Powerpack in the making !

After seemingly much wasted time, we keep on working and thinking behind the walls !

Last week some components for our powerpack did arrive out of UK thanks to Robert Vandaele an d Vandaele Machinery out of Oostrozebeke who will put together the powerpack under the supervision of Robert, ex-ceo and father of the nowadays management.

Still waiting for the motor that will be an oldtimer : 6 cylinder 150hp Gardner ! Not the original Daimler but still a remarkable and reliable piece of old technology. Thanks to Robert who located it and who will set it up. Indeed Robert is playing a major role in this phase of our tankbuilding.

Some photographs will clarify the situation a bit :

radiator and reservoirs

hydraulic pump

Gardner motor as it is now

First step of second phase effectively set !

More than two years after the realisation of the framework, a new step was effectively set for the building of the replica tank. A lot has happenend besides this project and around tanks and Poelkapelle. In the meanwhile contacts were made, visits were done, an idea was formed how to go on, new people got involved and most of all money was made available by private sponsoring.

I'm proud to announce that we just bought and received the undercarriage of a 20 ton excavator on chains that have the same dimensions as the tank. In further months we will do other purchases so we can assemble the whole perhaps next winter to get the framework mobile on tracks on it's own.

Only facts that are accomplished do appear here. So it's not no addition is done, or you don't hear of it, the project is dead. Not at all, but this take it's time.

And perhaps already another" thank you" to Robert Vandaele of Vandaele Machinery in Oostrozebeke for sharing his knowledge !

Usefull excavator located at Warburtons near Manchester !

Arrival of the pieces of the beast !

Georges always ready to help in every way ...

A happy project manager, but now it only begins seriously...

Action again ?

Exactly one year after the start of the building of the framework, after a half year of making plans and contacting people we're ready to make a further step : getting the framework mobile on tracks !

In the meantime, a very generous private sponsor made this next move possible !

A first step was borrowing a real trackshoe as a model to replicate it.
Where else is this possible than from Philippe Gorczynski in Cambrai ?

And to make it complete : the framework attracted the attention of a British ex-RTR Chris Lock who is arranging everything with our help to place a Tank Memorial for the whole Ypres Salient in our own Poelkapelle. What a symbolic place and what a support for our own tankproject !

You can find out more about the monument to be erected at : http://www.tankmemorial.vpweb.co.uk/

Both to be continued ...

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 ...