VICKERS MK6B's resto

[colin jones]

Lucky for me there was just enough room to fit the ring and it just slipped into the opening perfect with a couple of mm to spare. Now it's ready to drill and bolt into position. I also did some more of the domed hatch covers and handles.

[colin jones]

Another turret part made for each one today. I'm not sure exactly what goes behind it in the turret so perhaps there might be someone here that could tell me. From the drawing I have it looks like some kind of fan that is in the turret and this piece is on the out side as a cover or something. It is located towards the front on the drivers side and has a smoke launcher bracket directly above and slightly overlaps it.

[Big D]

Hi Colin,

More stunning fabrication. It is a real treat watching your progress.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Another turret part made for each one today. I'm not sure exactly what goes behind it in the turret so perhaps there might be someone here that could tell me. From the drawing I have it looks like some kind of fan that is in the turret and this piece is on the out side as a cover or something. It is located towards the front on the drivers side and has a smoke launcher bracket directly above and slightly overlaps it.

I bet it's the fan and exhaust that blows across the guns to vent the fumes they produce when firing.

[colin jones]

Thankyou for your comments and Bruce, I think you are spot on. I was trying to think why there would be a fan in that specific location.

[George Moore]

Correct, most armoured vehicles had an extractor fan to remove the fumes from the guns.
There should be some sort of opening, to vent them, so I need to look again at those drawings.

I know for sure that Humber A/C had a variety of arrangements for the different Mk's with a small opening on the side covered with an armoured "box" and the fan housed the other side again in an armoured "box" with an opening at the bottom.

Amazing work Colin, I am in absolute awe.

Through your endeavours, in my own small way I have managed this.

Thanks.
George.

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[George Moore]

Just to refresh the conversation re the fan, I have the 1937 booklet on light tanks covering MkII to VI.

Strangely there are no mentions of a fan for the MkV or VI, there is not even a circuit for one shown on the wiring diagrams !!

A closer look at the drawings does not indicate where the air would be drawn in or expelled.....there is that cowling on the front top of the turret ???????

The bulge, I have a number of walk-round views of the turret, I had thought (stupidly) there may have been a small vent on the underside of the bulge....there isn't.

What I do not have is any internal views of the turret, Colin I believe you may have contacts with the museums in your part of the world, can they help in sorting out how the fumes were vented.

Of interest, some years ago the (British) Fox armoured car with the 30mm gun was taken out of active service as the HSE determined there was inadequate ventilation for the fumes......I guess HSE did not exist in the 30's and 40's !!!!!

George.

[Chris Suslowicz]

I think the Fox comment has things backwards. A number of Foxes (Foxen?) were sold off minus the turrets because they had been removed to replace the 76mm turret on the Scorpion tank. (The Scorpion had the fume build-up problem (insufficient ventilation causing a build-up of carbon monoxide, I think).)

Chris.