ARMOR - British/Commonwealth Group Build (9/17/04 to 12/31/04)

Petbat the cabinet eh i spent $200 in that little cabinet not so long ago,got me some nice figures from Firestorm and VLS not to mention the well and palm trees......
I'll make sure i bring some money to the next meet,there was some good stuff their last time i went..............Cheers Julian..........

OH YEAH!
My challenger parts from accurate armour came in and they look sweet! The castings are top notch! I thought they would come in after the GB started but it looks like they have a great service Dept. I can't wait to get started!
BTW, has the GB badge been finalized yet or will there still be a vote?

And the starters gun has fired, Petbat is quickly out of the starting blocks, a small stumble at first (ejector pin marks on just the 2nd and 3rd parts removed from the sprues and not the easiest palce to sand back!) but now he has hit his stride.

Seriously, anyone that has been following the Stug build will note I have been less than pleased with the sink marks, pin marks and warped parts in my Tamiya Stug 3G Early. I was a bit aprehensive when I found such blemishes on the Centaur so early on, but since then this kit has just flowed together. Only other concern were pin marks on the towing shackle mounts, but they were easy to fix. A plethora of pin marks under the track guards, but again easy to fix.

I have the lower hull assembled and most of the upper hull fittings attached. Nice to see the spaced armour on the lower hull sides has been moulded separate and each torsion bar was also reasonably detailed, alyhough you see very little of this when it is assembled. The benefit of doing the Centaur is the spare parts meant for the Cromwell kit, particularly the hull Besa machine gun that also includes the inside half - will look good in the Churchill with the hatches open.

Hope you guys are enjoying this build as much as I am.

As to the badge, does anyone have any more ideas before we go to the vote? I will post the final contenders into one post next Friday, and then the polls will open.

2-pdr (Sovereign) en portee (Italeri 15cwt & GT & etc hack)

17 Sep started with me getting drops in my eyes & killing some good modelling time.

I split the Italeri 15-cwt frame, removed the engine compartment filler junk, and cut two new pieces to extend the frame. Then I noticed the horrid sink marks on the frame & other major components & set to filling same and cleaning up flash & pin marks. I also got out the 2-pdr carriage parts & found more air holes than last time I did this so will have to proceed very slowly.

So, I had thought to celebrate start day with a couple pix, but that'll have to wait a couple days.

PS: I have a 1987 Canadian built Chevy truck that runs & runs & doesn't have all those sink marks & faults; I guess the model isn't really accurate rep of a Canadian product.

John

Made a start on the Matilda11 by plugging up the holes in the lower hull that were there for the old motorized model + glueing together some of the million or so wheels.......

Any room for an eleventh hour entry? I have a 1:72 Fuchs APC from Revell I know what your saying thats German. But heres the catch I am going to build as an NBC Recce Vehicle as used by the UK Joint NBC Regt. Is this within the rules? after all wasnt someone building a Honey

Sorry Jeff, guidelines are British or British Commonwealth Designed and manufactured so Fuchs is out; the Stuart Honey is out for the same reason. Happy for you join in with something else though.

Road and idler wheel clean up is all I have to report today.

Ok then it was worth a try. I will go for a UK Alvis CVR(T) Scorpion 1:72 Scale Airfix (yuk!) in service marking of the Royal Air Force Regiment in North West Europe colours. Depicting vehicle serving with 1Sqn RAF Regt at RAF Laarbruch mid '80s. Nice little fun project. with some mods and after market items.

Cheers
Jeff

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Made a start on the Matilda11 by plugging up the holes in the lower hull that were there for the old motorized model + glueing together some of the million or so wheels.......

j.s. check the fit of the upper hull to the lower hull I have found that it will have to be modified to fit evenly, probaly due to the fact that the hull was designed to come apart so that the batteries could be changed when motorized.

QUOTE: Originally posted by South Aussie QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Made a start on the Matilda11 by plugging up the holes in the lower hull that were there for the old motorized model + glueing together some of the million or so wheels....... j.s. check the fit of the upper hull to the lower hull I have found that it will have to be modified to fit evenly, probaly due to the fact that the hull was designed to come apart so that the batteries could be changed when motorized.

South Aussie iv'e noticed an area on the rear hull where some sort of clip is supposed to go that iv'e identified as a problem area,i'm still working on the wheels at the moment so i will have to get to that bit later.........
Speaking of wheels how far are you planning on going with the weathering on them,considering that most of them are hidden from veiw i was thinking of only giving them minimal weathering but something is telling me to give them a proper once over...

BTW To the GB Jeff happy to have you with us

Thanks for the hello J.S. I am looking forward to the build. Been doing a bit of extreme modeling here, as I am currently located in Baghdad. But it aint stopped me building. Just finished a 1:35 Panhard AMD 178 and a M3 Staurt might see if can add some pics if anyone interested. Its good not having all my tools and things here makes you think of how to improvise. My brush work has improved too :)

I got my Whippet today. Looks like a fairly simple kit with about 60 pieces. Im going to start after I finish up a diorama.

Welcome aboard Jeff, I've added you to the list in the first post

I lied, I started it today, worked for 1 1/2 hours. I get a pic or 2.

Ok, here are 3 pics. So far it has been a nice build. The raod wheels looked like they had a lot of work but if you look closley they wont even show. To give it a slight bit more of detail I will drill out the barrels of the guns, iv already done one.

Looking good so far Rebel. I have heard good reports about that kit.

Okay some pics of the Centaur in progress. Shaved off the the moulded on tie downs and handles and replaced with fuse wire and copper wire, filled the track guard pin marks and filled the join at the front (the end of the hull side is actually moulded on the front glacis section.

QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison QUOTE: Originally posted by South Aussie QUOTE: Originally posted by j.s.harrison Made a start on the Matilda11 by plugging up the holes in the lower hull that were there for the old motorized model + glueing together some of the million or so wheels....... j.s. check the fit of the upper hull to the lower hull I have found that it will have to be modified to fit evenly, probaly due to the fact that the hull was designed to come apart so that the batteries could be changed when motorized. South Aussie iv'e noticed an area on the rear hull where some sort of clip is supposed to go that iv'e identified as a problem area,i'm still working on the wheels at the moment so i will have to get to that bit later......... Speaking of wheels how far are you planning on going with the weathering on them,considering that most of them are hidden from veiw i was thinking of only giving them minimal weathering but something is telling me to give them a proper once over...

It will depend on just how much of each wheel will be seen but I suspect it will be very minimal. I've also have identified the clip area as a problem, but like you I am going to worry about that at a later date.

OK, my in-progress on 2-pdr en portee.

Portee: I've hacked up the Italeri 15-cwt frame and extended it to a long wheelbase. I also took out the "engine compartment" so I have a pure frame. I intend to put some kind of engine in it (little detail) and fix up the drive train. I don't have exact plans, so the new frame (esp cross member) is kind of a swag.
Also figured out the LWB CMP had more springs, so I've hacked aux springs in the rear by adding a set of smaller springs to the kit springs. Now this method mirrors the Chev method, not Ford, but it's the easiest solution -- I'l have a Ford-rolet I guess.

Anyway, the pix show the original kit frame and my new one. Also note the amount of filler -- sink marks & etc abound and are causing me lots of work.





Next step is to cleanup some of my cutting/sanding/hacking then get a coat of primer on the frame so I can see/fix the big glitches. I'll be working the suspension & drive train also.

I mentioned in prev post that my 2-pdr has more air holes & issues than last one I built so it is going slower this time. I need to get the carriage part built so I have something to work with while doing the rear deck & fittings of the portee.

Well I guess that I will get started on my centurion today.I just finished the Bishop SP which was almost done by the time this group build started.I have pics of this posted on the armor forum,so if you get a chance take a look and teel if llike what you see.Now as for the centurion I was thinking of making it either the Aussie or IDF but for right now the conversion kits are out of my price range untill I can get the money.I just might build it oob,still thinking on that.Well so far what I see I like,keep it up.Digger

Wow, looks like this GB really took off in the last little while. I am currently lacking a place to build anything, but sometime this weekend I'm going to see if I can find a place to start my Chally II.

Looks like you are having fun John. Nothing like some major surgery to get the blood stirring

Digger, the AM resin kits are a bit pricey, but nice. OOB is fine, my Centaur is basically OOB with only some added detail and missed parts all from scratch, so I need some company in the 'budget build'.

Its good to see the builds up and running,makes me feel like getting to work....
i should have a couple of pics in a day or so not much just a little groundwork...........
Cheers Jules...................

i have missed almost a week of building time on this GB already,
but i still want 2 build my revell Challenger in 1/72...
been wanting 2 build a chally 4 about a year now,
so is it ok if i join u folks ?

frosty

Come on in, Frosty, the water is fine!

Nice to see another itty bitty kit being built.

From my table:This is my first day of working on this project.So I could not afford a conversion kit for this build,I guess I will have to do this the old fashion way.So heres a pic of todays work.Tell me what you think.



The barrel is the kit barrel with some modification.The side skrit I cut the middles out and streched some spurs and glued.The two white blocks are going to be a pic-axe head and a sledge hammer head.I did not like the molded in the finders one.Digger

Digger,,, looking good sofar, Well the first coats of Paint went on the Parts sprues last nite and I should be be begining assembly on Sunday nite.

Good to see you up and Running Digger and Rich.

Digger, what version and markings are you going to do on the Centi? Or is that a secret for now?

Peter to tell you the truth,I have no ideal yet.All this scrach building is taking a lot of time and after I get done with this then I guess I will get to markings.I have in the back of my mind thinking of the black-green/light green camo job.Do you have any suggestions on what best in markings to use,I am all ears due to that I have yet to think of it.Boy,this is
going to in up looking good when I am done and its going to be a lot of happy work.Digger

Need some help !!!!!

2-pdr en portee. Work is proceeding & some pix will be up tomorrow (maybe).

But two issues have arisen, which I will be researching, but I'm hoping someone can help.

1). Ford CMP engine V8 90deg L-Head, used in all CMP versions. Any one have a few pix of the engine and/or eng-compartment so I can do the wries & linkage & stuff ???

2). The 2-pdr was pulled up onto the portee with the fixed (trail leg) to the rear & the 2 (folding) legs toward the front & stuffed under the seat. Now I thought I understood all this, but the (folding) legs spread far too wide - they'll stick out the sides of the truck by quite a bit. Yet I have no pix of a 2-pdr en portee in action where the legs stick out. Nor can I see them folded or stored elsewhere. I don't know why I didn't see this problem coming, but it is a biggie now !!!

Thanks
John

Well i just got done with the turret tonight.This tank is goning to be a MK 13 when I am
done.So here are four pics on the progress.Tell me what you think.Digger






I replaced all the molded in handles with brass tubing,scrach built the search light and back storage.The barrel was scrach built up with plasitic tubing,wond thin plasitic strip
and cloth for the thermal sleeve.The back storage was done with alluminim tubing and the manlet was cover with tolet paper.Hope you enjoy.Digger