4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY MILITARY KIT · AIR PORTABLE
Air portableMilitary kitCommon

Lightweight air-portable stripping kit (removable panels) and MSP drop

Rover Company / Land Rover Ltd to MoD specification · United Kingdom · 1968–1984

The Lightweight's whole reason to exist: the front bumper, windscreen, doors, tailgate, upper body side panels, rear side panels, seats, spare wheel, and tilt with its sticks all unbolt as a kit so the stripped vehicle drops to about 2,660 lb (GS) or 2,810 lb (FFR) for a Wessex helicopter's 2,500 lb hook or for dispatch on a Medium Stressed Platform from a Hercules, the panels following separately to be refitted at the drop zone. The FFR's demountable radio bank across the cargo bay was likewise designed to fly separately.

SourcesMore military kit
Lightweight air-portable stripping kit (removable panels) and MSP drop
Sgt Ross Tilly, UK MOD Crown Copyright, via Wikimedia Commons (a Defender underslung from a Chinook) · OGL · source
1968–1984MADE—PERIOD PRICECommonRARITY1LAND ROVER MODELS4SOURCES

Description

The Lightweight's whole reason to exist: the front bumper, windscreen, doors, tailgate, upper body side panels, rear side panels, seats, spare wheel, and tilt with its sticks all unbolt as a kit so the stripped vehicle drops to about 2,660 lb (GS) or 2,810 lb (FFR) for a Wessex helicopter's 2,500 lb hook or for dispatch on a Medium Stressed Platform from a Hercules, the panels following separately to be refitted at the drop zone. The FFR's demountable radio bank across the cargo bay was likewise designed to fly separately.

Series IIA (1968-72) and Series III (1972-84) Lightweights; later Defender 90s were cleared for MSP dropping in pairs

Rarity. 37,897 Lightweights built 1968-84 and every one carried the demountable panels; complete vehicles and loose panels remain plentiful on the surplus and enthusiast market.

Record: 4 sources; designation recorded; no price recorded.

Specification

MAKERRover Company / Land Rover Ltd to MoD specification, United Kingdom
DESIGNATION / PARTTruck, Utility, 1/2 ton, 4x4, Rover (Lightweight), GS FV18101 / FFR FV18102
MADE1968–1984
RARITYCommon — 37,897 Lightweights built 1968-84 and every one carried the demountable panels; complete vehicles and loose panels remain plentiful on the surplus and enthusiast market.
REMOVABLEfront bumper, windscreen, doors, tailgate, upper body panels, rear side panels, seats, spare wheel, tilt and sticks
STRIPPED WEIGHT LB{"GS":2660,"FFR":2810}
HELICOPTERWestland Wessex, 2,500 lb slung load
AIR DROPMedium Stressed Platform (MSP), later pairs of Defenders per Medium Stressed Pallet for 5 Airborne Brigade
FFR RADIO BANKdemountable, carried separately by helicopter

Fitment

LAND ROVER

Lightweight

Series IIA (1968-72) and Series III (1972-84) Lightweights; later Defender 90s were cleared for MSP dropping in pairs

Variants

Royal Marines amphibious waterproofing kit1970s

Elastic covers, PVC bags, rubber bungs, battery vent covers and non-return valves applied in three stages before beach landings

Imagery

Lightweight air-portable stripping kit (removable panels) and MSP drop
unknown · Andrew Bone, Flickr, via Wikimedia Commons · commons.wikimedia.org · reference only, not reproduced under licence
Lightweight air-portable stripping kit (removable panels) and MSP drop
OGL · Sgt Ross Tilly, UK MOD Crown Copyright, via Wikimedia Commons (a Defender underslung from a Chinook) · commons.wikimedia.org

Sources

emlra.org/articles/vehicles/the-lightweighttanks-encyclopedia.com/land-rover-lightweight-series-iia-and-iii/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Rover_1/2_ton_Lightweightjoint-forces.com/land-rovers/22532-mlr-pt-18a-pathfinder-defender-90-lrpvEvery source above was fetched and read when the record was made.