Author Topic: Modelling World War 1  (Read 366642 times)

zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1215 on: June 15, 2016, 08:31:59 AM »
I need to add the chains and paint the base.
Thanks for the comments.

You may have noticed a sub-theme amidst the First World War, or maybe not.

I have been reading about the early attempts to develop the tank and decided to try to model some of the experimental vehicles that led up to the creation of the tank.
The Tritton Trench Crossser was a dead end, the RNAS and the Landships Committee investigated a few alternatives.
All the parts were there for a tank but it just needed putting together into one viable vehicle.
Armour plate had been developed for armoured cars, tracked vehicles were being developed, but mainly for agricultural purposes.
The stalemate of trench warfare meant that some kind of armoured trench crossing machine was needed. The machine gun was proving extremely effective and so the armour was required to get men into action. Armoured cars were ineffective in the muddy conditions.
Most earlier designs involved large machine that would carry guns and many men, the term "Landships" must apply to these, the Navy had armour plate but it was far too thick and heavy.
So the tracked vehicles were imported from the USA and evaluated and tested. It is these vehicles that I have been building.
Why the Holt artillery tractor did not play a more significant role I do not know?
So The Killen-Strait tractor and The Tritton Trench Crosser were but two of many machines tested.
The Bullock - Creeping Grip tractor will be next to be modelled I think. Two different versions of this were tested, well three really as two were linked together at one stage.
It was the Bullock tracks that were first ordered and used for The Lincoln No1 Machine, later to become Little Willie. The tracks were similar to those on the Holt.
In Britain although agriculture was well developed, tracked machines did not seem to sell very well, maybe this is why US machines were tested?



« Last Edit: June 15, 2016, 08:49:12 AM by zak »
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Wizzel

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1216 on: June 15, 2016, 09:59:32 AM »
Well done on that base - the picture certainly does paint a thousand words - and will keep you to your two minutes narration when talking about it at the meeting.  I keep saying this but I continue to be amazed at the variety of vehicles in use 100 years ago!!!

zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1217 on: June 15, 2016, 05:53:25 PM »
I have added the chain, some touching up and weathering to do now.
The chains were from Boyes - 60p for a metre, bargain.
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Bigkev

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1218 on: June 15, 2016, 08:56:28 PM »
Hi Zak,
Msea will love you!
Cheap as chips!!
Well done, a very nice build.
Bigkev
I hope my next is always better

zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1219 on: June 16, 2016, 08:01:16 AM »
Yes, anything cheap for Martin.
I have a couple of figures to paint and add to the diorama, these are white metal from Scale Link, not as detailed as Tommy's war but they will have to suffice.
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1220 on: June 16, 2016, 03:16:18 PM »
Well it is posed on the base, but I don't like the figures I have so I will jus have to try to find some better seated WW1 personnel I suppose. It is not going to look right posed half way across and no one on it.
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1221 on: June 16, 2016, 03:44:27 PM »
Almost finished, weathering I suppose and a coat of matt varnish to seal it all in.
The figure is just to give you an idea of the size.
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1222 on: June 17, 2016, 06:29:03 PM »
Well the Bullock creeping grip Tractor is proving quite elusive, I have some plans and the odd reference and photo, but not much information really.
I will build the less powerful version first, this was a 30/50hp machine and named the "Senior". An example was tested at Greenhithe and so was often referred to as the "Greenhithe Machine".
 It had a 4 cylinder L head petrol engine, it was water cooled by a conventional radiator at the front. The driver sat in the centre, the fuel and water tanks being behind him. The track bogies at the rear were very similar to those on the Holt. At the front was a pair of 40 inch diameter wheels to aid steering. The tractor had a three speed transmission, it was 18ft long and 8ft wide, the tracks were 20 inches wide.
I found some plans to 1/76nd (4mm = 1ft) in the Tankette magazine from 1979 and scaled this up to 1/32nd scale (9.53mm = 1ft).
The construction process will follow my usual routine.
I have constructed one drive gear and will cast the others from this. The curved "spokes" for want of a better description were a notable feature of the tractor.
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Roger

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1223 on: June 17, 2016, 08:37:59 PM »
curved spokes, sounds like an 80s Yamaha to me!
R

zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1224 on: June 18, 2016, 07:20:18 AM »
I remember them well, but I never had one.
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MSea

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1225 on: June 18, 2016, 08:59:46 AM »
Well Zak and Kevin -- it might be cheap, but unlike my models it is excellent and shows true quality.
MSea

zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1226 on: June 18, 2016, 10:03:31 AM »
You're making me blush!
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1227 on: June 18, 2016, 04:23:24 PM »
Engine under construction here.
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1228 on: June 25, 2016, 02:16:37 PM »
Radiator and front wheels.
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zak

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Re: Modelling World War 1
« Reply #1229 on: June 26, 2016, 02:30:59 PM »
More progress on the rear track units.
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