Wot I did on my Half Term Hols

First there was a phonecall from Peter (The Great) Gillespie (purveyor of all the immaculate replica Sopwith goodies), from his new(ish) address in S. Germany, three days before Veterama, the vast annual autojumble near Mannheim: inviting us to accept some S. African hospitality there.
Secondly was a frantic day, organising rail-travel and flight tickets.
Thirdly was a long day of waiting/queueing/being buggered about by little men in uniforms, in the way that seems an inescapable part of present-day travel.
But the fourth day was sublime! Veterama is at least as big as Beaulieu, with perhaps more accent on bikes than cars. Really, the three-day optional tickets wouldn’t have permitted a comprehensive viewing of all the stalls (estimated at 1400!) but anyway, we chose to adopt a blinkered approach, to bypass most non-ABC items.
1). There was an immaculate Sopwith, already sold for nearly £16k! (It was unknown to the Register, as far as could be ascertained from its incomplete number-stampings).
2). We found a Gnome et Rhone power-unit, missing carb., magneto, manifolds, and its RH rockers, but with a usable tank: also at a daft price. We retired to consider possible strategies…
On Day Five we turned our backs on Veterama, and headed instead over the nearby French border to Mulhouse, home of the Schlumpf Bugatti Collection. It was amazing! Endless very long rows of perfectly restored cars, not only Bugattis, but of many other makes and models, from primitives to the Veyron. And there was the much-photographed (and very unauthentic) G&R, which according to the badge on its bulbous grey tank wasn’t an ABC at all, but a CBA.
On the Sixth Day (sometimes called the Sabbath, I think) we returned to Veterama. Half an hour before Closing Time, the G&R unit was still there, and after extended and fierce haggling, the G&R (with tank) was barrowed over to our limo. QED.
Summing up, it was a Half-Term Hol like no other!

 
 
 
 

Behold £16k.-worth of Sopwith! Note the classy badge on the timing chest cover, borrowed from a tank.

 

This is the G&R, safely tucked into new ownership.