I am trying to get a piece of 'boiler-plate' from a Mk II Tank. Doesn't have to be huge. Large enough to get a metallurgy test done, which will hopefully lead to a ballistics test.
If any of you remember the test done by a TV company a few years ago on armour plate at Cranfield, especially on the reversed bullet theory, a similar test may be done but on the less substantial boiler plate.
Well, if you find a large piece with provenance I'd suggest it should be preserved...
Before finding a piece and doing your own tests, I suggest you contact the Tank Museum as I'm sure I've seen there the result of at least one metallurgy test. I'd also make the point that you need to know precisely what you're testing. Different parts of the tank were made from different metal alloys and with different treatments. I've recently been investigating the source of steel for WW1 tanks and found a great many steelworks involved, so the results may vary slightly from one to another.
That's probably not helpful, but I'm not a fan of destroying or damaging historical artefacts for five minutes of TV. However if you do get to test a piece please place a copy of the metallugy report in an appropriate archive so future researchers can access it and learn from it, and not feel the need to destroy another piece.
Well, if you find a large piece with provenance I'd suggest it should be preserved...
Before finding a piece and doing your own tests, I suggest you contact the Tank Museum as I'm sure I've seen there the result of at least one metallurgy test. I'd also make the point that you need to know precisely what you're testing. Different parts of the tank were made from different metal alloys and with different treatments. I've recently been investigating the source of steel for WW1 tanks and found a great many steelworks involved, so the results may vary slightly from one to another.
That's probably not helpful, but I'm not a fan of destroying or damaging historical artefacts for five minutes of TV. However if you do get to test a piece please place a copy of the metallugy report in an appropriate archive so future researchers can access it and learn from it, and not feel the need to destroy another piece.
Gwyn
Hello, few points. don't need a a large piece, less than inch squared or even smaller will suffice. Working with the TM on elements of this research (they don't have any bits). It's definitely not for a TV programme, sorry if that was misconstrued. It is academic research. Gwyn pm sent.
This is the piece which was dug up for the TV Programme (which is not what I am doing). the amount cut off is the chalked in piece at the top. It is then sliced to be able to be viewed under optical micrograph.
-- Edited by bomber on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 10:56:07 AM
I have to admit, when I first read this post I was a bit alarmed, now with more information it actually sound very interesting.
The only MKII parts that you may get a chance of a nibble off is those housed in the Bullecourt Museum. There they have parts of Lt Davies MKII Tank No 799.
As Gwyn said the metal plate is used in variable thicknesses, which I believe was possibly a weight saving exercise. The have a part of the front horn which will be one thickness, also a section of sponson which could be thicker. The front glaciers and cab had the thickest plate on the other marks of tank, not sure though about the MKIIs.
Good luck
Helen x
-- Edited by MK1 Nut on Wednesday 4th of November 2015 02:01:18 PM
Thank you for the further explanation and the PMs, to which I'll respond separately. I am much reassured.
I could be wrong, but unless someone who has been to the Bullecourt Museum very recently can contradict me, I don't think that these tank parts are there any more. I believe that some were donated to the Australian War Memorial and are now items REL47936, 47954, 47920, 47926, 47918, 47915, 47916, 47917 & 47919. Of these (possibly) REL47915 and (particularly) REL47916 appear to be what you're looking for. Parts seen in Helen's photo (the gun shield and ammunition racks) aren't in the AWM catalogue. Perhaps they were too large to ship?
I know some stuff was sent to Australia, but I have been assured there are some remains in Bullecourt. I am also painfully aware, that over the course of the rest of the war, other tanks were in the vicinity. Also, as i have been on sites where extensive farming has taken place, what may be war material to one person, may in fact be detritus from farming implements.
Thanks.
