Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

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43rdRecceReg
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Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Okay, well it's a fairly ropy video, and I should have tidied up before filming :/ ; but it has been almost five years, and two iterations to get the Cromwell finally clanking away. So, it's high time for action in film, instead of stills.
I've also been struggling to get the clip published on Youtube. It must be the tight security now built into Apple's Safari browser, as the 'publish' and other key buttons remain frustratingly greyed out, even after a successful upload and 24 hrs of waiting :/ I thought some invisible censor had got it in for me, when the only objectionable thing in this clip might be a dog's a**s. :D
Eventually, I used Firefox instead, and it worked perfectly. Och well...live and learn.
Note, I forgot to switch the smoke on here; but it works fine. Also, the upper hull is only loosely fitted; hence the gap at the front. In fact, for security, instead of magnets, I've made provision for two screws to pass through the forward storage bins, to keep the hull flat. They're absent here.
I managed to get one red flash from the cannon, in an earlier 'Cecil B. De Military' movie attempt- but there's an issue to sort.
I'll also put a link to the video in my Cromwell build thread.
phpBB [video]
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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Herr Dr. Professor
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by Herr Dr. Professor »

I think Hollywood makes a point of rarely using cute dogs because they always steal the show! What fun just to see them inspect your fine Cromwell. How would they react to the smoke unit? :haha:
Topper
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by Topper »

Hello
I like your tank, looks very fast. How old are your dogs?
Regards
Frank
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Topper wrote:Hello
I like your tank, looks very fast. How old are your dogs?
Regards
Frank
Thanks, Topper! (Incidentally, that was a comic I used to read back in the 1950s. Doubtless, it would offend somebody these days... :shh: )
Image
:D Well, the Cromwell was the fastest British tank in WW2 (possibly the fastest tank in the War). Without 'governors' to restrict its speed, it could do well over 40 MPH. On one celebrated occasion, 3 Cromwells actually managed to jump a canal to avoid German 88s, and Tigers. :O I think, possibly, I could have managed that as well, given the urgency of the situation!. 8O
However... ;) I was trying to master slow control of the model,... before the dogs butted in, that is. The TK 6.1s unit really does offer excellent 'creep' control- with practice.
This was just the initial start-up to determine what works, and what doesn't. It will creep, but it will also go like it has a Tiger, or a Taxman, on its tail. :D In better weather, I can demonstrate that outside.

The Westies, Fi and Finn are 9, and 2 years old , respectively. I lost dear old Midgie, the third tank-build supervising Westie, in August last year- aged 14yrs 6mths (cancer :thumbdown: ) :| Und so ist das Leben.
Last edited by 43rdRecceReg on Sat Nov 20, 2021 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
Topper
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by Topper »

Hello
The pic is of a Topper dinghy,( my sons dinghy).
Its always sad when a much loved friend dies,I remember the Topper also the victor ,hotspur and commando ,the Dandy and Beano.
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Topper wrote:Hello
The pic is of a Topper dinghy,( my sons dinghy).
Its always sad when a much loved friend dies,I remember the Topper also the victor ,hotspur and commando ,the Dandy and Beano.
Ah, Yes more memories there Frank, and a lovely dinghy too! Virtually all families living around the Loch (Loch Ewe) have boats, and I've always intended to get, or build one; it has become a a bucket list item, and- at this rate, and my age- I'll be looking at a Viking fireship :/ :D
I was also fond of Dan Dare in the Eagle, and Alf Tupper- 'The Tough of the Track', in The Victor. Alf was the working-class hero figure, with tatty running shoes, and fish 'n' chips for nutrition, who took on snooty upper-crust athletes. :)
From the armour point of view, I was especially fond of the totally politically incorrect Captain Hurricane, in the 1960s Valiant comic, with his raging furies:
Image
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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Raminator
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by Raminator »

Great to see the Cromwell in action, Roy. I loved the Westies' bemused cameo too!
Topper
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by Topper »

Good morning
I live beside a Loch too,Less then a 2 min walk across a field, if the cows let us,I got my powerboat level 2 a few months ago and yesterday was the 1st day of a 2 day course for my RYA Safety Boat Course level 3 , we were out on the water from 9am to 4,30pm in the rain, its a really hard course physically not for the guys in their 20s. Day 2 is next Saturday.
All the best
Frank
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Raminator wrote:Great to see the Cromwell in action, Roy. I loved the Westies' bemused cameo too!
Thanks a lot, Dan. :thumbup: 'Writer's block' is a well known phenomenon, but I think I had something like it, or maybe 'Ludwig Lassitude' with the Cromwell. In reality, the dodgy gearbox brought the project to a halt. In retrospect, I'm glad it did, as I'm happier using the TK 6.1s setup than the Clark unit with a hobby-grade TX.
I suppose the Comet build (essentially the same in many respects) went ahead swimmingly, because I was able to avoid the mistakes and errors I'd made putting the Cromwell together. :think:

All it needs now, are the tools and unit insignia. I'll probably make it a Desert Rat (7th Armoured). It already has a 'T' number. :D
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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43rdRecceReg
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Re: Cromwell MK IV- Highland Proving Ground trials

Post by 43rdRecceReg »

Topper wrote:Good morning
I live beside a Loch too,Less then a 2 min walk across a field, if the cows let us,I got my powerboat level 2 a few months ago and yesterday was the 1st day of a 2 day course for my RYA Safety Boat Course level 3 , we were out on the water from 9am to 4,30pm in the rain, its a really hard course physically not for the guys in their 20s. Day 2 is next Saturday.
All the best
Frank
Which Loch is that, Frank? Just curious. By the way, I'd almost forgotten that you have that truly remarkable collection of WW2 medals, and memorabilia. Here's a link to that thread, for those who might have missed it:
viewtopic.php?t=31055
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
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