OBJECT OF THE WEEK: Mk IV Tank Model.

[The Tank Museum]

A recent donation to the Tank Museum collection, this wooden model of what is probably a British Mk IV Female Heavy Tank was carved by the donor’s Grandfather, who had seen service as a Mechanical Driver, Royal Artillery on the Ypres salient.

The model itself, painted a shade of what could be described as “Battleship Grey”, is made with considerable skill and attention to detail, considering that the materials used are quite basic. The tracks are mounted on wheels to enable them to rotate when the tank is pushed along the floor and details such as rivet heads are included, suggesting that the maker had definitely seen the vehicles at close quarters. Family tradition suggests that it was made as a toy for the maker’s children, sometime in the 1920s.

The model is evidently that of a female machine as it has small sponsons – the bulges on each side - each mounting two machine guns, though the guns themselves, made from dowel, are a little out of scale. One interesting touch that does make this model a little different to others is that the tracks are made from machine gun belt link – see inset. If anyone reading this could identify this type of belt, we would be most grateful. It is obviously a metal disintegrating type, each individual link being attached to the next in line by a Cotter pin. It would be interesting to know whether this is a WW1 or later type.

The model itself has considerable charm, especially when one thinks that it was based on the memories of a soldier who had most likely seen the vehicles themselves in action during the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele.

 

[Bob Grundy]

For 'cotter pin', read split pin.............

Akurassy please.

[andym]

Those darn colonials .... :-)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotter_pin

 

Andy

[Richard Farrant]

Those darn colonials .... :-)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotter_pin

 

Andy

 

One common language .... divided by nations :undecided: