Darren Baker takes a first look at one of the latest Churchill tanks to roll off of the AFV Club production line, the Churchill Mk III TLC Laying Device and Carpet Type D in 1/35th scale.

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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

This should have been a build review based on the popularity of the AFV Club Churchills and the interest these Hobart funnies have.

When are AFV club doing the MK7 version of this tank? Tamiya's version was the first 1/35 model I did and I would most like reproduce that build in modern standards.





I'm going to guess it's because he hasn't yet got the time to fully build the kit and write up about it, only enough to do an in-box instead.

Me likes the AFV Club Churchill kits.

Me too, I really need to order some replacement parts for the Dieppe version who's suspension I ballsed up a couple of months ago.

just do it bogged down in the shingle beach with a thrown track?

Hi

I read where you were getting round tube to go into the carpet Bob in, anyway I found a reference about the construction of the bobbin in the Churchill in Canadian service by mark w tonner.

Anyhow the device was issued to the Calgary tank regt there were two types adapted for the Churchill in 42. The type of cld used at Dieppe carried a 9 foot 11 inch 3 metre wide by 25 to 30 feet(7.1 to 9.1 metres) long mat of chespaling on a single spindle supported by short arms above the front horns of the tank. Chespaling was flexible roll fencing similar to wood slat snow fencing, but made with tough split slats made of chestnut wood. So as not to obstruct the main or secondary armament of the tank once the mat had been laid the cld could be jettisoned from the tank by means of a small explosive charge fired electrically from the turret. For the landing at Dieppe it was planned that the first tank in each tank landing craft was fitted with the cld. Five tanks T31124R(Chief), T68173 (Cougar), T31135R(Burns), T31655 (Buttercup), and T68557R (Bob) were fitted with the cld and issued to the Calgary regt in June 42. All five were lost to enemy action on the beach at Dieppe; only two were able to successfully lay the chespaling. T = Tank, R = Reworked.
MK III - buttercup, cougar, Bob,
MK I - chief, burns

I thought that you could use the info regarding the construction of the carpet. I have other Churchill books but they are packed away right now so I can't say whether I have a pic of one of these or not but the description is absolutely clear and at least here in Canada we are familiar with the comparison to a snow fence. I have several AFC churchills and I guess they will be selling me another god help me should they bring out the bridge layer. Anyways I hope this is helpful for those that wish to model one at Dieppe.

Thank you for the information Al.

Thought you might find it interesting! Since you had tried to find images of the beast!

Hi Darren, Are you going to do a build blog on this carpet layer. Cheers, Ralph

I will be once I get some free time.