Panzer II Turret

[Paul.B.]

johann, Having been a metal fabricator welder for the past 30 years I can say you are a true craftsman well done.

[johann mor]

Thanks Paul.

I am trying to update this thread but i can't upload any images. Sorry

Jon

[Robert H]

Hello Jon,

save the photos in a size like 800 or 1200 pixels somewhere on your PC, like desktop.
Then click upload attachements and then go to the location like desktop and select the photos you want to upload.

[johann mor]

Thanks Robert, i worked out how to post the pictures but the new system will not accept pictures bigger than 250KB where as the old system accepted 1.97MB so now all pictures have to be resized. Last night i couldn't remember how to resize as i have only once had to do it for another forum with a photo over 2MB but this morning it came to me. Ifind it hard to beleive that i now have to resize every photo and this is supposed to be progress.

Time for an update me thinks.



I have finished the engine cover although I have cheated and used 1.6mm steel sheet for the covers to save weight.
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Around the opening of this cover there is a radiused section, best shown in this picture

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Also there is a 15mm gap right around the covers, too big a gap to be just clearance. I had assumed that it was a rain water channel but the more I studied the pictures I realised that the reason for the large gap and the radiused section was to allow air into the engine bay around the sides of the covers but I assume, not allow splinters to enter. On the original tank the two covers were not locked together, the lower over had no locking mechanism being held in place by it's own weight and the top cover having a locking mechanism. In my tank the covers lock together, as the lower door is not heavy enough stay in place on it's own.

The radio operators escape hatch mow has it's latch and handle.

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Next to the radio operators chair there is a wall which is part of the engine bay bulkhead which for some reason is cut across at about 45 degrees
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Most probably to give access to the engine bay from inside the tank. Most of the pictures that I can find show this as being a bolted in section apart from one that shows it as having a hinged access door. I decided that as my ignition coil and amplifier are situated in this area a hinged cover would be a very good idea.

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[johann mor]

When I made the radiator hinged cover, I made it as a two piece assembly.
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Once the hull top was in place it became obvious that it wouldn't close and should have been made in three sections. The only thing that then concerned me, was would it block the radio operators escape hatch. Once I had altered it, it became obvious that it tucks away nicely out of the way.

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The radio aerial on the panzer 2 is raised from inside the tank using this device.
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The handle is rotated up to raise that aerial and rotated down to lower it. The end of the handle is sprung so that when it is in the raised position it locks it's self in position, to lower the aerial you pull the end of the handle out and rotate it down.

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[johann mor]

The unit to the right of the main unit contained a rotary coupling for the cable from the aerial to the radio apparatus. The shaft going between the rotating unit and the aerial outside the tank would have been in two parts and insulated so that the operator didn't get a shock when he touch the handle. In mine the shaft is in one piece.

The radio mast was attached to the shaft via a coupling. This is the one on the Panzer ii in Bovington.
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And mine

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When the mast is in the down position, it lays in a wooded tray that is bolted to the track guard.
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Sorry that it was such a long update, I get carried away or as my darling wife says, I should be carried away.


Well i made it in end only my opinion but this step into the future is appalling.


Jon

[Lenny W]

Test

[Tony T-S]

Outstanding as usual. Keep getting carried away with it. Really interesting as well as enjoyable

[johann mor]

Thanks Tony.

Evening All,

I want to get all the tools, boxes, etc that are attached to the track guards in place before I remove the upper hull, all of the tools are held in place by these clips,

An original And my version
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I had thought that they would all be the same and I would just have to make 8 identical clips but in true German fashion, nothings that simple. There are 7 different variations to make, some just bigger or small but others totally different so each one takes a bit of experimentation. They were all lined with felt or similar, so that has to taken into account and that will be riveted in place after they have had a coat of under coat.

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That's all for now



Jon

[Bill Hermann]

Jon, your attention to detail and patience in the build is truly outstanding. As a tradesman and a vintage car restorer I can appreciate the thought and work that has gone into this project. I am sure that your updates bring much enjoyment to many of us on here. Best regards, Bill

[johann mor]

Evening All,

One thing that I never throw away is Oak, I can always find a use for it. The panzer needs a jacking block as part of it's tool kit and as I had some large off cuts left over from when I built our extension, out came the chain saw.
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Most of the original blocks that I have seen have been made from several pieces joined together but I decided to make it out of one lump.


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The block in its holding bracket

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I decided to use a new fire extinguisher painted to recreate an original, my thinking is, if there is a fire it would be nice to know that i have the equipment to put it out rather than to look good

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The two other items that I have also have added are, the pinch bar and this enclosure that holds a box listed as an Zubehorkasten MG34, so far, i have been unable to find any information on the latter as it appears to be a specialised unit for the Panzer ll.

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Jon

[Lampwick]

Here you go Johann. https://picclick.co.uk/WW2-German-MG...002003921.html

[johann mor]

Thanks Bill. However me being me, I do sometimes question the detail and indeed the quality but i feel that is probably a good thing.

Thanks for the link lampwick but that looks like the one for a Tiger which is the wrong size.

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In the above box the gun butt is stored on top of the bipod, thus the box is approximately 150mm wide, (because that is the dimension across the horns of the butt) by 380mm(the length of the bipod) by 80, the length of the removeable sight. The box that I seek has approximate dimensions of 440mm x 250mm x 60mm so the storage arrangements inside the box, must be different.

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Jon

[Tony T-S]

Great work on the tool brackets. Amazing.

[me6_130]

TThe box that I seek has approximate dimensions of 440mm x 250mm x 60mm so the storage arrangements inside the box, must be different.

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Jon

I have never seen a box like that one but it sounds consistent if the bipod was extended and the butt was placed by the side of the bipod instead of on top. I imagine it would be for early MG34s on tanks, prior to introduction of Panzermantel MG34, so earlier than 1939 (aprox).

Most of the original blocks that I have seen have been made from several pieces joined together but I decided to make it out of one lump.


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Jon

That wooden block is mine. If you need more details or dimensions, just PM. It was inflated by humidity when I got it. I have always thought there were different block sizes for the different jacks sizes...

Carles