Bombi Over-Snow vehicle-- Royal Navy Service?

[Troffa]

Good day to all,

A friend has asked if I can find out any details regarding a vehicle that is currently "parked" in the Western Highlands of Scotland - It would appear from it's data plate that it is a "Bombi Over-Snow vehicle", and was at one time, at least, utilised by the RN in the 1980's.

Google turns up some mentions of this type of vehicle, mainly for use at Ski resorts for transport and Piste Preparation, but I for one am intrigued by it's service days in the dark blue.

Any Bm'ers have any knowledge of the type or its role?

Feel free to disseminate to the furthest reaches of the web in the quest for information!

Cheers,

Troffa

[Dads203]

That's the front end of a BV type vehicle, the newer version used by the AMF is or was the BV206,

I think the Viking is based on the BV206 but during my time I only saw the 206's

I have seen photos of these being used by the RM and AMF before the BV206 in Norway.

Or I'm totally wrong

Cheers

Dan

[Dads203]

Here you go. worth a few bucks done up.

http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/all,wy/auction/view%3Fauc%3D374273

[Troffa]

Cheers Dan, that vehicle in Wyoming certainly looks in better nick- and it looks like the relic may be missing it's exhaust (or engine!)

[Kingsman]

Interesting that the data plate is dated 1983: the year after the Falklands. At this time RM were still using the BV202, predecessor to the BV206, as their primary vehicle. I would lay a bet that this vehicle was used as a utility vehicle at a range or test establishment somewhere, possibly the Cape Wrath gunnery range. That was still run by the Navy in those days. Over-snow also means good flotation over soft going anywhere. The grey colour scheme suggests non-operational use. It doesn't seem very useful as a tactical vehicle anyway.

[Troffa]

Thanks for that reply Herr Abteilung, I did consider it's current location and colour scheme as a pointer to use in a non combat role- I will keep searching for info, but I may have to join the RN Forum "Rum Ration" to get any definitive answers.

Cheers,

Mark

[Kingsman]

I had a scratch around to see if I could find the record of the Equipment Registration Mark. But since the arrival of computerised vehicle records the old service vehicle census offices have closed down and I can't find anyone who knows what happened to the records. The Navy had their own office at Portsmouth. It seems that the Bombi was commonly used for dressing ski slopes and as a small snow plough as well as personal transport. The Navy didn't have any ski slopes but a snow plough at one of the Scottish bases or depots is a possibility. The US Army had a few, apparently: don't know what for. Apart from a small rack the only load carrying ability was with the trailer.

I did wonder if it might have been a support vehicle for mountain and arctic warfare training, but I would have expected a tactical or more likely a hi-vis colour for that. Same would have been true if it had been carried as a shore vehicle by HMS Endurance: would it have fitted in her workboat? I can't tell from the photos if the vestiges of white paint are an almost-worn-away top colour or an undercoat, but judging by the amount of white still in the headlamp recesses I'm thinking top colour and the grey is the primer - which suggests tactical use. Navy admin vehicles commonly had the establishment or unit name painted on the cab doors: no sign of that here. As the track cleats aren't rusty they must be the aluminium type, which was for snow use. There was a steel type for non-snow use.

I did find out that it had a 1600cc Ford Cortina engine, but I'm not sure if our knowledge is otherwise advanced much .........

[Troffa]

Thanks very much for that reply, the effort expended, and for your musings- I have a colleague who was part of Endurance's crew in the 1990's , and serendipitously will be on a job with him next week, so I shall make a few enquiries with him.

I'll also let the original source of the photographs know about the Cortina engine!

I have also considered having a hunt through Hansard- maybe there is some record of the contract and it's purpose?

It intriguing though- abandoned vehicles and kit in surprising locations- I know of a pair of WW2 Kriegsmarine Binoculars still utilised in a former MOD range and have often wondered at their route to Salisbury plain.

Cheers,

Troffa

[Dave Fleming]

I wonder if it was used for Arctic Warfare from the Fearless class (hence RN reg) and this one was part of the Mountain and Arctic Warfare training, hence it's west of Scotland location?

I note one international page says it was widely used by the RN, RM and British Army - I wonder if they refer to the earlier Snowtracs or the BV202/206? Maybe this was a trials type?

Edited July 21, 2016 by Dave Fleming

[Kingsman]

The Bombi was definitely NOT a general service vehicle. At that time (1983) the standard Marines over-snow vehicle was the Volvo BV202, used in anger in the Falklands in 1982. From the front and from a distance this might look superficially similar to the Bombi to the uninitiated. Prior to that the service vehicle was the Aktiv ST4. After the BV202 came the improved BV206. There is no way we were looking at replacing the very capable BV202 with the frankly pathetic little Bombi (sorry, Bombi, but it had to be said .....). It is just about conceivable that SBS might have played about with it: a 4-man patrol with 2 Bombi and trailers might make some sense.

BV202

Aktiv ST4. VW Beetle engine ........

Don't get too hung up on vehicle registrations. RN was and is only used on vehicles unique to the Navy, like the Aktiv above. Marines count as Navy, although RM was used for a while too. Vehicles that were classed as General Service got, and still get, "Army" series numbers. Like the BV202 pictured. Don't forget that 3 Cdo Bde includes a lot of Army in its Orbat. Marines provide the infantry but loggie, gunner, REME and sapper elements are all Army.

So we can say without question that this Bombi was unique to the Navy, but that doesn't exclude Marines. It is rather odd that the Bombi was apparently (from the data plate) bought from Rolba in Sweden and not direct from Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer. But the contract number indicates that it was bought by DG Fighting Vehicles in St Christopher House, London and not by the Navy directly. I did find a reference on a truck forum to MOD snow-clearing equipment of that sort of vintage being supplied by Rolba: ploughs and blowers. I certainly remember seeing the curious double-front-wheel Commer Rolba snow blower in the workshop yard at Warminster for years, although I'm sure that vehicle pre-dated 1983. So that circles me back to my idea that "our" Bombi was potentially supplied as a snow plough as part of a larger contract.

I found a site with a PDF of the original Bombi sales brochure here: http://safetyoneinc.com/specsheets/pdf/BOMBI.PDF.

I would have resized the pictures down a bit, but couldn't find how.

[missile-monkey]

I served on 845 NACS in Norway in 84, 85 and 86. We used this type of vehicle as a run around in the snow and at out FOBs for general use. Saved us walking out to the aircraft carrying toolboxes etc... They had a Ford Escort engine with the gearbox on back to front. So instead on 1st gear being to the left and up it was to the right and down !! Could only fit three at a push in the cockpit, everyone esle had to hang on the outside. We had some great times with them especially when you were trying to find reverse ! ! Bootnecks were always whinging about our lack of track dicipline.....Happy days......

M.M

[Troffa]

Thanks very much for that Mr M! I will pass on this info to my the original source of the query-- I suspect that I know at least a couple of your ex-shipmates (If they work at Yeovil's finest Helicopter manufacturer. Cheers, Troffa