Retired Bob

Lovely big Scammell, if I could share one tip on making a nice muddy model, have some clean patches on the windscreens where the wiper blades have cleared/smeared the splattered mud.

A great idea and an impressive looking model. I don't fancy doing the actual prototype scheme either, lazy or not, a great what-if opportunity.

Thanks for the recommendation Colin. I have watched the whole series now and totally agree with you, I wondered where it was going for the first couple of episodes but it certainly becomes a gripping drama as it unfolds. Roll on series 2.

Very impressive model and finish, looks perfect to me.

When I did my initial weapons course at Halton in the 70s, I was practicing loading gun packs onto Hunters and bombs onto a Sea Vixen. All those surplus airframes used in training establishments that were discarded when something newer was available.

I remember the series, thanks for the link to re-watch it, dodgy acting, rubbish fight scenes and wobbly sets. Reminds me of Crossroads, well, apart from the fight scenes. I wonder if Gerald Harper was ever considered for the Bond role?

Thanks for the great links and helpful information, most appreciated. I'll look at making my own trailer as there certainly shows two different versions, I can use the fittings and trailer attachment parts of the kit version. I'll see if there are any better wheels available now that Accurate Armour have stopped trading. This of course will mean that AFV Club will bring out a better Churchill Crocodile kit. Edit: I just ordered a set of resin wheels for the Matador truck by Panzer Art. Hopefully they will solve the problems of the Tamiya trailer wheels.

Looks good to me, as for for the IFF wires, they wouldn't be fitted until the end of November 1940 at the earliest.

I've looked at kit reviews and other forums for any information on the fuel trailer size discrepancy but nothing is mentioned apart from someone on Track links says it might be undersized. I've seen the one in the museum at Bovington but unfortunately I didn't have a tape measure with me. Perhaps @Kingsman has some knowledge on the matter. Here's a Crocodile with some later features like the deflector bumps on the turret front plate and all vision cupola. I mentioned that I was surprised that AFV Club had not included an earlier low two vision cupola in the kit, this is because one of the kit decal choices is "Briton" which was an early Mk.VII with a low cupola and other early features. (The "Briton" name decal is also too large, fyi) Here is the Crocodile fuel trailer at Bovington, surely Tamiya didn't fudge the measurements up on something with such a basic shape?

30%, that's quite a discrepancy. I've never read anything about being it being so far out. I built the Tamiya Churchill Crocodile kit about 40 years ago, OOB because I didn't know any better, pre-internet and I had no reference material on Churchill's. I've only seen some AM wheels for the trailer and it seems to be the only option without scratch building the thing.

I didn't know there was a problem with the trailer size, depends on how complex the fix is.

I'm going to build a Churchill Crocodile. I'm not using the old Tamiya Churchill, just the fuel trailer and connectors from that kit, adding those to the AFV Club Churchill Mk.VII tank. I waited several years for AFV Club to release their own kit of a Crocodile but it looks like they're not interested so, I'll make it my own way. I don't like vinyl tracks but I managed to find some AFV Club workable tracks and some Master brass turned BESA machine gun barrels. I'll see what other bits and pieces I can find when STGB is underway. The kit has some optional parts to make an early Mk.VII or a later/post WW2, I would have thought that they would have included an early low cupola as well as the all round vision one but I've got one in the spares box if needed. The tracks are assembled from two parts for each link and are quick and easy to build, just two ejector indents on each link to sort out. Here's a period photo of an early Crocodile, the flat front of the turret is visible and the centre section of the track guards has been removed so that any damage in that area will not jam the turret. All ready for the start.

Very impressive.

I believe it was called "character building"

Not only the Sgts in training establishments. I seem to remember (It was a long time ago) everyone had a superiority complex when dealing with recruits. Even if they were barely above us in the food chain of command, without a rank of Corporal or Sergeant you had to call them "Staff". One DI enjoyed making us hold a .303 Lee Enfield by the butt with the arm outstretched, if you dropped or lowered it then "you were in trouble"