OK, I've just about exhausted all of my meager research talents trying to figure out how the Churchill Mk.III was fueled up.

I've tracked down electrical diagrams, schematic diagrams of the fuel system and tanks, and stowage diagrams out the wazoo... But I can't find a single photo or drawing annotated with the location of the fuel filler necks.

I believe that they are located inside the transmission compartment front corners, under the two outside, rearmost hatches, but I cannot confirm this.

So, here I am, metaphorical hat in hand, asking if someone here on Armorama can share any information on this mystery.

Ideally I'm looking for a photo of the Churchill being fueled up showing the details of the filler neck location. Perhaps a diagram or illustration from the operators / crew manual? Anything, really...

As always, thanks in advance!

Haynes Churchill Tank book has a diagram that shows the petrol tank fillers in the transmission compartment , one each side in front of the steering brakes .

Thanks, Jim.

Maybe someone can come up with a copy of a diagram or photo to show the details.

Cheers,

Check out the Churchill Tank Project site . Lots of official diagrams and photos of the tank being restored . Looking under the heading " Inside the Tank " should get you the info you need . Jim

Hi Jim,

I've actually checked both of these sites:

The Churchill Tank Project

Armour in Focus

But unfortunately with no results on the specific info I'm looking for. I did find schematic diagrams of the fuel system, but they're illustrated removed from the context of the tank interior.

I've also checked a number of Churchill "walk arounds" (Prime Portal, etc.) and all of the references in my personal library, including Fletcher's "Mr. Churchill's Tank" and Perrett's Osprey NVG 4 "Churchill Infantry Tank 1941-45" as well as some more obscure sources such as Bellona Mil. Veh. Prints, Series 19, No. 73.

(I confess that I have not dug back through ~40 years of old "AFV News" ... yet. I didn't find anything in my Tankettte magazines, but I don't have that many, so that was a quick search.)

Basically, I've exhausted all of my usual avenues for research which is why I'm turning here.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

BTW: This is what I believe to be correct, but I just haven't been able to confirm it or to get much better details. However, if this is correct, I'll be able to sort through photos and hopefully piece the needed info together.



Happy modeling!

That's what the diagrams I've seen have listed as fuel fillers , the white color items in front with dark caps being labeled as engine oil fillers. Comparing the fuel system diagrams on the Churchill Project site it all seems to make sense .

Thanks, again, Jim!

I'll work for now assuming that's correct. (I'm still early in the project.)

I did pull the trigger and ordered a copy of the Haynes manual. I'm sure in the end, I'll have more questions that need answering.

I appreciate the help. Hopefully I'll get a new build blog started up soon on my Churchill project, but for now I'm just grinding through some of the basic kit assembly. Nobody really wants to see piles and piles of suspension parts.

Cheers!