1:6 Vickers Light Tank MKVI

[dashmole]

Hi, about 6 months ago, wanting a change from 'normal model engineering' I decided to go back to my childhood passion of tanks and after seeing YouTube videos of tanks made by a guy called Wikander knew I it had to be 1:6th scale and then looked for a type. I've always liked the Bren Gun Carrier and its suspension but didn't want to copy Armortek and so my favourite little tank, the MKVI was an obvious choice.
I particularly liked the colours of the ones on Malta, also the Besa machine guns look 'better'.

(New to all this posting stuff, so if this works then I'll try and get some current build photos uploaded.......)




Link to 'Builtbywikander' on YOUTUBE as below


https://youtu.be/OQVHMVMqK_4?feature=shared

[Ecam]

Cool little tank. Anxious to see this come to life.

[dashmole]

A plan pack from the Tank Museum and a bit of 2D CAD to get started and some dxf's for a bit of laser cutting to make the suspension units

[Ecam]

Is that drawing done in 6th? Looks big!

[MikeN]

Looks good! I too fancied a change from normal model engineering.I decided that you can have too many steam engines.
Are you making it in metal?

[dashmole]

Hi
Metal - yes and no !
Basically it's a 3/8th birch ply box that's then clad in 2mm and 1mm Ali sheet, cheating but much simpler (quicker) than making a proper frame and real riveting. Obviously, coming from a model engineering back ground all the bits and pieces, suspension etc are steel and brass laser cut / hacked out, fabricated and silver soldered as necessary.
I started on the suspension which was great fun.
Wheels are rims turned from thick wall tube, laser cut spoke discs that were then pressed to a true dish and inserted in the rim, a turned centre boss then fitted. Silver soldering the whole unit was troublesome at first to minimise distortion but not a problem once mastered.
Brass fillets then soft soldered to rear of spokes and soft sold used to form fillets all over to get the cast look. Lots of fettling using hand scrapers and a Dremel did the rest. Tyres were just hard rubber strip cyano'd and then pressed and bonded on (as per my steam waggon tyres) then put in the lathe and the external tyre form made - MESSSSSSSSSSSy !
Hope the pics explain -

[dashmole]

Hi ECam,
yes 1/6th, it was only a small tank and hopefully will come out a size and weight that I will still be able to move around without getting a hernia.
Have attached a dimensioned drawing for reference.

And no MikeN, you can never have too much steam ...

[dashmole]

and the image

[Ecam]

This is going to be an epic build. Fabulous work on those bogies!

[MikeN]

How do you intend to make the tracks?