Chieftain build by Phil Woollard.

[Phil Woollard]

Almost finished the light projector.

[Stephen White]

Phil,

Great work. The original had a four position rotary switch for the commander, with which you could select Off/Stby/IR and, by lifting the knob out if a detent, White light. On the diagramme from Pam 33, which Kevin posted, figure 2 is the IR lens, in the form of an opening door, actuated by the rod at fig 3. So when the armoured door was opened, from the outside you’d see the IR lens, projecting supposedly invisible IR light and when white was selected, you’d see that door open and white light projected. The beam was a blue/white colour, if you were daft enough to look at it.

We we’re unloading the tanks one night in the Eiffel before training at the Vogelsang training area, when someone noticed a figure disporting herself in a state of undress in an upper window. An over-enthusiastic flash (forgive the pun) of white light spoiled it for everyone. If only they’d stayed with IR.

Vogelsang had an interesting history, worth looking up.

[Phil Woollard]

Working on that oh so long barrel. I've ordered some 6 and 8 mm webbing for the sleeve straps but they may take a while to ship from China!

[Phil Woollard]

Busy day again.

[Steve Ellis]

Hi Phil
Three questions, where do you get you letters from for the FV No’s and what size are they.
Second where did you get your piano hinges from.
Lastly what are you using to make the strips that go round 5he mantle cover.

[Phil Woollard]

Hi Steve, the letters are slatters plasticard from ebay, I suggest you get what ever sizes they have available.Piano hinge was ebay again but if you go back through my thread there are some alternatives on a roll, I've had to cut mine down somewhat. The mantlet strips are 1.5 mm ABS sheet cut into strips, you could use brass but the ABS is very strong, flexible, can be moulded using heat, I like using it, that's ebay to!
Message for Martin, I will soon have the prototype engine to fit from Ivano.

[Phil Woollard]

Another very busy day but I love it

[Vince Cutajar]

The turret is looking great Phil.

Vince

[Phil Woollard]

Many thanks Vince I like praise from you it means a lot. The Chieftain needs a lot of extra detail but you sure do bond with it because of that effort, although I will need to let it go at some point!

[simon_manning]

hi phil just checked in to have a look, the light is a brain wave and nicely done, as is the rest, thanks for posting, regards simon.

[Dave Dibb (Armorpax)]

Hi Phil,

Looking brilliant, when you come to do the turret detail this might be useful, they do 5mm etc as well. I bought some last week for 19 set cables and it looks the part for braided power cable.

https://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/ffr3/ ... t=sleeving

If we are going to have more time on our hands too I'll see about casting a number of the BV plugs and making a gang mould for you, looks like they will be close enough for the those main connectors and would work with the 3mm braided, I'll try and put a test cable together over the weekend and see what it looks like.

Best regards

Dave

[Phil Woollard]

Sounds fantastic Dave, I will have them as soon as they are done, I can't remember how many I asked for but 30 to 40 would be good, is the plug and socket as one? Any idea what the batteries look like under the hatch behind the loaders position, would you have those as well?

[Kevin Hunter]

Outstanding work Phil, and great to follow.

Curious though, you say "The rain cover needs to be fixed and so not move with the recoil....." but what are you fixing it to? It cant be clamped to the barrel obviously. Inboard end of the rubber bellows?

Keep it up, especially now that so many of us are sat at home glued to the forum to avoid going stir crazy!
Thanks
Kevin

[Phil Woollard]

Good point Kevin. I shall explain, the rain cover has a brass band clamp that is tightened around a section of pipe which butts up to the barrel swivel , this floating section of pipe allows the barrel to pass through it without binding but is supported by the barrel and the rain cover and clamp. It can't move forward as the rain cover and clamp restrain it, with the rubber bellows also clamped to it and pushing in the other direction. It can't move backwards as the barrel swivel restrains it, it can't move from side to side or up and down as the barrel passes through it.
It took some head scratching, 40mm solvent weld waste pipe needed only to be cut to length as the internal and external diameters were near perfect!

[Kevin Hunter]

You mentioned the 40mm pipe before but it wasn’t quite clear (to me at least) quite how. Got it now Phil, thanks for the clarification.
Cheers
Kevin