Jakko’s Sherman BARV

[Guest]

Good photos, especially that last one seems to confirm that they cut the cylinder down and added the plates with the pin. Thanks

This morning I found a reply from the REME museum in my spambox, but it only says that my e-mail has been forwarded “to the relevant person” so I have some hope that I might get an answer in the near future.

[Tim Marlow]

Good photos, especially that last one seems to confirm that they cut the cylinder down and added the plates with the pin. Thanks :smiling3:

This morning I found a reply from the REME museum in my spambox, but it only says that my e-mail has been forwarded “to the relevant person” so I have some hope that I might get an answer in the near future.

I’m all ears on a reply. I simply can’t think of any application that needs what is, in effect, a single oversized shock absorber :smiling:

[Andy T]

I’m all ears on a reply. I simply can’t think of any application that needs what is, in effect, a single oversized shock absorber :smiling:

It's hollow, used for storing fishing rods and snooker cues....

[Jack L]

Only one on board? All I can think of is if something needed ramming out of the way, or a run up to move something? Take a bit of sting out of the impact.

[Guest]

I’m all ears on a reply. I simply can’t think of any application that needs what is, in effect, a single oversized shock absorber :smiling:

You don’t know how close you are

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The REME museum’s archivist, Celia Cassingham, replied to tell me they’ve had that question before and helpfully provided that scan and a link to a page on their web site that also includes the scan above.

This, I think, also explains the oval ring at the front of the left catwalk (that is still missing from my model): that must be a guide for the cable going to the 6-pounder recoil mechanism.

Bovington also got back to me, saying they think they know what bit I mean but asking me to send a photo to make sure, which of course I did. With a bit of luck they will be able to confirm or even explain some more about it.

[Waspie]

You don’t know how close you are :smiling3:

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The REME museum’s archivist, Celia Cassingham, replied to tell me they’ve had that question before and helpfully provided that scan and a link to a page on their web site that also includes the scan above.

This, I think, also explains the oval ring at the front of the left catwalk (that is still missing from my model): that must be a guide for the cable going to the 6-pounder recoil mechanism.

Bovington also got back to me, saying they think they know what bit I mean but asking me to send a photo to make sure, which of course I did. With a bit of luck they will be able to confirm or even explain some more about it.

Some positive responses there Jakko.

[Tim Marlow]

I was closer than you think….i read their page on the BARV but never found the page with the explanation…..
So it was used to take the “jerk” out of a light tow then…..makes absolute sense when you know…..

[Guest]

It’s one of those things that make sense once you know, but working it out has proved … difficult

[Guest]

With thanks to another modeller, I now have a 6-pounder recoil cylinder from a built Italeri kit that he was happy to take apart:

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However, something is off somewhere. Compare these two photos:



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That’s an Italeri part with the end cut off where the one on the real vehicle is too, placed in position on the hull side so that its front is approximately where it was on the real one. But the real one ends at the lid you can see on the deck under the catwalk, which is about 25 mm on the model. The Italeri part, though, is 39 mm long … What’s more, you can see that the Italeri part is thick enough that it only just fits under the catwalk, while the real one has plenty of room.

I don’t know what is off here, but it doesn’t seem to be the height of the catwalk (the supports for it are, though, compared to the real one). Did later 6-pounder guns have longer and thicker recoil cylinders than the early ones? Or did Italeri make the part something like 50% oversize?

[Tim Marlow]

The catwalk on your kit is certainly shorter than the photo above, the part bay, that goes out over the hull top, is missing and the vertical Stanton spacing appears wrong. However, I’d say the Italeri part also looks well oversized. Perhaps it’s closer to 1/32 than 1/35……

[Jim R]

All is now clear. I have enjoyed following people's thoughts. Rather like a story in installments - impatient for the next post :smiling3:
Well done Tim - you win the prize :thumb2:

[Guest]

I figured out what the problem is. It’s not a 6-pounder recoil cylinder, but:—

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(source)

… from a 2-pounder The 6-pounder one looks like they simply enlarged the design. I was wrong-footed by someone on Missing-Lynx calling it a 6-pounder one, and then the REME museum’s report extract does too. Or maybe they did test it with a 6-pounder one, but used 2-pounder parts for the production vehicles because those entire guns were surplus to requirements?

[Guest]

Finally made a start on this tonight Here is my current effort in grey and white, together with the previous one in green and white:

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The reason they look rather different is because the original one’s dimensions were estimated from some of the BARV photos, while the second attempt is based on dimensions kindly taken for me from a real 2-pounder gun by Graeme Stephens.

The base is a length of 3 mm diameter sprue, 31.5 mm long including the domed end (I found a piece with that, so I didn’t have to file it myself), to which I glued a 24 mm length of 3.2 × 1 mm strip. The gap between the strip and sprue was then filled with some 1.5 × 0.25 mm strip, while the left band is 0.25 mm card, 4.5 mm wide and glued against the edge, and the other band is 0.13 mm card, 3.5 mm wide, glued 8 mm in from the edge. I glued 0.25 × 0.5 mm strip around the end to form the edge of the end cap, and also two pieces of that over the second band. Oh, and a 2 mm punched disc on the flat end.

It still needs the smaller detail added, as well as the lugs that the cable could be attached to, but I’ll let this dry first. For now, here it is temporarily in place on the model, because I wanted to see how it looks there:

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[tr1ckey66]

Hi Jakko
Excellent detective work on the 2 pounder recoil part. A really interesting detail which you’ve replicated well.
The BARV is progressing nicely. I’m looking forward to the finished model

ATB
Paul

[Jim R]

The mystery is solved. Well done. Actually it makes perfect sense. The scratched part looks good.