I bought an AFV Club Churchill III at the weekend and almost made a mistake in the very first minute of work.

I was drilling out the holes in the sides for the big rivets using a pin vice. Started on the first one and released that because it was quite a big hole and I was feeling lazy that I should use my Dremel instead.

So I stopped drilling with the pin vice and it was only then that I noticed that the hole I was drilling shouldn't be opened - that was a close call.

But that got me thinking ...

(i) What were those huge rivets for?

(ii) Why was there one less on one side?

Appreciate any insight.

Thanks,

Nigel

Those bolt heads are holding additional armour on, so I believe. Early Mk IIIs did not appear to have them, like Mk I & IIs. Best to model from photos of a particular tank if you can. God luck with the filling, it could have been worse!

From memory the large rivets held the armour onto the unarmoured frame. This was done rather than welding to save time and simplify construction.

Early churchills, including first production MkI MkII and MkIIIs had the armour welded to the unarmoured frame.

At a later point in production, but while the MkI and MkII were still in production, fabrication and attachment of the armour switched to the rivet method

As for the 'missing' bolt, on one side, I can't remember exactly where it is, but I would suspect its not there because of whatever is behind it on the inside (from memory it is the main junction and wiring area where the batteries connect to the electrical systems)

a la David Fletcher's "Mr Churchill's Tank"

The bolts aren't holding the applique armour on in that picture though

Rather the armour was prefabricated with holes to fit around the existing bolts. The applique armour was welded on

Chris

Hey! Sorry I've been away for a few weeks.

Sorry for the confusion, that's what I wanted to show sorry I didn't put more of a description on that image.

Thanks Chris for jumping in and clarifying for everyone in my absence! Cheers!