Border Raiding

[ron]

Hi Lynn,
Well you are never to old to learn, thanks for that information,that will make it easier to source track,
Regards, Ron

[colin jones]

Hi Lynn, I will check it in the daylight but the track that is there does look like the horns are closer and the lead plug area is different also. There is a t16 there as well. I think a busy beaver will be an understatement with this lot.
Colin.

[colin jones]

a few more for your interest
Colin.

[ron]

Hi Colin,
Third pic is very interesting showing differant wheels on the double bogies also the track is not Aust track, the wheel leaning next to the carrier seems narrow, in fact I reckon its the one that I picked up and put down again a couple of months ago, By the way if it is ,that one it measured two and a half inches across the ruber , the same as the ones fitted to that Marmon conversion that I recoved last year, more to ponder,and although my wheels did not have rubber this one does,so now whats the answer?did we make narrow wheels here? if so why?
Regards, Ron

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

a few more for your interest
Colin.

Colin,

On the third picture, is that two aluminium turret baskets for the tanks, on the truck?

[colin jones]

Yes richard they are the turret baskets and how lucky am I to have them. It would be so hard to find information if I had to replicate one. I will take a lot of pics before I start any restoration on this piece of history. It would be a crime to let the poor thing just sit an rott in to the ground. It is already under cover in a shed.



Ron, I will measure the wheels today and put my findings on MLU tonight. as you say it is all very interesting.
Colin.

[Justin Pollard]

Hello Colin,
what a top haul of carriers,well done.take that scrappies!.

[Lynn Eades]

check out this pic. already from this forum. specifically the track.
The light tank wheels have flat spokes, just like the skinny English wheels, but in fact are the same width as the Aust. wheels. the light tank track,is fully pinned, with no lead plug required.

[Treadhead]

I really do have too much time on my hands

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

check out this pic. already from this forum. specifically the track.
The light tank wheels have flat spokes, just like the skinny English wheels, but in fact are the same width as the Aust. wheels. the light tank track,is fully pinned, with no lead plug required.

A detail from the pic I posted in the "Aust tanks 1937" thread, the track on the Puckapunyal Vickers, DD^276, has Aust "lead plug" track links. Might this have been an Aust Army change for compatibility with LP carriers, or has it been done during the (Aust Army) Museum restoration using what was available?

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by colin jones

a few more for your interest
Colin.

Awesome.

[colin jones]

Here's a few more pics of the mechs. Just about all the running gear is there and afcourse condition is unknown at this stage. But it is under cover and I will get to it in good time. Must finish the mortar carrier first.
Colin.

[Rob Dyba]

I have got a lot of info from here http://mailer.fsu.edu/~akirk/tanks/
I was under the understanding that the lead plugs were particular to the Australian & carried over the Tasman to the NZ carriers, bieng a more cost effective way of manufacture compared to the "english" pins. I was also of the belief that the local pattern track was based on light tank track, however if the track on this vehicle is correct, and I would assume it is, then that would explain Ron's narrow spoked wheels, local carrier wheels machined down to suit "Vickers" narrow track when "English" wheels were not available locally. Probably the engineering required to change the drive sprocket & track adjuster wheels on the rear to suit local track was more effort than skimming a few wheel castings at manufacture, so was the easy way to go. I don't believe english type track was ever foundered locally, LP1's also using the "wide" track. Colin can you get a width measurment of the road wheels on Vickers, so we can compare them to Ron's wheels please??? I think they will match.

Rob

[ron]

Morning Rob,
Thanks for your reply regarding the narrow wheels,I agree with what you have said, I was down in Victoria a couple of months ago to pick up my Met gas carrier,and called to see John, I checked out Colins Vickers tank at the time,I think the track on it is original, the wheels are narrow I picked up a spare narrow wheel next to the remains of a carrier and ran the tape measure over it for width. the rubber was complete in fact it was as good as new but the rubber was hard as you would expect it measured (One Inch less ) than the standard Aust wheels although it was the standard H pattern,The Marmon Herrington carrier that I recoved last year had these wheels but the rubber was gone,someone had suggested this was done by the saw mill owner when the conversion was done after the war ,My question is why would you bother tirning down australian wheels to fit British track when Aust track and wheels were all over the place on top of this there were no Laths or mills on the property to do this type of work, which also requires a fair amount of skil I also picked up a couple of spare British type narrow wheels that were lying on the ground I think what Rob has said is true it seems that Aust either cast some narrow wheels the question is why? or as he said turned some down ? By the way those Marmon parts are looking for a good home if any one needs them,
Regards Ron