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Takom FV432 converted to a FV436 Command Post


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Starting with the drivers hatch for the detailing up bit, I spent many an hour in this position, probably equating in months of my life 

to be fair. Takom did a good job here but missed a few areas, probably down to cost and injection moulding limitations more than anything else.

So I've added the socket for the wiper motors and the dummy socket to stow the cable on the inside of the hatch. I've also added the lever 

that allows you use the wipers if the motor fails. Yet to add is the cable and the tube for the screen wash and the clamps that hold the scope in place with the 

two big thumb screws. 

 

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The scopes will get fitted up after painting as they are clear parts, I think I'll modify one of the spare drivers scopes to represent the AVII night driving scope, this is stowed in the glove box 

which is situated in the drivers compartment above the gear selector. 

 

 

Cheers for looking 

 

Dan 

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Commander hatch locking mech is also now done, I've made the spring from thin copper wire 

and fashioned the clamp from plastic card.

 

The small plastic block on the periscope housing is for the search light bracket. 

 

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Some tidying up of the home made parts yet but it looks better than the kit offering or lack of :D

 

Cheers 

 

 

Dan 

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More work on the cupola, Added the GPMG mount locking pin and the rear locking arm bracket, it needs drilling out yet 

and the chain added to the locking pin. 

 

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For some reason Takom has moulded a line from one commanders hatch locking handle to the other, I think they copied a 432 which had a bungee across the two handles?

It was a common thing to do as it made a handy place to pop your map on road moves,  so they didn't blow away, I've removed it as it looked :poop:

 

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More later 

 

 

Dan 

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Cheers Roger,

 

I must agree with you, a lot of our wagons leaked very badly around the hatches, made us wonder if we actually had to face a chemical attack for real how effective the NBC system would of been :o ( it’s an over pressure system so should keep nasty stuff out )  so rain should be easy :huh:

 

I wouldn't for one wouldn’t of removed my S10 for nothing if such a situation occurred. 

 

BR

 

Dan 

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An hour at the bench today,

 

Commanders hatch has more detail added, still more to go yet.

Drivers seat backrest catch added. I've also removed the 432 power socket from the rear as the 436 had a gene socket in place 

which is a lot bigger. Some scratch building soon then :D

 

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More later chaps 

 

 

Cheers 

 

Dan 

 

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20 hours ago, phildagreek said:

Attention to the little details that come from having spent time in or on the subject.

 

If you cut him in half he'd have 432 going right through like a stick of rock. :wink:

 

Kev

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Cheers chaps,

 

So I acquired these today, nice bit of kit and they really knock the socks off the supplied tracks.

 

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As it says on the box 210 track links, 200 pads and 420+ resin pins, these really are nice and it gives you the option of leaving a pad or two off but 

you;; have to add the metal webs in the track pad housing and drill a small hole for the bolt. Not a problem. The separate pads means that you can scuff them up 

as per the real deal. The metal links really are a cut above the plastic parts. So if memory serves me the tracks are condemned when you get to 89 links per side and a new track has 96 links ?

I think ? 

 

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Kit supplied parts 

 

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Track pins in resin

 

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Track pads 

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I'll probably start these over the weekend, Ill modify the rear idler ram so I can adjust the correct tension, weekend track bash :D that's a first 

The drive sprocket does need a bit of modifying for these to fit for some reason but you only need to file a small amount off the teeth of the sprocket for a nice snug fit.

 

 

Cheers

 

Dan 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Dads203 said:

Cheers chaps,

 

So I acquired these today, nice bit of kit and they really knock the socks off the supplied tracks.

 

As it says on the box 210 track links, 200 pads and 420+ resin pins, these really are nice and it gives you the option of leaving a pad or two off but 

you;; have to add the metal webs in the track pad housing and drill a small hole for the bolt. Not a problem. The separate pads means that you can scuff them up 

as per the real deal. The metal links really are a cut above the plastic parts. So if memory serves me the tracks are condemned when you get to 89 links per side and a new track has 96 links ?

 

Hi Dan,

 

I can only agree with you, I got a set of FV432 Masterclub tracks and they are far better than the kit's ones ... and in general, MasterClub tracks are really nice, I used a set on my last Chieftain, and was very satisfied !!

 

I'm following your build with attention, gives me all the good ideas, direct from a real user, when I'll decide to get the kit out of my stash ;)

 

Cheers, E

Edited by Etienne
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Started the track bash, I must say that I'm impressed with Masterclub, these tracks are very good and 

easy to assemble, the pins are tapered so a nice friction fit and the white metal links are so well cast they require 

almost no clean up.

 

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The fit around the sprocket is also very good so far.

 

 

Dan 

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These have to be the easiest tracks ever to put together, some adjusting of  the pitch of the sprocket teeth 

is required but not a lot, tested one of the track pads for fit and they are perfect.

 

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Cheers for looking 

 

Dan 

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Those tracks look the business Dan. I've used Fruilmodel a few times and have always been impressed with the way the metal tracks sit. Must give the Masterclub a try out one day.

 

John.

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10 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

Those tracks look the business Dan. I've used Fruilmodel a few times and have always been impressed with the way the metal tracks sit. Must give the Masterclub a try out one day.

 

John.

 

Cheers John, 

 

They are really quick to put together,much faster than fruil tracks. I’ve done one side but they need adjusting, I have one run of 91 links and even with the rear idler fully pushed to the rear it’s about 6 or 7 links to long.

So far I’ve only found two links that have casting issues and are not useable, I broke two track pins and fed two to the carpet monster which isn’t bad going really. 

 

BR

 

Dan

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So with a bit of playing about it looks like 88 links are about right, the track tension hydraulic ram is not yet fitted.

I really like the Masterclub tracks, hopefully they wont stretch like the Fruil tracks, hoping the resin pins are a bit better fit 

than the wire you get with Fruil.

 

88 links on the real deal is almost the limit before the tracks get condemned, it means that some of the bushings have stretched and probably failed 

leading to dead links. This in turn leads to a high probability of throwing a track which would really give you a very bad day in the office, it never happened to me but I've seen 

it happen to another of the Troop. 

 

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I'm half way through the second track at the moment, so 'll finish that off this week.

 

Cheers for looking in.

 

 

Dan 

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A couple of pictures from my time working on these wagons.

 

Exhibit 1, going back to my post on the trades of the Royal Signals, a Tech in his normal work position..... Nuff said really ;)

Gives you an idea of the cabling that's required for the TAC IC and RCU's above the map boards.

 

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This is the Diamond one Head Quarters at 3UK Armd Div, Yup that is an inflatable tent waiting to be blown up, I wonder what the procurement guys at the MOD were smoking when they came up 

with this little gem .... Armoured Vehicles and a blow up tent !!  You can imagine the issues we had with this one, a comedy basic.

 

Yours truly on the roof of the 436 probably looking for my smokes, Troop Sgt at the back door wondering if the BV's have boiled yet ? 

 

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Another shot of the tent, it spent most of time looking like that to be fair, the staff officers liked to push map pins with reports and returns sheets into the inflatable beams. 

We had to carry a lot of puncture repair kit with us on the trails for the tent. When it was first issued the tent could be lifted into the back of a DAF truck by the troop, at the end of the trial

it needed a Bedford truck with a Hiab crane to move it. I think the whole idea was binned shortly after as a very bad idea.  Only a few wagons present in the phot below, normally we had up to 10 436's backed on to it

which made up the Div HQ in the field.  BTW the tents nickname was the sperm whale, that's because it weighed more than one! The normal modified 18X24 tents we used were called BFOT (Big FO Tent ) 

 

Very normal on exercise to pack up and move every 6 hours which was a nightmare, what you cant see in the photo's is all the other wagons that make up the Diamond 1 complex , we had a REME 434, the Tech's 

had a Bedford MK ERV (Electronic Repair Vehicle ), a 439 Radio Relay , 439 SASMC ( Phone Exchange ), The cooks brought out a Bedford MK with the cooks Trailer, (only when the Staff Officers deployed) and a bucket load of Land Rover FFR's.  Not forgetting the ED's they had a Bedford and 16/24 gene set for the SASMC 

 

 

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A rare shot of the tent inflated, taken from 09EA90 

 

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Still looking for my pack of B&H 

 

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Enjoy 

 

 

Dan 

 

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Interesting pics and insight into the British Army way back when .....

 

I guess you'd be redundant now

                                                everyone just gets issued with an Iphone. all orders would be on Twitter (bit like a certain big wig over the water)

 

56 minutes ago, Dads203 said:

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Lean mean killing machine .........................

                          Don't stand in his way he's looking for his B & H :whip:

 

Very thoughtful of the MOD to label you like Paddington Bear in case you get lost :rofl2:

 

Kev

 

PS I can just picture the officers pinning orders to the inflatable beams LOL

Edited by longshanks
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Cheers chaps ;)

 

More track bashing, second set almost done,  I'm going to have a few links without pads on my build so the tracks will need a bit of modifying.

Master club have done a sterling job on the white metal links but if you want to display a few pads missing then you'll have to add the webs inside the pad housing

and remove the nut and bolt for the pad, not a big job.

 

This picture shows the structure underneath the pad ( Top left link)

You can also see a link with a packing plate on the bottom of the picture.

These were used to keep tension on the bolt so you didn't lose pads whilst driving.

Mind you I've seen a few pads going through car windscreens in my time not nice at all

but it's also why 432's are fitted with mud guards, to deflect any pads that come adrift 

on a road move. You'll find plenty of pictures of 43's driving cross country with the mudguards 

hitched up out of the way as not to rip them off.

 

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Start of my modified link 

 

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Cheers for looking in 

 

 

Dan 

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Looking good Dan. I have the master club tracks and will agree they are great. Better than other well known brands. Got sets for both my 432s and the acurate armour ambulance set. Don't think I will get them for the bulldog tho as most of the track is hidden. 

 

Julien

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