06/24 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 The Flying Dustbin Some of you may recall my starting this during the Achtung Panzer group build back last year. Like so many of my projects, it stalled for reasons I can’t now remember. So I thought I might resurrect it here. First, a recap: The PSC Churchill AVREPSC Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr PSC Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr The boxing enables a variety of versions to be built (with more or less accuracy)PSC Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr Less than fifteen minutes was all it took to get to this point. If you are a war gamer, I imagine these easy build kits are a godsendPSC Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr PSC Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr At this stage everything was only dry fitted, since I wanted to lift this from its slightly toy like origins.Changes I considered were:- replace co driver hatch with sliding mortar loading hatch- drill out mortar barrel and add lugs, or replace with tube- add avre fittings to side skirtsIf you have any other recommendations then let’s hear them! The tracks are poor, and I contemplated getting a Dragon boxing to use for detail spares, rather like the IBG carrier supplied detail parts for my PSC Universal Carriers. Since a full run of track is not needed, it might be possible to replace the more visible sections with Dragon track. However, in the end I decided to live with the kit parts. Mud and dirt can cover a multitude of sins! PS I know I fitted the commander's hatch the wrong way round! I believe they call this next bit “modelling”, but I prefer bodging!Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on Flickr Churchill AVRE by jongwinnett, on FlickrCameras are cruel, the added armour plate on the side hatch looked square in real life. Ended up cutting another. Basic plate work complete, the next task was to fabricate the brackets. Plates by jongwinnett, on Flickr Brackets by jongwinnett, on Flickr Brackets and sliding hatch finishedUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr They look a bit messy, but a coat of paint will hide many sins...Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr The barrel of the mortar was opened up as much as I dared, the plastic is soft and will break apart if I go much further. A metal tube would be a good bet, but I think this looks acceptable (just).Dry run by jongwinnett, on Flickr This was where it stalled. It was fun, although the black brackets took several attempts! It’s pretty much finished in terms of additions. At the time I wrote that I want to open up the second hatch space in the turret, look again at the inside returns at the front of the track runs, and add some hatch handles and some stuff around the rear plate, and a few other wee bits like that. Let’s see if I can finish it this time! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 References: TANKS AND AFVS OF THE BRITISH ARMY 1939-45. © IWM (KID 898)IWM Non Commercial Licence TANKS AND AFVS OF THE BRITISH ARMY 1939-45. © IWM (KID 900)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN 1944. © IWM (B 8774)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (B 11959)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (B 11963)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45. © IWM (H 38001)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45. © IWM (H 38003)IWM Non Commercial Licence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN 1944. © IWM (B 6901)IWM Non Commercial Licence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Have realised that I had completely forgotten the turret stowage bin - need to dig the parts out of the loft! That aside, some progress tonight – added plates to front return rollers, and filled the turret seams: Dustbin by jongwinnett, on Flickr Then a coat of primer: Dustbin by jongwinnett, on Flickr Dustbin by jongwinnett, on Flickr Dustbin by jongwinnett, on Flickr I am rather pleased with how the scratchbuilt bits look with the primer on. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Superb scratch parts! I've got some of the PSC Churchills and Cromwells in 15mm and they're smashing little kits. Look forward to seeing this progress 👍 Regards Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 Dragon have just announced one of these.....Yours is better. PS - Would you like some spare bogies for the rear sponson (I've got a half-dead Italeri donor kit lying around somewhere): 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 Kind , but I think they must have been fitted to only some (bridging?) I doubt that mine is "better" than Dragons but I do have the satisfaction of having done it myself! I had hoped to post a photo with paint, but the colour I had seen recommended on the box , Vallejo Russian Uniform , looks like no British tank I have ever seen, although it does look like you could use it for spring grass! Plan A had been Humbrol 163 and then a flat coat, think we might be revisiting plan A shortly! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 No.....Yours is better, it has a Petard Loading Hatch and Engineering Points. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 Lets hope I can finish it then! As this rather over exposed shot shows, the green is 'orrid. Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr Meanwhile I am fitting the turret stowage box, and scratching a better loaders hatch for the turret roof. (Presumably not actually occupied by a loader on an AVRE?) just havent taken a photo so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 The M5A1 is also by PSC, and was built by my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 The stowage bin lid looked too sloped to my eyes, so I've raised the rear edge a touch and added some side fillets. These will be squared off once the glue has hardened. You can also see the replacement hatch covers, not great, but again paint will be my friend. Which numptie added them the wrong way round to start with? Dustbin lid by jongwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 Whilst the glue was drying I made a start on the next wheelie tracked thing, if the AVRE is the dustbin, this must be the dustbin truck! M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr This first one (you get three in a box) is pretty much a proving test, but I did immediately notice some issues. There’s no seats or steering wheel in the cab (the designer intends you to use a crew which effectively disguise this) and the bottom edge of the rear hull is open. I boxed it in with some 10thou plastikard. M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr M5 Half track by jongwinnett, on Flickr Some of the detail may be a bit crude, but to my eye it captures the basic shapes well. However, I have done minimal research on the M5 so far, so may yet change my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 3, 2016 Author Share Posted June 3, 2016 As is so often the case, the IWM collections contain a wealth of photo references, which they make freely available: THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (B 11061)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 3421)IWM Non Commercial Licence BRITISH TANKS AND AFVS IN NW EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (B 7537)IWM Non Commercial Licence BRITISH VICTORY PARADE IN BERLIN. © IWM (BU 9088)IWM Non Commercial Licence WINSTON CHURCHILL IN BERLIN, JULY 1945. © IWM (BU 9078)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN 1944. © IWM (B 8608)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45. © IWM (H 37775)IWM Non Commercial Licence D-DAY - BRITISH FORCES DURING THE INVASION OF NORMANDY 6 JUNE 1944. © IWM (B 5023)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (B 11475)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 2869)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 3419)IWM Non Commercial Licence D-DAY - BRITISH FORCES DURING THE INVASION OF NORMANDY 6 JUNE 1944. © IWM (B 5011)IWM Non Commercial Licence THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORTH-WEST EUROPE 1944-45. © IWM (BU 3240)IWM Non Commercial Licence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted June 4, 2016 Author Share Posted June 4, 2016 Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr Untitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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