Challenger Mk.1 Mk.2 Questions

[At Sea]

Hi,

 

I haven't built a Tank in 25 years and have very fond memories of the 1/35 Chieftan by Tamiya which I have bought.

I am also planning to eventually build a Challenger 2 in early spec and colours.

 

The exact Tank I want is modelled by Trumpeter in their Challenger Mk.2 Boxing but I have come across numerous threads about various innacuracies and (compared to Tamiya) poor moulding on this kit.

 

I wondered the Tamiya Challenger 2 desert kit or the Tamiya Challenger 1 kit could be combined to make a more accurate Challenger 2?

It seems that the reactive armour is moulded into the Challenger 2 which would make it hard to back date, is the lower hull and running gear common between the Challenger 1 and 2? Could I then bash a Mk1 and Mk2 by Tamiya together and use the short skirt armour from the Trumpeter kit to complete it?

Does anyone make a really good Early Challenger 2 in 1/35 given that taking potentially 3 1/35 Challengers and trying to create 1 tank will cost a lot and give me an interesting spares box!

 

Thanks. :-)

 

 

[ivan-o]

Well Trumpy's cr2 can be made into a good kit if you use Accurate Armours updates but the plastic is soft and wont take a lot of glue!

Tamiya's cr1 and 2 are  very good but to back date it you would need the same updates or do a bit of scratch building for the skirts for cr2,

No you cant mix and match.

 

hope that helps

Ivan

 

 

 

[At Sea]

Actually that does help a lot. 

 

[At Sea]

Well that's me ruined for life.  I have just discovered Accurate Armour.  

I thought resin for aircraft could get out of hand! 

[ivan-o]

Well i don't want to be the bearer of bad news but there are LOT'S of sites like AA out there! 

[Kiwidave4]

The Trumpeter Chally 2 is nowhere near as bad as the many keyboard warriors would have you believe. I built one soon after release when the internet was full of people rubbishing it.

The only tricky bit was the fit of the turret bins, and at one third of the price of the Tamiya kit it was good value. 

 

Just like the Tamiya offering it has missing details, and some inaccuracies;- funny how nobody seems to notice when Tamiya get something wrong though.

 

The Trumpeter kit would give you what you want and some simple scratchbuilding will add to or improve the detailing.

 

 

[At Sea]

1 hour ago, Kiwidave4 said:

The Trumpeter kit would give you what you want and some simple scratchbuilding will add to or improve the detailing.

 

 

Thanks for that, I am sure it will, and to be honest, this is a hobby. If everything was perfect and required no skill where would the satisfaction be?!

[Cromwell]

I'm 2/3 through building my chally 2 operation telic there is quite a bit of clean up to do. The rear turret sides are a little out of shape. But I thought the biggest let down were the mouldings of the GPMG and the rear fuel drums

 

still, enjoying the build though