Tarps

[Tony Read]

Mark/Gill - are there any plans to offer a canopy for the M series vehicles ?

I understand it is quite a simple design, with bent hoops supporting the canvas, as compared to the intricate folding contraption at the back of the Sd.Kfz 7 ?

Adrian.

Sorry to hijack your thread Adrian but thought it would be a good idea to gage the demand for tarpaulins via a poll - could not add one to your existing thread. My wife is great on a sewing machine and she always says she doesn't have enough to do! I know where I can get some thin canvas and have seen some scale buckles. The style would be the roll-up sides rather than the semi-circular cut-out pattern. Tarps were not normally fitted in the field except in the most extreme weather conditions as they could slow you down getting out, however fitting one to your model would keep the dust and showers out!

I need someone to provide dimensions of the Atek htrack so I can compare with the original.

Someone else would have to produce the hoops and poles to support the tarp - I can provide patterns, any takers?

If demand is high enough might even try the M2A1/M3A1 style but this is more complicated with the pulpit area.

[Adrian Harris]

> Sorry to hijack your thread Adrian

No worries.

> Tarps were not normally fitted in the field

I must say I prefer the look of both types of half-track when they've got the cover installed. It probably harks back to my days of building a sucession of Airfix 88mm guns and tractors

> the hoops and poles to support the tarp

How do these attach to the body - I presume welded sockets of some description ?

I do think adding option four is a little unfair, coz you can only cast one vote per person

Adrian.

[Tony Read]

Ahhh, halcyon days! Gluing a blobby bit of plastic over an Airfix model and painting it to look like an unconvincing tarp, or spending hours making your own out of tissue paper or even tin foil only to throw it in the bin and glue that blobby bit of plastic back on. Bliss!!!

The following should give you an idea of how the real-deal works:

This is the fitting that bolts to the halftrack. Short tubular poles slot over it which support the hoops. There are three of these fittings each side, the rear one, as shown here, is inclined, the other two are vertical.



Here the rear pole is in position, it passes through a hole in the top rail. It is inclined in order to give rigidity to the tilt.



Here the rear hoop is in position, it splits in half for easy stowage.



The front hoop of the M2A1 and the M3A1 is only half a section due to the pulpit mount. This is how it is supported by the pulpit armour.



As the M2 does not have a top rail, brackets are bolted to the armour to support the poles. This also applies to the WSC.

[David Ward]

Hel;lo Tony

Could you please post some pics of the windscreen armour supports and brackets plus measure the post diameter?

Thank you

David

[Tony Read]

No problem David, I'll post them under a new heading.