I have begun my carrier's transformation

[Jon Bradshaw]

So with a bit of warmer weather and a few helping hands I got the Bofors breach mounted in the turret. As you can see there is no barrel, I will weld a dummy barrel onto the stub that screws into the breach. It will never fire but will look the part.
The front mounting pin is in the existing mounting position on the breach, the rear elevation is a work in progress. Using the left over bits that came as part of the breach I think I will be able to rig up a nice elevation mechanism. It will be complicated to build but fairly simple to operate.
The cocking handle was a project in itself since the turret limits the space to make it work in, both for the size of the turret ring and the operator in it. Some of you will be wondering, it is not easy to see in this pic but I am using a handle with a lever that when pulled allows the breach to operate. Makes it work like a safety, that's what the sliding part and the big welded plate on the lever shaft is. Bofors experts will recognize the part that I welded on to. In this pic the breach is fully closed.
The remains of the "loading tray" is what I plan to attach the elevation mech to, my plan is to not compromise the actual breach with any welding.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Well with spring break here it was nice weather for the first 2 days then snow and cold.... Typical Alberta. Vision ports and turret finishing bits is the plan for the next week. Here are some pics of the vision ports as I begin finishing them.

One for the drivers position and 4 for the turret. Having that big gaping hole covered over makes a world of difference to the look of this machine.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Well with the miserable minus 18 weather out here it took longer than I would have liked but the view ports are done and installed. They are spring loaded and have a 1/2in plate of acrylic (Plexiglas but harder) as an inside glass. They are all operated by a lever that passes through into the inside and work quite well.
I reattached the pic from the Dutchman tank at Bovington to give a comparison. They are not perfect but I think they will pass the look over test unless you have the other to compare too.
All that's left now is the barrel, ammo rack, front fenders, periscope, camo pattern paint and the data plate. Should be completed by summer and on it's way east.
For the data plate I have committed to having the plate cast from brass at a local foundry, I am going to use the same layout as the one attached, then stamp into the space provided with the numbers. I am looking for thoughts on this plate. I want to be precise but don't want to mislead anyone who doesn't know the difference. Thinking of putting an "R" in front of the hull number to signify a reproduction. I will use June 1937 as the year since I expect to have it completed in June and it is a Model 1937.

PS- if anyone wants a plate I can have more made, the price will be confirmed in the next few weeks. Around $300.00 CAD. The plate will be 4x6 in.

[Jon Bradshaw]

Well here is the result of the plaque I had made. I haven't put the stamped numbers into it yet but I think it looks amazing.

[RichardT10829]

Looks amazing Jon, and a vehicle manufactured in my home town no less.... the factory finally shut down last year, now owned by another manufacturer, end of an era

[colin jones]

Well done Jon, I can see you are now on the final stages of fabrication and it looks excellent. I could not imagine trying to make this in below zero temperatures. We don't ever get that low in Australia.
Great job.

[Jon Bradshaw]

I an still waiting for the barrel to come back from the machine shop but other than that it is pretty close to done. I honestly sit out there and look at it and can't find more stuff to do. Paint touch-ups are getting tedious.
These pics are a few weeks old but I will have the finished product put into a video and I will post the link here once it is complete.
I have added a real periscope from a Russian vehicle (funny writing near the cross hairs gives it something extra) as well as ammo racks and ready racks in the turret. The final stenciling on the inside and the stamping of the numbers into the plaque are all that's left to do. I hope to have it out for a real trial run this month and have already scouted out a place with hills and woods to run it in. If all goes well I will take it to it's first show on July first. A second in August is almost a sure thing. Then it will become a barn queen as I move on to my next project.
To compare, here again is the in service pic from the Latvian army. I want to find a similar spot to do a identical shot to compare.