Npal21 Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 (edited) After a short break over the festive period I have managed to make a proper start on my Tamiya Cromwell. I will be building an "F" hull version as seen below (if anyone has a real photo of this exact example with whitewash please share it here) . After my Churchill build I wanted something a bit more straightforward, but my OCD has got the better of me.....AGAIN. I have made a start on the lower hull and road wheels, which I will leave off for painting and weathering. I have added the filler caps and the omitted inspection plate to the rear hull. I still need to add the smoke discharge wires. I am also awaiting the Accurate Armour "F" engine deck and hatch resin kit and the turret change kit including the turret bin stowage to arrive in the mail. All should hopefully here this week 🤞🏼. Please feel free to add any suggestions as the build goes. Edited January 15, 2022 by Npal21 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoot Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Nice start, I do like an F hull Cromwell. Hope the AA kits work out, I’ve got a stalled F type build with the AA deck and hatch but they were a few mill short I’m each direction so it’s been a job to get them to fit. Will follow along with interest on this one. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 If you ended up not wanting to use the AA conversion, and do it yourself, have a look at this one which I did a few years ago. It might be of help. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Thanks @Bullbasketfor the link to the modification. Very interesting and definitely a possibility. I recieved my AA goodies today, only been able to open the parcel but not open all the packets. I think some slight filling and rescribing will be need on 2 panels. Should be reasonably straight forward. I think I will need to purchase a mini razor saw for the removal of the panels molded on the Tamiya upper hull. I only have a large saw that would be over kill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 So after looking at the engine deck on the Tamiya Cromwell and the Accurate Armour one, I might try and alter the Tamiya rear deck to an "F" deck 1st before cutting it off. It looks like a bit of filling and scribing and some alteration to the handles etc. I have some scribing tools on the bench already so why not?! I did go to my LHS and got some mini saw blades and stocked up on a few chisel blades and precision nippers. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 If you can get a hold of the Aber set for the Cromwell, it contains the small triangular locking points for the engine deck........or you can do what I've done for my current Cromwell build and make them from card. It's quite easy (and a lot cheaper). John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diablo rsv Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I went down the route of altering the Tamiya deck for my Charioteer conversion as the Accurate Armour 'F' engine deck that they provided wasn't great, it was warped and still has the panel line in the wrong place. The Aber set that John mentioned is quite handy. Wayne. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 5 hours ago, Bullbasket said: If you can get a hold of the Aber set for the Cromwell, it contains the small triangular locking points for the engine deck........or you can do what I've done for my current Cromwell build and make them from card. It's quite easy (and a lot cheaper). John. Hi John, I will have a look and see if I can get one through BNA. I was planning on adding some stowage on the rear deck as I have the Black Dog kit in the stash. Hi Wayne, the AA deck I received wasn't warped at all, while the panel line will need filling and rescribing I just don't want to stuff the upper hull up if I can alter the Tamiya one 1st. It's a lack of confidence thing lol. I will need to add some plasticard to the front glacis and redo the tow lugs/bolts/ weld beads etc. While i did receive this in the AA kit too I will try and do as much as I can with the Tamiya kit 1st and use the AA kit as a reference/back up. I found this walk around that has some very good clear shots. For reference purposes only! http://walkarounds.scalemodels.ru/v/walkarounds/afv/before_1950/cromwell_937/?g2_page=1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diablo rsv Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Npal21 said: I found this walk around that has some very good clear shots. For reference purposes only! http://walkarounds.scalemodels.ru/v/walkarounds/afv/before_1950/cromwell_937/?g2_page=1 Thanks for the link, I've not seen that one before. There's some handy reference shots there. Wayne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 Got a bit of modelling time after a morning at the beach. I have stripped the front lower hull of all details, added the extra armour from .040 Evergreen sheet, added the tow hook mounting plates from .020 sheet and added all the bolt details. Just need to add some small weld beads to the added plate. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 (edited) Bottom weld has been added using .030 rod, softened with glue and formed using a #11 blade to replicate a weld. The top weld on the 1:1 vehicle isn't raised or really textured, so I may not use the same method. I may just stipple some Mr. Surfacer in the top joint for a bit of texture or maybe a thin strip of .010 sheet textured and formed with the same principle as the bottom weld. Edited January 21, 2022 by Npal21 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Nice work with the add on armour and the weld bead. John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echen Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Npal21 said: Bottom weld has been added using .030 rod, softened with glue and formed using a #11 blade to replicate a weld. Great looking weld seam. Really like the detail going on here. Did you use Mr Cement S to soften the rod and would stretched sprue serve this purpose? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 15 minutes ago, echen said: Great looking weld seam. Really like the detail going on here. Did you use Mr Cement S to soften the rod and would stretched sprue serve this purpose? Thank you @Bullbasketfor your comments. @echen i did use Mr Cement S to soften the styrene rod. My method is to glue the rod in place and let dry. Then once dry, slice along the rod perpendicular with out adding glue. Then when all the way along, add glue and repeat. The dry cuts along the styrene rod help the glue to soften it. I have never done the stretched sprue method but I believe it would have a similar result. I am fortunate to have a hobby shop within 5 mins of me stocked with Evergreen....which can be dangerous! Lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 22, 2022 Author Share Posted January 22, 2022 (edited) Surgery day. This has made me very anxious as I've never taken a razor knife to a kit before. There's a 1st time for everything though. I think its turned out ok. I cut well within the margins then slowly chiseled and sanded back, test fitting frequently not to go over the tolerances. I have filled and scribed the rear deck following my refrences closely. I have also started to add brass handles and rear deck details (still in progress, I didn't want to add too much detail before the drivers hatch was replaced.) Edited January 22, 2022 by Npal21 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIK122 Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 'Fortune favors the brave'. Following with interest. It's going to be great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbasket Posted January 23, 2022 Share Posted January 23, 2022 11 hours ago, Npal21 said: Surgery day. This has made me very anxious as I've never taken a razor knife to a kit before. See, now that didn't hurt a bit, did it? The new section looks perfect. Are you going to have those hatches open? John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 23, 2022 Author Share Posted January 23, 2022 5 minutes ago, Bullbasket said: See, now that didn't hurt a bit, did it? The new section looks perfect. Are you going to have those hatches open? John. Oh it had me on edge for a while. Good to do something new skill-wise on a model kit though! Thanks, the photo with the resin part was just sitting in place was before it was glued into place. It looks a lot better now cleaned up and glued in with the front upper hull plate. Ah na, as there's no interior and I don't plan on adding any figures to this build I think I will have them shut. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 After filling and sanding the deck lines ive re-added the rolled armour texture to the deck plates. I have also added the wire deck handles and the bolts on the fender sides where they meet. Next up is the engine access hatches and the rest of the upper hull. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 (edited) Edited January 29, 2022 by Npal21 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 I managed to get some bench time today. I have added the last of the rear deck panels and handles, added the side tool boxes, installed the hatches with new wire handles, added the smoke discharger wiring and mated the two hull halves together. I have also replaced the lap gunner Besa with a 3D printed barrel. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
APA Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Some really good work going on here. Going to be a cracker 👍 Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diablo rsv Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Excellent detailing work, looking forwards to seeing this progress. Wayne 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 29, 2022 Share Posted January 29, 2022 Yeah, really nice work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Npal21 Posted January 29, 2022 Author Share Posted January 29, 2022 5 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said: Yeah, really nice work. 11 hours ago, diablo rsv said: Excellent detailing work, looking forwards to seeing this progress. Wayne 12 hours ago, APA said: Some really good work going on here. Going to be a cracker 👍 Andrew Thank you for the comments! I am looking forward to getting the lower hull done and shooting a coat of primer over it to see where I've joined the resin hull plates comes up. Planning to do a bit more today all going well 🤞🏼 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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