Churchill Mk3 number 67

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning

Oh the joys of covid, or rather the after effects. Woke at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep so decided I might as well get up and address some issues that I had been thinking about. I had forgotten to mill the heads off the screws on the air filter catches and do the welds.
Thirty minutes on the mill and the heads were reduced, I used very small amounts of Milliput for the welds then a quick spray of red primer and I have the result I wanted. Off to the Warag show in Somerset now.

Regards
Gary

Yet more Milliput

[Gary Richardson]

Hi all

I have started detailing the inside of the pannier hatches, the eye bolts are M2 with a width of 3.8mm and distributed by Radio Active. I bought a selection of sizes before finding these were just right. The cables will be attached to a bar between two of the bolts for the door frame on the inside of the pannier. I am not sure how I will open the hatches yet as there don't appear to be any external handles on the full size. I will make the locking mechanisms while I think about it.

Regards
Gary

retaining wires and eyebolts

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning

Yesterdays task was to start on the turret applique armour and get some priming done while we have this lovely weather. The front turret applique armour is made from 5mm thick aluminium plate, with 3.2mm holes and countersunk for M3 X 12 screws. The front plate was drilled and tapped for the M3 screws. The screw heads will be hidden with car filler.
I intend to do a dry run of assembling the turret as I need to work out how the Petard mortar is going to attach and any modifications I will require.
If any of the other Churchill builders has completed the turret with the electronics and fittings installed I would appreciate a photo of the inside as I have yet to order the modules. PM me and I can provide my e-mail address or add the photo to my build. Thanks in advance.
I am hoping to be able to have the turret roof removable as per my Tiger using magnets and front latches.

Regards
Gary

5mm applique armour

M3 x 12mm fixing screws

[Damon Resch]

Gary,

Could you please provide a link for the eye bolts: M2 with a width of 3.8mm and distributed by Radio Active?

Not sure who that vendor is.

Thanks!

Damon

[Gary Richardson]

Gary,

Could you please provide a link for the eye bolts: M2 with a width of 3.8mm and distributed by Radio Active?

Not sure who that vendor is.

Thanks!

Damon

Hi Damon

This is the distributors website.
https://www.logicrc.com/default.aspx?s= ... Cc%3A20-20

Not sure if they are available in the States but this is one of the model shops over here that has them, they do seem to be in short supply depending on what size you require.
ttps://www.tjdmodels.com/product/eyebolt-m2-ba ... h-14mmpk4/

Tower Hobbies in the US do eyebolts but unsure of the size and not the same quality,
https://www.towerhobbies.com/product/2- ... UL548.html

The eyebolts are made for the marine modelling community so it would be worth checking out model shops specialising in boats.

I hope this is of help.
Regards
Gary

[Vince Cutajar]

Or maybe here:

https://knupfer.info/shop/index.php/aug ... -osen.html

Use the browser translate function.

Vince

[Gary Richardson]

Hi all

One of the jobs that I needed to complete was to install the bushes where the front lifting eyes go in the idler horns. This will enable me to attach the 8 ton derrick as per full size. I found the bushes were available from Just Bearings and the size is 8x11x6 with 8 being the inside diameter and 6 being the depth which matches the width of the front horn. The bushes are sintered so before using the green Loctite 638 I thoroughly cleaned the outside edges with Upol.
To drill the holes in the idler horns I used a step drill in 1mm graduations. This proved ideal and the bushes were a tight interference fit and the Loctite will ensure they stay put.
On the full size this modification was done on the AVRE tanks (SMS Modification 7265). This allowed the fitment of the Hollebone towing attachment.

Regards
Gary

Full size Mk3 AVRE showing idler horn bush

Idler horn bush for attaching 8 ton derrick

[Gary Richardson]

Good afternoon

While I am waiting for various spray painted parts to dry I decided to have a dry run at assembling the turret. I intend to add the Petard Mortar and need to understand how it will attach to the mantle etc. I am hoping to use the elevation parts that will come with the Armortek modules but do not think I will be adding the recoil pack. It would be nice to be able to launch the flying dustbin using compressed air or CO2 and I saw the video of David Seldon's AVRE firing the bomb and it looks great.
I want to be able to remove the turret lid in the field so I will devise some hidden latches and use the same method of adding the welds as I did on my Tiger. Namely electrical tape around the lid edge, do the welds and when hardened pull the tape out.

Regards
Gary

It will need careful lining up prior to tightening the bolts

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning all

Yesterdays task was to prime the gearbox casings and associated parts, fit the bearings and add the rubber to the idler and drive wheels. To anyone who hasn't added the rubber tires, plan in advance as it dries very quickly. I used a simple spreader made from a lolly stick chamfered at one end. I ran a bead of 480 round the rim, quickly spread it to cover the contact area and eased the tire on. Rubber bands were used to maintain an even pressure while it hardened. Even then there were small areas that had not bonded due to how quick the Loctite cured. This was resolved by gently easing the edge of the tire back and using a pin to apply small amounts of the 480.

Regards
Gary

Attaching the rubber tires with Loctite 480

I just love this weather, makes painting so easy.

[Gary Richardson]

Hi all

I have been doing some more detailing on the pannier hatches today. The smaller hatch port locks would probably been left in place even after the applique armour had been adding making the ports redundant. The main lever was probably removed as it would get in the way in quick egress was required. I am basing my detailing on a photo of the hatch I took of the Churchill Trust Mk4 which was at Bovington for Tiger day.
I wanted the locks to work so I used brass tube and a brass rod for the bolt. The hardest and most time consuming part was filing the L shaped guide in the brass tube. I used 1.2mm rivets as the handles which are a tight interference fit into the brass rods. The four fixing points were cut, drilled and countersunk before being soldered to the brass tube. The fixing screws are 1.6mm slotted countersunk epoxied into holes in the door.
Next job is the main hatch locking levers, but first I need to work out how to open the doors from outside as it would be a handy place to put switches for lights etc.

Regards
Gary

Fiddly little things

Both completed, now for the main locking lever

Close up

With hatch in situ

[Gary Richardson]

Good evening

The pannier hatch detailing continues with the addition of the main locking mechanism. It will not be used to keep the hatch closed as that would require modification to the main pannier side and some kind of handle on the outside which the AVRE did not have. I do want the hatch to open and close and will have to sort this out before I fit the panniers to the hull.

Regards
Gary

Hatch main locks

Another of those fiddly jobs that takes hours

Ready for the primer

[Gary Richardson]

Hi all

I have finally completed the pannier hatches and fitted them in place. This was not without its problems and may affect other builders who want the hatches to open.
Having talked to Steve at the Warag show he mentioned the hatches on his Churchill were very stiff to open and close, I therefore took the time to carefully ream out the two hinge holes on each hatch with wet and dry wrapped round a rod until the steel pins moved nice and freely. The hatches were put in place and the pins drifted in slowly until each was half way in. All good so far and the hatches moved freely. I then drove the pins home and the hatches became extremely stiff, it also proved impossible to drift them out again, even with the application of some heat.
I can only assume the holes at the top and centre of the hatch frame were slightly out of line and this has caused the binding. I am not sure how this can be checked before hand as trial runs using a close fitting rod through all the holes didn't suggest a problem.
Anyway, on a positive note it has solved the problem on how to keep the hatches closed and I will drill a very small hole or make a slot on the outside rear edge of the hatch that protrudes slightly and use a simple 90 degree tool to open the hatches.
As with any model, it all comes down to double checking and fettling when required.
The hatch retaining wires shown in the previous photos are attached to brass strips going between the protruding bolts that hold the hatch frame in place inside the panniers.
The next part of this project is modifying the bullet rails and adding a shaped rail for the four front lights to attach. I want the lights to work and have bulbs and lenses. I am looking at making them in brass but will have to finally get myself a lathe before I can proceed.
The photos are the very early stages of the modification but I have milled the front hull plate to remove the raised section.

Regards
Gary

Hatches in situ

Starting the front glacis plate mods

Bullet and light rails

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning

I did a bit more work on the front bullet rails and light fitting rail yesterday. This included milling rebates on the underside of the upper front plate so the nuts used on the lighting rail sit flat. The lighting rail may end up being made in brass as I am still working out how to make the four lights and the best way to attach them to the rail and have the wires running through the existing plate holes.
I have started temporarily assembling the hull as I need to make the various angled brackets that join the upper plate, glacis plate, idler horns etc. and I suspect I will be drilling quite a few additional holes in the plates. Once I am happy with the extra detailing the hull and panniers can be spray painted then the bogies installed.
The white rails the tracks slide on that attach to the top of the panniers were doing good impressions of bananas . I know bolting them in place would have remove most of the bend but it left the front 3 hole sections near the front sprocket angled up and there are no fixings on the metal supports to attach them to the top of the pannier idler horns.
I found I needed to clamp them to a flat surface, induce an opposite bend with some wedges and then apply a fair amount of heat to them. I used a 1500W heat gun until they were just too hot to touch and left them to cool completely before releasing the clamps. This removed most of the bend and significantly it allowed the front sections to sit flat.

Regards
Gary

A work in progress, it may all change and be made in brass

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning

I bolted the track rails to the tops of the panniers and they still had a slight lift at the front meaning the three front supports were staying clear of the idler horns. I did a simple modification and drilled a couple of 2.5mm holes through the first support and into the top of the idler horns. This was tapped to M3 and I used M3 button head screws to secure the first support which has solved the problem.
Next step is to get the drive sprocket assembly completed. The manual on page 14 says to Loctite both the inner and outer race of the smaller bearing , but this means you are unable to remove the rear plate if you need to get to the taper lock for adjustment or maintenance. I posed this question on another thread and David Skeldon kindly replied confirming my thoughts that the inner race should not be Loctited which would enable access to the taper lock if required. I will double check with Kian but I cannot see any other solution.
Looking forward to Tankfest tomorrow and hope to see some of you at the Armortek stand

Regards
Gary

Tapping a M3 thread in the idler horns.

Simple but effective.

[Gary Richardson]

Good morning

First I would like to thank Armortek and all who displayed their models at Tankfest. It was a very good display and I enjoyed talking to you all. I also want to thank Dave Dibbs for giving us the run down on his incredible workshop and explaining how he produced the ford flathead engine, brilliant attention to detail and the swarf sacks were a very nice touch.
I spent some time talking to Adrian and David about the Churchill track clearance to the bottom of the mudguard and the effect of long grass collecting under the mudguard. I got home and decided to modify the white strips the tracks slide on, this is a personnel decision based on me wanting to join in with some shows and the long grass in my local fields . It in no way reflects on the Armortek design. As you can see from my build I have already done a lot of modifications, I just love my mill
I milled approximately 2mm from the surface the bolts go through and then used a M4 rebate tool to lower the bolts so they sat below the surface again. The material is very easy to mill, just be aware that removing even a small amount results in de-stressing the material and curves being induced. It was not bad enough to require the heat gun and the extra support rail screws take care of the sprocket end.
Todays job is to work on making the angle iron sections on the upper front hull plate. There are four sections, two of which were riveted in place and two bolted using two different size bolts.

Regards
Gary

Slide height reduced and bolts rebated deeper

Angle iron detail, photo courtesy of the Tank Museum