My first 1/35 MkI (Clan Leslie) is nearly finished .
Now I want to try and recreate the Gaza beach scene of HMLS Otazel with another Takom 1/35 Male.
When you look at the pictures, it looks like there is some kind of damage just in front of the sponson, due to the explosion which broke the track .....
Can some one help me with what kind of damage this is ?
It's also visible on the second picture.....
There are more pictures (3,4) of Otazel with damage but it seems it's not the same as the damage in the first two pictures....
I hope someone can shed some light on this
Greetz Ronald
-- Edited by SMK on Friday 1st of April 2016 11:29:21 AM
-- Edited by SMK on Friday 1st of April 2016 04:22:55 PM
I think that first picture is strongly retouched for publication, while on the second picture we can see remains of broken armor plate. Third and fourth pictures - we see a broken place with removed remains, this place prepared for repair with torch cutter.
-- Edited by Alpha Six on Friday 1st of April 2016 01:15:25 PM
-- Edited by Alpha Six on Friday 1st of April 2016 02:46:59 PM
If you compare it to photo nr 2 you see the same half circle shape just in front of the sponson.
Greetz Ronald
Roland, Sorry, but I'm difficult to transfer my thoughts in English correctly )))
I am sure that the 1st picture retouched. Retouching in the early 20th century was like art. And some rare photo done without it.
This applies particularly to the photos intended for publication on low quality paper. Zincography requires obligatory contrast enhancement for printing photos. Therefore, retouching is needed. However, retoucher in London does not always understand what it is that he retouches. He's just doing his job. That is why we can see the shapeless spot on the place of the broken armor plate. Of course, the configuration is the same as the visible damage.
So it must be a crack in the armor plate which is being repaired in the next two pictures ?
I think that first picture is strongly retouched for publication, while on the second picture we can see remains of broken armor plate. Third and fourth pictures - we see a broken place with removed remains, this place prepared for repair with torch cutter.
This is WW1 armour plate - it couldn't be repaired by welding since the carbon would burn out of the steel and turn the weld back to mild steel. Armour plate was normally repaired by riveting on a strip of steel over the cracks. (see attached gun shield). I think the images of "Otazel" say a lot about how brittle the British armour plate was.
Regards,
Charlie
-- Edited by CharlieC on Friday 1st of April 2016 10:45:34 PM
This is WW1 armour plate - it couldn't be repaired by welding since the carbon would burn out of the steel and turn the weld back to mild steel. Armour plate was normally repaired by riveting on a strip of steel over the cracks. (see attached gun shield). I think the images of "Otazel" say a lot about how brittle the British armour plate was.
Regards,
Charlie
Hello Charlie.
I do not think that the armor plates repaired by welding. I wrote about that in my opinion, the damaged sheet was removed with the help of gas cutting. When this opening was increased in compare with the first and second pictures.
And of course I know that damaged armor sheets was repaired by rivetting.
This is clearly seen in the German captured Mk.IVs.
The Gaza MkI in the middle of the second row appears to have had a repair to the starboard front horn, and I suspect that it may be Otazel. Note the horizontal double row of rivets across the horn, suggesting replacement of the lower half of the armour plate.
The photo must have been taken either prior to the Third Battle of Gaza, before the installation of the sand shields, applique armour and stowage racks, or at some time after the battle, assuming that these additions were eventually removed. The National Army Museum dates the photo to between the second and third battles (April to November, 1917), but I suspect that it was actually taken after the tanks were returned to the Ordnance Dept. at Alexandria in 1918. The area in the background of the photo seems too heavily built up to be the camp at Deir al Belah. I corresponded with the photo curator at the NAM about this photo a few years ago, but she was unable to provide much more information.
I have also assumed that it must be OTAZEL in that picture.
I remember reading about the damage suffered by OTAZEL somewhere.
If I recall correctly it was stated that the tank was damaged during the 3rd battle of Gaza, and that she was patched up enough to recover her off the battlefield.
Unfortunately I can't remember where I have read it.
I will try to find it again.
Did anybody notice that OTAZEL had a Mk.IV style "grouser bin" mounted in that pic?
Maj. Nutt, in the E Coy. war diary makes the following comment: "The 8th which had top be abandoned behind SHEIKH HASSAN had an explosive charge fired under one track by the enemy. The forward armour plates are badly shattered and distorted. The crank case is smashed and the crank shaft bent & the vibration damper broken. The Tank is being dismantled and we will attempt to tow her home, where in default of armoured plates she might be repaired sufficiently to be utilized as a supply or instruction Tank."
