Monday 28 April 2014

Right, here I have added another component to the radiator system. Not sure what the pipes all do but if you refer to the image I posted of how it actually all looks you will see I have got it fairly accurate. 
I remade the water pipes (you will notice that the sprue colour is now a darker colour) this time the sprue comes from Dragons 1/6th panzer II, the metal pipe and plastic ends is just leaning against the two side pipe for now this is just to establish that everything should be where it is. 
From above you can see the relationship the pipes have with one another. I assume that the large round cylinder is the radiator filler funnel.

Sunday 27 April 2014

A slight update to the engine/radiator mounting frame, I have added the two U-channels that reinforce both ends of the structure and added the side bracing flanges.  
Here you can see better the bracing and attachments to the hull side walls. I have loosely place a piece of tread plate to show how I think it looks, I think the tread plate should extend right up to the gearbox to allow easy egress of the vehicle through the rear escape hatch. 
There are ammo stowage racks found under the tread plate. 
An above view. 
Looking forward.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Here are pictures showing the B1-bis engine installation inside the Saumer vehicle, note the three v-belts driving the radiator fans, this is incorrect for a WW2 version which was powered by a wide flat fabric pulley. 
The other side of the engine compartment. I am not sure if the fuel tank is original as this differs from Bovington's example which has reinforcing strips.
So I got around to making the engine/radiator stand, not sure if it is a 100 percent correct but not to bad with the information available. 
This is how it looks with the engine mounted, there is more detail to add still. 
This is the radiator side which is pretty much invisible. Those slots are for the control rods to pass through. 
So what do I get for all that hard work? Not a whole hell of a lot to be seen is what! 
A top view, perhaps it is just as well that not much can bee seen due to the accuracy issue. I'ts not generally known but there should be sections of treadplate  found inside the engine compartment floor as well, none of these seem to have survived inside Bovingtons or Saumers vehicles.

Tuesday 15 April 2014

The water pipe work continues, I have added the top water equalising tube (I think?) as well as the flanges. 
A close up view, the sprue has been heat shaped  to achieve the right contours for the various plumbing bits. 
From the top you can see now I have drilled the bolt holes for the exhaust flange and ground out the opening.
Another overhead shot. The end of the Naeder servo motor has to have a few more bits and bobs added to complete it, I also need to flesh out the engine mounting bracket which is quite a complicated affair which is why I haven't got back to it's construction just yet.

Sunday 13 April 2014

Had some time on my hands so I started on the exhaust outlet and the radiator water pipes, thank goodness for Revell and their Gato class submarine sprue which was the ideal thickness for the waterpipes. 
Looking down you can see how the layout looks. 
The pipes are pinned for now.

Wednesday 2 April 2014

The clamps temporarily fitted. I still have to make the four outer edge clamps which are a different shape. I still have to add the large amount of nuts and bolt heads to the engine, I'll get to that eventually.
I managed to make some of the cylinder head clamps tonight. I think the images are pretty much self explanatory but if not here is what happens, the drawing is transferred to the plastic, a hole is drilled and a small nut and bolt used as a mandrel. it is skimmed down in my lathe and trimmed/shaped afterwards.