British Vickers Light Tank Mk VI C 2026-04

[BarleyBop]

So. Building to kit specs, this is the maximum the driver's hatch can be opened.

Now that I've put so much effort into the interior, what I really want is this:

Almost a full 90° more arc in the upward swing.
Note the camo painted on inside of hatch panels!

 

[kevin]

Do it, only you and Jakko will know it's not right.....

 

[Ron2]

So. Building to kit specs, this is the maximum the driver's hatch can be opened.

View attachment 194170
Now that I've put so much effort into the interior, what I really want is this:

View attachment 194192
Almost a full 90° more arc in the upward swing.
Note the camo painted on inside of hatch panels!

I keep wanting to do a winter camo but don't.

 

[BarleyBop]

@kevin
This should do it... Not quite the 'do it' you had in mind.
Not exactly scale, but as long as it conveys the functionality, I'm happy.

It will be long enough to hold the panel at an angle that allows a better view of the interior.

 

[BarleyBop]

winter camo

This 'stone' theme for Malta might be the closest I'll ever get to that!

 

[BarleyBop]

...test fit. Also added some other bits, including side viewport.

The driver's hatch opens wide!

Driver's intercom control box, wires, mouth piece and headphones in the works.

The commander will get his as well, plugged into the radio in the turret.

 

[kevin]

Looks like a successful test.

 

[John Waller]

There's a blurred preview of that. It has Churchill Tank, Chaffee, MMG Carrier (the Universal Carrier variant, not the original MMG Carrier) and Loyd Carrier. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to say anywhere how much it costs to get access to the patron-only areas.

$11 AUD a month, so I signed on and there is a trove of great stuff in the manuals section. On the FE topic I came across these diagrams, showing early and late types.

 

[Dr. Armor_72]

and vintage civilian units looked like this

What! Methyl bromide inside? Looks like very unusual and slow suicide method!

 

[Jakko]

Those replaced the pyrene ones because they were considered less toxic

 

[BarleyBop]

Wireless and headsets before painting.

I find that scratch requires something of a leap of faith: unless you have fantastic skills, stuff looks somewhat hokey, and (you hope) that the basic shape geometry, painting, positioning and context will be enough to carry it!

 

[Jakko]

the basic shape geometry, painting, positioning and context will be enough to carry it!

That comes close to Shep Paine's creative gizmology: "the use of many plastic bits and pieces scrounged from various kits to simulate complex machinery", as he put it in his book How to build dioramas.

 

[BarleyBop]

The hatch closer arm kept popping off so I might as well build something to hold it... And add a spring while I'm at it!

 

[BarleyBop]

That comes close to Shep Paine's creative gizmology: "the use of many plastic bits and pieces scrounged from various kits to simulate complex machinery", as he put it in his book How to build dioramas.

I guess that as well as getting old, I'm also old school!

 

[BarleyBop]

Interior starting to look like something

Working on pyrene extinguisher.

Need to straighten the copper tape.
The ends of the brass tube are filled with Tamiya putty.

 

[John Waller]

I seem to have lost all images??? No image links seem to work?

This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.

---

<Error>
<Code>AccessDenied</Code>
<Message>Access Denied</Message>
</Error>

 

[kevin]

I seem to have lost all images??? No image links seem to work?

Same for me

 

[BarleyBop]

@John Waller , @kevin

been like this all night, I'm thinking a server somewhere is on the fritz... if I hit the edit button, the images reappear.
It seems like only some folks have this issue... will check again in the morning.

 

[kevin]

I can see my pics in "my media", but not in the threads, nor anyone else's pics.

 

[BarleyBop]

I can see my pics in "my media", but not in the threads, nor anyone else's pics.

@urumomo sent a message up the chain around 8pm.
Made slow but steady progress on interior last night and tonight. Will need a break tomorrow!

 

[Jakko]

I suspect the problem is that this forum seems to have farmed out its actual image hosting to Cloudflare.

 

[urumomo]

Image issue has been corrected for everyone , yes ?

 

[kevin]

It is for me, thanks!

 

[BarleyBop]

Taking a break from the bench today, some pics from last night...

Once completed, the fire extinguisher will be mounted on the bulkhead in the fighting compartment next to the doorway.

 

[kevin]

That's really coming together!

 

[BarleyBop]

Coming together

Thanks!
Bit of overkill on the photo front, but soon, a lot of it will be hidden!

 

[kevin]

I don't think its overkill, like on my M8 build, document it now while you still can. You want to be able to enjoy your work down the road.

 

[BarleyBop]

Still have to fabricate a mount for it and paint before installing.
But here goes!

• Straightened the ridges.
• Fashioned a pump handle from a cut and filed PE 'T' sprue.
• Split the end of some brass rod for better hold on the handle
• Added some PE 'Detail Master' 1/24th fuel line fittings. Bought these in rummage bin at LHS years ago!
• Inserted and glued the assembly into the canister.

Like most of my scratch attempts, a little large for scale, but I'll take it!
Now to clean it up a bit before painting.

 

[Jakko]

There's something I need to remember: filing a T-section of etched fret into a rounded shape Scratchbuilding one of these extinguishers isn't too difficult, as it's basically a cylinder with some detail, but I couldn't think of a good way to make the handle.

 

[BarleyBop]

Scratched a holder: modified PE belt buckle, cupped disk from brass sheet, copper tape straps, cut PE sprue for the frame.

Painted up, along with a resin box from the tickle trunk. Both ready for mounting in the fighting compartment.