The rear hatch door is slightly larger all round than the opening and pulls flat against the outside of the rear panel.
The louvers normally point up, but I have seen some with I believe the upper most one pushed down as a kind of rain cother maybe. Could just be they got knocked.
I alway try to find in the field photos to go by as the Bovi tank had a hard life and I don't fully trust its originality of parts because of that.
Helen x
Got me ups n downs round the wrong way there! Now corrected.
-- Edited by MK1 Nut on Monday 18th of February 2013 12:01:52 AM
Interestingly (well, for geeks) Mark IV air outlet louvres are the same in Mark IVs, i.e. facing upwards - except on Grit preserved in Australia. It's as though at some point Grit's rear hull has been taken apart and the louvres re-installed upside down.
Gwyn
-- Edited by Gwyn Evans on Monday 18th of February 2013 09:50:37 PM
Have the book myself... still using it. Started my plans in 2005 as a quick distraction from life and just loved the primitive feel of the MK1. All these years later and I have books, this site and photos from Bovi.. and I'm STILL learning. You can never have too much information.
Books are great, got loads on the history of my home town Portsmouth as well as those on WW1 Tanks... if there is ever another ice age, we can always warm ourselves around a nice roaring fire fueled by books. How ever tempting it may be at times, burning a iPad will only end in disarster. Love your books. :)
It beats me why the normal direction for louvres is to slope upwards - perfect for mud sliding off the track to enter the vent and clog it, or for water to pour in when the tank is hosed clean. Seems to be a defeat for common sense.
Interestingly (well, for geeks) Mark IV air outlet louvres are the same in Mark IVs, i.e. facing upwards - except on Grit preserved in Australia. It's as though at some point Grit's rear hull has been taken apart and the louvres re-installed upside down.
Gwyn
-- Edited by Gwyn Evans on Monday 18th of February 2013 09:50:37 PM
Thanks Gywn, That's actually very interesting, as it shows the upper louvre plate is wider than the rest and 'not' just one of the standard one turned up the other way. Of note, is the fact they haven't even fitted that right, as it bolts to the inside on the left and overlaps with a gap on the right. :D
My best guess for the louvres pointing up, is that it gives better protection from bullets... but don't quote me on that, as it really is a guess.
Is it possible the main concern was getting heat and fumes out of the interior, than house cleaning issues, rain water and dirt.
Things happen in a metal box with an engine running. I had a flickr mail discussion with Philthydirtyanimal about the ventury effect of the Lewis gun shroud working in reverse when fired from inside the hull.
Sorry to get anal about this, but when I start a long project like this I must know everything
Jim
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the large print giveth, the small print taketh away Tom Waits
I hadn't noticed that top louvre being like that - presumably it was added as a cap, as it is the eleventh slat on that vent, whereas the wrecked Mk I in Helen's second post has ten. Unless there is a small gap to cover, one wonders whether it may be superfluous?
As for giving better protection, I doubt it matters which way up the slats are - and the Whippet had its louvres angled downwards, as seems more sensible (engine compartment sides).
Just as a thought, perhaps it was intended to use the air vented to try to help disperse the smoky clouds of exhaust gas which were so conspicuous? That could explain why the tip of the exhaust was normally angled towards the vent - unless that was done simply because of concern about the hot gases venting near the fuel tank.
