A13 Cruiser, Covenanter, Crusader road wheels

[BC312]

Been doing a bit of research work on the A13 cruiser Mk 3 a future 1:1 scale project i would like to build just like others who have made rare replicas in the past.

I noticed that the running gear between the three tanks the A13 Cruiser, Covenanter and Crusader all have virtually the same Christie suspension  system and are exactly the same. I noticed that the earlier models had a wheel cover that made the road wheels look flat rather than a pressed dish shape when remove.

The A13 had cast alloy road wheels as opposed to the Covenanter and Crusader ones which were pressed steel. What and how were these flat wheel covers constructed and fitted to both  road wheel types, push fit/screwed on ?, were they pressed alloy or steel.

The A13 road wheels underneath the covers were made of alloy, were they the same profile and shape as the later pressed steel Covenanter and Crusader road wheels. Never seen a photo with the covers removed to see what was underneath and how it was constucted  

 

[Adrian Barrell]

They are not flat wheel covers, those are the cast aluminium wheels. Unlike the later steel wheels, which are two piece and bolt onto the hub, the alloy wheels are one piece and the hub is an integral part of the whole wheel. 

It is just a production change, the early Covenanter and Crusader could also be seen with the alloy wheels. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by Adrian Barrell

[BC312]

Interesting, been trying to find wheel drawings and examples on the web but no luck. So the early flat wheel is solid cast alloy not hollow.

 

[Adrian Barrell]

Correct. I have the remains of one. It's mainly the centre but shows the construction OK. I'll try to get it out of the stillage and take some pics.

It's not solid per se, as it is webbed and relatively thin which made them vulnerable to damage. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by Adrian Barrell

[BC312]

Thanks Adrian, it will be interesting to see how they were made and why the pressed steel option was most probably better.   

[Pzkpfw-e]

I'm guessing that a pressed steel version, would be cheaper & also not requiring the use of a "Strategic" material?

[johann morris]

Have you seen the Black  prince series of books, if you like technical details I would recommend them.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=p+m+knight&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

 

Jon

[BC312]

I believe the practice of using alloy was stopped as it was needed to make aircraft parts. 

[BC312]

The technical history series of these books looks very good, what are they like.

[johann morris]

Technical

[BC312]

Sorry i am thinking of other things when i wrote the last post. Just read the reviews on these books, looks like i am going to be spending some money. 

 

[Adrian Barrell]

They are very good books but a little dry at times. That said, they are a technical history of each tank and anecdotal humour has no place in such a book! 

[Bob Grundy]

So going back to your first post on this topic. You will or are attempting to build a full scale replica of a A13  Cruiser Tank.? This is likely to be a somewhat extensive undertaking. Are you young enough for this as it will take years. What part of the country are you located?

 

[eddy8men]

don't build a replica a13, if you want to get stuck into something early then how about an a9. i know of a wreck that is recoverable. much better to do a resto than a replica

Edited December 29, 2019 by eddy8men

[BC312]

With a replica, it depends what type of replica you want to do, there are many option bearing in mind that you are not going to war with it or you are going to run the guts out of it once its built. So you don't have to use thick armour plate just mild steel plate and not as thick as long as the original construction  is strong enough ie the hull and wheel stations are to a standard as not to fall to bits. As for the interior detail you don't have to do too much detail as long as the outside is spot on but that depends what you want out of it. Or you can do a faithful original.

The hull turret and fabrication work needs to be put on CAD so the parts can be cut out with a water jet cutter, laser or plasma thus saving time than doing it by hand and a pile of cutting discs years later. All the cut parts will be like a airfix  kit that needs assembling. You can rivet as per original, the holes pre cut in the CAD process or you can weld in place and use cosmetic rivets as  with Guy Martins WW1 replica. 

With the wheel station it means replicating the amount of wheels you need and suspension bits shocks you need which can be used from modern day vehicles which will be hidden from view and perform better than original plus the weight of the total build will be less as you don't need  thick armour plate which is kinder to the wheel stations and track. The road wheels can be cast aluminium or you can fabricate from steel a much stronger replica wheel. The tracks would be on the tricky side but not the end of the world, there are many options for that. Power and transmission is endless, find a reliable easy to maintain engine and box or  you can hunt for an original Liberty and go down that route, you have quite a lot of options for the power section.

The original spec replica will take time over a replica that plays the part but on spot on on cosmetically that is a shortcut in construction time plus with both options, modern technology cuts build time by huge amounts. The biggest problem is finding the original drawings or you can spend time taking measurements from the original, back and forth to Bovington, that if they allow you near with a tape measure and they now charge £1 per minute to look inside when i last asked a few weeks ago.

I would love to have a go at a A9 but would need heavy lifting gear during its rebuild and build a shed as everything weighs a bloody ton, even that small bit of plate we saw the other day, that was a beast. Did you find what you was looking for the other day after you left.

[eddy8men]

yes mate it was a successful day all round