Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Ideas & Inspiration => Land => Topic started by: Volkodav on January 08, 2017, 10:22:42 PM
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Now there is a mainstream injected plastic kit of the subject I thought maybe it was time to start a topic on it.
For starters I noticed it is a similar size to the US M-2 Medium though lighter, different drive train configuration and less powerful, this leads to my speculation of a rearranged version with a casemate 3" gun.
Maybe something simple, a more powerful engine and better armour.
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The Vickers Medium Tank Mk. II reminds me a bit of the M113. The Vickers is slightly larger in all dimensions. Take the turret off, modify the rear doors slightly and it's a fairly well protected WWII APC. The Vickers was used as a command tank (I wonder if that will be a future boxing) so it's not too far-fetched:
(http://www.alternativefinland.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Vickers-Medium-Mk-II-Box-Tank.jpg)
(from http://www.alternativefinland.com/british-tanks-inter-war-decades/ (http://www.alternativefinland.com/british-tanks-inter-war-decades/) )
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Now that is a good idea, an uprated engine and improved suspension to produce an APC.
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Going for improved period suspension, would we be looking at Christie? ???
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Going for improved period suspension, would we be looking at Christie? ???
That was my first thought, too - but the spring boxes for the suspension would have to be on the outside. It would probably widen the take a bit.
Kit wise, it would take the Hobby Boss kit and a Zvezda BT-5/BT-7/T-26 kit, with the added advantage that the kits are cheap and the hull sidewalls are separate.
If you want to go all British, a Bronco Cruiser or Tetrarch or an Italeri Crusader Mk I
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Dragon, Heavy Mark I. ;D
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Going for improved period suspension, would we be looking at Christie? ???
That was my first thought, too - but the spring boxes for the suspension would have to be on the outside. It would probably widen the take (tank) a bit.
I don't think the boxes would have to be outside the hull but the hull would need to be widened to incorporate them; however, would that be a bad thing? ???
It'd give a bit more stability &, putting the troop seats over the suspension boxes, you'd have more available floor space at least.
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Going for improved period suspension, would we be looking at Christie? ???
That was my first thought, too - but the spring boxes for the suspension would have to be on the outside. It would probably widen the take (tank) a bit.
I don't think the boxes would have to be outside the hull but the hull would need to be widened to incorporate them; however, would that be a bad thing? ???
Perhaps from a strategic mobility aspect. Remember, whatever you design must fit within the British rail gauge, which is narrower than the American or Australian one. Otherwise, it's going to have a long, long, slow journey on it's own tracks to fight the enemy...
It'd give a bit more stability &, putting the troop seats over the suspension boxes, you'd have more available floor space at least.
How about doing that anyway, with a narrower hull? Mmmm, an A9 APC?
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I don't think the boxes would have to be outside the hull but the hull would need to be widened to incorporate them; however, would that be a bad thing? ???
It'd give a bit more stability &, putting the troop seats over the suspension boxes, you'd have more available floor space at least.
The typical Christie suspension springs are pretty big boxes, so I thought it would make the inside of the APC less crowded if they were on the outside. I don't think it would be a bad thing, just possibly more work for the engineers. (see this air-conditioned T-34):
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/T-34_Blown_Apart.jpg)
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I seem to recall that the T-34 was atypical in having vertical spring boxes, whereas most were horizontal or near horizontal.
Also, the Vickers tank, being much smaller & lighter, wouldn't need units quite that massive, I wouldn't think.
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A couple of interior layout references:
(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-GJGnNhn/0/df897f86/O/VICK_MED_MKII_01.png)
(http://photos.smugmug.com/BTS-2/i-jd5dmxF/0/390b4119/O/VICK_MED_MKII_02.png)