Landships II

thorst · Colonel

Mark IV 3D CAD drawings

PDA · Legend

thorst wrote:
...
I hope that you enjoy looking at the renders!

Best regards,
Thorsten

Yes. I enjoy looking at the renders very much!

Can you scale it to 1/72 and make all the hatches openable and have an interior for the sponsons and sell your plans to Roden or Master Box (for a million pounds!) so they can produce it in plastic and I can buy it? smile

d_fernetti · Hero

Lovely renders! Great work! (and well timed for my 2 Mk.IV kits I recently added to the stash)

thorst · Colonel

Thank you two!

compound eye · Colonel

Those do look fab!

I have my fingers crossed that people will start posting more WW1 renders on Shapeways, for use as model conversions...

Lots of components for Shermans and T-34s, but now the time is right for rhomboids and their brethren methinks.

Also long as the original CAD files are of good enough quality they would stand scaling for different modelling requirements.

I have used Shapeways stuff on sci-fi builds before and would certainly do so again.

PS - Anyone want to 'kit' printed Delahaye Track Units for TAR Latil trucks? ;)

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Thorsten

Excellent work! I have wanted someone to do this as the Mark IV is not just a favourite but a passion for me. I certainly don't possess the skill or knowledge to do this myself. I have a large number of Mark IV photos and would be pleased to help should you have a problem. I can also explain differences introduced as the Mark IV design went through its long production run.

I am also working on a project for which I need a CAD rendering of the Mark IV. I shall contact you by PM over the next few days.

Gwyn

MK1 Nut · Hero

Nice work Thorsten!

Helen x

thorst · Colonel

Thank you!

thorst · Colonel

Hi,

during the last year, I made a lot of progress with the drawings. I have to thank Gwyn for helping me with answers

to my questions, without him I probably would have given up in the meantime.

I have finished the outside of the track boxes, and the central hull is nearly finished, too. The pictures here are not

the current state but were made as I worked on the different areas.

Currently I am working on the vision ports for the commander and driver, where I could need some help.

I don't have exact measurements of the flap plates, I would appreciate any measurement here to ensure that I get

the face of the tank right.

The other question is more functional. The pictures I have don't show exactly how the spring mechanism worked.

I see that the spring is fixed to at least one of the hinges of the small flap, and I assume it is meant to automatically

open the small flap, as there are chains fixed to its inside which would enable the man behind it to close it against

the spring's tension. However, I can not see how the springs connect to the axis or another part. If someone knows

how this assembly works, it would be very interesting.

Thank you very much! Reading on this forum is really a motivation!

Best regards,
Thorsten

-- Edited by thorst on Friday 31st of July 2015 09:37:35 AM

Luca · Major

Great work Thorsten.

I couldn't wait to have a look at this and..will help a lot! aww

Luca

Pierantonio · Lieutenant-Colonel

Superb work!
Which CAD program do you use?

Pierantonio

thorst · Colonel

Thanks! And if someone has information about the flaps he could share, It would really help me!

Pierantonio: I am using Rhino 5.

Thorsten

Pierantonio · Lieutenant-Colonel

compound eye wrote:
Those do look fab!

I have my fingers crossed that people will start posting more WW1 renders on Shapeways, for use as model conversions...

...

Last weekend I started a new project in Solidworks to obtain a solid model of both MKI Male sponson for 3D printing at Shepeways

The full project is to convert a Takom MkIV in a MkIII Male tank.

My model is based on Helen drawings published some time ago on this forum

I don't know if I will finish this project because it's really an hard and long work and I thing a plastic MKI will be on the market at least next year.

This is a screenshot of the right sponson

Bye

Pierantonio

PS: sorry Thorst for using your thread for my work

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Thanks Thorst for sharing your work here. It has been a pleasure to help out with the odd question, but the skill behind these renders is all yours. Also I have learnt a lot from the questions you've asked.

I cannot answer Thorst's question on the visors. Would anyone with any information on this question please let us know?

Thanks

Gwyn

MK1 Nut · Hero

Hi Thorst, I'm impressed with how we'll your 3D model has progressed... a lot of work! Looks great.

One of the better/clearer views of the inside of a MKIV I know of is of Grit when they videoed the removal of the sponsons. Link Thingy

The main part of the Front Flaps is sprung loaded. I used to think it was to hold them shut, but now I wonder if it helps open them, the springs counteracting some of the weight of the metal plate the flaps are made from. The Arm and Sproket mechanism on the cab side also makes me think the spring outside is to reduce the load, as it is flexible bar that must be pulled and then moved up & down. Not an easy thing to do if the full weight of the flap was on the lever. Not sure on this one, makes sense in my head but that doesn't mean it is how it works. confuse

The chains just appear to be there to stop the flaps from opening up all the way. The smaller combat flap is opened by pushing a little curved bar that runs through the main flap. I have yet to see an intact internals to the smaller combat flap, so not able to say much on them.

Helen x

thorst · Colonel

Dear Helen,

thank you for the answer!

I have revisited all pictures I have and found one on which I can see how the mechanism worked. It really serves to keep the small flap open to the large flap. The spring is fixed on the one side to the hinge bar of the small flap, and on the other side, it pushes against the surface of the large flap. The curved bar seems to be just a stopper for the small flap to reduce the maximum opening angle. See the picture attached for reference (picture of Lodestar III taken by Ernst Beck).

So I guess I'll have to reconstruct the measurements from photos. I'll post the progress soon, hopefully!

Best regards,

Thorsten

thorst · Colonel

I think I solved the question on how the vision port assembly worked:

The lever on the inside of the tank turns the axis, which is fixed to the small flap by four bolts
through the hinge bars (can be seen on pictures of the APG Mark IV).
The spring between the small and the large flap keeps the large flap closed while the small opens,
until it reaches the thick end ring of the curved bar at an opening angle of 45°. This explains
why the spring seems to be too weak to lift the small flap on its own - it doesn't, it only pushes
it away from the large flap.
As the small flap can not open any further with respect to the large flap, any further pull on the
lever will now cause the small flap to take the large flap with it.

This mechanism makes the small flap always to be open first, but allows to handle both flaps with
one lever.

Best regards,
Thorsten

MK1 Nut · Hero

Brilliant detective work! Had a look and that makes perfect sense now you've explained it. Thanks x

It does though mean a quick rebuild on my 1/6 scale model!

thorst · Colonel

Thanks Helen! I hope that it is the true story, but as far as I can see, nothing is against that. But sorry about the model. Does it mean that your model has working hatches?

Cheers,
Thorsten

-- Edited by thorst on Wednesday 5th of August 2015 04:06:57 PM

Druid_Ian · Lieutenant

Thorsten that is not a question to ask a lady lol

-- Edited by Druid_Ian on Wednesday 5th of August 2015 01:25:55 AM

thorst · Colonel

Sorry, I am not a native speaker. Helen, if my wording was inappropriate, please excuse me. (Although, could someone please drop me a PM where exactly the error is in the sentence, and I will edit my post immediately).

Cheers,
Thorsten

Granty101 · Colonel

Hello Thorsten,

I've just sent you a PM. Hope you got it?

Grant

MK1 Nut · Hero

Ha Ha, don't panic Thorsten just English humour. :)

The Driver's and Commanders Ports are going to be servo operated... now in the right order. Another job to add to the list of things to finish, but I like getting the little details right.

Helen x

tank-master_tm · Corporal

landships.activeboard.com/t56247541/tank-mk-v-model-in-scale-116/

thorst · Colonel

I think that I am done with the vision port assembly. Here are two renders of the current status.

Best regards,
Thorsten

-- Edited by thorst on Friday 7th of August 2015 09:02:57 PM

thorst · Colonel

Hello,

to test my knowledge of Blender, I imported the vision port assembly into the animation program and generated two videos, showing the operation of the flaps from the inside and ouside:

https://vid741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/Herr_Bpunkt/3D/Mark_IV/markiv_com_flap_inside0001-0175.mp4

https://vid741.photobucket.com/albums/xx54/Herr_Bpunkt/3D/Mark_IV/markiv_com_flap_outside0001-0175.mp4

(sorry, I don't get it to work on this site)

Best regards,

Thorsten

-- Edited by thorst on Saturday 8th of August 2015 03:17:14 PM

m83 · Sergeant

Thorsten, great work, I love this computer tech, those animation videos you posted are great!!
I look forward to future posts on this thread

regards Kev

MK1 Nut · Hero

Love the videos Thorsten, really useful. I now have a much clearer idea of how it should all look in operation.

Helen x

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Brilliant videos Thorsten. Makes me realise the temptation that was there to open them fully.

Gwyn

thorst · Colonel

Thank you all!

airdave · Major

so, are you going to do the paper model?
or should I?
lol

thorst · Colonel

I'll send you a PM!

thorst · Colonel

Hello,

as the progress on hull details slowed down and I found that I need more reference points for perspective matching between photographs and my model I decided to model the male sponsons. Luckily I got blueprints for a lot of the armour plates so it was not as difficult to work on as other areas of the tank. Today I finished them. The gun is only a dummy as I have not enough data to work out all details hidden inside the tank, but for exteriour renders it is enough. If someone has more information or pictures of the gun, I'd appreciate any help!

Best regards,

Thorsten

Gwyn Evans · Legend

Hi Thorsten

I have been in touch with an expert at a private military museum near here. Their library is not open to the public but I'm in the process of arranging a visit as they have confirmed they have a lot of material on the gun in question. They have also agreed to allow me to photograph this documentation for you. I'll be in touch.

Gwyn

thorst · Colonel

Gwyn,

that would be great! Thank you!

Thorsten

green_acorn · Captain

Thorsten,

As a long time lurker of this thread, who does not know enough to contribute any information you may need, I must say I am awestruck by your skill and dedication to detail. I appreciate that your renders are more for CGI and probably gaming use, but are you going to sell models of them on Shapeways? They would be superb in the Black Acrylate or Frosted Extreme Detail.

Cheers,
Chris

thorst · Colonel

Hi Chris,

sorry for the late reply. The CAD model as seen in this thread is not suited for 3D-printing in a small scale. It has all the plates, rivets and details in their original size which is too small for today's printer resoslutions in, let's say, 1/72. To do this, the complete tank had to be redrawn.

Cheers,
Thorsten

green_acorn · Captain

Thorsten,

Still amazing fidelity. I look forward to seeing a CGI of your creation in a movie one day, or in video games.

Cheers,
Chris

Tom Norton · Private

Hello Thorsten,

My name is Tom Norton and I’m a television producer working at North One TV (www.northonetv.com/). I’d love to talk to you about a new show I’m working on regarding your brilliant 3D CAD work on the Mark IV tank. If you’re happy to get in touch my email address is tom.norton@northonetv.com or my landline is 0121 697 1942.

Alternatively, if you have an email address I could contact you on please let me know.

Best,

Tom

thorst · Colonel

Due to the recent discussion about the fascine gear, here are some renderings of my 3d-reconstruction. It is based on original pictures and information in the Haynes Owner's Workshop manual as well as information provided by Gwyn Evans and Dick Harley. Apart from the fast release hook behind the front cab (which was reconstructed using pictures of Lodestar III and Deborah), the chain set-up at the back of the fascine is speculative due to the lack of pictures. If someone knows an original photograph (no model pictures) of the chains at the back of a fascine, I'd appreciate if you could share it with me.

Best regards,

Thorsten