BlackMax12 Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Here is a start on another BATUS Chieftain, this one is a MK 11 to go with the MK 10 I did earlier. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Nice start you can't have to many Chieftains! From memory(a dangerous thing) there's a Mk11 outside HQ building at Suffield you going to portray that one? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig Eater Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 Interesting that the Stillbrew armour is moulded as part of the turret, I had expected Takom to use the turret from their Mk.5 kit & have the Stillbrew as a new separate piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris B Posted June 26, 2017 Share Posted June 26, 2017 What painting scheme do you planning for this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) Chris It will be another BATUS paint scheme. I'll have to go out to Suffield and have a look at their display. Last time I was past all I saw was what I think was a Centurion but I was looking on the other side of the road where there was a whole bunch of Challenger II's and of course dummy didn't stop or have a camera or even a cell phone for some pics. Lloyd Edited June 26, 2017 by BlackMax12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 (edited) More progress, starting to look like something. Photo etch coming up, hate that part. So far it's going pretty well except the instructions call for 97 links per side and I needed 101 for the first side and then I was about 4 links short on the right side. Good thing the skirts completely cover the top run of track as there is a gap but it doesn't show. Funny that someone like Friulmodel gives you at least 25 spare metal links but Takom can't supply even 5 extra plastic links. I still have to glue all of the separate track pads on each track link but you can bet the top links under the skirts won't be getting any rubber pads attached. That still leaves 100+ of the little devils though. Edited June 27, 2017 by BlackMax12 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 Looking good Suffield Chieftain was on the HQ side of the camp that's the LH side travelling from Highway 1 Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niall Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 Gate guardian at Catterick - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 Hamden I was mostly looking on the right side of the road as there were at least 30 Challengers and a bunch of Warriors parked there with some people working on and around them. I couldn't believe there were so many but now I read there are about 40 Challenger II's based at BATUS. At $8.5M each that's a lot of dough, and even the cost to get them here. Wonder how long it takes by train, ship and train again to get them 3/4 of the way across Canada from the U.K.??? And how much? I did get a quick glimpse of a Centurion parked behind the main gate on the left though. Looks like I'll take another drive out there with a camera this time as it's only 50 kms from here. Hope they don't shoot at me for taking photos........... I was going to paint this model in the sand and green scheme but now I'm thinking of the NATO green/black/brown just to make it different than my MK 10. Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 OK there is a Chieftain in the room here somewhere. Still needs those grab irons on the rear deck, view blocks in the commander's cupola and those pesky rubber blocks added to the tracks, sigh... I have already broken the mirrors off once so they will probably end up in the folded position before I lose one. I think this one will end up in the NATO scheme. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 (edited) Not a lot of difference between a MK 10 and the new MK 11. Here's the MK 10 in a BATUS paint scheme for a comparison. The upper hull is just sitting on the MK11 and it looks like it has shifted forward a bit and I didn't notice before taking the pictures. Camera shows everything, again, dammit. Edited June 27, 2017 by BlackMax12 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 That Mk10 is superb, do you have a WiP link? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 "Wonder how long it takes by train, ship and train again to get them 3/4 of the way across Canada from the U.K.???" I worked in BATUS 2009 - 2011 staying in Med Hat Lodge for that period of time so If I remember correctly the vehicles traveled from Marchwood (Southampton) by boat to Montreal then overland by train to Suffield the total journey was about 3 months. Chieftains were normally painted a yellow sand and NATO green. Your model is coming together nicely and looks every inch a Chieftain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 (edited) No unfortunately that MK 10 was done in July or August 2016 I think and I hadn't started doing works on progress back then. Now I've learned how to post them and overwhelm the board with pictures. I guess this one will be the yellow/green scheme then too and I'll have twins, or almost twins that is. Must be interesting to watch a crane load them on and then unload them from a ship. I'd imagine they drive up ramps to get them on the flatcars though. I have seen a train at the siding in Suffield loaded with vehicles but never stopped to watch the unloading. I imagine they must stop traffic on #1 to get them across to the road past Ralston. Who would want to hit a tank with a Volkswagen? Interesting place that Suffield. Here's some trivia. I was driving past there back in 1981 and spotted a huge gun barrel. I stopped and checked it out and it was a 16" barrel, no breech or anything. That sucker was about 60 feet long and the breech end was about 48 inches in diameter, must have weighed tons and tons. (just looked it up and it's about 65 tons for the barrel alone) Imagine the hydraulics required to elevate one of these and sometimes 3 in the same turret, wow. There was a bunch of stampings on the breech end so I researched it and it was destined for the aborted Lexington class battle cruisers from back in the 20's. (they became the Lexington and Saratoga aircraft carriers) Apparently they had it at Suffield for some tests. Must have been some loud noises as you can hear tank guns and artillery firing from Medicine Hat, never mind a 16" naval gun being fired. I looked for it again about 2-3 years later and it was gone, either shipped back or scrapped. Take care, Lloyd Edited June 27, 2017 by BlackMax12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 27, 2017 Author Share Posted June 27, 2017 (edited) Thanks DAG058 No build log for the Mark 10. That was one of the first 1/35 models I completed in 2016 after my 3 year stint with the 1/200 Trumpeter Missouri. I really needed a change so I built a bunch of WWII German AFV's and this Chieftain caught my eye and it turned out rather well. I don't have room for dioramas or the skills to even try one so all of my models are just display models sitting on shelves. I also don't think my skills have improved that much after 30-40 1/35 kits in the last year or so but it's still mostly fun. The one miss step was a Trumpeter 1/16 Jagdtiger that I completed about 95% then found out I could not get the upper hull in place after gluing the main gun mounting into the lower hull and the roof on the fighting compartment. Some serious boo-boos on that one. It didn't survive a collision ( well several collisions) with a size 13 four E boot. In a fit of rage it got stamped several times, a dis-assembled kit. Only about Cdn$300 plus and 6 weeks of work, what the hey. Take care, Lloyd Edited June 27, 2017 by BlackMax12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 (edited) Vehicles were shipped on roll on roll off vessels so no Chieftain or CR etc hanging in mid air! Roger Found on google BATUS gate guard Mk11 hope this works! http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/tjbear66/media/cGF0aDovMTAwXzI0MTEuanBn/?ref= Edited June 28, 2017 by Hamden link added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Thanks Hamden You can't see this one from the road so I'll have to go out and take some pics. Pity the gun is depressed, it looks rather depressing, not the usual aggressive pose. My Chieftain is in all black primer right now waiting for the camo scheme in a day or two. Take care, Lloyd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Well that was a ripoff. I drove out to Suffield this AM to take some pics of that MK11 on display and it is a "closed base" so they wouldn't let me in. All of the Challenger II's I could see from the road a couple of weeks ago were gone too so no pics of them. Total wasted trip but a nice drive early morning. Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Here is the Chieftain with a coat of black primer. I missed one of the front tow horns but the camo will fix it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris B Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I'm wondering how those track will be installed? I always that the skirts will be fitted on the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 The hull top isn't glued on yet so the tracks come off and install easily. Nice to see you are looking Chris. Lloyd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris B Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 You hasn't got a gap then on the front? Yes I keep my eye on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackMax12 Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 (edited) Chris No there's no gap. The glacis fits the lower hull perfectly at the front and the rear sits snuggly on top of the rear hull plate. A bit of luck there as there are no gaps to fill or maybe Takom was thinking ahead. Either way I'll take it. Those pesky, easy to break mirrors got remounted in the folded position after I spent half an hour looking for the second one I broke off last night. Painted the tracks a rusty brownish today with the rubber pads left as black primer and they look good, maybe a little more dirtying up after they are mounted permanently but good so far. The wheels got painted NATO green with rubber black tires today also so they are pretty much ready too. Tomorrow it will get the sandy yellow base and then maybe before the weekend the NATO green camo. Then install all of the vision blocks that are already painted clear green, some decals and a light dusting and call it done. Take care, Lloyd Edited June 28, 2017 by BlackMax12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris B Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Thank you Lloyd. With the mirrors I have the same problem in my Warrior - easy to brake as they are sticking out of the model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan B Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 For someone who's never built a 1/35 Tank (but wants to) it's interesting and fun to see the process. I have some Takom Chieftains in stock so might just have to have a go at one. Duncan B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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