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

Buff, the Churchill is close to 25- 30 years old. It was originally issued as the Crocodile Flamethrower with the armoured trailer, but Tamiya re-issued it as the standard Tank and added the figure sprue (and upped the price). About time someone did an update, maybe an earlier version too.

If memory serves me correct, one of the Tamiya decal options is "Iceni", Troop 2 tank of A Squadron of the 9 RTR (the winter camo is not essential, the standard Bronze green is okay for that vehicle too). If you are interested in a little history, this site has some personal accounts from guys in 9RTR:
http://www.9thrtr.com

and also the complete text from Peter Beale's book "Tank Tracks" which is a light history, and amusing read, of 9 RTR.
http://www.9thrtr.com/TT/CONTENTS.HTM
Appendix IV has a list of many of the Tank names used by 9 RTR, although only a few were mark VII's. (I have the complete book with other pics not on the site).

Looking good Rich. That sink hole in the back of the forward cargo wall, behind where the driver goes, is not covered by the stowage, so you might like to fill and sand it before you do anything more in there - I know this from experience!

T34, that Braille scale Bren takes me back about 30 years. I built that when I was a kid. Not too sure about the poor guy in the back holding the 6 pounder round though, must have been tiring! The pics show it is a bit shiny, or is that just the camera flash? Nice job anyway.

Zokissma, good luck with the Modelcraft kit, I think you will need it!

As to the Centaur, fenders built, skirts next. Took me a few hours to work out the measurements right for the fenders. I usually make a template from thin card stock so that I can easily trim it to shape, then stick that down on a sheet of brass using clear Contact film (book covering). Using an old scalpel I then cut the brass with several cuts with the blade. When finished this leaves the template intact, so I just turn that over and stick that down on the brass, to make the fender for the other side. That way they are identical in shape. Hope to be finished these soon, so I can post pics.

Keep up the good work

woooooohoooooooo got that link thing to work. Thanks for the advice Pete

Well, it's getting me really motivated seeing finished builds allready.
I've decided to change my entry. Instead of the Chally II, I'll be building a 1/35 Modelcraft Centurion Mk.3
Got the kit for cheap recently, and I can see why. It'll take some work to get this one to look decent, but it looks like a simple build.
It'll be straight OOB, with some scratched (very few) improvements, some camo netting etc, and hopefully somethind decent will come out in the end.

found my camera, then it was low on batteries.

got some pics after seaching for batteries:


here are the markings, 1st canadian anti tank regiment in sicily, the one on the left should be a 46, but the pin was too big


its so tiny:

OK gang here they are,, progress pics of my Bren carrier. So far it has been an easy build and progressing nicely. Plan on making it a Normandy Carrier with markings for the 50th Infantry Div.





As I said it is a fairly simple build so far. Coments or suggestions welcomed.

I got some more work done tonight. Sanded down the putty on the hull mg and it turned out ok. Started working on the hull. It's not all molded in one piece. The front alone has three. There was a gap between the main part of the lower hull and the lower part of the front. I could have tried gap filling super glue, but I can't get any until Tuesday because of the holiday, but I didn't feel like waiting so I used putty. I wasn't really expecting that with a Tamiya because their fit is usually so good. I think this is an older mold, though. The markings for batteries are still on the inside of the hull. I haven't seen an RC in that scale in a long time. More work tomorrow, and maybe some pics later in the week.

Well guys, as usual I have gone about things A about. Now I have decided not to do 'Hunter' the Centaur everyone does OOB, but another. "Vidette'" is the other decal option in the Tamiya kit, and the funny thing here is that the Tamiya kit is not accurate for that vehicle.

Hunter lost its front fenders and side skirts before embarking for Normandy, as did some of the other Centaurs. Most however, either had fenders and skirts, or various bits of such. The fenders and skirts in the kit are remanants of the earlier issue Cromwell kit, but are incorrect for the Centaur - so scratchbuilding is under way!

This off course means that I have to do some cutting on the nearly complete hull. Maybe I should have done a little more planning earlier, or not changed my mind, hey. So today will be cut and paste 101.

Glad to see you other guys are having fun. Can't wait to see some pics of your stuff.

T34, Lost your camera? Do you mean misplaced it? My son misplaced his mobile phone 2 weeks ago - he left it unattended in a backpack in the rear of a friends utilty truck when they went motorbike riding. All their gear 'went missing'I explained that misplaced and missing were not the correct wordings!

All right, I'm finally off and running on my Churchill. I hummed and hawed over whether I should paint the running gear, skirts and the lower hull on the sprues or as sub-assemblies, before deciding to do them as sub-assemblies. I got through the first two steps this morning. The 1st deals with the sprockets, and the 2nd the glacis. The glacis is not molded as part of the hull. Everything went together very well. The only little glitches were the parting lines and ejector pin mark on the Besa hull mg. I sanded and scraped off the parting lines, then masked and puttied the ejector pin mark. I should be able to sand down the putty tonight, and with the long weekend up here, get some good work done tomorrow. Nothing worthy of pics yet. Maybe by next weekend.

Got done with the Centurion last night,I wish it would quit rainning so I can take pics of this wonderfull beast.Digger

Not much happening on the Matilda at the moment, but i am planning on painting and assembling the wheels on to the hull by the end of the week........J.S......

hey guys, i got my carrier done! but i lost my digital camera so no pics yet. the pins worked good on the division sign and the reconition markings, but the unit sign did not go as well, the pin was too big for numbers

when i find my camera i will post some pics.

Thanks for posting the pic Petbat I can never get the insert pic thing to work???? anyone got any good tips on how to do it?

Nice Chally Jeff

Here is a linked pic for everyone else, more on the site

Hey Frosty that Challenger Kit is great I built the Challenger 1 a few months, couldn't insert the pics of it but heres the link to some photos of the finished item. I used PE turret baskets

http://hometown.aol.co.uk/gunnjff/challenger1.html

Even thought my order came in for the paints they sent the wrong color so I had to mix my own.My Centurion is coming along fine and I am doing a progression fade on the paint job which is taking time pulling off the micro-mask tape.This should and does look like it should turn out to be a fine build.I still have some other things to do with it and if I have the time,I should have it finished by the end of this week.If not it will be next week.Then I can start on that Valentine that I just recintly acqiured with this paint order.Digger

Lokkin Good guys. My build has come to a co0mplete stop. I am desparetly trying to finish a Dio For a Competition in a couple of weeks. I should get it done by this weekend though.

Ah, I finally managed to clean out some space on my computer desk, since my modeling one in the currently-being-re-modelled-basement is full of tools and other junk. So, hopefully this weekend I can finally start the Chally II

Well I am back in buissness again my paints have arrived.Digger

Nice work so far guys. Frosty, good to see you starting the little beast.

Well new floor is down, I'm moving all the furniture back today, so I hope to re-start the Centaur tomorrow. Keep up the good work all

Still alive & working.

I've been adding pieces to the chassis (see prev post) & stuff like that.
Got great info from "MrRoo" (Cliff Hutchings) over on Armorama that shows TA didn't do a real good job on the engine, so I'm in for a rework before I get to the detailing.

I haven't resolved my issue with the "back" legs of the 2-pdr not fitting on the truck bed, but am awaiting some portee pictures from another source before I do anything else.

I should have new progress pics this coming weekend ...

John

Hi, folks !
just wanted 2 check in & let u know that my project is now officially
under way. i am building Revell's 1/72 Challenger I, & i will probably b
doing it OOB since it is a pretty good looking kit as is.
tonite's goal: assembling & painting roadwheels...

frosty

J.S.,You hair,me fingers.Well I just got done putting the subspesion and what was left of the hull.Just waiting for some of the paints to come in and will be spraying the base coat tomorrow.Digger

Digger at least you don't take pics of yer head hair like me...............

Just excuse my pics,crappie camera.It does better in natural light.Digger

A little hard to see the pics Digger but it looks like it's coming along nicely

J.S.,it is starting to come
along good.As for me here is the last off the scratch building besides the skrits,the rest just needs to be put together.Digger





I should have this done by the end of next week and have a order for some paints coming in next week.Also have bought a Valintine Mk XI that I will do for this group build so petbat you can put that down too.Digger

Ok heres some progress pics..................Jules..............

Hey Petbat and Digger,i'm still melingering around, i should have some pics to post tomorrow,not much turret,wheels,ect.................Jules...............

Petbat no more Carpet monster eh...................

Nice work there for sure John. Yeah I figured you had the Morris pics, but it was the best I could come up with.

Well I've been stopped flat on my modelling. My wife has organised some timber flooring to replace the old carpet, and all available space now holds furniture to keep the bedroom floors empty til the guys finish. Modelling on bare concrete floor is not a good thing.

I'll be out of action until mid next week. Still have time to see your pics though guys.

Petbat,yah I think we are a lone.Digger