Matilda II
Matilda II
I made this about 25 years ago.
I dont think many people were making big tanks back then.
Its painted in the colours that the Matilda at Bovington was in when I visited all those years ago to measure it.
I notice when I visited last year that its been repainted in different colours now.
Is that because it was incorrect?
I have a vague memory of hearing or reading that the blue colour wasnt right. Is that true or am I imagine that?
The model is all steel construction apart from the turret which is mostly bashed out of quite thick brass plate.
Cant remember why I used brass now . Probably because its easier to work into strange shapes than steel.
I remember hammering all over the gun mantlet with a ball pein hammer to give a "cast" finish. It worked quite well.
I made it before I new about water jetting or laser cutting and I dont know anything about CNC so I had to mill every track link individually from 5mm steel plate.
Then cross drill for the link pin. Then weld on the track shoe. Then weld on the track guide. Then I oil blacked them.
Because of all that, I think that's why its taken me so long before I started my Renault.
Its been sitting on my bench now for a couple of decades under a heap of old towels.
I think when Ive finished the FT I would like to re commission it and put some up to date electronics in it.
Its got some old pcb thing that takes up most of the inside space.
Cant remeber what motors its got inside but It was quite powerful and would carry me round my garden standing on the bare hull.
Its very heavy. I can no longer lift it on my own. The side skirts are scale thickness steel and the armoured radiator louvres are solid steel not formed or pressed.
I dont think many people were making big tanks back then.
Its painted in the colours that the Matilda at Bovington was in when I visited all those years ago to measure it.
I notice when I visited last year that its been repainted in different colours now.
Is that because it was incorrect?
I have a vague memory of hearing or reading that the blue colour wasnt right. Is that true or am I imagine that?
The model is all steel construction apart from the turret which is mostly bashed out of quite thick brass plate.
Cant remember why I used brass now . Probably because its easier to work into strange shapes than steel.
I remember hammering all over the gun mantlet with a ball pein hammer to give a "cast" finish. It worked quite well.
I made it before I new about water jetting or laser cutting and I dont know anything about CNC so I had to mill every track link individually from 5mm steel plate.
Then cross drill for the link pin. Then weld on the track shoe. Then weld on the track guide. Then I oil blacked them.
Because of all that, I think that's why its taken me so long before I started my Renault.
Its been sitting on my bench now for a couple of decades under a heap of old towels.
I think when Ive finished the FT I would like to re commission it and put some up to date electronics in it.
Its got some old pcb thing that takes up most of the inside space.
Cant remeber what motors its got inside but It was quite powerful and would carry me round my garden standing on the bare hull.
Its very heavy. I can no longer lift it on my own. The side skirts are scale thickness steel and the armoured radiator louvres are solid steel not formed or pressed.
Re: Matilda II
wow, that is a beast alright!
Re: Matilda II
Now that is brilliant!
I want one!
I want one!
- Herr Dr. Professor
- Lieutenant
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- Location: Southern Wisconsin USA
Re: Matilda II
Beautiful! Walzing Matilda, walzing Matilda, I wish that Matilda were walzing with me.
"I remember hammering all over the gun mantlet with a ball pein hammer to give a "cast" finish. It worked quite well." Gee, and I went to all that trouble with Mr. Surfacer 500 when I could have just taken out my ball peen hammer. That would have solved all my problems.
"I remember hammering all over the gun mantlet with a ball pein hammer to give a "cast" finish. It worked quite well." Gee, and I went to all that trouble with Mr. Surfacer 500 when I could have just taken out my ball peen hammer. That would have solved all my problems.
- Ecam
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
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Re: Matilda II
I scrolled up from Herr Doc's comment and the first picture I saw was your 5th picture and I thought it WAS the tank at Bovington! Great job on this one too.
"Don't believe everything you see on the internet" - George S. Patton
Eric
Eric
-
- Corporal
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Re: Matilda II
Another mind blowing tank. You are a true master ! Thanks for sharing these gems with us, you're trully an inspiration !
-
- Sergeant
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- Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Matilda II
Ssme here. I was looking at the last pic and thinking they sure had big nails in the museum! Fabulous work!
Yes, the Caunter scheme has undergone some revisions in what the colours should be, mostly around the light blue. This is a good, current article on everything Caunter--including colour descriptions.
https://www.keymilitary.com/article/hiding-plain-sight
Mike.
Yes, the Caunter scheme has undergone some revisions in what the colours should be, mostly around the light blue. This is a good, current article on everything Caunter--including colour descriptions.
https://www.keymilitary.com/article/hiding-plain-sight
Mike.
- HERMAN BIX
- Brigadier
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Re: Matilda II
Magnificent, and thanks for sharing it with us all.
HL JAGDPANTHER,HL TIGER 1,HL PzIII MUNITIONSCHLEPPER, HL KT OCTOPUS,HL PANTHER ZU-FUSS,HL STuG III,HL T34/85 BEDSPRING,
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
HL PZIV MALTA,MATORRO JAGDTIGER,HL F05 TIGER,TAMIYA KT,HL PANTHERDOZER,HL EARLY PANTHER G,TAIGEN/RAMINATOR T34/76,
HL AN-BRI-RAM SU-85
Re: Matilda II
Gorgeous work! What scale is it?
"I have seen the first of the new tanks today. They are beautiful."
- Annibale "Electric Beard" Bergonzoli, upon the first delivery of M11/39s to Libya, 1940.
- Annibale "Electric Beard" Bergonzoli, upon the first delivery of M11/39s to Libya, 1940.