Armour Dreams

[Jonathan Moore]

Someone asked me how I had made the turret ring, well this was my solution. A series of bearings spaced around the turret ring circumference, eight vertical and eight horizontal bearings trapped between an upper and lower flange, so that the turret can't come off. When I described what I had manufactured, I was told that it was the same as on an American Stuart light tank but as I have never seen a Stuarts turret ring, I can't comment.

[Jon Bradshaw]

I used a similar turret bearing layout. I found that it can bounce and rattle a small amount when driving on uneven ground. I would suggest that a thin layer of rubber be put between the flange and the hull and the bearings and the ring to eliminate the rattle.
Aside from that your build is amazing. I wish I had your time/tools/patients and skill.

[Jonathan Moore]

Originally Posted by Jon Bradshaw

I used a similar turret bearing layout. I found that it can bounce and rattle a small amount when driving on uneven ground. I would suggest that a thin layer of rubber be put between the flange and the hull and the bearings and the ring to eliminate the rattle.
Aside from that your build is amazing. I wish I had your time/tools/patients and skill.

Thanks Jon, that's an excellent suggestion. I am not sure that I have the space to incorporate rubber but when I clean it all down before final assembly, If I have the space , then it sounds like a very good idea to me.

Thanks again,

Jon

[Jonathan Moore]

Good Morning All,

The upper hull has had it's attachment flanges added and the whole structure has been bolted to the lower hull.
I have manufactured and welded the track guard brackets to the upper hull, so now the tract guards are secure.

[Jonathan Moore]

Most of the rear engine deck has been completed but it needs removing to finish welding the inside edges. The cover on the left covers the radiator and air exhaust tract.

I have had to add a hole that wasn't on the original in order to access the fan belt tensioner. The large access panel below that, gives access to the fan and the fan belt tensioner locking nut.

[Jonathan Moore]

This cover also houses the radio operators escape hatch, which itself is part of the cooling system and contains a fresh air inlet for the radiator. The cover seemed to take ages, as I had to work out what the hinges looked like and how they worked, so that they gave clearances for opening. The radio operators means of escape is very tight, as you can see.

[Jonathan Moore]

The cover to the right covers the engine bay. I was worried about access to the engine but although tight, everything seems fairly accessible.

In the righthand side of this cover there are air vents that allow the fan to draw air over the engine. The air is the drawn through the fan and exhausted out of the rear of this same cover.

And there endeth the lesson for today.

Jon