Jump to content

Cromwell Mk.Vl. CIAB.


Recommended Posts

I built this a couple of years ago, number three in my list of Cromwells and Centaurs. It's basically the Tamiya Centaur kit with a few modifications, most notable being the substitution of Tamiya Cromwell wheels for the Centaur perforated tyres. 

I rebuilt a lot of the rear of the tank. The rear of the air box had a first aid box moulded onto it, but I was fairly sure that this tanks didn't have one. I could have just cut it off and filled the resulting hole, but I like to do things the hard way. So I made a new rear for the air box from thick card and detailed it with bolt heads from Calibre 35. I also replaced  the rear track guards with ones from Aber.

 904e509d-d0ad-4149-8dcf-dac4e18e1106.JPG

 

Many Cromwells had parts if not all of the sand shields ripped away, so I replicated this using the kit parts but thinned down by scraping with a blade. I used the Normandy Cowl from the kit, but replaced the sides with ones made from thin card.

ab9a5d39-e7a4-40d4-a273-32f5443144a8.JPG

 

The lids on the stowage bins were replaced with ones made from thin pewter sheet. Stowage was a combination of Accurate Armour and Black Dog and the etched brass was curtesy of Aber. The base colour was sprayed on using Tamiya paints for the SCC15 and the disruptive cammo pattern was brush painted on with Vallejo acrylics.

The tank that I was depicting belonged to the Czech Independent Armoured Brigade and this unit spent most of it's time after D Day keeping the German garrison in Ostend penned in, and the 95mm howitzers of the Mk.Vl's were used to shell the port. The decals I used were the rub down variety from SKP.

 

106dfccd-1c1f-403b-8a66-7341b1fcd872.JPG

 

The 95mm shell boxes came from Accurate Armour and the empty cardboard shell tubes I made from plastic tube.

03b9db83-25f9-48ff-8b1d-d1341e393c27.JPG

 

d846c987-d263-47f3-ba2b-45a91b76bb0b.JPG

 

The figures are Miniart with Hornet heads.

632d7912-f89a-489a-8d70-40e396de8a40.JPG

 

 

7950f46b-c7a8-4af8-8487-25855236e4b0.JPG

 

438fe720-885b-4487-b54d-60f422f524a6.JPG

 

2fa270ee-409d-45df-9114-40b69191a9b3.JPG

 

e815e11e-d8d4-4a27-b8c9-bb49326c450d.JPG

 

 

6f31d303-e011-4cb1-bd3a-75636ca50dd2.JPG

 

5e75dff7-74ca-4f82-91c2-bc0eb0bbaedf.JPG

The base was built up using balsa wood onto a photo frame from Wilkinsons.

Thanks for looking.

 

John.

  • Like 15
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking good John, like it's getting ready for another fire mission against the port.

 

They didn't go much for sloped armor and it's a rolling rivet collection isn't it?

 

Amazing how tanks have evolved over the last 60-70 years, and got lots bigger.

 

Lloyd

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Lloyd. I think that they put so many rivets on them so that in future years modellers would be able to pick them out with washes!

 

John.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You did a great job with the Tamiya kit and it turned out beautifully John. Once again you attention to detail shines through. Very well done. :worthy:

Kind regards,

Stix

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTW there is a Brit armor group over here training at BATUS Suffield which is only 30kms west of Medicine Hat.

 

It's a live firing exercise and you can hear the Challengers and artillery banging and booming away in the afternoon and early evenings.

Then there are choppers and even some of our own F-18's buzzing back and forth and some of those passes are low and noisey.  "The sound of freedom" and ain't it grand?

 

Wish they would let us civies go watch, but that's another dream.  I have managed to go when they have open houses but they aren't throwing live ammo around then, much as I'd like to see it.

 

Lloyd

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be honest I hasn't got a clue that Cromwell's was painted with camo. Excellent job. Can you tell your mixture of Tamiya paints for SCC15? May re-spray my Sherman.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Kris B said:

To be honest I hasn't got a clue that Cromwell's was painted with camo. Excellent job. Can you tell your mixture of Tamiya paints for SCC15? May re-spray my Sherman.

Thanks Kris,

Yes, Cromwells did receive camo patterns apart from all over green or brown. The Czechs used the colour/pattern that I've depicted and a few British units painted their Cromwells SCC15 with a black disruptive pattern.

The mix that I use for SCC15 is one from Mike Starmer. It's 5 parts XF61, 2 parts XF62, 2 parts XF3 and 1 part Medium Grey for scale effect. I usually add a bit more XF3 to lighten it a bit so that when I put a gloss varnish on it, it doesn't become too dark.

 

John.

 

 

1 hour ago, FrancisGL said:

Very nice finished, i love stowage, very natural, :goodjob:, cheers John :cheers:

Thanks Francis.

 

John.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you John. I just have a look again on my Sherman, but I start to think I am gonna defo re-spry it as for base I only used 5 parts XF61, 2 parts XF62 mixture and it looks to dark for me.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Kris B said:

I only used 5 parts XF61, 2 parts XF62 mixture and it looks to dark for me.

Yes, I think that mixture is way too dark. It needs the XF3 Yellow to lighten it.

 

John.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, builder52 said:

goog work John, nice sheme, nice pictures, well done :clap::cheers:

Thanks Jean-Yves. Yes it does make a nice change from just plain green.

 

John.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Etienne said:

Hi, great Cromwell, I really dig the camo ... you put a personal stamp on this one, great !!

 

E

Many thanks Etienne.

 

John.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...