My 1/48th Cruiser Tank Collection.

[Bullbasket]

A few months ago, I posted a thread in RFI entitled My 1/48th Scale Sherman Collection. Now, I would like to do something similar with the cruiser tanks that I have in my collection. They are all based on Tamiya kits and have all been detailed or converted to some extent. There's also a certain amount of scratch building involved with some.

The first up is the Crusader Mk.l.

Because this was the earlier version of the Crusader Mk.l which fought in Operation Battleaxe, some changes were made. Bear in mind, this was built around 5-6 years ago, so I'm digging deep into my memory banks. I used the Battalion Bits conversion, which includes a complete new turret front, single central headlamp and turret mounted radio aerial base. At the time, it didn't include the sand shields which I had to make from 10thou card, but it does now. I also had to change the air filter boxes mounted on the rear track guards to the very early ones. The Caunter scheme was painted using Tamiya paints.

 

Crusader Mk.lll.

This was built practically OOTB. It represents a tank of the Czech Independent Armoured Brigade while training in the UK. The only additions were new sand shields from 10thou card, and an RB Models replacement 50mm barrel. It's finished in SCC2 brown and the decals are from SKP's rub down set.

 

 

 

Centaur.

I've posted photos of this one before, but I've included one photo again, just because it's part of the collection.

 

 

Cromwell Mk.lVf.

There was quite a lot of alterations to this one, the first being the usual rescribing of Tamiya's engine deck. The front RH side of the upper hull was rebuilt to represent a mirror image of the gunners escape hatch, and the front RH stowage bin was discarded. New stowage bins were built for the turret from card, and the 75mm gun was replaced with an RB Models item.

The major change that I made to this one was the road wheels. It's actually quite easy to displace them. I cut the second and third axle stubs off with a razor saw and filed it flat. Holes were then drilled higher up the hull and plastic tubing inserted to act as new axles.

A couple of other Mk.lVf features that I added were the leaf spring type tow bar, made from laminates of card, and the circular brackets on the glacis plate for winding the tow rope around.

 

 

Cromwell Mk.Vl.

This was a fairly straight forward conversion. I changed the drivers escape hatch for one that was split diagonally. The 95mm howitzer was made from two different diameters of sprue. It was painted SCC15 and then the black disruptive camouflage was brush painted. The decals are SKP and represent a CIAB CS tank.

 

 

A30 Challenger.

Again, I've posted this one on here before, but I included for the same reason as the Centaur.

 

 

I'll probably add to these eventually, as I've got another Crusader Mk.l/ll, Crusader AA Mk.lll and a Cromwell. Just finding the time to fit them into the busy modelling schedule. Thanks for looking.

 

John.

[keefr22]

Really nice collection John, all built and finished to a cracking standard! Favourite for me has to be the Cromwell crossing the railway, really like the dynamism in the display of that one!

 

Top jobs!

 

Keith

[bull-nut]

Fabulous collection you have there @Bullbasket. Just curious, do you have any plans to add the A13 or A9/A10 cruisers to the collection?

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

Really nice collection John, all built and finished to a cracking standard! Favourite for me has to be the Cromwell crossing the railway, really like the dynamism in the display of that one!

 

Top jobs!

 

Keith

Thanks Keith. Yes, it's mine too. That one gave me the most pleasure in building it.

 

John.

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, bull-nut said:

Just curious, do you have any plans to add the A13 or A9/A10 cruisers to the collection?

Thanks a lot. Well, I know of a resin A13 but I don't know of any A9/A10 kits in 1/48th scale.

 

John.

[Gorby]

You seem to be pretty damn good at this modelling malarkey, and at 1/48 as well! remarkable job one every singe last one, but my favourite is the same as Keefr22, the one crossing the rail tracks. 

[bull-nut]

46 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

Thanks a lot. Well, I know of a resin A13 but I don't know of any A9/A10 kits in 1/48th scale.

 

John.

 

I've been toying for a while about the possibility of converting the Crusader1 kit into A13 Covenantor, David fletchers book says that the turrets were the same at least. And the running gear, hull front and other bits and pieces should be usable. Need to check the A15 kit more closely at some point.

Edited July 31, 2017 by bull-nut

[Bullbasket]

18 minutes ago, Gorby said:

You seem to be pretty damn good at this modelling malarkey, and at 1/48 as well! remarkable job one every singe last one, but my favourite is the same as Keefr22, the one crossing the rail tracks. 

Thanks Gorby. Appreciate the comments. Was a time when all I did was 1/48th armour, but I haven't completed one for about six years now. Maybe one day before the Grim Reaper comes calling.

 

John.

[Bullbasket]

13 minutes ago, bull-nut said:

I've been toying for a while about the possibility of converting the Crusader1 kit into A13 Covenantor, David fletchers book says that the turrets were the same at least. And the running gear, hull front and other bits and pieces should be usable. Need to check the A15 kit more closely at some point.

I had a look around and found out who does the A13 in 1/48th. It's Kengi. Here's a list of his products and his address.

  Ken Swenson Models

Longtime professional modeler Ken Swenson produces a line of high quality 1/48 scale resin kits and conversions under the name "Kengi" that includes many highly sought after types including Lee and Grant tanks, several Stuart and Stuart-based variants, an early British Cruiser tank, the M24 Chaffee, Itialian M11/39, Japanese Te-Ke, an AmTrack, the legendary Hellcat tank destroyer, the M3 Half Track with 75mm gun and more. As of November, 2010 Ken’s current list includes:

M3 LEE  (resin conversion for Tamiya M4 Sherman kit No. 32523) $40.00

M3 GRANT (resin conversion for Tamiya M4 Sherman kit No. 32523) $40.00

M31 (T2) Armored Recovery Vehicle  (Grant tank converted to ARV, also used as a prime mover for Long Tom 155mm gun and 8in howitzer) (resin conversion for Tamiya M4 Sherman kit No. 32523) $40.00

Panzer 38T (resin conversion for Tamiya Hetzer)  $38.00

M3 STUART "Honey" Light Tank (complete resin kit) $38.00 

M5A1 STUART - Light Tank (late war version - complete resin kit)  $38.00

M8 75MM MOTOR GUN CARRIAGE (complete resin kit)  $40.00

LVTA1 "Water Buffalo" Amtrack (complete resin kit)  $50.00

TYPE 97 TE-KE Japanese Light Tank (complete resin kit) $35.00 

MK IVA CRUISER British Light Tank (complete resin kit) $40.00

STAGHOUND I (T17E1) Armored Car (complete resin kit) $40.00

M24 CHAFFEE Light Tank - Early Version (complerte resin kit) $42.00

ITALIAN 11/39 Medium Tank (complete resin kit) $38.00

M3 75MM Gun Motor Carriage (M3 half track with 75mm gun) (completer resin kit) $40.00

SdKfz 11 (Conversion for Tamiya SkKfz 251 half track kits Nos. 32564 and 32566) $40.00

German 10.5 cm towed field gun (for SdKfz 11 or other prime mover) (completer resin kit) $30.00

M-18 HELLCAT Tank Destroyer, 76mm Gun, early version (complete resin kit) $45.00

T-41 SHERMAN TRACK & M3 BOGIES (resin non-reversable rubber block track and conversion parts to back-date Tamiya M4 suspension towers)  $20.00

WE210 BRITISH STYLE SHERMAN TRACK M3 BOGIES (resin "waffle pattern" rubber block track and conversion parts for Tamiya M4 suspension) $20.00

SHIPPING

CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES: Single Kit - $ 7.00, Multiple Kits - $10.00, Track and Bogie Sets $3.00, Multiple Sets - $5.00 

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING:  Single Kit - $12.50, Multiple Kits - $14.00, Track and Bogie Sets $ 5.00, Multiple Sets $ 7.00

Ken takes payment by Paypal, but any customer ordering and not using Paypal, can take $5.00 off each kit ordered.   For more information and ordering, contact:

Ken Swenson
4543 Calhoun Avenue
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
[email protected]

 

[Troy Smith]

great work John

the Challenger is very impressive,   I have done some preliminary research on doing the same, and while searching for your post on this found some of my queries as well..

here's a link to the Challenger conversion which is well worth a read

 

cheers

T

 

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, Troy Smith said:

 

great work John

the Challenger is very impressive,   I have done some preliminary research on doing the same, and while searching for your post on this found some of my queries as well..

here's a link to the Challenger conversion which is well worth a read

 

Thanks Troy. Yes it's hard to believe that I did that conversion four years ago now.

 

John.

[PlaStix]

Hi John. That is a superb collection. You are an extremely talented model builder.

Kind regards,

Stix

[Ozzy]

Fantastic collection John,

 

they all  look fantastic, I like the Cromwell over the railway tracks.

[FrancisGL]

A collection that you can be proud of, all have their charm in their own way, the Crusader first, with its counter-camo, is a serious candidate to make one equal (I hope I have half as good as you ... Lol), if you have your WIP, give me a link to "soak".

Cheers John

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, PlaStix said:

Hi John. That is a superb collection. You are an extremely talented model builder.

Kind regards,

Stix

Evening Styx,

Thank you very much for your kind words.

Regards,

 

John.

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, Ozzy said:

Fantastic collection John,

 

they all  look fantastic, I like the Cromwell over the railway tracks.

Thanks Ozzy,

Yes, that seems the choice of most.

 

John.

[Kris B]

Excellent collection John. Lovely models. 

[Bullbasket]

42 minutes ago, FrancisGL said:

if you have your WIP, give me a link to "soak".

Thanks Francis,

I'm afraid that this was built at a time when I never bothered to take photos of the build or document it, so no WIP unfortunately. But try and get hold of the Military Modelling issue that Steve Zaloga did an article on the same build. His is much better than mine.

 

John.

19 minutes ago, Kris B said:

Excellent collection John. Lovely models. 

Thanks Kris. Much appreciated.

 

John.