my little souvenirs confiscated! There was talk of a contractor coming to collect it all for scrap, hence the rather large boilers also on the site but apparently it never happened.

One of the more amusing aspects of my liaison visit to this location was the ranges. They are of a fairly standard 300m, 200m, 100m format as per most UK ranges with large earthen banks enclosing 3 sides and around 20-30 firing points. When I enquired how well disciplined the ANA were on the ranges I was told "Easy, the guys at 100m are prone, the ones at 200m kneeling and the ones at 300m standing - ALL AT THE SAME TIME!". Apparently sometimes they even have vehicle mounted weapons firing over the heads of the standing guys! Unbelievably they have very few casualties. Likewise, on their counter-IED training areas and mine clearence they use only live munitions - focuses their attention more apparently......

Just to show you it's not all old relics, here's a couple of snaps I took at a CSE (Combined Services Entertainment) show.

[davejb]

I definately like the twin turrets on the last but one photo, they could be classed as WMD , like to have a go at diffusing them

[Reg]

Wonder if this is still there?? It was in 03.
T34/85
Ive some pics somewhere of some Nepolionic era cannon reportedly retreved from the same area.....apparently spirited away to some regimental mess somewhere.

No entertainment like that in my day........just a Donkey and some imagination.

Reg

[skypilot]

Reg is quite right. There's not quite so much of the old stuff about but there is a fair bit if you know where to look. There was a scrapyard up near Kabul (I think?) that had a large number of 1930's RAF airframes - literally just the frames but still quite rare. Problem was they were sat in a minefield as so much stuff is. Mines are a major hazard to the souvenir hunting notwithstanding the deliberately planted IED's. On average my location had 6-10 controlled explosions a day disposing of Soviet "legacy" mines and munitions.

[ian_]

Astonishing photos, Skypilot, All of them! Were there any aircraft remains around? Would love to get a Mig23 stick...

[brataccas]

wow

[Falschirmjager]

And that's all folks! I notice that the images don't enlarge too well so if someone wants any particular image enlarging for detail, particularly the weapon heaps let me know and I'll post bigger images - what is the forum limit on image dimensions?

Absolutely bloody brilliant photos!!!!! Cant beleive all those scrapped artillery, tanks and Anti Aircraft cannons and ammo and what would many of us give to be able to go there and bring some of that stuff back-fantastic photos and thanks for sharing these gems. Regards, Tim Heath.

[skypilot]

Astonishing photos, Skypilot, All of them! Were there any aircraft remains around? Would love to get a Mig23 stick...

Loads Ian but more in the past tense now. Most of the major airfields such as Bagram and Kandahar to name but two were quite literally covered in such stuff when the ISAF troops arrived and the whole lot had to be cleared out of the way. Nowadays, there's much less in the way of aircraft items on bases sadly. I managed to bring back 3 tires that I found in a ditch though....don't ask! Haven't ID'd them yet but almost certain they are helicopter or fast jet. I left them at my barracks in the UK and will collect them in a couple of weeks.

I'm no longer out in theatre so no chance of more souvenirs. Mind you, the MP's would probably only pinch them anyway!

[eddy8men]

great thread, i will never get bored of looking at military scrapyards and that is the mother of all yards !!! just goes to show the poor buggars have been fighting almost non stop for decades (rather them than me). i'm no expert on ww2 soviet artillery but i did notice lots of 76.2mm zis 3 guns many of which could well be war dated. the only reason i'm familiar with the zis 3 is that there were a few for sale on a polish ebay type site last year and i was toying with the idea of buying one and at £1800 a throw the price was right too but they soon got snapped up, probably just aswell as the missus would have killed me.

all the best

eddy

[davejb]

Mainly for the people in England, but on Top Gear last night ,the three presenters visited a British Army depot that disposes of unwanted vehicles of all descriptions, ranging from landrovers, armoured tracked , bulldozers, mine clearing tracked, and Gazelle helicopters, there were scores of them all for sale it was like an alladins cave, we would have a field day in there drooling