Asmodai

That’s the plan for my Tamiya 1/48 Churchill - I’m going to skip the crocodile 🐊, and just build the standard gun tank. It’ll be different from everyone building the crocs, and avoid any controversy over the trailer or track guards. It is unfortunate that they are only partial track runs, but at least they are pretty accurate, compared to the track units in the 1/48 Universal Carrier kit.

Despite protestations to the contrary, the Asian kit makers in general do not care one bit about their customers once the sale has been made. Tamiya is one of the few exceptions. Hasegawa and Fujimi do not care about you unless you’re in Japan. And as far as China goes, if you need anything from Trumpeter or Dragon, forget about it. It’s gotten to the point it’s at least a factor I consider before buying any kit these days.

Got my paint delivery. Now I can whip up a batch of SCC15 for this build. In the meantime, I’m working on a Tamiya 1/48 T-34/85 to get in some practice before the build starts. Almost ready to paint.

Good luck with the build. I have the Dieppe kit in the stash, but it’s just going to be a no-go for me, as much as I wanted to build it for this group build. I’m just too slow. Meanwhile, my local hobby hobby shop has a Tamiya rack, so I was shopping for stuff to make up one of Mike Starmer’s SCC15 mixes. Of the three colors needed, my ‘friendly’ local shop had exactly zero available 😑, and no idea when there might be more. So much for shopping locally…I had to order stuff; should be in by the end of next week, and I’ll have what I need to tackle one of the Tamiya Churchills. Looking good with just over a month before the build starts.

What’s the last thing an elephant wants to hear from an Italian dentist? Tuscaloosa! Lovely model! I don’t think anyone was just trying to be hurtful with their info. Every build is a learning experience, and now the next guy has some more useful info for their build…

Well, we’re down under three months until start now. I need to decide on a kit from the three on hand, and make sure I have the paint for it. Who knows what the world will be like three months from now… I’d really like to build the AFV Club Dieppe kit, but three months just ain’t a long time with the pace I work at. That leaves the 1/35 or 1/48 Tamiya kits. A little disappointed in myself, but that’s nothing new.

The Tamiya Churchill Crocodile is much older than that; 1977 initial release, actually. 1994 was a reboxing. Given that it’s close to its 50th birthday, not surprising if there’s some flash or other mold issues. That granted, it’s still a pretty good kit. I’m still deciding between it and the AFV Club kit for the Churchill group build this summer.

It has all the same flaws as the Academy kit… since it’s the Academy plastic.

Hasegawa seems to be doing fine with their business plan, and likely don’t care one bit what Western modelers think they should be doing. Strangely enough, there are plenty of other good kits out there to build in the meantime, anyway, as opposed to complaining about what Hasegawa is or isn’t making these days.

Yes, got confused. The Dieppe kit does have the early heavy separate link set. It also does have the A and B sprue, which are all of the track guards and front and rear fenders pieces. As far as the guards go, you only need one of the pieces on each side, behind the air intakes, for the Dieppe tanks. The Dieppe rear fenders are a special part on the S sprue with the wading trunks and their release mechanism. Another potential color controversy is whether the troop numbers on the turret were white or yellow. The AFV Club kit decals side with yellow, so you’re on your own if you’re a white believer. Markings include Beefy, Bert, Betty, Blossom, Cat, and a repainted German Beutepanzer Churchill. If unfamiliar to you, I found this page has a good summary and photos of the Churchills at Dieppe https://mikesresearch.com/2021/11/28/dieppe-france-1942/

The AFV Club 1/35 Dieppe Churchill MkIII arrived a few days ago. I assume it’s pretty similar to the standard MkIII kit, but for the tuning fork exhaust and optional wading trunks. The Dieppe kit is a pretty complete package, with a metal barrel and the late AFV Club individual track links included already. The Tamiya Crocodile is pretty bare bones in comparison, but it is almost as old as me, dating from 1977. And all things considered, is still a decent kit, considering it’s approaching its 50th birthday in a few years. Still quite a few months for deciding which to do for the build, research, acquiring supplies, etc.

I will keep it in mind, should I go that route. It may not get as many people angry as ‘what color was the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941?’. But it’s up there, as I’ve discovered already.

Looks like the AFV Club Dieppe Churchill will arrive at the end of the week. If I decide to go with it for the build, I suppose that will involve heavy crossfire from the green versus brown debate 🫤

For those in the US, www.spruebrothers.com is having a sale as well, and through Sunday, all kits are at least 10% extra off with the discount rising the more you buy. Several of the AFV Club Churchills are still in stock. I’ve got some decisions ahead, as I just picked up the Dieppe MkIII boxing, and paid just under $52 for it. Not bad at all.

Not sure I would spend a lot of time waiting on an AFV Club Crocodile. It’s been three years already since the Churchill Mk VII kit released. I’m still debating what to do for the GB, and what scale. My build pace is so glacial, a single AFV Club kit is all I’d get in the window. I’ll keep an eye out for AFV Club sales in the meantime. Tamiya I might be able to squeeze in a Crocodile and a gun tank… good thing there’s still 8 months to decide!