I know there are many unknowns about this Mark II tank - at least from my point of view. My membership of MAFVA has lapsed again (something I hope to rectify soon) and so I haven't been able to see Gwyn's articles on this particular tank. However, I am making a model of her, when she was a supply tank.
I am working on these assumptions:
a. that at some time she became a supply tank with blanked off, converted MkI male sponsons (or similar "style", if not actually taken from a MkI, ie not the MkIV style),
b. that at that time she bore the name "Flying Scotsman" and the number 785
c. that she had a little stubby exhaust and a silencer, as depicted on the Airfix kit
d. that the hatch, in the Airfix kit, above the driver and commander is correct
e. that she was armed with one Hotchkiss MG, operated by the commander.
I want to show her being loaded (or unloaded) and consequently have all the hatches and flaps open. I have tried to find photos of what the inside of the doors looked like, but I have not had much luck. I just want to put on some basic detailing (I'm not particularly talented, so can only do basic stuff).
Does anyone have any photos of the inside of the sponson doors, the inside of the rear oval hatch, the inside of the front roof hatch, and the inside of the trapezoidal roof hatch? Much obliged in advance.
I'll have to check my photos when I get home but I have some of the original Male sponson from 'Flying Scotsman' which is displayed on the sponson trailer at Bovington, which may show the inside of the sponson door (or other images taken of it should be of use)
Unfortunately at this moment in time that will probably be the best image you will see of the inside of a MK1 Door. I have an image of the Sponson at Bovington, but it has had most of its internal fittings removed.
Ah but that's a great shot, Helen. Thank you. The model I'm making is 1/76, so I don't need fantastic detail, just the basic shape of stuff like the handle and vision slit.
Now I need to see the inside of the trapezoidal roof hatch and the commander/driver hatch. I think I have seen the inside of the oval, rear hatch in photos of Deborah as she was being recovered.
On the subject of Flying Scotsman, what happened to the other Male sponson it would have originally had? Is the Female sponson currently fitted a replica?
Sorry to disappoint but I've never written an article about this tank.
785 was F53, a Supply Tank in 18th Company F Battalion, recorded on 13 July 1917. The name wasn't recorded but "Flying Scotsman" obviously fits the bill for that Battalion. Does anyone have a source for this tank actually being called "Flying Scotsman", please, so I can add that bit of information to the database?
Sorry to disappoint but I've never written an article about this tank.
785 was F53, a Supply Tank in 18th Company F Battalion, recorded on 13 July 1917. The name wasn't recorded but "Flying Scotsman" obviously fits the bill for that Battalion. Does anyone have a source for this tank actually being called "Flying Scotsman", please, so I can add that bit of information to the database?
Cheers
Gwyn
Apologies, Gwyn, I blame early onset Alzheimer's. I think I'm confusing it with the work you did on "Flirt II" or maybe with an article David Fletcher may have wrote.
I've read, recently, that the paint was scraped off (at the tank museum) and they found the name Flying Scotsman. Ah, here it is, Mark Hansen quoting an email from David Fletcher, where, allegedly, David Fletcher states she was Flying Scotsman, but careful reading suggests maybe the name wasn't found on the tank (room for a little doubt?).
However, on the museum's site it says "...With the arrival of the Mark I Hatfield Tank, it reverted to a Mark II, remained a hermaphrodite, and was later renamed Flying Scotsman when the lettering was detected beneath later layers of paint. Strangely there is no trace of the name Flying Scotsman in 6th Battalion records."