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Australia Day long weekend quick build - Australian Matilda


SimonL

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Here I present my second AFV build, the Airfix 1/76 scale Matilda finished as a vehicle from 2/4 Armoured Regiment, Australian Army, New Guinea, 1944 (see here for details from the Australian War Memorial, also some great photos here from the same site). Intended as a long weekend quick build in time for Australia Day - and I managed it!

The basic kit needed some modifications to make it look more like one of the Australian Matilda's, including cutting down the height of the commanders cupola, the addition of some scratch built stowage boxes and some wire mesh to cover the rear hull - my first serious attempt I think at any kind of scratch building. The model was brush painted with Tamiya Acrylic, the main colour being Tamiya XF-13 (ironically enough IJA Green). Weathered with dry brushing and washes of Italeri and Tamiya acrylics. WIP thread can be found here, many thanks to Sgt Squarehead and Steve (Fatfingers) for advice on colour and the modifications.

Really beginning to enjoy these little tanks, a few more may be and I will have the courage to try a larger scale model. Thanks for looking.

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A388F9AD-D932-4DD2-B296-85A37F11940D_zps

C19B848E-6DD2-440C-AF58-863515770544_zps

32F57606-5635-4DFD-A5F9-5BC62805A275_zps

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Well you certainly made good use of the weekend and excellent Aussie Matilda you have built! The added extras really bring it to life. Very well done! :thumbsup:

Kind regards,

Stix

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Thanks for the kind comments. Really enjoyed this, a bit of a break from winged things. Until I started on this little weekend project I had no idea Matildas were used (and effectively it would appear) so late in the war.

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Smashing job. Those wrapped exhausts and the wire mesh are the icing on the cake... and REALLY, you shouldn't be afraid of stepping up to 1/35th. If anything I think the smaller scales are harder!

Regards,

Badder.

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Great job Simon, I am just working on the same kit (but a butchered 'unhistaccurate'* El-Alamein paintjob) - hopefully yours did not have as much as flash as mine seems to have! The scratchbuilding is damn fine too! :-)

Pete

*word belongs to me - can rent it out....

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Excellent job on the build and finish.

It's built up into a cracking model

Regards

Steve

Nice work Simon matey.

Great finish and weathering.

foxy :coolio:

Thanks Steve and Foxy

Smashing job. Those wrapped exhausts and the wire mesh are the icing on the cake... and REALLY, you shouldn't be afraid of stepping up to 1/35th. If anything I think the smaller scales are harder!

Regards,

Badder.

I agree with Badder, those exhaust and mesh details bring up the quality of the build, nice one,

Sean

Thank Badder and Sean, I've bitten the bullet and will start a Tamiya 1:48 scale Crusader shortly.

Great job Simon, I am just working on the same kit (but a butchered 'unhistaccurate'* El-Alamein paintjob) - hopefully yours did not have as much as flash as mine seems to have! The scratchbuilding is damn fine too! :-)

Pete

*word belongs to me - can rent it out....

Thanks Pete, there wasn't much serious flash on mine at all. Unhistaccurate - like it!

That's a cracking job Simon especially considering the age of the kit.

Thanks Steve.

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