Landships II

petnix · Private

Mk IV Airship tow tank

James H · Legend

Many, many years ago there was an article in Airfix Magazine on how to build one. Maybe it's still in existence somewhere.

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Many years ago an uncle of mine, now sadly no longer with us, gave me an almost complete set of Airfix Magazines from about 1962 to 1970. If anyone can find an index so I don't have to hunt through all of them I'll see if I have the article in question.

Gwyn

CharlieC · Legend

The Airfix Magazine index is at www.aeroflight.co.uk/mags/uk/airfix_magazine60.htm.
(1960-69) - overview at www.aeroflight.co.uk/mags/uk/ukmag05.htm#airfix

A likely hit for the WW1 airship tow vehicle is in the April 1968 edition "WW1 British Tank Conversions"

Regards,

Charlie

James H · Legend

Well done, Charlie. I was trying to remember where I'd seen that index. There was also a salvage tank conversion - November '68 according to the index. Can't remember now which one the airship tower was in. It was so long ago that Manchester City were League Champions.

Gwyn - you lucky rascal.

Date: Nov 10, 2010

Great if you could post it.
Pete

Gwyn Evans · Legend

I said it was almost complete. I don't have November 1968! Sorry guys.

Gwyn cry

SID · Sergeant

Gentlemen,

I've just successfully won a small job lot of Airfix Modeller magazines 1968 to 1973 on EBAY. Contained within are the November and April 1968 editions!

When they arrive I will check out the articles that are of interest to us and hopefully (after some advice on practical and legal matters!) get them on the site.

I doubt if I will have room to store the magazines (14 in total) so most likely I will photo copy what I need and pass them on. Gwyn, maybe a chance to fill some gaps in your collection?

Dave (aka sid)

James H · Legend

Is this any use? You might be able to work out the approx dimensions.

Kaiser · Lieutenant-Colonel

What a beautifully ugly vehicle! I had never heard of it before.
I'm very much looking forward to seeing the conversion article online and reading more about this beast. smile

SID · Sergeant

Hi All!,

I now have the aforementioned Airfix magazines.

I can confirm that the April 1968 edition has an article on converting the Airfix male WWI tank
to a MKIV. With scale templates/diagrams for modifying the male sponsons and scratchbuilding the female type and a basic guide to other mods necessary (but not the applique armour plates at the rear!) It also contains a little more information and templates for a basic tadpole tail conversion.

The November 1968 edition has an article on converting the Airfix kit to a salvage tank.

The April '68 mag also contains mention of the April 1967 edition (which frustratingly, I don't have!) covering conversions (or improvements) to bring the kit to MKI & II spec. This edition also has information to convert it to a wireless tank.

Alas, no sign of the airship towing MKIV as yet!

I will look into scanning the articles to hopefully get them on the site in some form.

As an aside browsing through the magazines is quite a nostalgic trip. How about the all new

Tamiya 1/35 King Tiger in motorised form, for a piggy bank breaking 45 shillings + postage!

Regards Sid

James H · Legend

Oh, well done, Sidney.

I remember the Wireless Tank conversion (if I close my eyes I can see it now) but the others are a bit hazy. I could swear that the Airship conversion was in there somewhere - there was a reference to using Plastruct or something to represent angle-iron. It turns out that the original was released in 1967, so the Airship version might have been earlier than I thought I remembered. Maybe I should try hypnosis.

Scan with all haste.

-- Edited by James H on Friday 26th of November 2010 04:08:38 PM

James H · Legend

Hold everything.

Found it.

Sorry. I knew I'd seen it, but I'm getting old and confused. Airfix Mag might have done it, but this is more recent.

Military Modelcraft International - November 1997

"Tow Tank - Ian Young describes a simple conversion for the Emhar 1/72 WWI Tank."

I'm about to scan it - bugger the copyright. What then? PDF the whole thing or just put up the photographs?

-- Edited by James H on Friday 26th of November 2010 04:52:48 PM

petnix · Private

Thanks all you guys for all your replys, have sorted a relivant article

Paul Bonnett · Hero

James, MMI has changed editors and owners since that article appeared and I'm not sure those back copies are still available. I would post the pictures with a discreet "for discussion only" on them. Seems to work on other forums !!!
Paul

James H · Legend

OK. I enclose the Tow Tank article for discussion only.

Has it worked?

-- Edited by James H on Wednesday 1st of December 2010 11:03:14 PM

Gwyn Evans · Legend

As all we need now is discussion: unfortunately the conversion described has one obvious error. The airship tug was a Mark IV Female. Also, whilst the number 261 is correct, 4030 was a Mark IV Male number and so doesn't match.

Gwyn

Paul Bonnett · Hero

Any details on how many of these were built, and were they only on females or was it any 'spare' tank available ?

Paul

SID · Sergeant

Hi all,

Nostalgia Time!

I proudly present for your discussion & information

Tanks of 1916 From the New Airfix Kit� by Chris Ellis
(Published in the April 1967 Edition of Airfix Magazine for Plastic Modellers)

1917 MKIII and IV Tanks by Chris Ellis and Tadpole Tail Variant by D. McHenry
(Published in the April 1968 Edition of Airfix Magazine for Plastic Modellers)

MKIV Salvage Tank by Chris Ellis
(Published in the November 1968 Edition of Airfix Magazine for Plastic Modellers)

I would also like to dedicate this post to Chris Ellis whose pioneering work set me on the modelling pathway!

Pat · Commander in Chief

As one who didn't have access to Airfix magazines in the Golden Age of plastic conversions, I am very thankful for this files. Apart from the Mk I conversion articles, there are also some interesting bits about converting WW1 British into late war German infantry figures (and converting the T34 into an early mark, for that matter).

Not only nostalgic but very interesting indeed - much appreciated! Regards, Pat

RCD · Lieutenant-Colonel

thanks SID as one�who regrets throwing�away his Airfix mags many years ago it was great to read these articles again. pity Airfix do not put these archives onto their web page!

Mark Hansen · Legend

Thanks SID. Good articles and accurate in descriptions of the various tanks except the Mk III. Got to agree with RCD; Airfix should post these on their website.

CharlieC · Legend

There are a few Airfix articles on Landships - with attribution. So far no one has complained. Do we dare put these on Landships II?

regards,

Charlie

SID · Sergeant

Hi all,
I can only see that any articles relating to Airfix kits on landships will spark fresh interest in them and boost sales.

Isn't it extraordinary that after 43 years the articles remain relevant due to the kit still being on sale completely unchanged. (allowing for the Female version having been released just a few months ago of course!)

Sid

James H · Legend

Magnificent, Steak & Kidney. Where have the years gone?

Those were the days when, instead of pestering manufacturers to produce exactly what you wanted, you just got some plastic card and a tin of bits and made it. I remember that the copper wire from some 2.5 Twin and Earth made a very respectable exhaust pipe for the Mk IV.

There were a few articles on the WWI German Army, I seem to remember. And, of course, the Humbrol range of specifically WWI paints - khaki, Field Grey, Horizon Blue, and some aircraft colours for the lozenge camouflage. I wonder if Airfix/Humbrol might be persuaded to resurrect those?

Ironsides · Legend

Great stuff thanks for posting, how about this one:

Tanks of 1917-18, Mk.V conversions for Airfix Mk1 April 1969

Cheers wink

SID · Sergeant

Its not impossible that the April 1969 edition could show up soon... watch this forum!

I have to agree with Mr James H. I know that we devotees of WW1 modelling are not nearly so well served as the WW2 Panzer modelling fraternity with aftermarket parts for our models (or even any state of the art kits in the first place!) and that can be frustrating.

But in the modelling mags of today, the pressure to dig deep into your wallet and enhance your latest 'project' with the resin tool & stowage upgrade, photo etch super detailing set, turned aluminium gun barrel, Friumodel tracks etc,etc, has to my mind taken alot of the creativity, ingenuity and just plain fun out of our hobby.

Sorry was I ranting! El sid

RCD · Lieutenant-Colonel

SID wrote:

Its not impossible that the April 1969 edition could show up soon... watch this forum!

I have to agree with Mr James H. I know that we devotees of WW1 modelling are not nearly so well served as the WW2 Panzer modelling fraternity with aftermarket parts for our models (or even any state of the art kits in the first place!) and that can be frustrating.

But in the modelling mags of today, the pressure to dig deep into your wallet and enhance your latest 'project' with the resin tool & stowage upgrade, photo etch super detailing set, turned aluminium gun barrel, Friumodel tracks etc,etc, has to my mind taken alot of the creativity, ingenuity and just plain fun out of our hobby.

Sorry was I ranting! El sid

oh so true!

Thought of tarting up an Emhar Male with new sponsons/detailing set, spudded tracks , crib,and new machine guns . Came to �22.30 (+ postage!). confuse

Not bad for a� �5 model. It probably would be cheaper to buy a MkV* in resin

Ended up buying��the sponsons and ditching beam� and then found I could not get hold of a Emhar male!

Kaiser · Lieutenant-Colonel

Thank you very much for the articles! I found the ones about the airship tow-tank and salvage tank very interesting.

Ironsides · Legend

"Ended up buying��the sponsons and ditching beam� and then found I could not get hold of a Emhar male!"

Hi RCD google it and order from the nearest supplier.... I think either kit will do only the sponson vary, without looking I'll stick my neck out and say the hull is the same..
just checked sponsons and mgs are different hulls/cab identical....

shopping results google

Cheers wink

Kaiser · Lieutenant-Colonel

When and where was the tow-tank used, by the way?

James H · Legend

Kaiser wrote:
When and where was the tow-tank used, by the way?

Acc to D. Fletcher, "One Mk IV was tested on the Royal Naval Air Station at Pulham in Norfolk as a tug for handling airships on the ground. It seems that a substantial ground party was still required to hold the craft."

The accompanying photo shows it pulling an airship that was built in 1917 and scrapped in 1919. That's all the info I have.

"Pulham". Quite funny, that.

SID · Sergeant

Hello all,

Santa has come early this year.

Here is the Tanks of 1917-18 article from the April 1969

edition of Airfix Magazine! �(as ever for discussion... of course!)

Sidney

Mark Hansen · Legend

Thanks SID. There are a few errors in the article that need correcting. The Mk II supply tank did have the hatch in the cab roof, as did the Mk I, so no modification of the cab roof is necessary. The stores box at the rear may be correct; I haven't seen photos of the rear of a Mk II supply tank but the Mk I had a large boxed in area that covered the rear door and I would think that the Mk II would have been built the same way. The 2mm strip on the roof should be a stores box similar to the Mk IV.

I haven't looked too closely at the Mk V mods yet.

SID · Sergeant

I agree, on the Supply Tank mods Interesting point about the hatch, as the Airfix kit seems to be at least part based on the MKII former Supply Tank at Bovington (even though it was masquerading as a MKI at the time!). The most obvious point on the MKV conversion is that there is no mention of the 26.5" tracks being fitted.

But I guess that is forgivable as there was no kit to rob to obtain these and scratchbuilding would have been the only option. Something that is still causing us problems decades later!

On that note I have an old Bellona Military print from 1964 which has a 1/76 plan of the MKI tank by A. J. D. North (Plans are already on this site in the section on the MKI) These plans pre-date even the Airfix kit and they mention that tracks can be made from Slaters corrugated embossed plastikard "this being of the ideal scale and appearance". Slaters still have 4mm corrugated plastikard on their site. I've not seen a sheet of it, but I can imagine it could form the basis for WW1 tracks although the rivet detail would need to be added

Sid

Mark Hansen · Legend

I had a look at Slater's website and the 4mm corrugated looks like corrugated iron (naturally!) but I think what they might have meant was the 4mm spaced planking which, going off the picture in their catalogue, looks like it has a raised line seperated by the plank which would give the tread plate with the raised lip. Even better, you would be able to make the wider tracks for the Mk V and V* just by cutting wider strips.

As I mentioned, this is all speculation judged on the appearance of their products in their catalogue so please don't call this an expert opinion and buy sheets of it on my say-so.

Gwyn Evans · Legend

James H wrote:

Kaiser wrote:
When and where was the tow-tank used, by the way?
Acc to D. Fletcher, "One Mk IV was tested on the Royal Naval Air Station at Pulham in Norfolk as a tug for handling airships on the ground. It seems that a substantial ground party was still required to hold the craft."
The accompanying photo shows it pulling an airship that was built in 1917 and scrapped in 1919. That's all the info I have.
"Pulham". Quite funny, that.

Can't put my hand on it now, but once when at The National Archives at Kew I found reference to a request from Pulham for a Mark V to see if it was any better for the job than a Mark IV.� They didn't get one.

Gwyn

�

Ironsides · Legend

SID wrote:

Hello all,

Santa has come early this year.

Here is the Tanks of 1917-18 article from the April 1969

edition of Airfix Magazine! �(as ever for discussion... of course!)

Sidney

Thanks Santa, I find these most enlightning not so much on the possibilitys of converting the old airfix kit of which�I have quite a few, or even the historical content.... but that at least one person at the time had some idea the Airfix kit needed modification to be accurate as a MKI, and so soon after release too....�

Cheers wink

SID · Sergeant

Yes and wasn't afraid to point out the errors in Airfix's own Magazine!

Paul Bonnett · Hero

Hi Sid,
Do you happen to have the following edition of the Airfix mag, Vol.10 No.11 July 1969, It has the article on converting the Ol' Bill bus into the pidgeon loft version.
paul