FILENAMES: DD1LayMines.jpg DD2suspension.jpg DD3TravelPosn.jpg DD4plow&shroud.JPG DD5plowFront.JPG DD6plowRear.JPG DD7ChuteTop.JPG DD8Drawbar.jpg DD9jerryCanRack.jpg DDD1rrrsidefront.jpg DDD2rrrback.jpg DDD3rrrBackclose.jpg DDD4rrrRoll90deg.jpg DDD5rrrsupport.jpg DDD6rrrunroll.jpg DESCRIPTION: These are pictures one man's journey into modelmaking as a job. Bill Darby . Bill provided the following description: ================================================================= When I retired from the service I had difficulty finding work. (no one seemed to need a trained killer on staff) So during a casual conversation with an old friend (serving)I was asked if I would be interested in building a model or two. . . When I was told what they were willing to pay I jumped at the chance but as it turned out the two models took a year to build and after expenses I earned say, $3 per hour. The "journey" I owned a small lathe but figured I would need one of these things called a milling machine, so I rushed out and paid $1500 for a two ton anchor (which the shop owner said was in "top notch shape". I was tickled pink!!! Til I got it home and the knee screw sheared through it's nut and dropped while I was down under the end of the table replacing some missing stops. Had to scrape the ways , turn all the screws and rebuild all the backlash eliminators, repair the table feed, rebuild the Z feed and of course turn a new nut for the knee. Well I found out how to run the lathe,,,and what made a mill tic. Found out all about the cost of a rotophase and a transformer. Two months and $2500 later I was ready to start modeling. DD1 Is a land mine laying trailer shown here in the "mine laying" configuration, on the left can be seen the 18 position double knuckle draw bar which connects to a towing vehicle. Above the draw bar is a chatoyant which land mines are manually fed by a man standing on the back of the towing vehicle. The mines travel down the shoot, through a control gate and on into the inside of a double share plow and on into a furrow (like planting potatoes behind a plow) after which the sod is rolled back into the furrow by the shrouds. The mine laying operator's seat can be seen at the rear on the right. Below the seat, the left hand shroud (and a glimpse of the right side shroud) is disable. The tires were cast from rubber(rtv11??)in a mold produced from a master turned in wood with the specific tread pattern carved and burnt into the turning with a soldering iron. Note the support wheel on front which is fully functional from its current position to it's self storing position via the hand crank. DD2 A view of the axel support arm (which is raised or lowered for travel or minelaying). Clearly visible are the control arms which raise and lower the shrouds. The fenders are one piece, milled from a solid block of Al. DD3 A view of the layer in the traveling position, note that the seat has been removed from the rear and stowed forward and that the shrouds (and plow) are secured in the up position via the over center latches and that the chute is folded via two of the three hinges incorporated into it. DD4 A view of the shrouds and over center latches DD5 A view of the front of the plow which was constricted by laminating layers of 1/2" Al plate and some of the raising and lowering arms and pivot pins (in brass) DD6 View of the hole or "opening" in the rear of the plow, through which the mines pass into the furrow,, also the raising mech in brass. DD7 Just a top view of the chute during assy. DD8 A close up view of the twin 18 position knuckles of the draw bar. DD9 Close up of the draw bar, the self storing support wheel and the jerry can rack prior to installation. DDD 1 to 5 Is a rapid runway repair vehicle which dispenses a 60 yard ?? by 6 yard?? steel pad which is laid over a damaged section of the strip. Hope you enjoyed looking. Bill Darby