The art may look like shit to you, myself? I couldn't come close to this level of art.

Faved in honour of my late Grandfather who was in Burma during WW2.

Burma!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5p2XAGE8R8

(I panicked!)

I noticed the gents are toting British Rifle No. 5 Mk I Jungle Carbines, infamous for their 'wandering zero' issues. They were infamously unable to be zeroed in and consistently hit a point of aim. I remember seeing one in really nice shape for $89 about 25 years ago. I wish now that I'd bought it, even if I never shot it.

Heh, and I'm trying to find good replica wood for a Jungle Carbine. There is a little trick to bedding the fore stock that eliminates the wandering zero. I picked up a #4 that was sporterized by Parker Hale in the early 60s - they sold them for 20 Pounds Sterling - barrel cut and crowned at 22 inches and a Parker Hale front sight ramp installed - wood cut back and trimmed a bit and a 5 round mag. Found it for 200 bucks, needed a rear sight - found a Jungle Carbine one in a parts bin at the shop for a petty sum. Just feel like giving it that Jungle Carbine look.

I obtained a MINTY MkV years ago , I was at a local gun show and Brought in my Mas 49 rifle. I loved that Mas, but two faults with it, A: 7.5 French is a bitch to obtain, B: it threw brass a country mile into the tall grass where I couldn't locate the brass. So if it was reloadable, it was gone.

The one dealer just drooled all over that 49 rifle, and I was looking at his trade offers, a couple Garand rifles, a couple SMLEs and the MkV and couple Carcanos.

I was torn between the MkV and a Minty DCM Garand, and finally agreed to the trade. He said "Yeah, I'll do it ,but I still need to get $100 in the exchange." And knowing a mint condition Jungle Carbine was difficult enough to find, I agreed. Handed the guy the $100 and he hands me BOTH the MKV AND the Garand!!! I quickly vacated the area least he changed his mind!!

I still have both rifles. I would later obtain a Mas 49/56 in .308 so I was happy with that.

I looked at those MAS rifles some years ago - did have a MAS 45 - a slightly reworked Mauser KKW .22 lr trainer. Let that go like a fool. Picked up a BRNO Model 1 .22lr Trainerin cosmoline recently - KBI import from the early 90s, the Receiver has 1945 German markings and the barrel has a 1947 proof. Czechs took left over parts from the end of the war to make their trainers - the Current CZ 452, etc are pretty much the same action and use the same magazine. Was interested in the MAS 36 - didn't know about making brass for them from 6.5mm x 55 Swede. You got the steal of the century from that Dealer.
I managed to get the what appeared to be glued on fore end off of the #4 today - wasn't bedding, just plastic wood and I found someone had tack welded a nut on the bottom of the barrel and had a machine screw holding the fore end on - screw covered with plastic wood. Removed the tack weld with a grinder on a Dremel and fitted the free float cut down fore end to the rifle. Found Jungle Carbine wood for sale, Way over my budget

A small consignment showed up in a local chain of sporting goods stores about the same time a lot of former Warsaw Pact allies decided to dump their war emergency stocks of Nagant rifles and carbines on the U.S. market. Picked one up just for the novelty factor.

That was my idea, exactly, and it was around that time.

❤️

Really? Even your early art looks amazing to me.

Art looks good and you had your eye for detail of equipment down pat at that time. Shame my Kiwi neighbor Bill passed - he would have loved seeing this pic.

One cannot NOT fave a pic with a Type 97 tank in it.