VICKERS MK6B's resto

[colin jones]

I did quite a bit of searching to find some brake shoes the size I wanted but just couldn't seem to find what I wanted so I decided to make some. As they are very low pressure on little to no speed I thought it would they would be ok.

[colin jones]

The main shoe body is complete, now I just need to work out the tension part with handle.

[David Herbert]

Wonderful !
Are you going to make a radio from scratch ?

David

[David Dunlop]

Hello Colin.

Is the Traverse Control one of the Gunner’s tasks? He must have been a very busy crew member at times.

Not sure if I was reading the drawings correctly but it looks like the brake assembly ties in with the smaller gear assembly. Is it designed as a fully engaged brake that only releases when the turret is traversed? If so, it would only need to be strong enough to prevent the weight of the guns from swinging the turret when the vehicle was crossing uneven ground.

David

[tankbarrell]

The brake is released when you squeeze the grip trigger on the hand traverse handle. This allows you to turn the handle and hence the turret. It also helps prevent the turret moving around.
This system was also used by Powered Mountings on all of their hydraulic traverse systems in nearly all British tanks and was also used by the US in their Oilgear traverse system. That is a very close copy of the PM design and was possibly the only feature of the Matilda II that impressed the Americans!
The main change was the US used iron for the castings, the British boxes all being in bronze. Many of the parts, including the brake and handle assembly will interchange between Oilgear and PM.

[colin jones]

David, unfortunately the radio is way out of my league and not to mention I still don't know exactly what was used in them.

David, your absolutely right, he would have been a very busy boy. The gearbox it located at about 10:00 in the turret and I don't know how the gunner could traverse, sight and shoot at the same time. He could only shoot one gun at once and he would have to lean over quite a bit to fire the 1/2" Vickers and get up very close and personal with the commander. As per your previous comment that it certainly does give you a different perspective what these chaps had to endure.
As Adrian said the brake is only release once the grip is squeezed. I can see that the grip is connected directly to the small pinion gear which is about 7:1 ratio and one turn gives 3 deg of turret rotation. It will be very easy to turn.

[David Dunlop]

Thanks, Colin.

I went back to Post 981 from Jordan Baker. Looks like the last photo of the Gunner captured a bit of a top view of the traverse assembly, down low forward of his left arm. So many bits and pieces to be aware of for the crew just getting in and out of their ‘work stations’.

“JOIN THE RAC! Tall and Portly need not apply!”

David