LVT Project - British Crew & 20mm Polsten Gun 181121

[Pinky]

Not the wooden slat seats - they are French.  I mean the flat panels along the interior walls - you have them on your design.  They look as though they might fold down.

Has anyone considered how hard it must have been to stand up in these things in any kind of rough seas?  There are no handholds or anything inside.

[Rubicon Models]

Not the wooden slat seats - they are French.  I mean the flat panels along the interior walls - you have them on your design.  They look as though they might fold down.
Has anyone considered how hard it must have been to stand up in these things in any kind of rough seas?  There are no handholds or anything inside.

Don't think they are seats, but flat panels for access to the wheel assembly outside of the LVT.  Here is a close up photo...

[Pinky]

Yes, I posted that photo...

You're right - it doesn't look as though they fold down. 

[ripley]

And if they did fold down , there are no support legs underneath  or ropes / chains from above  to support them. . Plus these things are supposed to carry a platoon ( 30 plus men ) , having fold seats would really cut the personal payload by about half .Haven't found a good walk around or Official Stowage Sketch that explains what the panels are , but still looking 

[ultravanillasmurf]

Looking at the photograph (scale is difficult to judge) the three vertical structures look like they are flattened "loops" and the metal panel is slid through them. There is a dark area at the top that looks like a gap. The long metal plate looks like it is slid through the loops and secured with the three studs visible on the three vertical structures.

If that was the case, it does seem very odd as you could only remove the panel with the rear door down.

It is the wrong shape to protect the sides against the cargo hitting it, the loops project beyond and would be hit.

It could be they are some kind of optional sand shield or trim vane, stored internally to prevent damage.

It is difficult to tell from just the one photograph.

[ultravanillasmurf]

Just had a look through the surviving LVT pdf.

Looking at the French armour museum example, that plate is the right height for a back board for the folding seats (you can see it behind the folded up seat).

It does appear to be present in all the cargo interiors visible.

What we need is someone close to one of them to have a look and report back.

[ripley]

Plus , the panel seems to be mounted too high to use as a seat , your feet wouldn't touch the floor

Judging from this picture , the internal  sides are almost 6 feet high and the panel looks to be mounted over 3 feet high on the sides

[johan]

They are probable extra armoured plates to protect the crew.

[Rubicon Models]

Still working on the LVT-2 based on the LVT(A)-2 drawings below.  What is missing from these drawings
are the rear armoured engine covers, the same one found on the LVT(A)4.  Will add them back later.

Armored version of the LVT-2 following US Army request of an armoured variant of the LVT-2 cargo Amtrac.
Service in the South Pacific soon indicated more protection was needed. This version had the driver's cab
protected by 12.5 mm of armour plate, and the rest of the hull with 6.5mm armour plate. By 1944, shields
were added to protect the front gunners. Surprisingly the extra weight (27,000-lb total weight compared to
the 24,250-lbs weight of the unarmored LVT-2) had no impact on performance and only increased the craft
drawing some 5cm more water when afloat. Capacity 18 troops. 450 units produced.







Enjoy!

[Pinky]

Looking good.  You may have them already, but here are some photos of the LVT(A)-2, including a close-up of this pattern of gunshield:

[ultravanillasmurf]

Should that be 6.5mm armour elsewhere?

Looking good.

[Rubicon Models]

Updated LVT(A)-2 drawings... now with detailed interior, plus the LVT-2!















Enjoy!

[ultravanillasmurf]

Nice.

[Rubicon Models]

Here is a quick overview of what we have done so far with the LVT project:



Enjoy!

[Rubicon Models]

The Polsten was a low-cost Polish development of the 20mm Oerlikon gun. The Polsten was designed to be simpler and much cheaper to build than the Oerlikon without reducing effectiveness. It went into service in March 44 alongside the Oerlikon. Both the Oerlikon and the Polsten used similar 60 round drum magazines, however, the Polsten could also use a simpler box magazine with 30 rounds (not shown in the drawing). It remained in service into the 1950s.



Enjoy!