Chieftain Mk 11 - maybe holiday build... ***Finished***

[SimonL]

Haven’t done a build thread in awhile. I picked this up before Christmas as a possible holiday build, but didn’t get to it. So pulling it out as a maybe Easter holiday build. I grew up on Salisbury Plain so this will bring back memories of taking the bus from Tidworth to Salisbury for the Saturday markets.

 

 

Box is packed to the brim!

 

No surprise I guess as there is two of everything.

 

 

 

 

oh oh - photoetch 

 

Going to make things easier on myself - a single colour scheme:

 

 

Reading around, it looks like Tamiya XF-65 is the go, which is good as I have pot of it.

 

 

any tips/tricks/warnings gratefully received, although my intent is to do it straight out of the box as don’t feel up to major fettling if needed.

Edited April 13, 2021 by SimonL

[Alpha Juliet]

Watching with interest.  I'm thinking these could be used to provide some interest in perspective.

[SimonL]

You mean forced perspective in a diorama? Interesting idea.

[SimonL]

Got started with construction, using Tamiya extra thin cement.

 

First bottom part of the hull and the wheels.

 

 

then a bit of jump as I dealt with the part  which I was nervous about most (next to photoetch) - the tracks. I tried to use the supplied jig, but didn’t have much luck, found it easier to attach in place. Managed it in the end - a bit wonky and glue stained, but it looks ok from a distance. The bottom run of track on each side hasn’t be glued, to make painting easier.

 

 

Gluing the top to bottom part of hull required a built of encouragement to keep straight.

 

 

I then steamed in ahead without taking any photos (got too engrossed), and here is where I am after a couple of days of work. Not my greatest work, but very enjoyable.

 

 

 

[sardaukar]

I have this kit, so watching with interest, good choice with Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

[SimonL]

Spent all of today on the turret. Included some inevitable wrangling of the photoetch. Pretty complex, and I had to pay close attention to the instructions (which are on the small side). But looks pretty good. Just some minor tidying up to do and then on with the paint!

 

 

 

[Alpha Juliet]

Bloomin' lovely!

[SimonL]

Today’s progress. Glued the engine grills in place - more or less ok. The paint job covers the worst of the slightly botched job. The sharp eyed will see I have replaced the splash guard at the front with some plastic card - made a real hash of trying to glue to photoetch. It’s not perfect, but it will do.

 

 

Then to paint. This particular jar of paint has been sitting around in my collection for well over 10 years, and needed some serious stirring and thinning before it was suitable to be used. Went on ok. Looks a bit patchy, but I guess that will be covered by the subsequent weathering. Started to paint the tracks with a first coat of Tamiya XF-84 Dark Iron. Beginning to really look the part already.

 

 

 

Detail painting and last bit of photoetch (the bazooka plates) tomorrow.

[SimonL]

Progress today. 
 

Surprisingly the bazooka plates went on relatively easily compared to the other bits of brass.

 

Not entirely straight, but I’m happy that at least they haven’t fallen off yet (my supply of superglue is getting old and claggy).

 

 

Also on the picture are the tracks, which have been treated to a coat of Mig AMMO 0042 Old Rust. The instructions call out for 0041 Dark Rust, but the local hobby shop was out of it. Doesn’t look too bad after an thin wash of Italeri black acrylic and then another of Italeri rust. The track pads were painted with Tamiya XF85 Rubber black, which was also used to paint the rubber rims on the wheels. The front bit of the fenders, which I gather was actually rubber, was painted with the last dregs of jar of Tamiya XF69 NATO black. 
 

 

 

 

The bazooka plates have just had a coat of paint - I’m handling the model a bit at the moment so I will give them a final coat just before I do the protective varnish coat before weathering. I’ve added a little square of plastic card painted black to the back of the turret to represent the metal plate for the call sign decal (I gather from reading around this was what was done - does avoid settling a decal down over some raised detail). 

 

[SimonL]

Two steps forward, one step backwards today.

 

On the plus side, the very few decals needed went on very easily. Added the last few bits’n’bobs. A light wash of black acrylic made the engine grills look a bit better.

 

however, needed to strip back the paint job on the bazooka plates due to the claggy old paint and repaint. Also had some issues with the bits’n’bobs - particularly the lamp on a pole on the turret roof. It was impossible to get off the sprue without breaking, even when using the “spare” (I’m doing the included Mk 10 as a BATUS tank without the flashing light). I also ran into problems getting the hawsers in place. Next time I will follow the instructions and glue then in place at an earlier stage.

 

That all being said, construction and painting is done - now for some light weathering.

 

 

 

[SimonL]

Weathering today, first a grubby wash with oils.

 

Then later in the day, a thin wash of Italeri flat earth, to give a nice dusty look.

 

 

Glued on the left wing mirror (again), and that’s it for today. Just the final flat coat and some detail painting of lights and vision blocks to do. Maybe a hint of dry brushing.

[SimonL]

Just a bit of dry brushing today with some Italeri acrylic flat earth. Almost done.

 

 

 

 

[SimonL]

Just a flat coat and then some detail painting of vision blocks/headlights etc. No clear orange available for the flashing light on top, so used Italeri flat orange with a thin coat of Tamiya clear red.

 

While waiting for the flat coat to dry, I sorted a quick base of a picture frame picked up from a charity shop, and then a mosaic of paint “swatches” picked up from the local Bunnings worked for a concrete hard standing. A thin wash of dirty oils was all that was needed.

 

 

And I am calling that finished! More photos in RFI later, back to work tomorrow.