For the past two or three days i’ve been researching the Bison II. I’ve found lots of photos but none that really show the interior of the fighting compartment especially the right side sponson down to the floor.
The thing carried only ten rounds on board so why would they store the shells on the right side floor where two crew members(loaders)had to stand? This area is very narrow with the gun and drive shaft not to mention 63 pound shells between the shaft and the wall,just don’t make sense to me.[*-)]
Here’s a shot of Drivers build (Alan Kit) to show you what i’m talking about:
There’s a locker of some sort under the larger storage box on top of the engine deck. From measurements it’s the right size to hold five or six shells and not have so many taking up foot room for the loaders.
If the kit is correct and seven shells were stored on the floor where did they store the other three shells???
Info on the Bison II is hard to come by…only 12 were built and all were sent to N. Afrika where they were lost in combat. Achtung Panzer has some line drawings that shows 8 rounds were stored in the rear area of the compartment and doesn’t show any ready-round holders (but then it doesn’t have any floor detail at all). The placement of the radio gear by Alan is probably guess-work as well.
There’s a photo of one with the engine deck and engine removed in the Rommels Funnies book and I see no evidence of shells stored in the firewall like that.
The kits gun armor shield mount struts are for sure wrong. I got a photo that show how they were and your line drawing confirms this.
As for the radio,it must of been on that side somewhere,you can see the antenna and a set of head phones hanging there on the left side???
That space along the side where the Alan kit has the round holders is actually on top of the “tunnel” for the re-directed drive-shaft…so it’s not an area the crew could stand in anyhow IMHO. It’s plausible that it could be used for round storage but I have no idea if it’s accurate or not.
I think you’re right about the radio gear needing to be on that side, just not sure if it would be on the floor or up on the hull sponson side. One thing’s for sure, that photo you posted shows there wasn’t a lot of room inside it no matter where they stuck things! [;)]
Tony, thought I could help with info from the “Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two” by Chamberlain and Doyle. However they list the vehicle has having the ammunition capacity of 30. Would the ammo have been stored separately (Powder and shot)? Looking at what you have, I can see no way for thirty shells to be stored on board, let alone shot and powder separately. [:$]
Even with interior info hard to come by why should that stop me from using common sense and bashing to my hearts content? “Show me the money” or the proof of my mistakes before you say it’s wrong.[;)]
It says ARK Models on the box but this kit is ALAN thru and thru. Therefore it needs a lot of help and TLC to bring the cream to the top. Like replacing the wheels,tracks,gun and some of the details with PE.
And away we go:
Replaced the gun with the Dragon 15cm SIG 33 Infantry shooter. Much much better than what the kit provides:
My little helper is exhausted and had to take a break from the pressures of engineering.
Great subject Tony, Ive always wanted to try one of these. When I seen the first post I ran upstairs to find my osprey on the Bisons/sig33 vehicles and there was nothing that you don’t already know. I’m sure you will produce another excellent piece of work.
Nice to see this one get off the ground Tony, looks like you’re roaring along with it…just don’t make us wait forever before you start painting it! [proplr] [B]
Hey Tony glad you found a spot for those ready rounds besides underfoot. Hate trippin over that stuff. Tight enough quarters already especially with Gunther hitting the knockwurst and Limburger again.[W] I’m in till the end buddy. Seems I’m always eyeing this Alan kit up lately.
