Vickers Bl 8 inch Howitzer cannon of 1917

Hello all, small update on the Howitzer build finally finished the wheel rims which seem to take an age to complete, I found it a little more difficult than the 2" rear minne traction engine wheels as the strakes have a rivet head on both sides on the full size gun and not hammered flat into a countersunk hole like the traction engine wheels,every eighth strake has a larger hole with the rivet missing for a bar to be inserted for leverage to aid movement of the traversing movement when on the firing platform, here are couple pictures to see how its looking.

Thanks Mal.

Superb workmanship really enjoying the build you are doing.

Having worked on heavy plant in Africa, we used to have a devils own job trying to get the local operators to loosen the tracks when working in sandy areas! Sand gets in the track pins and tightens everything up and breaks the tracks. It also makes them squeal like a bastard!

Mal, that is truly a thing of beauty. As said before there is some cracking work there. Keep posting please, very interesting.

Paul.

Thanks for the interest guy's , mill some slots in the hubs and make some spokes is the next step on the Howitzer build.

Mal.

Those wheels are superb! Looking forward to seeing them complete. Speaking of looking forward, did these guns have breach blocks with an interrupted thread?

Maurice

Hi Maurice ,yes they have picture below.

Thanks Mal.

Edited By mal webber on 06/04/2019 13:45:25

Hi all ,still on the wheels been busy milling the spokes for the last few days did think about getting these laser cut but where is the fun in that ,so all 32 spokes done and milled the slots in the hubs, now to put all parts together and make a wheel, couple pics below on how i got along .

Thanks Mal.

Hello all ,well got up at the crack of dawn today and in the shed well before 7am and managed to get one set of spokes done on one wheel except the outer rim rivets and the outer parts of the hubs,after getting the spokes on the one wheel sorted and placing it together with the trail to see if every thing looks about right I decided to dig out some parts of the 2" minnie traction engine out that i'am in the middle of building .And that's when I got a bit carried away and placed the traction engine together with the howitzer which is about 2" scale and also got carried away with taking pictures, but what the hell here they are .....

Thanks Mal.

Looking good Mal, excellent photos describing the processes. Love the engine too.

Mick

The wheel looks stunning superb work.

Awesome work Mal.

A future medal winner?

Neil

Superb looking Job. Isn't that combination going to look impressive and unique at shows/rallies. Keep up the brilliant work.

Superb! am looking forward to your take on the breech block build with interrupted thread.

George.

Thanks for the interest guy's ,after pulling the traction engine out and placing it together on the bench with the Howitzer it makes think how much there's to do, all good fun though. George there are a few parts on this cannon that's going to be a first for me the breach block being one of them so looking forward myself to having a go at it.

Thanks Mal.

I am in awe Mal
Photographic realism in 3D
Looking forward to your next post

Lot of us running out of superlatives here...

Super-latives who dem? …. I have a few re-latives

George.

Sorry, old chap - remembering Latin from school - adjective/comparative/superlative : eg. bonus (good)/melior (better)/optimus (best).

This thing looks as if it'll be bumping along the ceiling of the optimus class.

Mal, I think you should apply for a Firearm Certificate, make up the Welin screw breech to work, and take it down to Stickledown at Bisley and see what it can do at 1000 yards ...

The photographic detail is negligible but, out of interest, the John Player cigarette card No. 4 in the 12 card Artillery in Action set of 1917 shows an 8" howitzer. A ramp is shown behind each wheel, presumably, in an attempt to limit recoil. The back of the card reads: 'This type was employed very extensively, nearly 800 equipments (sic) in all being provided. During the War over 380,000 tons of 8 inch shell were showered on to the Germans during preparations for attacks, and while maintaining a protective curtain in front of advancing troops. Special tractors of the "caterpillar" pattern were used for moving these Howitzers which weigh from 101/2 to 14 tons. In the later "marks" (sic) the recoil cylinders are beneath the barrel'.