VICKERS MK6B's resto

[colin jones]

Time for the other side which created a problem as it is made from 14mm thick steel and it is not available, only 12mm & 16mm which I had both of. my only option was to cut the pieces to the correct size and them mill them down to 14mm. That was no fast process

[colin jones]

Just some more of the same process.

[colin jones]

That's all of the upper plates cut and test fitted.

[colin jones]

And a shot of the inside. Interesting point is when I was cutting the original armour, I thought it would spring open but it actually closed on itself so I had to keep a wedge in it so my grinding blade didn't grab and shatter. Every now and then I just hear a bang when I came across an existing crack.

[Howard]

[jack neville]

Amazing work Colin. Have you worked out what the 69 means?.....

[colin jones]

Thanks jack, I did years ago.

[Bob Carriere]

Restoring the Titanic.....!!!!!


I do hope you took some time off for yourself last weekend.

Cheers

[Dave Mills]

Amazing work, machining down plate to match the original, true dedication.

Keep up the great work.

Also, to you Jack, you are a master at the metal work.

Cheers,

Dave

[Lynn Eades]

Colin, back to Jack's question. If the number had been 68 or 70, would you have answered differently? ..... Or to approach from another angle, is it because that part was made to specifically fit that hull? Does that number crop up anywhere else on that hull?
It wouldn't be too inconceivable for the British to do things that way???
Anyhow, nice work Colin. Nice to see them getting the surgery.

[colin jones]

Thankyou one and all! Lynn, of course I would still answer the same! It's all about maths you know !
I sand blasted the opposite one and it has the same number but a different shape part as you can see. So interestingly I would assume they were probably numbered for that particular tank. It's a shame they are missing off the other one as that would have been a great comparison.

[colin jones]

I welded the graft plates and had some trouble getting them to line up perfectly as you just can't blend the join if the alignment is out. I thought I would just show how I got some serious leverage easily as the plates are over 1/2" thick. I also concentrated on the mud guard as well.

[colin jones]

There were some support brackets to make which I had to go and get the right size 40mm x 8mm. I did a couple of bends in the hand bender and then made a jig.

[colin jones]

After I made the jig it was just a repetition to get them all the same. I used heat to get the last couple of bends, cut the excess by hand, welded the joint and ground them off inside and out. Test fit all OK.

[jack neville]

Looking good Colin. I'm glad I got a look at them before you started. Helps to appreciate the effort you are putting into them. It's amazing just how much squaring up the box makes to the overall appearance.

[colin jones]

Thanks Jack, there is a lot of work to do any of these as you certainly know.
I made some brackets that go on the mud guard. Not a important job but I just thought I might as well finish the guards totally.

[colin jones]

The bracket are for shovel, crow bar, towing chain/Rope. Again time consuming things to do but how lucky am I to have them to copy.

[colin jones]

I also cleaned up the other drivers hatch from the other tank so I can copy it for this one. I still have a couple of spring clamps to make but they are quite minor.

[lynx42]

Have you seen this one, Colin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBZD...kpjd8&index=25

You are doing your usual excellent job there. Well done!!

Regards Rick.

[Robin Craig]

This thread is a delight to read and follow.

Really grand work you are doing.

[colin jones]

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hi Colin,
I see you are making a start on Wombat, you can just see the original UK registration number on front glasis plate, BMM978. It should have engine number S9469. Hope you will retain the Meadows engine in the restoration.

regards, Richard

Hi Richard, I'm curious here. On Wombat I have the front glasis plate with the number 978 but the engine number S9466 which from what I can find is Kangaroo. Would this be a mistake in the paperwork information as I could not imagine the army would swap engines.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Hi Richard, I'm curious here. On Wombat I have the front glasis plate with the number 978 but the engine number S9466 which from what I can find is Kangaroo. Would this be a mistake in the paperwork information as I could not imagine the army would swap engines.

Hi Colin,
That information came from AWM vehicle number records. It could be that a glasis plate has been switched at some point. The 978 number was a British civil registration number and not used once it arrived in Australian service. An engine could have been switched, if they were struggling to keep the vehicles operational. There were 5 based in Victoria and 5 in NSW

regards, Richard

[Mike Cecil]

And all concentrated at the AFV School when it opened at Pucka in 1941.

With the degree of usage, I would not doubt that the engines were removed when worn, rebuilt, and re-issued, same as any other AFV, so it is quite possible to have the engine in this vehicle being one that is recorded as having arrived in Australia in another vehicle. With such a small purchase, I doubt there were too many spare engines purchased, if any.

The Centurion situation is a case in point: engines in tanks that arrived in Aust in 1951/52 pop up in other tanks over the years, having been removed, refurbished, and re-issued, some several times. While a much larger pool, and over a much longer period of time, it still illustrates the point. Hence, engine numbers are not the ideal way to make a positive identification: hull numbers and glacis plate markings are more reliable, as a change over of the front glacis plate is far less likely.

Mike

[BradB]

Ref the number 69 that's been punched into the parts.

Have a look at the "Matilda Diaries, Part 7" at the 2:00-2:01 mark. You'll see that the same style of punches to ID parts seems to still be in use today.

Fascinating!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77RfsFYaj4k

[Alex van de Wetering]

Have a look at the "Matilda Diaries

Brad, thanks for posting that link....great to follow the restoration of the Matilda!

The lettering on the steel beams you see in the video is a modern day equivalant of the punched numbers and is either done by laser printing, or by inkjet printing like in this case. It's not so much intended to mark certain parts, but more aimed to easily identify the type and measurement of the profiles, as well as the makers name. You also see bar codes these days containing info on material properties etc.

Alex

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Brad, thanks for posting that link....great to follow the restoration of the Matilda!

The lettering on the steel beams you see in the video is a modern day equivalant of the punched numbers and is either done by laser printing, or by inkjet printing like in this case. It's not so much intended to mark certain parts, but more aimed to easily identify the type and measurement of the profiles, as well as the makers name. You also see bar codes these days containing info on material properties etc.

Alex

The modern word is 'traceability' so that any issues, the batch can be identified. With structural steel work now, this is required.

[colin jones]

Hello all, I haven't posted for a while as I've ben away and quite busy, I have spent some time on the trans and I was at first quite concerned wether I could save it or not as all the bottom of the box is simply gone.
I am however, very fortunate that the oxidization has been localized to the bottom only. My first impression was that it was not salvageable but I am more confident that I can either repair the original box or I will attempt to fabricate a new one from steel. The gears are not damaged at all and even the bearings age in remarkable condition. It will be a slowish process but I feel very confident that I can make one. I would use the original top as it is still good.

[colin jones]

I got quite exited today as I have been tapping, spraying, tapping, spraying this part for about a month now and I must admit I never thought it would move but today it did. It was so solid with years of gunk and rust but consistency has paid off as I only have one of these and I need two. I am a very happy vegemite. The engine will be someone else's challenge.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by BradB

Ref the number 69 that's been punched into the parts.

Have a look at the "Matilda Diaries, Part 7" at the 2:00-2:01 mark. You'll see that the same style of punches to ID parts seems to still be in use today.

Fascinating!

Sometimes good ideas last for a long time. Case in point, the serial number for Cadillac Gage 4x4 armoured cars is stamped on the outside face of the front left lifting eye. That was where the books told me to go look when the Cold War Collection's 1969-build V100 arrived. In spring 2016 I looked in the same place on the Canadian Army's freshly delivered TAPV. The serial number is there too.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by colin jones

I welded the graft plates and had some trouble getting them to line up perfectly as you just can't blend the join if the alignment is out. I thought I would just show how I got some serious leverage easily as the plates are over 1/2" thick. I also concentrated on the mud guard as well.

Let's not lose sight of the craft style of construction for many of these old vehicles. The designer issued drawings, but at some industries those were taken only as a suggestion. Standardized parts, thoroughly managed workflows and strict adherence to plans was a lesson re-learned in WW2. Why were American tanks so widely used - because they were easily repaired and salvaged.

When the Canadian War Museum's M1917 Light Tank was being rebuilt, the workers at the industry benefactor's shop were frustrated trying to get it left/right symmetrical. Don Dingwall (?) had to tell the fabricators not to be so precise, and remember the working conditions where it was constructed originally. Once they parked their CADCAM viewers, laser cutters, CNC machining, and micrometers, the project picked up pace.