VICKERS MK6B's resto

[Jordan Baker]

Could it be for storing the 4" smoke launcher tube?

[colin jones]

Hi Jordan, that too crossed my mind as I have never seen one in the flesh. They do have a detachable one that fits on the drivers side of the turret so you may very well be right. I'll get some close ups today.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Could it be for storing the 4" smoke launcher tube?

The 4" discharger tubes were an outside thing. There wouldn't have been the need to take it off and store it inside so I doubt it's for that.

[colin jones]

Well I don't think it is for smoke discharges as it is for about a 6" dia item. It is aluminium and it's fabricated. It is just above the floor level and it is not covered by any bulkhead panelling. It has those two threaded holes and I can't see anywhere for a strap to hold something down. It does not line up with anything on the engine and I cannot see where there is any wear marks

[Lynn Eades]

Variometer??? I don't know anything about them. Do they need to be in front of the radio op?

[colin jones]

Lynn, I too am a novice about them even though I have some! I would guess they need to be within arms reach of the radio operator. The two threaded holes throw me a bit, almost like something is clamped down by one side only and why bolted and no provision for any straps. It is also just above the turret basket top. Bowerbird has the bracket and Wombat has the holes where it was which means it was in all of them.

[David Dunlop]

Interesting "Mystery Mount" you have there, Colin.

Seems like there are two possibilities for brackets in vehicles: All needed parts are contained within one assembly to mount/anchor an item, or, more than one mounting assembly are spread out to perform the job.

If there are no visible/logical other locations nearby that may have had another mounting item attached, was this mount then essentially self contained for the purpose it was built to serve? Any signs of a steel, or fabric strap anchored under the mounting bolts for this mount? Something that perhaps came up from between the mount and hull plate at the top and wrapped around the object being restrained?

A close look at the mount raises some interesting points which suggest it is adjustable for taking whatever fits on it, and also suggests whatever was fitted to it may have required a specific orientation.

Take the steel rod bit. Why did they bother with it? Why not simply have drilled two threaded holes in the front lip of the main assembly to run a pair of bolts into? That rod looks to have been designed to be adjustable enough in it's own right to allow a pair of bolts to line up correctly with it before being run home.

The two holes in the front lip are not a perfect match to the pair in the rod. They are elongated somewhat. This suggests the rod was intended to rotate in its mount to allow bolts to line up and the odd little hex head fastner on the lower left lip of the mount is itself set in a slotted hole. A locking mechanism?

The last little odd ball item is the hole in the lower right curved face of the mount. To me it suggests two possibilities, (a) it is there to allow a protrusion like a bolt or screw head on whatever is there to be cleared so the item sits flush against the curved surface, or (b) perhaps it is a guide hole. Whatever sits on this mount has a guide pin that must line up with that hole to ensure the item in question is properly mounted.

On this latter point, could it be possible that whatever sits on this mount, has two bolts built into it which fasten into the two threaded holes on the rod assembly? Rotate the item until a guide pin drops into place, fine tune the process with a slight turn of the rod to get the bolts lined up, run them home and lock the rod in place?

I have probably raised more questions than helped on this, Colin, so I think I will quit now and go make some soup.

Cheers,


David

[colin jones]

David, I was going to take two asprin but I think I better make that 4

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Well I don't think it is for smoke discharges as it is for about a 6" dia item. It is aluminium and it's fabricated. It is just above the floor level and it is not covered by any bulkhead panelling. It has those two threaded holes and I can't see anywhere for a strap to hold something down. It does not line up with anything on the engine and I cannot see where there is any wear marks

Ah, measuring tapes...the universal language.

I've thought about every piece of equipment a 1936 Vickers tank crewman would need (based on years of looking at stowage diagrams and kit) and am drawing a complete blank. Space was at a premium so everything inside was for immediate use. The rest was stowed outside or carried in lorries behind.

Just maybe what you have is not a stowage bracket at all. Are there matching holes on the other side for a second bracket? If not, one would do. Could it be a centering bracket for the bottom of the turret basket? The pin and adjustment would make sense for some attached channel that would support the rotary junction box supplying current to the turret; the adjustment being required for slight eccentricities of the turret ring gear. The scallop may not be for stowage so much as clearing some protrusion on the bottom of the basket.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Well I don't think it is for smoke discharges as it is for about a 6" dia item. It is aluminium and it's fabricated. It is just above the floor level and it is not covered by any bulkhead panelling. It has those two threaded holes and I can't see anywhere for a strap to hold something down. It does not line up with anything on the engine and I cannot see where there is any wear marks

Hi Colin,
Reading the manual for the MkVI, there is mention of fitting a counterweight to the mantlet if guns are removed and tank is driven. No idea of what this consists of but I would imagine it could be part of the stowage. Only wish I could access the photos I took of the inside of Platypus when we were working on it.

regards Richard

[lynx42]

Colin, out today in England is this magazine. Look at the bottom left story, I hope they have some interior photos for you..

Regards Rick.

23517824_10212636537323060_985998551250579593_n.jpg

[Mike Gurr]

It is an article on the restoration of the Tank Museums MK IV Light Tank by Gavin Barlow of Armoured Engineering www.armoured-engineering.co.uk
There is a picture of the drivers compartment in the article but I can't see the bracket, may be different in the MK VI but I am sure it would be worth making contact. I have no involvement with this company.
Mike

[Niels V]

The firm is fairly active on facebook https://www.facebook.com/armouredengineering/