Some Tank Pics from Bovingdon

[sassgrunt]

Thank you for posting your pictures, Pete. What a great museum - I would really love to go there one day! I really enjoyed the pictures of the Porsche-suspension Jagdtiger. I am hoping that once Hooben gets their Elefant on the market; it will be possible to get ahold of some of the suspension units to replicate this AFV. I have read several times that the idler wheel of this Jagdtiger was smaller than the 680mm idler wheel of the Henshel-suspension Jagdtiger; but have never been able to find anything in print that gives the diameter. Would anyone happen to know this (maybe having measured the one at Bovington)? Thank you. -Mike

[sparks]

Thanks Pete,
I read in the paper a couple of weeks back that they had had £17M in Lottery funding and there were weapon firing simulators etc. I'll try to find the article on the web.
sparks

[sparks]

Heres the link to the article.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/artic ... orset.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It might be they only do this stuff during school holidays.
sparks

[Saxondog]

Would you possibly have a picture of the Jagdpanther's two cooling rear fans,the question I need answered is the mesh grills and their proper installation either on top of the assembly or above the fan yet below the top area.

Wire mesh safety assembly placement

[Matdragon]

Nice pictures!!

[jonger]

Hi Pete

Thanks for the Cromwell pictures, they are taken at different angles to the ones I already have so are helping to build up a better picture of what it should look like, a lot of the ones I have were taken back in the 1940's so are grainy black and white ones so colour ones help a lot.
Jon

[Bigwheels_inc]

Hi Sax,
the drivers side mesh is very simple just a steel ring with mesh folded over it welded at 5 points around the ring to hold it in place (& note the 3 smaller hooks around the fans )





the other grill is allot diffrent , it apears that the 6 pronged peice in the top of the fan is a support for the mesh grill that goes over it and that the mesh is held by the center bolt and big washer and judging by the edge around the fan housing i would say it fits in under the lipped edge



looks like this one has been a bit damaged lol
hope this helps

Jon if I get a chance to go back in a couple of weeks I will take some more pics of the Cromwell for you with some more detail

thanks for all of the comments guys and feel free to ask for any pics you may need

I was thinking the turrets and upper/rear decks ? not many clear & colour pics of the tops of these items so would it be of any use to anyone if I had a word with the tank musium to see if they will let me take pics of the turret tops and rear decks from above usualy you cant get to see them but maybe if they give me permision they may also be able to lend me a step ladder lmao, if its of intrest let me know & also which tanks would be of intrest,

Pete

[wibblywobbly]

Every time someone takes pics of a Tiger I spot another little detail. You are right about ariel shots, they are very difficult to take, but show a whole load of missing information. Apparently, so I have been told, if you give Bovington advance notice of your visit they will provide a personal guide, and allow you to climb on, and inside, the tanks?

There is a website somewhere of pics from Saumur, some lads didn't bother asking for permission, they waited till no one was looking and then crawled under tanks and got inside via the escape hatches. They got loads of interior pics...until someone spotted them!

[BigPanzer]

Hi,

Very interesting post Wibbly.

Some years ago I wanted some detail shots of the rear deck of the Panther so I rang them and spoke very nicely to the curator. He told me I was not allowed anywhere above ground level and certainly would not lend me a ladder, steps or anything else because of the Health & Safety issues.

I pointed out to him that I would be happy to wear soft soled shoes, be accompanied by a member of their staff and sign a waiver stating that if I fell off it that would be my problem, not theirs.

I also pointed out to him that I was an ex-museum worker used to handling priceless artefacts (Quite true) and that part of the remit for any museum is to allow access to the collections for study. At that point he started to get a bit snotty with me.

However, they would be very pleased to send their photographer to it to photograph any part I wanted and sell me prints at £5 each for black & white. I didn't even bother asking the price for colour!

Fortunatly their attitude to model makers has shown signs of change since then and they seem to be a lot more user friendly these days.

Peter

[wibblywobbly]

I'm pretty certain it was someone on here who got the personal touch, and spent 2 hours sat in the KT??