Sander from JPE (www.jpe-wijchen.nl), a company specialized in total machine maintenance,  finished welding the turret. All bullet holes and other openings were welded for safety. The appropriate steel plates were obtained from trading company J. Kelders (www.kelders-boxmeer.com). Because we are working with armored steel it's necesarry to work with specialized welding equipment and mixed (welding) gas. These materials  are sponsored by Berkvens Metaalwerken b.v. in Asten (www.berkvens-metaal.nl).

In a short time Sander will finish the hull. Due to planning difficulties it wasn't possible to finish this job before the sandblasting will take place.

The sandblasted bogiesets, sandblasted by Renovatietechniek Vloet (www.renovatietechniek.nl), are back in our temporary workshop. Transporting this heavy load was done by Pieter van den Elzen with his wonderful Mercedes truck.

The tracks that were loaded last month by the telehandler from Hof van Overloon      (www.hofvanoverloon.nl ) were sandblasted at sandblasting company Cuijpers  (www.cuijpers.nl) and transported by Firma Elco (www.elcogemert.nl), specialized in agricultural engineering, to a temporary storage where the tracks will be painted. Later the tracks will be sorted to make two optical suitable tracks.

The replica gunmount and replica .30 bowgun are ready and welded to the tank. Thanks to Geert Kupers, Sieb Wilmsen, Lenny Branje en Piet Jansen from Turning Technic at Oostrum (www.turning-technic.nl), supplies precision products. They made these parts in the evening hours with great enthusiasm.

For the second half of April 2011 we plan:

-further restoration of the bogies.

-welding the 75 mm gun barrel.

-all the welding that's needed regarding the hull.

-sandblasting hull and turret.

-after sandblasting: apply the primer and putty.