Turret
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Turret before restoration. Note the Appliqué armour panels that were a common addition to late ware MkIII gun tanks and AVREs
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Turret front left hand side: Here we see the left hand trunion mount. In the roof can be seen the ventilator aperture and mounting holes - note ventilator was badly positioned in the MkIII as it would draw BESA fumes across the gunner position. The ventilator was therefore filled with an extension duct with the intake directly over the BESA. Note the original silver paint. |
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Turret front right hand side: Similar photo to above but showing the right hand trunion mount. |
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The turret had suffered some damage to turret underside. This photo is of the rear underside and we can see the base has been pushed up into turret adjacent to the turret ring. There is also damage to protective trunking along the outside edge of the turret which protects the the oval ventilation holes, one of which is clearly visible. |
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The turret roof was also damaged, the section between the two hatches being 'cracked' and depressed
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Damaged section has been removed removed. The rip in the rear base is also visible.
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Hardness stamp |
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Turret, cleaned up and painted.
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Turret rear showing the gun barrel extraction aperture. |
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Note that a MkI All Round Vision Cupola has been fitted. The original turret has a mounting plate forward of the cupola where a late type of vane sight was fitted. Vehicles using this type of vane sight is are usually found to have the ARV cupola and there is certainly evidence to suggest that this type of cupola was retrofitted as a field modification. The MkII ARV cupola is easily identified by the fact that the hatches fold flat when fully opened. Note holes to turret roof front corners - usually bolts fitted which could be substituted for lifting eyes when necessary. |
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Turret Front: 2" bomb thrower ammo rack - 30 bombs could be stored in this rack. |
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Right hand side: Bomb thrower tube, periscope aperture, brackets on roof? - AVRE fittings? gun traveling lock ?
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Right hand side rear: Circular hole is for the pistol port. On the turret floor plate you can just about make out three vent holes. These extend round the back of the turret and to the left hand side and were present on early MkIV castings. However on later MkIVs this feature appears to have been deleted. |
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Turret rear and roof: Gun extraction aperture to the rear, pistol ports to either side.
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Left hand side rear: Pistol port Bracket near the turret ring is for the Commanders Seat. |
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Left hand side: |
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Roof looking forward to trunion supports. |