Matilda II
Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2024 6:49 pm
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.
