squirrel Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 I am trying to find where this tank was in action. in August 1917 -any assistance greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 27 August , 2020 Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Pedantic answer: F26 was a crew number not a tank number. Fearless was in action on 31 Jul 17. Fearless II was in action at Cambrai. It is possible that they were the same tank. What is certain is that they used the same crew number. But this doesn’t mean that they had the same people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 27 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2020 Thanks for this - any idea where it was in action on 31st July 1917? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INW Posted 28 August , 2020 Share Posted 28 August , 2020 Squirrel Google Landships answers your question. It is a brilliant research tool. https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1917/3rdypresnarratives/3rdypresnarratives-byunit/f-tank-battalion-ob-3rd-ypres and https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1917/3rdypresnarratives/3rdypresnarratives-byunit/17company31july1917 6 Section. F26, 5:53am - Ditched in British front line, 100yds N.E. of Pagoda Wood in large shell hole full of water; Penetrated by shell fragments. Abandoned 11.30. (W23) You should be able to get the war diaries for F battalion and the 3rd Brigade of the Tanks Corps for free from The National Archive Website. INW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 29 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 29 August , 2020 Thank you very much - greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus1914 Posted 29 August , 2020 Share Posted 29 August , 2020 On 28/08/2020 at 21:15, INW said: Squirrel Google Landships answers your question. It is a brilliant research tool. https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1917/3rdypresnarratives/3rdypresnarratives-byunit/f-tank-battalion-ob-3rd-ypres and https://sites.google.com/site/landships/home/narratives/1917/3rdypresnarratives/3rdypresnarratives-byunit/17company31july1917 INW Interesting links... I don't know much about the Tank Corps... Discovery at the National Archives is only showing Brigade war diaries yet, the link is showing company and battalion so is there anywhere I can find which company and battalion were in which brigade...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 30 August , 2020 Share Posted 30 August , 2020 The F Bn/6th Bn WDs are in WO 95/107/2 and WO 95/107/3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 30 August , 2020 Share Posted 30 August , 2020 There's also a good published history of 6th (previously F) Bn - available in reprint from Naval & Military Press: https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/war-history-of-the-sixth-tank-battalion/ John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INW Posted 30 August , 2020 Share Posted 30 August , 2020 F26 Fearless: Relevant War Diaries I haven't actually downloaded these diaries but I do think they will be the ones you require. 3 Brigade Tanks Corps 1917 July - 1917 Aug WO 95/104/2 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/085fdde0ae154e8e8a73c77f020c2481 6th Battalion Tank Corps July 1917 WO 95/107/2 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/5ae8a4e2e89a493fb05ecebaaa94ddee 6th Battalion Tank Corps Aug - Nov 1917 WO 95/107/11 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/12911270ace24644a46a22b89c886ea3 No guarantee! INW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2020 Thanks everyone - very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 31 August , 2020 Share Posted 31 August , 2020 Nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2020 (edited) Thanks - it is the Emhar 1/35th kit. The stowage is from the spares box, cam net is bandage from our first aid kit, unditching beam is scratch built from balsa, card, dressmaking pins and the chains some cheap jewellery from a charity shop. The kit is not the easiest to build, fit of some parts is poor, especially at the rear end and the beam rails are a nightmare so I adapted them by cutting into sections, then trimming with some added plastic strip . Tank number is from the kit transfers, F26 from a set of RAF number transfers. From reviews of the kit it seems that the detail and scale are not entirely accurate either but I think it looks the part and there is always the budget to consider. Edited 31 August , 2020 by squirrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 31 August , 2020 Share Posted 31 August , 2020 I stick to 15mm, you can hide a multitude of sins in the smaller scales and a lot of it is just paint engineering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 31 August , 2020 Agreed that painting is the key to how the finished model appears but I need to work in the larger scales as the eyesight is not what it was...after the groundwork for F26 I shall attempt the Emhar 1/35th "Whippet"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 22 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 September , 2020 Finally finished the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 22 September , 2020 Share Posted 22 September , 2020 [modeler mode] Actually you do realise that that particular design of German barbed wire didn't come into service until three weeks after the action you depict . . . [/modeler mode] I'm kidding, I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 22 September , 2020 Share Posted 22 September , 2020 I've got a more serious point (though it's still not very serious). According to the records, on July 31 F26 didn't get much further than the British front line - it ended up stuck in a shell-hole, and incidentally would have been covered in mud. I think your model shows what the commander and crew were hoping would happen. So don't let my comment concern you - it's a fabulous model. All the best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 22 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 September , 2020 Thanks John, I appreciate your comments and it's one of those grey areas as to what happened - history of the 6th tank battalion is unclear on whether or not the tank actually got to German front line before subsequently becoming ditched in a shell hole in front of the British front line. 3rd Tank Brigade diary is equally unclear. FWIW I think that trying to replicate the mud accurately on a small model covers up the detail and to my mind doesn't look right so I have just aimed for a weathered look. Tank with same F26 marking also took part in the battle of Cambrai when it was relatively dry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 22 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 September , 2020 52 minutes ago, Heid the Ba said: [modeler mode] Actually you do realise that that particular design of German barbed wire didn't come into service until three weeks after the action you depict . . . [/modeler mode] I'm kidding, I like it. Thanks for your comments - appreciated. The coiled wire is an 00 gauge model railway accessory, the other wire is polystyrene . I suspect that the Germans had access to neither at the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntaylor Posted 22 September , 2020 Share Posted 22 September , 2020 (edited) Hi, in some ways the model depicts Cambrai better than 3rd Ypres - on November 20, 1917, F26 reached the German lines and would have received the kind of reception you've shown. Also there was no protracted artillery bombardment beforehand, so the tanks weren't covered in mud and that part fits. The only fly in the ointment is that at Cambrai the tanks carried fascines to enable them to carry the especially wide trenches. Anyway carping aside, congrats again on a great model. John Edited 22 September , 2020 by johntaylor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 22 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 22 September , 2020 Thanks John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 24 September , 2020 Share Posted 24 September , 2020 The model looks great!!! I have two boxes at home... Mark IV male and female... never made a model in my life but got them from a friend who HAD to clean out his close to 400 unopened model boxes at home... I hope to not screw them up... if I come to find the time to make them one day... M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2020 Well, as the saying goes "there's no harm in trying" so do get one of them out and make start. Best to read the assembly instructions through first as they can be a little confusing sometimes. The results are always worth the effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 24 September , 2020 Share Posted 24 September , 2020 On 22/09/2020 at 08:58, squirrel said: Finally finished the project. Very nice - and you seem to have found a use for rice cakes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 24 September , 2020 Author Share Posted 24 September , 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, GWF1967 said: Very nice - and you seem to have found a use for rice cakes! Thank you. Are you referring to the expanded polystyrene on the sides? If so, not that much difference in flavour to rice cakes then... Edited 24 September , 2020 by squirrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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