Adrian Barrell

I have a small stock of Lucas T1 tail lamps NOS.

The Dunlop name is Trak Grip, no c. Presumably, that is a registered name.

The mantlet hole is not bevelled, it does have a counter bore in the rear face however. Taper B is not wholly contained in the mantlet though, the rear face of the mantlet is roughly halfway down the taper. The tube is supported entirely by the bronze cradle and does not touch the mantlet at all.

I can't easily get dimensions I'm afraid, I'll try again later when I'm in dirty clothes!

It's still a BS381 colour. Dark green.

A friend has some track pads which I believe are for Warrior. NOS, about 35 or so, would like £3 each so cheap enough. Stock number is 2530 99 9782204. No idea if they fit anything else. Located in Norfolk, any interest, PM me and I'll put you in touch.

And your wallet open........!

There were variations in the nuts for halftracks, IHC using a slightly different style to White etc. They were an all metal locking nut and have been reproduced in the US in the last year or so. Look on G503.

Nylocks weren't in use at that time but fibrelocs were. Similar in design but using a fibre insert, better resistance to heat! Fibrelocs were used by the UK and US during the war.

They would have remained in the factory olive drab. The whole point of introducing an od into British use, SCC15, was to remove any need to repaint US vehicles to match the previous service brown, SCC2. Vehicles were not to be repainted unless absolutely necessary.

I don't think it's Canadian, just the earlier pattern. The wartime recovery manuals show this type, I think the folded plate came later.

The shed is in the Midlands! 

Not any more! 😀

If you mean the ones about your injury and oil filter conversion, I can see them.

I would guess something to do with film development?

M3 light tank used a 7 cylinder W-670 radial of 250 hp. Sherman used a 9 cylinder R975 of 400 to 440 hp.

Cromwells were used by the RA SP regiments as OP tanks.

But missing all of its clutch, fan etc.

Not Cent V.

I and II use a mechanical indicator. I don't have a parts list for III. 

I met him when filming for this and I would agree, he is as he appears and he was genuinely interested in how we had made the parts we did. It's much easier explaining the process to somebody who knows what you are talking about!

It's not, nor has ever been called a restoration. It is just a reproduction of sorts for a tv program.

It is very impressive and I enjoyed the programme. I was a little disappointed to hear the narrator state that Chasestead produced all the smaller parts including gun mounts as that was not true.  I made all four complete gun mounts together with the drivers controls. (B stands for brake, Guy)

At least we got a mention in the  credits!

14" Naval gun, one presumes.

1 hour ago, Richard Farrant said:

Adrian,

I have known the Ashford MkIV tank for nearly 60 years, and as locals we are proud to have the only remaining WW1 tank still standing in the same position as when it was driven there in 1919. It is now considered as a war memorial. The inside was gutted to fit an electricity sub-station in the 1920's, bottom was cut out and rear of hull altered to double doors for access. The tank is listed as an historic monument and I doubt very much that the council "were all for it" regarding restoration. I went inside a few years ago when the council wanted to recreate the rear end to look more authentic. A local fabricator asked me to go with him to assess the job for a quote. In the end another local welding business did the job. It would be criminal to restore it as it would end up a reconstruction as so many of the hull plates are cracked under the stress of rust between riveted joints. So much new metal would have go into it, then all the drive train would have to be constructed. I think the Tank Museum made a wise move of buying the film prop tank, rather than stress out their original one. Since the shelter was erected the tank has kept much drier.

One thing I found interesting was that both drive chains are still fitted, it has been said that these chains were removed on parking the presentation tanks so that they could not be driven again.

Richard, I was inside it at the end of last year to assess it for use in the program with two council officials and they told me the council was in favour. We all agreed it was not practical but they were not against it at all.

Although the chains are there, one sprocket is missing and the track is just wrapped round iirc. I think the disabling varied from tank to tank.