FrancisGL Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 Stunning scratch, very detailed... Cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripaman Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Brilliant job Granto Regards Richard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 10, 2017 Author Share Posted March 10, 2017 Update tomorrow! Been a bit busy, but I've done some work on the Conky this week, both the Gunners and Commanders stations are coming on, there's a colossal number of small boxes and general crap in the turret, its a proper "Heath Robinson" clamjamfry! I thought Chieftain was an ergonomic disaster inside, but this poor old beast is far worse, it`s beyond description! Later! Granto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carius Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Excellent scratchbuiid job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 11, 2017 Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 Here as promised! So where to start? I've had to make a whole bunch of control boxes..................... The three in the centre of the image are for the gunners station, the two smaller ones are for trimming out the gun stabilisation kit and the larger one is similar to the commanders control box, this goes immediately to the right of the gunner just inside his hatch. Here is the Commanders control box and the gunners comms box. There are 25 parts that made up the commanders control box, and 12 in the comms box!! The gunners sight with the brow pad fitted This is the blank that will become the gunners read out for the rangefinder, it sits to the left and slightly rear of his sight Traverse and elevation gearboxes and a roughed out stowage bracket that when complete will go on the Mollins gear frame above and left of the stowage box below. The mollins gear frame with one of the two stowage items fitted. Still wiring to go yet! The mollins gear isolation switch! And the two parts of the gunners seat, unfortunately the size of the turret ring in the kit means that the gunners seat will sit slightly higher than in the actual vehicle, but since it will be viewed from above I don't think it will present too much of an issue. There is a lip on the top right edge of the gunners seat back that acts as a step, I need to fix some diamond pattern photo etch on this to simulate the tread plate. And I got the mesh fixed onto the back of the FCT traverse guards, the mesh still needs to be trimmed but these two propped up almost in situ give a good impression of the overall effect! Commanders seat back now fixed in place. And this is the FCT in a rough simulation of how it and the mollins gear sit together in the turret, I still have to build the reverse face of the mollins gear, despite there being a curved guard plate between the two the back will still be visible through the commanders hatch. So there is some evidence that I have not been totaly idle! Ta for lookin` no"G" Granto 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Gobsmacked!! At least now the Amusing Hobby Mk.1 is out, you'll have something to keep you occupied once this is finished. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 11, 2017 Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 42 minutes ago, Bullbasket said: Gobsmacked!! At least now the Amusing Hobby Mk.1 is out, you'll have something to keep you occupied once this is finished. John. I think I`ll give Conky a rest after this one John! Granto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 More and more stunning engineering - I have a job remembering this isn't 1:1 scale! Looking forward to the next instalment Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longshanks Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Setting the standards for scratch building...... Lovely work Grant Kev 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widow 65 Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 Fantastic attention to detail.....some serious Scratchin!!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 15 hours ago, Widow 65 said: Fantastic attention to detail.....some serious Scratchin!!!!!! Like it, no "G"! Granto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 Haven't got a clue what the weather is doing, too busy with the Conky! More progress! Here`s what I`ve done today................... Last night I fixed the back on the gunners seat And today I got a bit of diamond mesh on it, once fettled this will resemble tread plate! only the height adjustment plunger to go on this now! Then I made up a former for some of the FCT stowage, namely three .30 Cal boxes, I`m going to use some old fret that I have cleaned up, this is about the right height, it will be bent around the former and then fixed onto the FCT turntable. I fixed the first two traverse guards into the FCT, I`ve got some bracketry and wiring to do before the other two guards go in along with the Commanders control box which will mount on a bracket that is on the forward edge of the left front traverse guard. Just a wee taster shot................................. It all fits so far! I have put some clips for the wiring inside the turret, I`ll start to fill these this week. These bits are almost ready for paint, gunners sight, and two of his many little boxes! These four are all part of the power traverse/elevation and manual traverse elevation gearboxes/controls in their rough position relative to one another! These two shockingly bad fots show the gunners rangefinder , it is a rather complex casting in reality which so far has taken six parts to roughly duplicate! And finally for today here is the mollins gear frame! Stowage bracket and box fitted but minus its wiring which I fitted after I took the fot! So It`s coming along..................slowly I grant you, but at least it`s coming! Ta for lookin` no "G" Granto 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 Turret basket looks very nice for now..., cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widow 65 Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 I admire your patience No "G".....? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carius Posted March 14, 2017 Share Posted March 14, 2017 Excellent upgrade 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 19, 2017 Author Share Posted March 19, 2017 Well, here`s another update to the glacially slow Conky saga! Here is the underside of the FCT casting, DML have made the turret ring the same size as the casting, in reality it was slightly smaller, so I've had to make a collar to reduce the appearance of the excessively large turret ring and to provide a mating surface for the top of the FCT turret basket. Here is the collar, it has a step so it will neatly mate with the FCT casting and still retain the top of the turret basket below................. The top of the traverse cage will mate with and be fixed to the inside edge of the collar. Next up was..................... The Gunners seat, now all fettled and with the height adjustment plunger fitted, win column for this then! This is the Gunners rangefinder unit, a complicated shape, the viewing window will go on this side. This end sits next to the Gunners sight, I still don't know why I put the eight bolt heads on the end since they will be invisible because of the sight! But I know they`re there! And here are the pieces for the gunners station so far in the correct order, from the left, Rangefinder unit, sight, gun kit trimming controls, comms box and gunners control box. And here is where they are going to end up! I've started laying some cabling in already. The control box goes in the dark triangle below the hatch opening to the left of the two white cable clips, the comms box below and slightly forward of that with the gun kit controls tucked in on the wall near the roof edge slightly forward of the slot in the roof for the sight. The sight will be mounted directly over the slot for the sight head with the rangefinder unit next to it and slightly to the rear on the stepped portion of the turret roof, This is the modeling equivalent of decorating your hallway through the letterbox! This is the direct result of deciding to build some interior after A. drinking and B. cementing the turret top and bottom together! And finally.............., rangefinder viewer, power traverse control box minus handle, manual traverse gearbox minus handle and power elevation control box minus handle! So some serious handling to do here! Ta for lookin` no "G" Granto 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripaman Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 That is some unbelivable brilliant scratch work Granto , I have been told that I'am but I think you are just the same, if not more (in a very good way ) Regards Richard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longshanks Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 I have a confession to make .......... All I knew about the Conqueror was gathered standing next to one in Bovington (Mk1) for about a minute. I'm now getting to know this grand old lady intimately ..... Magic work Kev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 More and more stunning work here, I trust the breech will be fully working!..............................................................I'll get me coat! Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 19, 2017 Author Share Posted March 19, 2017 1 hour ago, Hamden said: More and more stunning work here, I trust the breech will be fully working!..............................................................I'll get me coat! Roger I was just trying to figure out the cams to get the breech to open upon full recoil!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etienne Posted March 19, 2017 Share Posted March 19, 2017 Hello, sorry for posting so seldom ... I have no words to describe my awe !! E 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted March 20, 2017 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I refer the Honourable Gentleman to my previous comments! John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 21, 2017 Author Share Posted March 21, 2017 Here we go again then, nice and sunny, cool, fresh even, who cares, a tank needs building, off to the shed! This hoofin` great lump of stock is going to form the spent case chute on the back of the mollins gear frame, well it will once I`ve got some 125mm 400 grit self adhesive sanding discs for my bench sander! That's why the breech ring is lying fallow as well! More wiring going in, there's more since the fot was taken, this is a real pain! I have to do it one clip at a time, it`s fighting me all the way! However, this lot is almost done! The various handles for the gunners controls are now fitted! And the Commander now has a power traverse controler! The out of focus strip of stock top left of the fot with the round end is the casting that will unify the majority of the gunners controls, it will either be a direct mount or provide a bracket location for everything other than the power traverse control. Here is the gunners rangefinder unit with the working window fitted. Well that was a productive hour or two, now for some unproductive hours at work! Ta for lookin` no "G" Granto 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancisGL Posted March 21, 2017 Share Posted March 21, 2017 More good work..., cheers mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valenstitch Posted March 23, 2017 Author Share Posted March 23, 2017 It`s been a fruitful week on the shed front! More work ticked off the list! However I`ve also found more and more work that needs doing! Onwards and upwards ! If you've looked at this thread recently you might recognise this lot........................ The gunners controls, they all fit on or around the traverse gearbox.............. Well here it is! The culmination of four mornings in the shed! 35 separate parts, not including the hand traverse gear and the power elevation control! I am feeling a bit smug about this! It looks the part, I think it looks even better in the flesh than it does in the fots! Definite "Win column" for this! Ta for lookin` no "G" Granto 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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