ERK

More progress on this - I wasn't happy with the hight of the commanders seat/position as it was too low for whn he was standing in the hatch, so I decided to remove the seat unit and build the base up a few mil, then I discovered that it would be better to place a cushion pad in the down position, I also started work on the rear APFDS stowage racks, I have a similar arrangement in my M1 Abrams kit - but as they are both different, it needed a fair bit of work - still more work to do around that area. Next I amde a support and back cushion for the commaders seat - its looking more in proportion now. Still lots more to add as I work through the limited pics I have of the actual thing. The roof of the turret has been made and cleaned up a bit - a few bit of Vallejo putty to go in a few gaps, its dry fitted to get a feel for the fit. Erk.

A bit more work in the turret - I have had to make the commanders position and seat, and after the gunners followed by loaders, but to get the right seat hights as I had nothing to go by - I made up one of the tanker figures I have to go with the kit, I then dry fitted the turret roof and placed the figure through the commaders hatch and worked out the seat hight from that. Erk.

More work on "Turret-o" this time shaping/bending and fitting the surround plates that seperate the turret from the front/back of the hull. Erk.

More progress on my little venture - I have connected up the bottom turret plate to the ring/casement part, this was done in a few areas I also had to gauge my hight to make sure it was square and would still fit in the hull - worked out ok I think. Plenty more to come yet including some ammo from those chaps over at Accurate Armour. Erk.

Hi Wayne, to be honest - not very much, it will be one of those situations of just knowing its in there, I will have both hatches open and will try to get some pics pointing down in through the hatches, but I will also have a group of tankers placed in the hatches. Erk.

Thank you kindly. Erk.

Thanks Mick. Erk.

Thank you kindly, I thought it would add to what is already an excellent kit, will be doing the RFM M1A2 after. Erk.

Thank you so much - lots of head scratching days ahead though. Erk.

Evening all, I have mamnaged a bit more progress with my Chally - I am now at the interesting stage of trying to convert the RFM M1 (with Full internal detail) into my build here, this is no easy task as I firstly found out a difference in width in the inside hull between track wheel walls - the Chally is a few mil narrower, the bottom of the turret cage is a circle from the M1 kit but yes you guessed it - will not fit down inside the challys hull, no choice but to attack both sides an equal amount till the bottom plate slid down. At the same time I made and fitted the reel cage that goes on the back - this was part PE part plastic. The top is not fixed down yet just dry fitted. This took me onto the next stage - in the M1 kit the lower turret part has a beautiful moulded turret ring with attachments, I needed this transfered over somehow onto my chally (not an easy job) luckily on the underside there is a ridge that lines up with where I would need to cut, so I used my sharpest blade and started scoring through - it took me about an hour - nearly cutting my fingers in the process as the blade tended to slip. Anyway it cut through and seperated quite neatly, all I needed to do was to cut away a small section under the breech, then it was glued in place, then the two cut away section could be modified and glued back. Its not going too bad I think? Erk.

I cant say enpough about these RFM kits they are so nice and seam so accurate, and like I have said before the addional PE is a welcome addition, I was going to (try) to get the Accurate Armour Oshkosh 1070F tank transporter but they are out of stock and taking enquires from interested buyers, and none around anywhere else. That would make one lovely dio. Erk.

Evening all, more progress with the barrel stowage lock arm, its a Three piece uinit and inlcudes the actual clasp, then a few bumpers anf finished off with the Two stowage lockers including some lovely moulded on locks. Erk.

Excellent work - makes me want to try this with the straps at 28mm. Erk.

Thank you kindly, they are fine kits by the look of them all the mouldings are crisp, and it builds great straight out the box, the added PE in the box certainly helps, mind you I am making work for myself trying to show some interior uisng the M1 Abrams kit. Erk.

That looks Superb, sorry about your man loosing his head - possibly over worked. Erk.

Hi all, got more work done on this this evening - still on the top but towards the rear over the engine, firstly I added the multitude of hatch hinges (on other Chally kits these are already moulded on) - tiny little things that needs a fine wire to lay a small amount of glue - so as not to mark the surface, then I fitted some of the larger item - Fuel filler caps, hand rail and best of all some Bling in the shape of grill covers. As i am attempting to do a part internal my idea was to use part of the internal set taht comes with the RFM M1A2 kit, I will have something to work off altering a few of the parts inside the tank. But will also have another kit I can build latter with the extra update parts I have brought to go with the M1. Erk.

Really does look the same size as my Action Man one - tiny. Erk.

Yep that will do nicely - spot on with the detailing. Erk.

I was on holiday close to Bovingdon I had already been round the museum, I had gone back to my holiday accomodation when I had one of those moments where I thought about dashing back to the Tank museums shop to get myself a tank model reminder of my visit, it was getting late but thought if I hurried up I might make the shop, I bombed up that road in the pic was about to take the turn into the road on the Right, but was met head on by a 60 ton Challenger tank - he was not ammused if I remember correctly. I still missed the shop aswel. Erk.

I nearly got crushed by a Challenger coming across that road a few years back in my car when I rushed to catch the museum shop - but was too late. Erk.

A bit more progress still working on the frontal armour - next up was the drive light units - fiddly little Four piece things including a little bit of PE Bling, at this stage I decided it would be better to attach the lower armour to the top as this was a One pice unit in real life (I assume)? the instructions call for this to be assembled at different stages. Next off was a few bits on the top plate including a bit more bling. Dry fitted frontal armour at this stage. Really impressed by the quailty of this kit. Erk.

Thank you kindly. Erk.

3 miles by 2 was the size of the Battlefield convert that to 28mm and you have several football fields. Erk.

Excellent was nearly thrown by the title (came to mind was my fave film about vampires). Erk.

Really nice work, I was doing some conversion work of the whole battlefield converted into the scale I am working in 28mm, it would need an area 565 X 377 Feet to fit it all on.........thats Huge. Erk.