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"Oliver’s Army"… A Trio of Cromwell IV's +++COMPLETED+++


BIG X

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Hello again - I nipped off work early again...

...and I did a bit this morning too - the excitement was just too much - let me explain...

 

I wasn't happy with the quality and lack of detail on the front machine gun and @Lawzer tipped me off that they were very fragile too.  A quick test proved that they were more flimsy than the average pitot tube or aerial mast - and I have plenty of experience of snapping those off as soon as I put them on an aircraft. :doh:

 

Anyway - last year I built a couple of BF109'S and ordered brass machine guns for them.  I used them on the wings - but those that were designed to go in the nose were completely hidden - apart from about 1mm - so I thought 'I'll keep those - I am sure they will come in handy fro something in the future'.

 

So - looking at the guns on this kit and remembering the ones I have I was 'PRETTY SURE' that they would do the job - that's usually the kiss of death for me. :D

 

Therefore - a trip up into the loft was in order - late last night.  It was getting a bit late at that point - so it wasn't until this morning that I could compare and hopefully...

 

Pimp my Cromwell :mental:

 

So here is how I  got on...

 

First off was adding the machine gun bays...

 

CROM043.jpg

 

...and there on...

 

CROM044.jpg

 

Now for the comparison...

 

CROM045.jpg

 

WOO HOO / KERCHING / BACK OF THE NET

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They do say - 'small things amuse small minds'...

 

So it was out with the scalpel and a very fine drill.  Off with the kit barrel and on with the brass - I was so excited I  couldn't hold the camera still - but there will be better shots later...

 

CROM046.jpg

 

CROM047.jpg

 

CROM048.jpg

 

I'm not adding them just yet - but they certainly are tough little mothers - they'd 'have your eye out'.

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1 minute ago, PLC1966 said:

That is quality work.

Cheers - I'm quite pleased with them and I still have a spare for a future project :D

 

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So that was this morning - before setting off to work.  Now you know how it is - you get a result and then you have to wait all day - before you can get back to the bench :yawn:boring.

 

So I bunked off early and started work on some off the fiddly bits at the front - that the machine gun might get in the way of...

 

CROM049.jpg

 

CROM050.jpg

 

...lights on...

 

CROM051.jpg

 

...loops on too.

 

Boy those parts are tiny but I'm learning and my method with these kind of parts now is...

 

  • blob of blu-tak on a cocktail stick
  • press blob against part lightly - so it catches and picks it up
  • drop of cyano on a piece of silicone non stick paper
  • dab part in glue
  • offer up to kit
  • wait 10 seconds
  • pull blu-tak away

It's working - up to now - famous  last words eh... :D

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A quick update - then it's time for tea.  The guards for the lights are a tad thick, but I'm no expert in using brass wire and I can't find any 'after market' online - so we will go with what we've got...

 

CROM052.jpg

 

...now I'm an 'accident waiting to happen' when it comes to filling locating pits so I have come up with a solution...

 

CROM053.jpg

 

...drill straight through - as you can see I did the same with the lights and it allows you to add plenty of this - which seems to set things much 'harder'...

 

CROM055.jpg  

 

CROM072.jpg

 

so the headlight bars are on and the guns in too - right - lamb chops / sweet corn / petit pois and yes CHIPS - but no gravy...

See you later ;)

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OK - the washing up has been done and I've been back at the bench - it's almost round the clock production at this tank factory.

 

I've added the hook loops to the front and back of the bottom hull - I really like them...

 

CROM054.jpg

 

CROM056.jpg

 

...once the cyano has completely set - I will file off those tiny sprue cuts - they were too fiddly on their own.

 

I hope some of you will be glad to notice that I have decided against using one of the Cullin Prongs...

 

Cromwell_IV_Prong.jpg

 

...see I do listen - 'they were never used in combat' - 'it was only tested - never used' - yeh yeh yeh - but they do look the business almost like a sharkmouth on a Warhawk...

...oh well - I'll get over it - eventually :crying:

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I've been a bit distracted tonight and I blame you lot for not making me concentrate more...

...so I've not got as much done as I would like - but I got the last of the loops on and put the towing hitches on - breaking one as it came off the sprue...

 

ARRGGGHHHH...

...and breathe and relax...

 

CROM057.jpg

 

CROM058.jpg

 

CROM059.jpg

 

I think that proves I've done enough for one night - but I hate to go to bed on a negative.

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I NEED YOUR HELP - PLEASE

 

After forgetting to apply the decals to my Loyd Carrier - until I had done the weathering :doh:I want to be more prepared this time...

 

Decaling is quite a way off yet - but please take a look at this picture and then I'll do some explaining...

 

CROM123.jpg

 

...OK please bear with me...

 

I want to do white 45 - green over mid blue - which is a tank 'recce squadron'.  Here is a portion of a reference poster...

 

CROM124.jpg

 

The reason for the first picture of the 2 decal sets shows that the set on the left has a 45 - but the blue is way too dark - compared to the decals on the right and this poster.

 

Can anyone point me in the absolute right direction to get some 1/72 or 1/76 decals of the correctly coloured badges. 

 

THANKS - HOPEFULLY

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Good progress so far (apart from the old hitch based mishap - plenty of mud there then :yes:)

 

Machine guns look good - quite an improvement!

 

Humm - decals do look a bit dark. I'll do some digging and see what else I can find.

If worse comes to worse I would say they're still usable as, (in my opinion), it would be better to have the correct number and be slightly off on the colour.

 

Kind regards

 

Ben

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20 hours ago, BIG X said:

...see I do listen - 'they were never used in combat' - 'it was only tested - never used' - yeh yeh yeh - but they do look the business almost like a sharkmouth on a Warhawk...

...oh well - I'll get over it - eventually :crying:

Not as exciting I admit but historically accurate :pipe:

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At least you got some towing hitches in your kits.  :mellow:

 

Great work, love what you are doing and the fact that you had the good sense to do it with kits that come with all the bits they need.  ;)

 

Just checked my decals, I have some but they are as dark as yours if not darker and out of register to boot.....Have you checked Dan Taylor Modelworks:

 

http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/

 

His decals are usually superb.  :coolio:

 

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Evening guys and thanks for the support below...

 

2 hours ago, badger said:

Good progress so far (apart from the old hitch based mishap - plenty of mud there then :yes:)

 

Machine guns look good - quite an improvement!

 

Humm - decals do look a bit dark. I'll do some digging and see what else I can find.

If worse comes to worse I would say they're still usable as, (in my opinion), it would be better to have the correct number and be slightly off on the colour.

 

Kind regards

 

Ben

 

Hi Ben - I really like that mud idea - cunning - in a cunning foxy kind of way...

I  think I have found a decal solution - but I'll share more in a minute... :yahoo:

 

1 hour ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

At least you got some towing hitches in your kits.  :mellow:

 

Great work, love what you are doing and the fact that you had the good sense to do it with kits that come with all the bits they need.  ;)

 

Just checked my decals, I have some but they are as dark as yours if not darker and out of register to boot.....Have you checked Dan Taylor Modelworks:

 

http://www.dantaylormodelworks.com/

 

His decals are usually superb.  :coolio:

 

Hey Sarge - Thanks for the Dan Taylor tip off - but in typical BIG X fashion I am about to do something silly... :mental:

What kit did you get without the hitches - was it the Revell one - I'm not very familiar with AFV kits yet...

 

40 minutes ago, Lawzer said:

I seem to remember i spent ages trying to work out how the hitch should be attached.  think it's (mine) probably on upside down ;)

 

 

I assessed the parts VERY CLOSELY - to be technical for a moment - there is a little sticky out bit - that looks like it would break off very easily - this sticky out bit should be on top - facing upwards... ;)

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Just now, BIG X said:

What kit did you get without the hitches - was it the Revell one - I'm not very familiar with AFV kits yet...

Knock yourself out:

My advice.....Only buy UM you if really, really want a M4A1, M4A4 or Firefly and you really, really can't find the Dragon kits.  :mellow:

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OK - decal solution time...

...I found these on-line late last night...

 

wgb-dec-025-11th-arm-div-decals_grande.jpeg?v=1397473504

 

These appear to be the right colour mix and you get 6 - so 2 for each...

...now the silly bit - this company is based in Nottingham - so I'm off there tomorrow to pick some up.

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The Boy built one of these a year or two ago, and made quite a good job of it.... until he got to the painting! :shocked:  here it is before he attacked it with many colours of paint :owww:

 

build2.jpg

 

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10 minutes ago, Mike said:

The Boy built one of these a year or two ago, and made quite a good job of it.... until he got to the painting! :shocked:  here it is before he attacked it with many colours of paint :owww:

 

build2.jpg

 

Can you send him round please - next time I have some gluing going on - that is VERY NEAT 10/10 GOLD STARS:star::star::star::star::star:

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14 minutes ago, Mike said:

The Boy built one of these a year or two ago, and made quite a good job of it.... until he got to the painting! :shocked:  here it is before he attacked it with many colours of paint :owww:

 

build2.jpg

 

He's done a better job of the drive sprockets than i did! ;)

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OK - with stiff competition from Mike's little lad - I'm hesitant to reveal my progress...

...but the show must go on - so here is what I got done at the crack of dawn this morning...

 

I started with a bit of tidying on the turrets...

 

CROM060.jpg

 

...then it was time to start gluing bits together - first the bottom - rotating bits...

 

CROM061.jpg

 

...then it was on with the front bit for the guns...

 

CROM062.jpg

 

I'm happy enough with these machine guns - they only stick out about 1mm - so little chance of damaging them - but they were a bugga to get to this stage - see here...

 

CROM063.jpg

 

as you can see above - first you have to push the gun through from the back - then this...

 

CROM064.jpg

 

You have to glue this shield bit on the back  - without getting any glue near that middle bit - so it can still swivel...

 

CROM065.jpg

 

they were waggling freely when I  left for work - phew...

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15 minutes ago, BIG X said:

Can you send him round please - next time I have some gluing going on - that is VERY NEAT 10/10 GOLD STARS:star::star::star::star::star:

:lol: I'll tell him next time he's vertical ;)  I did help him with the cutting of parts off the sprues (he was only 5 at the time), but 90% of the placement and gluing was done by him.  Those top hatches were a PITA though, as they have very little gluing surface, and yes.  leaving that ejector pin mark on the hatch inner really did have me twitching :wacko:

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