VICKERS MK6B's resto

[David Dunlop]

Colin, Colin, Colin!

The nature of this little lamp is really starting to bug my gizzard!

When it is extended, the interior colour really stands out against all the exterior green paint, and it would be a fairly bright lamp in the dark when lit. All of that would logically seem to weight against its intention as a means of signaling, unless it was issued with some form of filter/shroud kit. Then, if it was issued with some form of kit, it appears the easiest way to install possible accessories would be in the extended position. In a combat situation, that could prove a very high risk task for the crew.

So I think about it a bit as being nothing more than an interior lamp. Seems over designed for that purpose, save for the rather restricted amount of interior room in the vehicle. The designers may then have decided for maintenance purposes, just make the lamp slide up above the vehicle. When done, slide it back down. That, however, raises (no pun) another issue: possibly preventing a lit lamp from accidentally being raised.

Do you have any wiring diagrams at hand that show the circuit for this lamp? At it’s simplest, I would expect to see an ON/OFF Switch located somewhere in series with the lamp. One could kick that basic circuit up a notch by inserting a spring loaded cutout switch in it to automatically shut the lamp off when it was raised for maintenance.

I notice in the last two photos you posted, an new little bit of metal work tucked into the lower bottom corner right below what is possibly the lamp handle support plate? That would be the perfect spot for locating a cutout switch for the lamp.

Then again, I could be totally out to lunch on all this...

David

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Colin, Colin, Colin!

The nature of this little lamp is really starting to bug my gizzard!

When it is extended, the interior colour really stands out against all the exterior green paint, and it would be a fairly bright lamp in the dark when lit. All of that would logically seem to weight against its intention as a means of signaling, unless it was issued with some form of filter/shroud kit. Then, if it was issued with some form of kit, it appears the easiest way to install possible accessories would be in the extended position. In a combat situation, that could prove a very high risk task for the crew.

So I think about it a bit as being nothing more than an interior lamp. Seems over designed for that purpose, save for the rather restricted amount of interior room in the vehicle. The designers may then have decided for maintenance purposes, just make the lamp slide up above the vehicle. When done, slide it back down. That, however, raises (no pun) another issue: possibly preventing a lit lamp from accidentally being raised.

Do you have any wiring diagrams at hand that show the circuit for this lamp? At it’s simplest, I would expect to see an ON/OFF Switch located somewhere in series with the lamp. One could kick that basic circuit up a notch by inserting a spring loaded cutout switch in it to automatically shut the lamp off when it was raised for maintenance.

I notice in the last two photos you posted, an new little bit of metal work tucked into the lower bottom corner right below what is possibly the lamp handle support plate? That would be the perfect spot for locating a cutout switch for the lamp.

Then again, I could be totally out to lunch on all this...

David

David,
As I said in an earlier post, this is a Signalling lamp, nothing more, nothing less, there was a signalling switch in circuit with it. There is no reason for it to be an interior lamp either as Festoon Lamps were fitted in the turret and lower hull. I was involved in the installation of the electrical system of the Australian Mk6a that was restored for the Jacque Littlefield Collection, about 15 years ago. See below a clip of the wiring diagram showing the lamp and switch.

regards, Richard

[David Dunlop]

Thanks for posting the diagram, Richard.

I think the problem we sometimes experience today, in understanding vehicles designed and built 80 years ago, is we evaluate them with far more experience and knowledge than the people who built and operated them 80 years ago ever had available to them.

We can look at a Signal Lamp like this today and wonder why you would want to use a Signal Lamp that is obscured in a very large radius by a part of the vehicle to which it is fitted, why said lamp would not be directional to minimize detection by the enemy in the field and probably a whole host of other observations. When this vehicle was designed and built, these issues may very well have been oblivious to all involved until the concept was put into real life practice. And things evolved from that point.

An interesting example of us being lucky enough to be where we are today, because of all the things that came before us.

Great to see Colin’s work in keeping all the amazing little details of these fascinating little tanks, alive and well today, and available for future generations to appreciate.

David

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

What saddens me is all the information we have lost or didn't seek out when our veterans were still with us. We can sit in and operate these old beasts but there must have been hundreds of little 'tricks of the trade' that are lost to time. That said, there are times when you are operating one of these old vehicles and reach for, step on or otherwise do something and say to yourself "eureka, they must have done exactly the same thing back then!!"

The lamps...my 2 cents. I can see some red tab officer in his polished Sam Brown insisting on the lamps so he could more easily watch his troop of Vickers tanks keep in perfect, textbook formation while on maneuvers.

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Thanks for posting the diagram, Richard.

I think the problem we sometimes experience today, in understanding vehicles designed and built 80 years ago, is we evaluate them with far more experience and knowledge than the people who built and operated them 80 years ago ever had available to them.

We can look at a Signal Lamp like this today and wonder why you would want to use a Signal Lamp that is obscured in a very large radius by a part of the vehicle to which it is fitted, why said lamp would not be directional to minimize detection by the enemy in the field and probably a whole host of other observations. When this vehicle was designed and built, these issues may very well have been oblivious to all involved until the concept was put into real life practice. And things evolved from that point.

An interesting example of us being lucky enough to be where we are today, because of all the things that came before us.

Great to see Colin’s work in keeping all the amazing little details of these fascinating little tanks, alive and well today, and available for future generations to appreciate.

David

[Bob Carriere]

'twas a British design........

'ray for the good old days!!!!!

Colin you should consider publishing a book or CD on your restoration.... certainly attracted a lot of followers on MLU.

Bob C

[colin jones]

Thankyou all again for your comments and thanks Richard for the clarification of the signal lamp. I'm sure it was probably used for an interior light sometimes too as it would have been quite bright inside when lit. it has a toggle switch just to the left which I'm waiting on and next to that is a rack of some kind. I have shown a photo of an original but I am at a loss as to what it was used to store. It can't be for ammunition as it was too big. The flare rack is located next to it so I need some help with it's purpose.
Bob, yes it has attracted a lot of followers probably because of it's rarity. Nothing like leaving a legacy with your name on it.

[Mike Cecil]

Signal flag rack??

Do you have a VOL/CES list for the tank? That might provide a clue.

Mike