I have always had a liking for the Mark IV but never got round to doing anything about it. Mark from our Hyde tank club built an amazing 1/16 model using Styrene with T38 tracks which I helped him with proper tank track veneers. He managed to get the propulsion sorted by using a plastic chain to link between the drive wheels and the motors, something which I plan to emulate so many thanks to him as a pioneer and inventor. There is no way I could afford to fork out for the Hooben kit, beautiful though it is so I guess it's going to be the hard yards on the CAD program. So here is my project for this winter.
I have already made a start on the tracks and drive sprocket, just waiting for delivery of some small plastic chain to modify the sprocket. A small start to what promises to be a big project.
Track links
Sprocket starter for 10. It has to have bearings due to the high load on the drive/track.
The addition cog will be added to the drive sprocket when I get deluivery of the chain.
I ordered and received the Haynes manual for the Mark IV and a wonderful book it is with amazing and very useful photos of the tank, but of especial interest was the cover with a picture of the drive mechanism
I have designed a set of cogs to match the above (except I can't dessign the chain cog until I get the chain!).
The advantage of this arrangement is to enable slower speed/higher torque when climbing obstacles which was a problem with Marks tank.
Jeez Mr Turner, you must have pure Valium running thru your veins to take this one on !
I have no doubt you will pull it off and in grand style to boot.
Following from overwatch
Thanks for the good words guys, yes this will be a complex build!
Printed off the drive cogs and they mesh perfectly
Just need the drive chain to modify the secong cog and design the cog for the gearbox, then it's on to the sponson design.
Here's the start
Alwyn
Just received the plastic chain
Updated the gear design to include the chain sprockets and create a sprocket for the gearbox
AllI need now is the tank to put it in
Geepers, Alwyn, that plastic chain is so tempting. I have no idea what I would do with it, but it seems that it would be fun to paint it gun metal, get it all greasy, and put it on something. You say you "just received the plastic chain." Was this chain printed by "Mark from [y]our Hyde tank club"?
The chain comes from a company in Cumbria, here's the link https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111646575889 ... 0658571149
It appears to be made out of nylon and is immensely strong. The company do steel cogs to match it so I guess they are confident it can withstand being driven by metal cogs. The sprockets took a few iterations of design/print/scrap/redesign/reprint/test before I got the design right but it all seems to work - phew!
Design of the sponson is progressing to include the roadwheel mounting frames
#I'll do a bit more work on the rigidity factor and do a partial print to test everything fits.
