My little tank - Finished pics P2!

[JollyBob]

Straying into new territory here, so sorry if this is a stupid question.

I recently bought a little tankette from an ebay seller:



Its obviously based on a Renault Chenillette UE, but is lacking any armament.

Now, I've had one of my periodic silly ideas, and was wondering where would be the best place to mount a Vickers MG on it. I don't really fancy a static mount, or too much faffing with plasticard to make a raised turret or gun shield for it, so could I get away with a pintle on the back, say in the cargo area? It would mean that the commander would have to pop out of the hatch to fire it, but I kind of like the bodged together recklessness of the idea.

In my funny little mental world the tank is only going to be used as a kind of ram-raider, but I'd like it to have the option to be used as a mobile strongpoint and bring some extra firepower to bear.

So any other ideas, or should I just go ahead and do whatever I think is right?

[dice shaker]

Good afternoon,

 the Germans used them armed in great numbers. Round 700 Renault UE get a 3,7 cm Pak on top behind and betwen the hatches. Just take of the wheels and the tail of the gun.
Another Idea was a MG-Träger (Machineguncarrier), an armoured cabine over the right (no. 2) hatch, simple to scratchbuild with cardboard, just flat plates. The reaining example is displaced at Armeemuseum Brüssel (Bruxeles?).
And typical german, no. 3: Rocketlauncher, Selbstfahrlafette für 38/32 cm Wurfrahmen auf Renault Infantrie-Schlepper UE (f) displayed at Armeemuseum Dresden. There are 4 rockets in a gider frame instead of the back box. A second variant had 4 single starters at his sides. Look a litle bit like Schürzen.
Hope that can help a we bit.

Atb   Sebastian

[former user]

it is said before
the historical options You can look up. There are many, on other tankettes too
Otherwise go bonkers on it and do whatever You like. The model isn't historically accurate anyway.

[pocoloco]

I have the same tankette. I decided not to arm it at all, I use it as the command / scout tank for an armoured section and only arms it has are the guns carried by the crew. Will be interesting to see what kind of modification you come up with.

[TadPortly]

Instead of a pintle, how about mounting a Lewis in one of the small turrets? Simple conversion and you would only need right sized plastic/brass tubing to do it.

Yes it would  not be able to fire through 360 degrees, but that would be half the fun....

[answer_is_42]

Like this:
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/Selbstfahrlafette_PaK36-2_HD.jpg
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8425494670_579df53ccf.jpg
http://www.spruebrothers.com/gmwimages/images/Des/DES35031.JPG

EDIT: Also this one, which is super-cool and crazy:
http://www.war.ee/images/modelling_zone_gallery/2009.04.20_09-14-30/tittle.jpg

[former user]

a small detail - if You want to keep it historical - the cuppola is not the hatch. It is so small that You can only stick Your head in from beneath and open and close the visor. The actuel hatch is much larger and opens to the side too, and the cuppola is mounted on top of it. So no popping up out of the cuppola to fire a MG

[JollyBob]

Thanks chaps, very interesting ideas and some good food for thought. 

I had managed a quick google image search and seen a few of the armed versions before. I think the Pak mounted one is maybe a bit much, but some of the other options are worth looking into. Maybe some kind of little turret or gunshield would be feasible after all.

Will have a think and post pictures when its ready.

Much obliged for all the comments. 

[6milPhil]

I'd be tempted to mount it in a similar style to the Carden Loyd...

[Mathyoo]

Maybe you could put a machine gun on the cargo compartment and make some poor chap walking with tank, firing it from behind? 

[Franz_Josef]

some tankettes carried an anti-tank rifle.

[Tym]

Did this with mine

http://vbcf.freeforums.org/bishop-of-litchfield-new-vehicles-t1222.html

[Svennn]

I would steer clear of ones with bingo wings and go with very large biceps 

[JollyBob]

Tym - very nice, mate, lovely scratchbuild on the trailer. 

Svennn - Having a one-year-old with teething issues meant it took me five minutes to get that. I don't know which of us should be more ashamed. 

[The Dozing Dragon]

I put Vickers on the turrets but they do rather look like Daleks now  I think so plastic strip about them may change that though....