John Pearson Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 no problem john, i want to encourage people to get into ww2 armour so your grandson is more than welcome and i'd appreciate a drive in the valentine as i'm looking at getting one myself, a nice man once told me where all the turrets were.:cool2: send me a list of carrier parts you're looking for and i'll see what i can do as i've got piles of carrier stuff. all the best eddy Thanks for the offer. Beltring? Drop in to the Friends of the Tank Museum stand by the brick built shower block close to the main arena and we can sort you out with a drive. My carrier needs are such that it is probably quicker to list what I have rather than what I need! I am particularly stuck for a brake expander or two (takes the place of a brake cylinder), a steering wheel, engine cover tinwork etc etc etc..... It is a 1940 rivetted scout carrier that was left in a forrest from 1949 to 1984 then was outside from then until 2009 so quite large bits of bodywork have rusted away. I do have a NOS engine and gearbox and a couple of NOS sprockets but everything else is rusty beyond belief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bedford Boys Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Throw up some pictures John, I'd be very interested to see your carrier!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pearson Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Throw up some pictures John, I'd be very interested to see your carrier!! I don't know how to!!! I can drive and fix tanks but cannot work this electric haunted fishtank thing: well I can type with one finger but when I stick photographs to the screen the glue dries and they peel off. Being serious - ish for a minute. Some years ago, I was in an office and someone was getting cross trying but failing to delete something in a document that was a protected format part. I think they were called "Macros" for some reason. Anyway, I leaned over and Tip-exed it direct onto the glass of the screen and said: "there you are, fixed, it has gone now" Whey hey, did I get some very strange looks! Is Tip-ex called liquid paper in the US? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bedford Boys Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I don't know how to!!!I can drive and fix tanks but cannot work this electric haunted fishtank thing: well I can type with one finger but when I stick photographs to the screen the glue dries and they peel off. Being serious - ish for a minute. Some years ago, I was in an office and someone was getting cross trying but failing to delete something in a document that was a protected format part. I think they were called "Macros" for some reason. Anyway, I leaned over and Tip-exed it direct onto the glass of the screen and said: "there you are, fixed, it has gone now" Whey hey, did I get some very strange looks! Is Tip-ex called liquid paper in the US? John, this is what grandson's are for!! Give him 60 seconds and he'll have the photos up!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holte999 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 [ Tip-ex called liquid paper in the US? Interesting fact Tippex was invented by the mother of Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Pearson Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 [ Tip-ex called liquid paper in the US? Interesting fact Tippex was invented by the mother of Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. Is that true or did you just make it up????? Well I suppose it had to be someone........... I remember the monkees being created Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Interesting fact Tippex was invented by the mother of Mike Nesmith of the Monkees. It's a little known fact as she spilt some on herself at work and hasn't been seen since...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Adrian Barrell It's a little known fact as she spilt some on herself at work and hasn't been seen since...... I'm sure she decided to disappear after hearing one of her sons recordings:yawn: shame we couldn't have got Justin Beebers mother to disappear before she inflicted her offspring on us> Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 It's a little known fact as she spilt some on herself at work and hasn't been seen since......:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I'm sure she decided to disappear after hearing one of her sons recordings:yawn: shame we couldn't have got Justin Beebers mother to disappear before she inflicted her offspring on us> Steve My goddaughter loves that Beeber chappy along with the band from the Disney channel (forgotten the bands name) Southpark took the pee out of them justifiably so! All those years of indoctrination by Motorhead and ACDC didn’t work!! Whats the world coming too:banghead: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) bit of a bombshell moment, whilst looking on the afv register i noticed my churchill was on there twice (which is an easy mistake to make as in my pics it's upside down but in the other it's the right way up) and it's clearly a mk4 AVRE and looks to be in better shape than i thought. it would be nice if it turned out to be a D day avre but i won't be able to see what it's all about properly until i get it back to sunny manchester which will hopefully be this month. i'll get a link up to the photobucket site later. in the meantime here's a couple of pics of the commanders hatch and turret ring, if you look closely you'll see that the turret ring is made up of 13" sections of what i think is phosor bronze can anyone confirm if this is correct. eddy Edited March 17, 2011 by eddy8men Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Not bad, commanders hatches aren't that common but it will require alot of work -the one on the Red A24 disappeared from the engine bay while it waited recovery from OTA -there was alot more of the A24 than there is of yours -but at least the body is intact. Same one fits A27s as do No1 Mk2 cupolas -the main source is of course Centurion ARV Mk2s. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 some very interesting pics. http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/ejeskes/Churchill%20AVRE/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montie Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Hi Eddy, what is the progress on this awsome project? My hat off to you, it is clearly a case of "sooo much to do, so little time!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 5, 2011 Author Share Posted March 5, 2011 not much actual restoration going on i'm afraid, more like parts aquisition in readiness for the big push, i have a few vehicles on the go at the moment but the churchill is where my heart is and although it's going to be an uphill struggle i'm looking forward to getting to grips with it, infact i'm toying with the idea of doing a full restoration instead of a cosmetic rush job but we'll see how much energy i have left when the carrier and cromwell is finished. eddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 not much actual restoration going on i'm afraid, more like parts aquisition in readiness for the big push, i have a few vehicles on the go at the moment but the churchill is where my heart is and although it's going to be an uphill struggle i'm looking forward to getting to grips with it, infact i'm toying with the idea of doing a full restoration instead of a cosmetic rush job but we'll see how much energy i have left when the carrier and cromwell is finished. eddy Good man ! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmac Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Yes, it doesn't look as dire on the photo bucket images. Not knowing much about the Churchill's engineering usage, is yours likely to have been equipped with a spigot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Most AVRE with square doors -mk3 & 4 had a spigot or at least were spigot prepared -I've never seen a photo of an AVRE in service without one only in training- the give away are photos 17 19 and 20 which show the remains of the sliding hatch. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 thought i'd post up a couple of pics of the churchill before i aquired it, there's more on the photobucket link mentioned earlier. eddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Hi Rick When you next go to play with the tank have a look at the hole top left facing in the hull MG mount it looks like it has been filled with weld -possibly damage repair. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 23, 2011 Author Share Posted March 23, 2011 well spotted mate i hadn't seen that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrettkitt Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 It will make a nice gate guard on that bit of land soon to be called Churchill Towers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajmac Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 (edited) I've just looked through those photos again, wow, that is going to be a serious struggle to put back to running order, let alone have a revolving turret! The rear left drive sprocket support plate has been cut and that houses a bearing I presume. Turret ring and the hull supporting the ring is missing rear left of the turret. What worries me the most isn't the fabrication work, but the final machining, that would have been done once the hull was fabricated using huge machines. Don't let that put you off Rick! Edited March 24, 2011 by ajmac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted March 24, 2011 Author Share Posted March 24, 2011 don't worry alastair i never let reality get in the way of a good idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 ajmac The rear left drive sprocket support plate has been cut and that houses a bearing I presume. hi Alastair The cut was made to remove the final drive unit and none of the gearing will have been anywhere near the cut- if it can't be successfully welded back together -there is probably enough internal clearance to patch weld an internal flange the whole section could be replaced it's all riveted -not easy but do-able. I'm more concerned about the butchering of the upper support horns for the idlers -which carries alot of stress -but again if needs be a replacement could be fitted again -it was deliberately designed to be replaced if strained or damaged. Turret ring and the hull supporting the ring is missing rear left of the turret. What worries me the most isn't the fabrication work, but the final machining, that would have been done once the hull was fabricated using huge machines.The Churchill turret ring as a two piece armoured shell with 13 section bronze cage ball carrier for the 100+ 30mm balls -this is the engineered component the outer steel section is comparatively inaccurate and in some cases was found to be badly out of true on vehicles issued for service -especially the Mk7 which sufferered from a heavier turret distorting the lower ring shell and the roof plates as it traversed -sometimes causing the gear rack of the traverse motor to jump - it was fairly obvious when this happened as the jump would occur again 180° further on, indicative of an oval ring. The entire turret ring were replaced in some cases but it was not necessary to fix it to the hull and machine it with a turret ring lathe as was the case with some tanks. The thing is with a tank restoration it is never going to be required to traverse at full speed or absorb the recoil forces of a main armament firing.:-) Lots of the other problems with this Churchill rebuild are apparent but not insurmountable -most of the missing components like decks roof plates and hatches are mostly flat plate -ok expensive because of their thickness but apart for hinges there are few castings. The biggest thing is suspension and tracks. There wil be many problems with Ricks attempt to rebuild his tank but if anyones got the nerve to try he will;) Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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