RE: Tank Overhaul tonight!
I don't usually comment on these sorts of programs but this one was singularly weak.
I did find the use of the high pressure water jet interesting, although I could have gone a ways without knowing one of the
crew took part of his foot off with one.
As already said I didn't tune in to learn about the Paladin; I found those bits a waste of time. I would have rather watched the fellow fabricating the fenders or doing mundane welding. He seemed to be a very good craftsman.
If it were me I would have made a more valiant effort to determine how the brake came apart to remove the shell fragment and then reform whatever was deformed instead of grinding away metal to get the sprocket back on.
What was with this pseudo 5 week limit on getting it back together? Was it just a producer's sham mechanism to create some fake sense of urgency? I thought crews like their repainting crew did this sort of thing because they liked it.I'm sure they were paid, wouldn't they want to go on record as having taken the extra step? What would have been wrong had they taken an extra day to do a proper disassembly/ reassembly? Why would the museum let them hack what was billed as 1 of a precious few Elefants left? Did their hack destroy whatever glimmer of hope there may have been to get the machine to run again?
On the whole I give them credit for what they did do, it certainly is an improvement. It's pretty easy to throw stones when I wasn't in the hotseat. Jacques Littlefield spoiled me for any lesser restorations. If you've ever seen what he did to the likes of his StuG III, M26 and Panther you'll know what I mean. I also recognize the government elects not to spent much money on their museums.
I'm glad to see they postponed the complete degradation of a rare machine. I see though it will soldier on in the elements?
In summary for those who haven't yet watched it I'd give it a go but don't expect much.
Jerry