Npal21

What's the white/light colour on the idlers? What did you thin the AK Real Colour with?

I have added the paint fading on the kit. I used AK interactive's faded olive drab. I like the tonal variation on the base coat colour. Thoughts? This will be blended with oils after decals and weathering.

Hi Henry from the other side of the ditch! This is a great forum full of knowledgeable people. That Tamiya Achilles is a great kit with well molded figures. Welcome aboard! Nick

Thanks @LeeM! I have managed to get the base coats done on the turret and hull. The AK real colour paints went down really well, thinned with Mr Colour levelling thinner. I added some paint retarder to the mix as well. I will let it dry for a few days in the tupperware container (where the photos were taken, sorry). The roadwheels have been painted rubber black all over. I have the Quickwheel mask for this kit so used that to paint S.C.C 15 on to the wheels.

Tow cables added and primed. I like the look of them hanging off the back of the tank instead of been stowed on the front. I used soft brass wire for the tow cables instead of the string provided in the kit. I have also polised the silver inner of the search light, added the lense and masked off. Everything is primed and ready for paint.

Wheels and turret have been primed. I am painting the inner part of the searchlight 1st with gloss black then chrome silver before I put the lens on and mask it up. After that it it should hopefully be onto base coating. I am thinking of using AK real colours s.c.c 15 lacquer paint. I am thinking of using this as it will be a tougher finish on the turret with the white wash hairspray technique. I will practice this technique on some plasticard before I put any paint on the kit.

Hoping to get a bit done this weekend, hopefully everything glued on and primed. After a bad chainsaw accident at work yesterday, I have a good 4 or 5 days at home at least. I have managed to find a few good winter pics and references for stowage and some weathering on Cromwell's. (For reference purposes only)

Not much progress lately. After looking at my references and stewing over the Tamiya Normandy cowl, I ended up removing it and re doing it. I 1st cut it in half and added the sheet styrene brackets where the 2 halves join. I then added the strip styrene bracing in the middle of each half and then reinstalled.

Hi Ed, Thanks for the compliments! This is the 1st time I've done a cromwell but am really enjoying it. I have one more in the stash and a centaur for future projects. I can highly recommend the Tamiya kit. Thanks, Nick

Turret details are been added slowly. Haven't had much bench time this weekend but have added the tie points on the rear of the turret, modified the headlight and "wired" it up, added the no.19 3d printed aerial base and added the commander's cupola with added wire handle.

Just a photo to prove I changed the turret front plate haha. Na, a bit of an update today, I have added the resin turret stowage boxes and added the 2 x cable lugs on the front glacis (still need to add weld beads around them). It's actually starting look like an F hull Cromwell. After checking my references again and the illustration of the tank I am building, I noticed the tank doesn't have the all round cupola (which was been introduced when the F type hull was been introduced), so I will use the Tamiya kit offering. As I can not find the original photo anywhere I must assume the illustration is reasonably correct.

No rush at all John. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Nick

So after rechecking my refrences I have removed the resin up armoured turret front plate and installed the kit Tamiya one. Luckily everything came off damage free. @Bullbasket was spot on again! John just wondering if you have any close up reference pictures of the smoke bomb hole on the turret welded up? I can not find any refrences to it.

Thanks for the great links John! I prefer print reference books myself but the net definitely has its benefits. I remember reading somewhere (for the life of me I now can't find it) that it was one of the upgrades along with the turret bins added etc but may be completely wrong.

Thanks John, I appreciate that. It looks as though its been covered for a type no. 19 radio antenna. Just out of curiosty are your refrences print or digital? I'd be keen to add these to my library. Thanks, Nick

Thanks John. Apart from the stowage boxes, cupola and additional front armour, were there any differences on the turrets the F type hull had? I have the aber p.e set and it says to cover the smoke bomb launcher on the turret?!

Ok, a bigger progress update today. I have added the tools and finished the lower hull details. I added cast texture to the rest of the hull plates, added the headlights and small lamps and added the wiring. I added the tools and wingnuts from the spares box for the clamps. The tools are quite crisp and will probably get covered with some stowage so didn't add p.e clamps (even though I have an aber p.e kit for this kit and the others in my stash). The lower hull has been given an all over hit of primer with a few minor areas to touch up. I have also started the turret which went together so quickly. I have added an Aber metal barrel and replaced the kit besa with a 3D printed one from FC Modeltrend. I will replace the sight vane as the kit one is way to thick, have added the thicker up armoured resin turret armour and have test fitted the turret on the modified hull. No surgery required!

So not a visual update but a financial one. I have ordered a set of metal tracks for this build from R-Model. I have a few sets from them in the stash for my Churchill kits and they are really nice. I may as well go all out!! I am planning on getting the rest of the rolled armour texture on the hull plates today and adding the tools and headlights to the hull with wiring. The turret will hopefully fall together quite easily. I have a spare AFV CLUB cupola with the periscopes ready to go to replace the kit one. A few resin bits to add as well.

Thanks @Marklo. You can thank @Bullbasketas be has been my resource as the Cromwell guru. The kit is a really good base and depending on which hull type you want to make can be adapted quite easily, or if you want to build OOB it will simply fall together quite well.

It looks amazing, you've done well!! 👏🏼👍🏼

Progress. I scratchbuilt the driver side fender support from plasticard and added bolt details to match the opposite side, added the bracket to the centre of the engine panel (not sure what it is but have seen it of a few of my refrences) added the fenders, exhaust cowling and hit it with a light coat of primer. I wanted to check the upper hull surfaces/fenders etc for imperfections before adding the tools and light details and to see if the rolled armour texture was ok. I am happy with it i may add it to the crew hull areas.

Thank you for the comments! I am looking forward to getting the lower hull done and shooting a coat of primer over it to see where I've joined the resin hull plates comes up. Planning to do a bit more today all going well 🤞🏼

I managed to get some bench time today. I have added the last of the rear deck panels and handles, added the side tool boxes, installed the hatches with new wire handles, added the smoke discharger wiring and mated the two hull halves together. I have also replaced the lap gunner Besa with a 3D printed barrel.

After filling and sanding the deck lines ive re-added the rolled armour texture to the deck plates. I have also added the wire deck handles and the bolts on the fender sides where they meet. Next up is the engine access hatches and the rest of the upper hull.