I have begun my carrier's transformation

[20387774]

Jon-Great work! Did you make the gear and ring for the turret or did you use something from a commercial application?

John

[Jon Bradshaw]

John

I actually used a local fabrication company to cut the gear wheel's on their water jet table. The big one is actually in 4 pieces and welded around the turret ring. The smaller two are mounted to a shaft and bearing I had laying around. Hand wheel is just a round piece of plate with a bolt thru it.
The turret "ring" is actually salvaged from an old FV432 commanders hatch. It works well and I have no issues with it.

[Jon Bradshaw]

So as I look at the list of things left to build for my little project I am stuck still trying to figure out how to get/make vision port covers. Looking at the pics of the Dutchman at Bovington the covers are pretty standard looking. Is there a source for stuff like that? Does someone on here have one to sell me to have a copy made? I could also really use an interior view of the port cover so I can see how it is operated.

[Jon Bradshaw]

I have looked at the Facebook page for Panzer Fabrik, they are amazing in the detail and skill in making their tank from "scratch" a beautiful Luchs.
Mine is not as well known and is not as detailed but I also don't have the amount of fabrication equipment that they do. If you look in the background that is my entire shop!

[Jon Bradshaw]

So I have been away for a while but now I have some warm weather so time to put a coat of green on her. Took the pic while there was still light, finished it after the pic. I think the colour is pretty good.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Anyone have a good working knowledge of the bofors 40mm? I have one that is a bit rusted and I can't get it to move/ function. The plan is to mount it in the tank as a substitute for the 2pdr that would have been there.
The breach has spent the last 2 months in a barrel of diesel and that helped but the main breach block is stuck hard in the open position. I have an operators manual on it and can't identify any parts that would account for it to be stuck.
I have removed the barrel and pushed the barrel safety pin back to make sure it is not locking it open.
I have freed up the trip ejectors and they are not catching the breach block.
I have tried hitting it, using a bit of heat to warm it up and even tried willing it to work...... but it has defeated me thus far.
The only thing I can see from the manual is that the inner sears are simply stuck with rust.... I can't see where the best place to tap on them is and have tried gentle tapping on everything I can see to try to get it to move.
I would also love to borrow some of the take down tools for a day to remove the parts that are free and give more access to the rest. The coil spring is still on it and that will be hard to remove without the proper tools.
If there is someone in my area (Edmonton, Alberta) I can meet with you in the next few days.
I posted the same question in the gun forum to increase the number of folks who will see this request. Don't know how to link threads yet.

[Jon Bradshaw]

So with a bit of warmer weather and a few helping hands I got the Bofors breach mounted in the turret. As you can see there is no barrel, I will weld a dummy barrel onto the stub that screws into the breach. It will never fire but will look the part.
The front mounting pin is in the existing mounting position on the breach, the rear elevation is a work in progress. Using the left over bits that came as part of the breach I think I will be able to rig up a nice elevation mechanism. It will be complicated to build but fairly simple to operate.
The cocking handle was a project in itself since the turret limits the space to make it work in, both for the size of the turret ring and the operator in it. Some of you will be wondering, it is not easy to see in this pic but I am using a handle with a lever that when pulled allows the breach to operate. Makes it work like a safety, that's what the sliding part and the big welded plate on the lever shaft is. Bofors experts will recognize the part that I welded on to. In this pic the breach is fully closed.
The remains of the "loading tray" is what I plan to attach the elevation mech to, my plan is to not compromise the actual breach with any welding.