First public appearance

Last 14 and 28 september 2008 the tankchassis was on display in the center of Poelkapelle so everyone could see it with his own eyes. It was accompanied by a small show of about 70 photo's about Damon II himself between 1917 and 1941 in Poelkapelle.
Thanks to Gilbert Degandt, Georges Buyse and Bert for making this possible.
Thanks to Luc, Dirk en Olivier Van Moeffaert for permanence at the show.
Kurt Vandewalle made two marvellous photo's of the tankchassis in Poelkapelle and was so generous to allow us to show them on this blog.




You can see more of the openingevening on Friday 12 september at :
http://www.wo1.be/ned/evenementen/erbij/2008/september/PoelkapelleOMD20080912/body1.htm
thanks to Robert Missinne !

paintingworks started

last week on 2/3 and 4 september the host of the tank frame Georges painted the tank using air pressure. As a former staircaseconstructor he has lots of experience and proposed us to do himself the job. And what a job he did. It's marvellous. Did we at first think about putting canvas around the frame for it's public appearance on 14 and 28 september, now we dare not anymore. Otherwise we would cover the work of all the volunteers : Dirks frame design, Stijn en my cutting and construction work, Hermans (only non-volunteer) welding work. Further Bert, Dirk and Hermans wheel construction and finally but not last Georges marvellous painting work. How on earth would I dare to cover all this work ?
The photo's below were taken at the evening of 2 september. In the meanwhile on 4 september it was completely painted, but photo's are still to be taken. Enjoy. Do not hesitate to write some reactions to support this volunteers !

George and on the left his brother

George rightly proud of his work !

special visitor

today I had a special visitor : my own mum ! She always talked about the tank on the market, her grandfather living just besides it. On sundaymorning she sat near the door, my grandgrandfather owning a grocery store and the farmers shopping on sunday she received from time to time something sweet to eat, looking at the boys playing around, in at on the tank. It's partly due to her stories we started this crazy project. After she left I made some other photographs ...

official visitors !

Today thanks to councilmember Lieven almost the whole villagecouncil was on a visit to see what we make. We proposed to them to put it again on the marketplace, where it once stood, but we know they are not in favour of this ...

Tank made temporary mobile !

On saturday when everyone was back from holidays and at the same time available Bert, Dirk and Herman did make the tank temporary mobile. Let me remarkt this in indeed a temporary solution in order to get it out of the workshop and get it shown to the public in the next month. Our final solution should be as a real tank ...
We had a lot of help and hospitality of Georges also who owns the workshop. Jef provided most of the material for free, a wheel came from Luc and Kristof helped fixing a flat band. Without all these people we would not stand where we now are. As a bit the promotor of the tankbuilding I was very glad seeing the tank changing without my effective help.
We made the images below that day that speak for themselves.
If anyone is interested seeing the tank in realtime you can make an appointment.

Bert in action

Herman watching for some time

Dirk and Johan talking

a visitor

a sponson

difficult corners ...

Bert dreaming of conducting it ...

Berts wife and childeren with coffee and cookies

Johan already thinking about the following step ...