ivan-o Posted November 29, 2021 Share Posted November 29, 2021 Caught up now😀 carry on please👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted December 5, 2021 Author Share Posted December 5, 2021 This build is a bit more chaotic than usual for me. I normally try to have a loose plan of action but with this thing I just seem to be blundering along and discovering problems as I go. Got the commanders cupola finished. The result is not up to 'anorak' standard as I decided near enough will probably do on his build! Also got the hinges fitted to the main hatch. This was a little challenging as my ref pics are not clear but some photo manipulation on my Mac and a bit of guess work seems to have resulted in something that is close. All the top shots I have of the hatch are from the front which has it obscured by the commanders hatch! I then moved on to the fire handles and side bins. At that point I realised that the external fire extinguishers - of which there are three - are all of the modern 2kg dry powder variety. I slight problem as I seldom build anything this modern so my spares box only turns up BCF, carbon tet and the earlier 1kg powder bottles. So I will have to make some extinguishers and can't fit the forward bins until I have them so I can pin them to the bins! Anyway here it is as of today. About to box it up and try to get the final assembly/weathering on the Conqueror done this week. 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH1969 Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 You may have seen this already? https://tanks-alot.co.uk/product/chieftain-tank-avre/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Great work Dave. I think that the hatch looks superb. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmerit Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 That's a bit nice!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted December 6, 2021 Author Share Posted December 6, 2021 10 hours ago, PeteH1969 said: You may have seen this already? https://tanks-alot.co.uk/product/chieftain-tank-avre/ Thanks Pete. Yes I have seen that. I think I have pretty well exhausted the more easily accessed online refs....I say that in the knowledge that there always seems to be something tucked away in the ether that only reveals itself after a build is complete! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH1969 Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 2 hours ago, Kiwidave4 said: Thanks Pete. Yes I have seen that. I think I have pretty well exhausted the more easily accessed online refs....I say that in the knowledge that there always seems to be something tucked away in the ether that only reveals itself after a build is complete! Dave This site has the same machine but in more detail and you can save the pictures. https://leicestermodellers.weebly.com/chieftain-avre.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted December 7, 2021 Author Share Posted December 7, 2021 2 hours ago, PeteH1969 said: Dave This site has the same machine but in more detail and you can save the pictures. https://leicestermodellers.weebly.com/chieftain-avre.html Thanks, yes been there too! Leicester Modellers is one of my regular ref sites. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted December 18, 2021 Author Share Posted December 18, 2021 (edited) With the Conqueror now safely tucked away in the display case its on with the Wedge. Early in the build I removed the side gun depression rails to gain access to the section of wading rail that runs along the side of the engine deck. Soon after doing so I discovered some more photos of the Wedge and realised that I did not need to remove that part of the wading rail!!! So I had added some unnecessary work, but on the bright side the gun depression rail is not very accurate as portrayed by Tamiya. On a gun tank the rear of the turret tends to obscure this area, but the Wedge has its bits on display so this was an opportunity to fix things. I made a new wading rail using three lengths of 30 thou x 10 thou stripe form a U-section. I built up the gun depression rail from 15 thou sheet, and used the kit buffers. Edited January 2, 2022 by Kiwidave4 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted January 2, 2022 Author Share Posted January 2, 2022 Happy New Year! After an enforced break for Christmas with the family I have been back at it. I prepared the exhaust box and rear bins early in the build and then put them to one side while doing some of the more major hull surgery. Time seemed about right to finish and fit them. The exhaust box was ready to go, but the bins needed some extra fettling - a first aid kit on the left bin and the indicator lights above the tail lights on both sides. I had been long fingering the hull mounted fire extinguishers but they needed to be made so the forward bins could be fitted. A bit of white sprue provided a starting point, and then some imaginative placement of white styrene bits resulted in a passable set of extinguishers. The turret decking has acquired some extra details, a couple of blanking plates, electrical connector and the 'Blinky Pot' base. I now have to tackle the side skirts and all the missing hull brackets/tow cable guides, and the tow cable clamps. The skirts have already had the moulded on tie downs removed but so far I have not been in the mood to tackle the drilling and fitting of wire tie downs. As usual I have reached the point where the easy or interesting jobs are done and the list of boring and/or difficult stuff looks daunting! 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vytautas Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 Looks incredibly neat! Vytautas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maginot Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 This is a masterclass. Brilliant work. Love those fire extinguishers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 Well now that its next year the modelling mojo seems to have taken a dive! I set out to get the bazooka plates modified and fitted but by the time I had drilled all the 12 thou holes for the wire tie downs - and broken my only 12 thou drill - I seemed to reach my fun threshold. The fact that Tamiya chose to make a Mk1/2/3 with the drop brackets for the plates, and also omit the tow cable guides and track guard brackets, makes the whole bazooka plate thing a rather tedious job. One day I will suddenly get the urge and tear into it. In order to try and keep some momentum in the meantime I got on with the tracks and the base. As I mentioned earlier this is a pretty complex base by my standards and so I have tackled it a bit at a time, working out how to do things as I go, and then realising there was a better way! Anyway I have now got it to the construction finished stage, and only have to work on the painting and gardening. To locate the model I have a couple of 1/16" stainless steel pins anchored in the base, and have drilled through the tracks and into the road wheels to accept these pins. To reinforce the track I have added a 10 thou scab where the hole is. I also added the separate track pads, but only on the visible sections of track. Now that I have it posed on the workbench I feel I am getting the look I was after. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 Looking very smart there Dave, I'm guessing the bit on the top will stay white? It does look so much like a big mobile dunny to my warped imagination. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 Great work on the model and the base is going to look superb when finished Stay safe Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 1 hour ago, stevehnz said: Looking very smart there Dave, I'm guessing the bit on the top will stay white? It does look so much like a big mobile dunny to my warped imagination. Steve. Thanks Steve, it will all be NATO green. The only splash of colour will be the three red extinguishers and a big white panel the exhaust box for the 'L' plate. The resemblance to a convenience had not registered with me, but now that will hard to get out of my mind! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwidave4 Posted June 20, 2022 Author Share Posted June 20, 2022 When I started this thread I did mention that I was not sure if I had another model in me. After my last update in January I tackled the sideskirts but by the time I had them sorted and was confronted by the tow cable clamps I suddenly lost interest. So the poor little thing has been sitting neglected waiting for the day when I can muster up some enthusiasm. Unfortunately the jobs that need doing are ones I dont want to do! The engine deck mesh covers, the aforementioned tow cable bits and the headlight assemblies are the major jobs. The other stuff is really just fiddly bits like the drivers hatch stay and guides, rear view mirrors and the like. I have gathered six potential crew members and a choice of heads/headgear but I am hoping to get some definitive evidence of the gear they would have worn before tackling them. So I decided to assemble the bits I have got in the hopes that it may just give me a push in the right direction. Decided the Tamiya driver deserved change from being stuck to a sprue so let him give it a go but resisted the temptation to go Brrmm, Brmmm! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 This is really coming together now and the end is definitely in sight. Very much looking forward to seeing it in paint now. On a different note very many thanks for your GREAT help with my CR2 workshop dio: build which is now finished. Stay safe Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vytautas Posted June 20, 2022 Share Posted June 20, 2022 I really like all the little things, with them the tank looks very real! Vytautas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Mate Posted June 21, 2022 Share Posted June 21, 2022 I've missed out on this a bit, as modern stuff isn't usually my bag, but this is great - excellent scratching! Looks like you're very nearly ready for paint - that'll be really good to see. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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