Armortek

Hi Allan, It's the old 5.5 mm flat bottom drill bit again in the drill press but you have to start with a standard bit, drill down a few mm then swap for the flat bottom ( if you don't use the standard bit first the flat bottom will wander) , drill down until in has a nice clean square/flat bottom, then file the whole top section until the holes are just a mm or so deep. It all sounds long winded but that's how it's done! If you have a milling machine it would be easier.

Just had conformation that we are going to install the turret interior ....Phil.

Work on the deck fittings.

Looking at those hatch accessories gives me a feeling of "deja vu".

Vince

Hi Vince, it's not my favourite job although I am looking forward to fitting the spring loaded periscopes, I wonder if the mantlet on this Tiger will contact the hatch?

So, I went to check and on my Tiger. The mantlet will not contact the hatch when it is open.
On the other hand, the lower part of the barrel sleeve will hit the periscope head on. I don't think the spring would save it.
I always thought that the body of the periscope (black in my photo) was always bolted to the hatch and that the facility to swing open was to allow the lower and upper prism (or mirror) assemblies to be inserted in the periscope body.

Vince
p.s. In the lower photo, if I try to close the hatch than it will contact the mantlet. The turret has to be traversed a little to the right so that this won't happen.

Is there any way you can raise the turret up a few mm, maybe the spacers are a bit low?

As you will eventually find out, it's not worth raising the turret so that it will miss the periscope because then the barrel sleeve will then hit the hatch. Also the clearance between the turret base and the hull roof would be so big that it will look ugly.

Have to see if I can find information of what the clearance between the hull roof and the turret is on the real thing.

Vince

Is this photo of any use. Not sure where it came from.

Cheers John, boy that really does hang over those hatches!

More work to the deck.

Putting together the icons front fenders, these are very nicely presented kits and make a beautiful addition to your model but there's always a catch and this one is that the very tiny brass rivets are short (as in missing) around 6 in total, come on guy's!

I've been setting out Tim's beautiful tools and clamps, nothing fixed yet as that's a job for today. The Tetra fire extinguisher is exquisite. Just a small orientation problem with the axe head stowage mount.

Verry nice build Phil

Loving it all Phil. More Gucci parts arriving here tomorrow from the USA

I believe that the snow shovel was removed from the glacis in January 1944. One can always say it was a field addition by the crew. Also for the pick axe; a field addition.

Vince

Wow ! you are making incredible progress ! and it looks great !