Chieftain Mk.10 Berlin Brigade

[diablo rsv]

Chieftain Mk.10 Berlin Brigade.

Whilst waiting for a few new releases to materialise I thought I really should finish off some of the uncompleted builds that I have laying around. Inspired by @Big_Bad_Bill and his Mk.11 I decided to get on with my Berlin Brigade Mk.10.

 

 

Most of the construction work has been completed but as there has been a few builds of Takom's Chieftains already on the forum I don't think it matters that this topic will be more about the painting.

A brief explanation of the Berlin Brigade camouflage scheme with a little help from the Tankograd book.

Up until 1982, British armoured vehicles in West Berlin were camouflaged in the standard pattern of green or green/black. With the deployment of D Squadron, 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, the commanding officer started to challenge this way of camouflage as the vehicles always looked out of place in urban areas. After trials on cardboard it was decided that a rectangular pattern of white, grey and brown would best match the buildings, windows, doors and fences. Variations of the size and pattern of the scheme were to be kept to within two inches so that each vehicle would look identical making it harder for the enemy to determine the amount of vehicles or units.

 

A few of the external details have been left off to make painting a little easier. 

Looking at the close up images in the Tankograd book I'm finding it difficult to determine whether there would have been an anti-slip coating applied. If it has it appears to be quite a light covering.

There is a Berlin Brigade Mk.10 on display at a small museum in Maldon, which is not far from me and I was thinking of driving over to take a look but with the current climate that is probably not wise.

So any help would be appreciated.

 

Wayne 

  

[Tom W.]

One of the most spectacular camouflage patterns and perhaps one of the most difficult to make on a model. I'm very interested in the subject of painting this camouflage so I will definitely look at it.

[APA]

This exact one is on my to do so will be watching with interest. Isn't the Berlin scheme one of those modelling rights of passage? 😂

 

A

[coneheadff]

I grew up in West Berlin and saw that camouflage first hand. It looked so great!!!!

 

I will be definitely following your WIP

 

Alex

[Bullbasket]

I'm definitely going to be watching how you get on with this cammo scheme, as I have the very same kit in the stash. Good luck with it Wayne.

 

John.

[Bullbasket]

Just read your bit about Maldon. Whereabouts do you live? Are you another Essex boy? If you want, I have some photos of this tank, taken after it's refurbishment a couple of years ago, and I can upload them to this thread if you want.

 

John.

[ivan-o]

Nice one for the Berlin camo! All them curves😀

That Tankograd book is a must though for anyone doing this scheme. Takom had it wrong for the 432.

[diablo rsv]

18 hours ago, Tom W. said:

One of the most spectacular camouflage patterns and perhaps one of the most difficult to make on a model. I'm very interested in the subject of painting this camouflage so I will definitely look at it.

 

5 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

I'm definitely going to be watching how you get on with this cammo scheme, as I have the very same kit in the stash. Good luck with it Wayne.

 

John.

 

17 hours ago, APA said:

This exact one is on my to do so will be watching with interest. Isn't the Berlin scheme one of those modelling rights of passage? 😂

 

A

 

41 minutes ago, ivan-o said:

That Tankograd book is a must though for anyone doing this scheme.

 

17 hours ago, coneheadff said:

I grew up in West Berlin and saw that camouflage first hand. It looked so great!!!!

 

Thank you all for your interest.

As I'm attempting to build an example of every British AFV and show as many different camouflage schemes that I can the Berlin scheme is a must do really. I think a lot of modellers are put off at first glance by the complexity of the scheme but I'm hoping that with a bit of forward planning it wont prove too difficult.🤞

You're right about the Tankograd book Ivan, although there are photos on the internet the book has already proved invaluable.

It must have been an impressive sight Alex, although somewhat scary when you realize what they were there for.

 

Wayne

 

 

[diablo rsv]

6 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Just read your bit about Maldon. Whereabouts do you live? Are you another Essex boy? If you want, I have some photos of this tank, taken after it's refurbishment a couple of years ago, and I can upload them to this thread if you want.

 

John.

 

I am indeed an Essex boy John. I was born in Witham and didn't stray too far until I got married when I moved near to Cambridge. 

I continued to play rugby for Maldon so I was often in the area but didn't realize there was a museum there until fairly recently. I still have family in the area so I shall go and have a look once we are out of lockdown.

I would appreciate it if you could post some photos especially if you have any that show whether there was an anti-slip coating applied. 

 

Wayne 

[Bullbasket]

6 minutes ago, diablo rsv said:

I am indeed an Essex boy John. I was born in Witham and didn't stray too far until I got married when I moved near to Cambridge. 

I continued to play rugby for Maldon so I was often in the area but didn't realize there was a museum there until fairly recently. I still have family in the area so I shall go and have a look once we are out of lockdown.

I would appreciate it if you could post some photos especially if you have any that show whether there was an anti-slip coating applied. 

 

I was born and brought up in Southend, and my daughter now lives in Witham.

I'll upload what I have of the Chieftain as soon as I sort them out. Give me a while.

 

John.

[Bullbasket]

Wayne, I've just looked at my stored photos and I have a lot more than I thought. Aside from the dozen or more of the one at Maldon, I have more than 20 which I have taken at Saumur museum, here in France, and it is also in the Berlin Brigade scheme. Obviously I'm not going to clutter up your thread, so would you like me to email them to you in zipped folders. I'll have to it in a number of emails. 

 

John. 

[diablo rsv]

4 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

so would you like me to email them to you in zipped folders

If it's not too much trouble John I would really appreciate that.

[Bullbasket]

9 hours ago, diablo rsv said:

If it's not too much trouble John I would really appreciate that.

I'll sort them out, and then start PMing you with them.

 

John.

[diablo rsv]

Having looked through some photos that were very kindly sent by John @Bullbasket and a few from the internet I couldn't find much that really needed to be added to the Takom kit.

Turret wise I have moved the position of the grenade launcher wire where it exits the turret to the correct higher position. On the Mk.11 it was moved to allow for the TOGS and it looks like Takom have used the same moulding for the Mk.11 and Mk.10.

The missing foundry casting symbols were added from Archers Fine Transfers. I have also added a little more texture to the surface of the Stillbrew Armour areas and removed a couple of moulded in seams that don't appear in any of the photos.

I have also added a little depth to the holes in the grenade launchers, but these may receive some covers as I'm not entirely happy with my efforts. 

 

   

 

I am contemplating whether to replace the handles on the bazooka plates but it's not one of my favourite jobs, so for now I have just given them a bit more definition by putting a gouge in the top edge.

 

On the hull I have added a few missing bolts but that's about it for now.

 

 

 

My biggest issue is with the engine deck grills though. Takom have supplied some photo etch covers for them but I feel that the mesh is too thick and also, being photo etch, too flat.

I have found some after market 3D printed ones but they are yet to arrive and I'm not holding out much hope for them. Finding the right scale mesh on the internet is proving difficult as I just can't tell from the images what I am going to get.

 

 

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

Wayne

[Bullbasket]

1 hour ago, diablo rsv said:

I am contemplating whether to replace the handles on the bazooka plates but it's not one of my favourite jobs, so for now I have just given them a bit more definition by putting a gouge in the top edge.

I thought that you had replaced them as they look as though you could thread a strap through them. Nice work Wayne. The only thing that I can offer with regards to the engine mesh is that Accurate Armour do several etched brass sheets of many different styles of mesh. Perhaps if they did an appropriate one, you could make your own. it would men making a frame for each one though. Nice work BTW with those  casting numbers.

 

John.

[Jasper dog]

Some great work going on Wayne, casting numbers, bolt heads, all great touches that really add up.

I don't suppose a very small sieve or part of a filter could be cut up and repurposed for the engine deck mesh?

Atb

Darryl 

[ivan-o]

Nice work and I love the idea of gouging the top of the tie downs.👌

[Alpha Juliet]

Coming on board for this one - it's in my stash

[diablo rsv]

5 hours ago, Bullbasket said:

Accurate Armour do several etched brass sheets of many different styles of mesh.

 

3 hours ago, Jasper dog said:

I don't suppose a very small sieve or part of a filter could be cut up and repurposed for the engine deck mesh?

Thanks John and Darryl.

I will have a look at Accurate Armour's site. I did consider the Voyager set but it's quite an expensive way of doing it as I doubt I would use most of the set and the thought of waiting for something to arrive from China is also putting me off.

I did have a rummage around the kitchen but to no avail. Hopefully the printed parts will do the job.

Wayne.

[diablo rsv]

2 hours ago, ivan-o said:

Nice work and I love the idea of gouging the top of the tie downs.👌

Thanks Ivan. With a bit of paint and a wash it should work out OK.

[diablo rsv]

2 hours ago, Alpha Juliet said:

Coming on board for this one - it's in my stash

Welcome along. 

[diablo rsv]

I've done a little more tinkering whilst waiting for the replacement grills to arrive.

The headlights needed some cabling and this was added with lead wire. I had also managed to lose the front of the headlight guards, so using the one's from a Mk.5 as a template I fashioned some out of some more wire. I'm glad I kept the Mk.5 kit now.

 

 

I felt that the kit's commander's spot light is a little simplified, so I replaced the handle and added the retaining ring, some cable, a couple of bolts and a bulb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The space between the light projector housing and the turret is too big on the kit, so I removed it and sanded down the mounting brackets until I was happy with the gap.

 

 

 

 

 

The replacement engine cover grills have arrived and I think they are definitely an improvement over the kit ones.

The handles will be made from wire as I don't particularly like the flat etched ones.

 

 

 

I have just placed them for now to see the difference. I think I will paint the engine deck before fitting the grills as they are quite fine and I don't want any paint build up on them.

A little bonus of ordering the replacement grills is that I needed to make up an order to make the postage from Europe cost effective.

I just need to sneak them in under the Christmas tree.

 

 

That's it for the build process for now. Finally I can get on with the painting.

 

Wayne

 

 

[Bullbasket]

Some cracking detail work there Wayne. When I looked at a couple of the photos I thought that they looked just like the real thing, then realised that they were the real thing. I'm definitely book marking this build for when I (eventually) get around to doing mine.

 

John.

[ivan-o]

Some excellent detailing being done there👌

[Hamden]

 

Very nice clean work with superb attention to detail, I'll follow along for the rest of the ride if I may?

 

   Stay safe           Roger