Bish: this kit has the TOGS box, so I would think it's at least a Mk2, sound right? I'm thinking I'll need to add the scalloped reinforcements along the turret right front joins, and maybe rearrange the onboard tool storage, but I'll wait to do that until the books show up. I think the turret side stowage box would look good on it too, but waiting there as well.

Regarding noise: I've heard M113's on FMC's test track, but they were not "stock", and Merkava's at about 200 yds distance. The Merks were loud even that far away.

That looks great. Esp love the mesh storage bins!

When I was in 6th grade, we went to Kaneohe MCAS for a really cool field trip.  The first stop was a LVTP7 waiting for us in a field.  After we got to clamber around inside and marvel at the dismounted M2 50 Cal machine gun on the troop bench, we were ordered back into the bus, which was parked alongside the amtrack.  The LVTP then fired up and drove off.  The engine noise was deafening, and the bus windows rattled as if possessed.  That is why I was surprised by the Chally’s low sound levels.

We don’t have any M1 Abrams here in Hawaii, so I never got to hear one of those fire up.  I understand the turbine sound is relatively quiet, at least for a tank.

They still use those for Driver training. I operated alongside the Chally 2 which was replacing the 1 at the time my battalion went into the armoured role. Its an impressive machine, especially when they are reversing out of trouble and putting donw a smoke screen from the exhaust's.

I’ll be watching with interest, as I have that kit in the stash.  

When I went to the Tank Museum at Bovington, there were “student driver” Challys going down the road (we walked to the museum to enjoy the countryside).  There was an instructor’s station where the turret should have been.  The tanks were remarkably quiet, sounding like a garbage truck, with no “clankety-clank” squeaking of the tracks like you hear in the movies.

The differance between the Mk I and Mk 2 was that the 2 had the TOGS fitted. The Mk I had a No 37 swap site but was built to except TOGS when that was ready. But i can't tell if there are any visible differance between the external apperance of the sites.

The Mk 3 differed internally from the Mk 2 so basically its just the TOGS. Pics of early Chally's seem hard to find, most are of vehicles in the Gulf.

Brass showed up, books on the way ( a couple of the Photosniper volumes on the Challenger 1 ) so I did a little more and am waiting until the books show.

IMG_1979 by Russel Baer, on Flickr

I'm really debating on how much of the Eduard brass to use. A lot of it is no improvement over the plastic it's supposed to replace, but the mesh for the front stowage bin is really nice; essential actually. In fact, the PE set is for the Mk3 kit which has another basket on the turret side and it's so good I'm considering scratching up the basket frame so I can use it, IF I find any pics of the Mk1 with it fitted. From what I've found out so far, Tamiya's kit is of a very early Mk1, and I need to determine what visible differences there were between the two and if it's practical at this point to try and do it on this model. I'm already thinking I would have been better off to be using the Mk3 kit, but I got this at a show, pure impulse buy, and it was conveniently cheap.

Thanks all.

Carlos, I guess I'll take a look, but sometimes blissful ignorance is , well, blissful. I'm finishing several builds that are anything but OOB, and I thought I'd do something less involved, not an excuse but a reason. Thanks for the links though, I'm taking a look as soon as my pasta is done.

Looking good, and the Fruils are deffinatly better than the kit tracks. I dod the Chally 1 Mk 3 a couple of years back, really liked it.

Well there are online sources for reference as well...

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/gert_burkert-opitz/challenger_1/

http://www.primeportal.net/tanks/scott_dimmick/challenger_1/