1:6 Vickers Light Tank MKVI

Ecam · Post by **Ecam** » Sun Jan 19, 2025 3:24 am

Dashmole that is looking terrific!

Meter rat · Post by **Meter rat** » Sun Jan 19, 2025 10:33 am

One word on this. Fantastic.

dashmole · Post by **dashmole** » Tue Apr 08, 2025 8:02 am

thanks for all the positive replies guys !
Been a tad slow recently, life just seems to be sooooo busy.

Started on the turret and sketched /drawn the most of it when released hardened sort how's it going to rotate ?
Lots of messy ideas with bearings etc and in the end bought some VERY cheap bits and pieces from a well known internet site (Chinese ?).

Rotation is based upon a 'lazy susan' Aluminium slewing ring - surprisingly good, balls are just running in the Ali so wouldn't last for ever I guess (out live me though ...)
Just by chance, when looking for a drive gear came upon this internal gear for a 'mini excavator toy' that the OD just happened to be the same as the internal bore of the lazy susan, (very good quality and actually hardened teeth), a cheap high ratio geared motor later, and after making a bush for the gear, a bit of simple fettling, Loctite and "bobs your uncle" as my old dad used to say and I had my turret traverse.

dashmole · Post by **dashmole** » Tue Apr 08, 2025 8:15 am

Have made the turret the same ways as the hull - marine ply to give a base structure that's then clad in 1mm, 1.5mm and 2mm thick aluminium.
Now onto the hatches and the guns mantle.

Had intended to make hatches out of copper or brass sheet formed over mandrels and then silver solder hinges on however didn't have enough 'in stock' and so on a whim just placed some ABS in the oven at 200 deg C and tried a good old fashioned stretch moulding, came out very well

Question is whether to make the hatches opening etc, worry that the hinges won't last long made in ABS and glued together with all the 'little' fingers playing with them as is bound to happen ...

Herr Dr. Professor · Post by **Herr Dr. Professor** » Tue Apr 08, 2025 3:31 pm

"...whether to make the hatches opening." On seeing what's floating over the tank in your first photo above, I'd weld the hatches shut and hide inside.

dashmole · Post by **dashmole** » Tue Apr 08, 2025 3:39 pm

Ha,ha prof, your keen eyes have noticed why progress has been slow !
You can’t beat making paper mache monsters with the grandkids, lots of mess and tremendous fun. Hope to get them making things instead of playing on IPads, seems to be working so far !

Herr Dr. Professor · Post by **Herr Dr. Professor** » Tue Apr 08, 2025 3:42 pm

"You can’t beat making paper mache monsters with the grandkids, lots of mess and tremendous fun." What a hoot! I find myself wondering how one gets the creepy critters shaped so effectively. Oops: that's "off topic."

dashmole · Post by **dashmole** » Wed Jun 25, 2025 5:26 pm

Made some progress on the hatches (blooming hinges seem to take forever to make / fabricate), roof facing, and rain shield.
Just started on the inner and outer mantle fabrication in brass and copper.
Couldn't find any significant dimensioned detail drawings of the mantle and hence have scaled these from photos.
Similarly have made the Besa 15mm gun from scaled drawings and photos with a bit of artistic licence on how it fits within the support locator.

Getting close - so have already started work on drawings and getting info together for next project ...........find this part of a project so absorbing doing research and reading of exploits etc.

Herr Dr. Professor · Post by **Herr Dr. Professor** » Thu Jun 26, 2025 1:32 pm

I see what appears to be a stop for each half hatch cover. If those on the real Vickers Mk. VI were of spring steel, a hasty exit from the tank could have turned into a real headache. BOING! BONK!