Behind The Frontlines | Episode 3: The Firefly Restoration Begins

[00:00:01][music] >> Welcome [music] back to Beyond the Front Lines. Last time we traveled to the Bastogne Barracks to take detailed measurements from an original Firefly.

[00:00:14]>> [music] >> Every dimension, every angle captured to make sure we get this right.

[00:00:20]Now, back in the workshop, the real work begins.

[00:00:23]With the data in hand, it's time [music] to start building. The first step is preparing the mounting points, welding in the cages, each one fitted with a nut inside. [music] >> Yeah, so at the moment we I'm talking on all the cages behind here for the Firefly.

[00:00:41]Basically, it's a cage with a nut inside like this.

[00:00:45]>> [snorts] >> And essentially what the Americans also [music] had was fender over here. So, that's skirt boards, they call them. And this project in general, we probably won't make them for it because it's something that, you know, it takes away from the coolness of the tracks and everything. And but this is originally how it would have been. So, they would have been placed behind here like so.

[00:01:05]And it slots in like that. And now the idea is that the wheels [music] are going to weld them on the back end and you can't see them. Originally, they would have been spot welded from the front. That's why the holes were there.

[00:01:15]Um so, we've basically made these out of 3D stainless steel.

[00:01:19]Uh so, they were printed basically by 3D printer.

[00:01:23]Um and yeah, what we do is pop the nuts in there.

[00:01:26]Uh it allows you it to be able to bolt on the side skirts that we're going to be putting on.

[00:01:31]>> It's a small detail, but a critical one.

[00:01:34]Accuracy here sets the foundation for everything [music] that follows.

[00:01:43]>> All righty, let's do some welding.

[00:02:01]>> After 4 hours of welding, it's almost done.

[00:02:04]But then, the last one doesn't quite go to plan.

[00:02:08]>> I made a mistake.

[00:02:10]I dropped something on the floor.

[00:02:13]And uh yeah, this should be inside there.

[00:02:19]Oh.

[00:02:20]That's a shame.

[00:02:25]All right, if I remove the cage, and then like I said earlier, uh Adrian's ordered the exact amount we need, which is a risk.

[00:02:34]Because if someone as stupid as me puts together something together like that, unfortunately um yeah, we got ourselves some issues.

[00:02:52]>> So, while Ben tackles his current challenge, we're gearing up for [music] an exciting operation. It's time to move some giants. To make space for what's coming next, we need to clear the workshop, >> [music] >> and that means relocating some incredible pieces of history.

[00:03:08]Let's take a closer look. First up, [music] the M5 Stuart. Lightweight, fast, and agile, this tank played a crucial role in the early years of World War II.

[00:03:19]Next, the legendary M4 Sherman. Reliable and versatile, >> [music] >> it became the backbone of Allied armored forces.

[00:03:28]We also have the formidable Ordnance QF 17-pounder, a weapon designed to stop even the heaviest enemy armor.

[00:03:37]And finally, the rugged half-track, [music] combining mobility with protection for troops in the field.

[00:03:45]Now that the machines are relocated, >> [music] >> let's head back to Ben and see if he's managed to sort out his little nut problem.

[00:03:52]>> Either I'm incompetent or the bloody machine's broken.

[00:03:57]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Machine's not good.

[00:04:27]>> [music] broken it.

[00:04:41]>> [music] >> It's all about >> [music] >> and I'll stop.

[00:04:55]I'm a patient bastard.

[00:04:57]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Oh.

[00:05:15]I think it's going.

[00:05:18]Ah.

[00:05:18]>> [music] >> Ah, potato.

[00:05:26]Ah.

[00:05:27]Come on.

[00:05:29]>> [music] >> Come on.

[00:05:31]Come on.

[00:05:32]What do you want?

[00:05:35]Nice.

[00:05:37]Yeah, it wasn't too bad.

[00:05:48]Fine.

[00:05:50]>> After mine is set back.

[00:05:52]>> Done.

[00:05:52]>> And so, after hours of effort, heat, and no small amount of frustration, [music] Ben has finally won.

[00:06:01]A small victory? Yes.

[00:06:03]But in a project like this, small victories matter.

[00:06:07]Elsewhere, tools spark back into [music] action, because in a place like this, nothing ever really stops. One job finishes, and three more begin.

[00:06:17]>> So, here we've got Sherman tracks with the US assistance.

[00:06:22]Basically, they tested it, and they also installed these in in the field. These are grouters.

[00:06:30]Track link connector that goes on here.

[00:06:33]What we do is we place this, like so.

[00:06:35]It's like a a mold just to hold it in position. Then, Walter here is tacking on these grouters on the outside, and then completely welding all around. So, when it's all straight, he'll do the sides, as you can already see he's done. Then he flips the track onto its normal position, and then he welds the top end.

[00:06:52]As he's already done uh 50 times down there. It's the second track now, so we're close to finishing it.

[00:06:58]These are the duckbills, and these are grouters. That's like the terminology they use.

[00:07:02]Um we had these made to Adrian, our engineer. He's made these from copies, from examples, from photos, and other Shermans you've seen in America.

[00:07:10]We had these forged in France, and then we had them also annealed.

[00:07:14][music] So, um it basically means they drop them in hot heat and everything.

[00:07:20]So, everything's the same [music] on the tracks and so on the Sherman. All we've done we just added on these grouters.

[00:07:26]It's what the client wanted. So, yeah, we've added them.

[00:07:29]>> Next time, we finally do the obvious thing. We put the tracks under the Sherman, which means for the first time, [music] it might actually look like a tank.

[00:07:39]The restoration of the Firefly continues with bigger parts, heavier jobs, and absolutely no margin for error. And then, because this clearly isn't complicated [music] enough, we start an entirely new project. A good idea?

[00:07:56]Absolutely not. [music] But, we're doing it anyway because at 5, we know exactly what we're doing.

[00:08:08]>> [music]