Hi everyone, especially Churchill tank fans. I’m going to build a Churchill IV AVRE tank used during D-Day. I’ve bought the AFV kit (outstanding must say):
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/afvclub/afv35169.html
And I have a question regarding D-Day version. Does anyone happen to know if there are any issues with that kit? What I mean is if there is something what should be corrected when doing “6th June 1944” version.
For example air intake trunks. What kind of a cover should the tank have? Curved cover (mostly seen on Churchill III), angled cover (it’s for late vehicles I think) or no cover?

Hi Robert,

It is indeed an excellent kit. For D-Day, leave the covers off the air intakes as they came ashore with deep wading stacks. Almost all of the pictures I have seen, including 'Cheetah' have the wading stacks removed. However, the kit is missing the exhaust extensions. They are included with the AFV Club Dieppe kit and Resicast has a resin set (both include the wading stacks as well). You can try scratch building them as well.

Nate

I’ve spent some time searching for the photos of D-Day Churchills but didn’t found nothing interesting except for this well known beauty
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Graye-sur-Mer_-_char_Churchill_AVRE_1.jpg
Can you tell me when can I find some useful photos of this tank? There are so many details to confirm
Regarding that photo above. At the back, close to the wading stacks we can see on each side a set of spare road wheels. Every AVRE had them during D-Day?

Regards

Hello,

interesting subject choice to build. Not all AVRE's had spare wheels mounted on the rear of the hull it varies on the type of Churchill your doing. as for more photo's of it try here:


http://www.preservedtanks.com/Locations.aspx?LocationCategoryId=6020

There are some more links on the bottom of the page

If you want more photo's check out the Imperial War museum collections The tank in question is on the exit on Juno beach.
What details are you wanting to check?

Jaymmes

Canadian AVRE at Juno beach:
http://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/212592#1786008

Actually I wanted to see if there was something special about D-Day Churchills. For example those missing exhaust extensions. Has anyone got a plan of them in order to make a scratch build?

Hi Robert,

I am currently doing this kit, but with the Resicast SBG and wading gear, so one of Hobarts funnies from Juno Beach.
The wading gear kit No. 35.2310 gives you the extended exhausts and the three stacks with all mountings/stays etc.
My research indicates that the spare wheels were generally not mounted on D-Day AVRE.
Common for forward track guards to be removed.
A significant feature would be the waterproofing - I believe that hull mg and around turret to hull are the principle areas. Bostik and canvas were the materials used, but I am still searching for more details!
Hope this helps a little

Regards
Wally

Hi


I’m really happy with that. I don’t like the look of a tank with this “something” at the back

I have ordered that Resicast set and I’m wondering if all Churchils AVRE actually had those three “chimneys” installed at the back. The first throw for sure needed them. But a vehicle coming out of a LST? Rather not. Another question is if all three or only two “chimneys” were installed.



Somewhere I’ve seen a photo of this waterproofing. Also will have to make a small research

Regards

According to Ossie, who has done much research on this subject, although fitted for the assault landings, the spare bogies were removed from the trackguards by D+2. They were carried for emergency use before their logistic train (well the LAD anyway) had caught up with the ARs.

For example, see 9th post here:
http://www.network54.com/Forum/47208/thread/1079522991/Churchill+AVRE+conversion+sets+from+Legend+and+Resicast-

Thank you for that link

What about the tracks: heavy or light cast? According to my knowledge I should use heavy cast version.

What was the mud chute modification?

Regarding wading stacks on follow-on vehicles, I would think they would have them since you would never know just how easy it was going to be to get ashore. We practiced beach landings in our transportation unit. You never knew when that ramp was being put down on a sand bar and you ended up driving into a deep hole.

It would have been sad for the second or third wave vehicles to have flooded out before hitting the beach.

The only thing missing from the kit (and all AFV Club Churchills) is the inside detail on the commander's cupola. See this link (scroll to end).
http://churchilltank.com/fitting-armoured-covers-commanders-cupola-pericopes/

I'm wondering how many people would like to see this in a small resin update set?