Vickers fax.
 

For some strange reasons(none of them logical!)I got it into my head to build a 1937 Vickers command tank on the base of a T 16 I purchased last year.I am not the only one disturbed as I see Jon Bradshaw doing it also!I will try to post as I go along.

Vickers fax.
 

Made a little trip to the sandblaster last July.

Vickers fax.
 

The shop(in the great outdoor),the oil coolers,the controls rods and finally the engine.

Looking forward to seeing this project as it progresses. :thup:

Vickers fax.
 

Drawings are done and verified by cut and glue.My metal supplier is going to start cutting with his CNC plasma ctter this week!

Well, I can see a logical thing to do with a cut-down Seco T16 log skidder is to turn it into a Vickers Carden Loyd light tank - but it would have to be the Model 1936 Dutchman :D

Keep at it, am interested to see how this project develops.

H.

while your project is outside my own MV interest area my hat is off to you for giving it a try.

Please keep us posted, am interested to see how it works out

R

Hanno, do we assume that you are a Model 1936 Dutchman?

I would agree with Hanno on the 1936 hull and suspention layout- I did the math on converting an LP2 hull into a Dutchman, unfortunately the sad state of the hull and my finances put a hold onto that. One tip- Grab one of the 1/35 Vulcan MK VIB models, and the Tamaya carrier kit, and cut & glue the 2 together as per what you are doing 1-1 scale.,....a little more robust than paper for prototyping before you invest in steel plate. Looking forward to more piccs!
Rob

Interesting project I say,,,but I am more interested in the first set of pics which looks like a 6 pounder or Pak 38/40 in the background!

Yes Lance it is a Pak 40.

Ha ha Lynn, no I'm not that old ;)

I fancy the VCL Model 1936 "Dutchman" as it, together with the Marmon-Herrington light tank, was used in the only battle in which Dutch tanks were involved in - ever. Sadly, being quite rare, neither type is preserved in the Netherlands. So a replica would not be out of place here, especially as it could be driven and displayed rather than an original which many museums think should be preserved inside.

H.

I am sorry (and embarrassed) in as much as I was thinking 1946 when I did my (flawed)mental calculation.

Can you I.D these two machines from the AWM for me Hanno?

Curious that we have the same idea.
 

I like you, wanted to do the 1937 version simply for the rarity of it and the joy of having a tank with a gun on it.
I see it looks like you are taking the safer approach and using the existing carrier drive layout?
I am making a series of very significant changes so that the drive sprocket is at the front.
I have gutted what was left of my "Log Skidder" and will attempt to make it run the opposite direction. (Running the original transmission in reverse)
Driver controls and all linkages will be rebuilt and positioned on the left of the engine facing over the rear drive axle. Turret will be directly behind it as per the existing examples in Russia.
I spent a few hours this week cutting off the firewall and extra bits added over the years. Next week I will sandblast the interior and get it primed for winter install of the drive train.
Engine will be offset to the right and connected with a custom driveshaft to the original transmission.
A huge project that I expect will take me all winter. :doh:
Pictures to follow as I forget to take them as I was cutting. Have before but no after yet.

Jon

Additional Pics
 

Here are a few originals I am using as design templates.

John,you are correct I am taking the safer approach.I believe that there is sufficient work there.I am using the same reference pictures as you are.Hopefully we will both come up with something interesting.

John, I haven't been there, but you can probably flip your axle in the hull to you a reversal. (putting the brake backing plates back on the same side afterwards)

Not as simple as you may think.
 

Lynn- I looked at that idea and you are right using a universal carrier it would be that simple. The T16 has extra steering brakes and is mounted to the rear armor in such a way that it would be very hard to flip it over. The cast area inside the outer brakes, where it bolts on to the side armor would not bolt back on if it were upside down.
I talked to someone who made a conversion UC to Panzer MK1 and he said that the transmission was not the ideal way to go but that it worked. If he did it again he would flip the axle.... I did explore that option, but won't work.... would have been simpler.....

Clark- You are well ahead of me so far, so I guess we will see who gets to the finish first. If you have internal plans for the turret ring and mechanics of rotating I would love to see and discuss them.

Clarkray, I once worked at a place where we had a Clarke 8 ton forklift.
It ran a chrysler 318 petrol v8, left hand rotation. It had a different camshaft, and the crankshaft was drilled differently among other things. Some manufacturers have built Marine counter rotation engines to make matched pairs for boats, (unlike the likes of a Staghound where both engines are the same)

Just a thought.

Jon for the drive I plan on using a chain locked in place over a aluminum ring(as a ring gear.) and a small sprocket to run around it.I am not sure yet about the rollers although I am leaning toward V rollers running on a rolled rod top and bottom.

Turret ring
 

I was planning on the same thing. Finding an inward facing gear with matching sprocket has proven hard so far. A motorcycle chain and sprocket is my plan.
I have a few steel rings used as barrel hoops they are 1" steel "I" beam bent in a circle and welded 28" inside diameter. One on turret one on hull and ball bearings in between. Should make a good bearing.
Hope they will work and be able to support a turret.

Two machines
 

The first machine is the little 2 man French armored carrier UE, about 5000 were built as ammunition carriers. The second may be the little Italian carrier but thats just a guess.
Tamiya makes a nice 1/35 scale model of the UE item # 35284

Hi Roberta, thank you for the I.D. They both look like good fun projects. Have any of either survived?
I assume both are evolved from the V.C.L. tankettes.

French UE
 

Lynn
I have posted a link to the wicked pedia page describing the UE.
Apparently there were several versions of the UE and Jerry being an enterprising bunch made use of the 3000 that were captured when France fell.
So the second pic may also be a UE




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_UE_Chenillette

The other one looks a bit like a Carden Lloyd seen here at The Tank Museum (Bovington). Some guys had made a couple of replicas and displayed at W&P last year. Ron

that replica is for sale as it happens... somewhere on Milweb, but it is a very good reproduction.

EDIT: found it, its still there £26.500
http://www.milweb.net/webverts/67067/

Thanks Ron and Richard, If I had a couple of spare fortunes, I'd look seriously at that. She's a pretty little machine.
How did he make the track?

All cast from scratch I guess. I had a good look at them and a pleasant chat with the builders. But I feel it's the sort of thing you build for fun or out of interest for yourself. In my opinion, the labour costs outweigh the value of such a replica..........Unless of course Steven Spielberg needs one for a movie with Bruce Willis. Ron

The track was my first thought as well...if he can make track for it...he could make track for a UC...

The casting of the track for the UC is the easy bit.... Drilling the lugs / machining not so much