British Heavy Tank Conqueror 1/35th scale Black Label

[metadyne]

My third black label kit after the MTB 70 and Saladin. So I have great expectations for this as they were great builds. Loved every minute of them.

 

This is a kit I have long wanted to make as the subject matter is a great story, and relevant to today, with the Conqueror developed out of fear of the Soviet tank threat after the JS three Pike turned public and made Allied faces go white. My own interest arose when I joined the Infantry as a boy Soldier and fired a 66 law at one, and wondered later what the hell was that monster hulk on the range.

 

So lets take a look in the box.

 

Large parts count and typical of Black Label, 65% in the suspension, if I wanted to make this on uneven terrain, it would be possible. But a Tamiya T62 I recently made from the 70's has the suspension molded as one part with the hull, how far we have come in this hobby Gentlemen, it's a very grown up Business.

 

two piece vinyl track, I'll be looking closer at that in a bit. No interior with Black Label, the Saladin didn't have detail on the inside surfaces of the hatches, They are external models. But looking at the list, what a list. ONLY DEDICATED ARMOUR FANS.

 see what I can do to add hatch open detail. So if you peek inside, it's not a empty shell like a Target hulk.

[metadyne]

the track is flexible enough, and detailed enough too. That can get some rough treatment with brissle brush and rag to weather them without links falling apart.

as the gun protrudes over 14 feet from the front of the tank, it's prominent enough to deserve the Aber gun, so I'll join the two halves together right now for a direct photo comparison between kit and aftermarket.

[APA]

I added the Mkii to my stash not long ago. I to like the post war british behemoths. Looks a great kit an looking forward to building it. Likewise looking forward to your build to

Crack on

 

Andrew 

[Milan Mynar]

The track links look nice.

[metadyne]

with all the running gear assembled it's time to take a look inside the hull.

 

typical of black label, it's an empty shell, I'm going to draw a few rough sketches of the inside equipment, such as the Mullens auto ejection system,  the commanders position and the gun breech just so the open commanders hatch gives the impression that it's a tank not an empty shell.

the lower hull will help me measure in the turret turntable/basket floor.

but I'll start with the basics, the engine bulkhead and the floor under the turret basket.

[metadyne]

the turret has two baskets, on for the main turret and one small one for the commanders sub turret, the Tank commander can't access other areas of the fighting compartment due to the protective cage around his pedestal. Loads of scratch building to go in there.

 

the engine bulkhead with a extractor fan from the fighting compartment to extract to the engine compartment, also has a access panel to go in there.

[metadyne]

just making sure the turret floor would be able to rotate without fouling the hull. Not correctly orientated as the floor space would be on the loaders side.

 

the kit doesn't come with a gun breech, so I'm making one out of plasticard.

[metadyne]

went to photograph a real Conqueror today, but the exhibit is a Mk1, as I'm making a mk2 there may be detail differences between them, even so I'll post pictures of the real one throughout the build for comparison and for interest.

[APA]

6 minutes ago, metadyne said:

went to photograph a real Conqueror today, but the exhibit is a Mk1, as I'm making a mk2 there may be detail differences between them, even so I'll post pictures of the real one throughout the build for comparison and for interest.

Is the smartie for scale?

 

Andrew 

[metadyne]

1 hour ago, APA said:

Is the smartie for scale?

 

Andrew 

no it's for later...yum.

[metadyne]

another handy shot showing track colour, it's crazy painting tank track from imagination, as there is little rust, no silver, but what there is, a multitude of subtle shades.

 

 

there is a renewed track link in here that has a differing shade due to not having run with the rest of the track life. An interesting observation none the less.

[echen]

13 hours ago, metadyne said:

went to photograph a real Conqueror today,

Was this the Bovington exhibit?

[metadyne]

Yes, it's the one at the Tank Museum in Dorset,  The Aber gun needs assembling early so I can do A comparison with the kit barrel before it gets cut up and used inside against the breech.

 

 

quickly and simply makes up into a nice piece.

 

but those of you, with a keen eye for detail will notice I've assembled the muzzle end about face. It shouldn't flair like a shotgun barrel.

that's why trial fitting ids so important to me. it should look like this.

[metadyne]

the bogies fit to the hull with a shallow shaped stud. Then individual bump stops fit between like webs

[metadyne]

peek down the unmade turret interior, nothing glued down yet, loads more to build inside, including the commanders turret basket turret horizontal cables, breech face ect.

 

[metadyne]

how the breech block should look. Except this is inverted, the handle should be on the right, but the recooperator lug prevented Bovington displaying it the right way up.

Edited May 27, 2022 by metadyne
Added details

[metadyne]

track painting over a spray cost of Halfords plastic primer.

 

the primer stops any degrading of the tracks when the enamel paint effects them.

scrub in track tones by lifecolour. a dry cloth helps to take the heavy tone down leaving the previous colour in the recesses.

 

all the way through a test around the sprocket check it won't crack.

 

[metadyne]

Road Wheels, track adjuster/idler wheels, return rollers and sprockets all fitted up in line.

 

[Geo1966]

Excuse my ignorance, but what is the 'Black label' thing about?

 

You are making good progress btw.

 

George

[metadyne]

The Black Label is a side line of specialist armour kits from DML, They're neither better nor worse than any any other DML kit, it's only the subject matter that is so specialist. Post war/cold war armour for the particular taste of the specialist armour fan. No Interior though, not even inside surfaces of hatches.

 

of course ignoring my own reference photo, I mounted the lock the wrong way around, corrected now, the head adjusts/swivels to meet the barrel and avoid catching the rear track guard.

[metadyne]

base green coat for the lower hull and running gear, first of many paint effects on this area.

[metadyne]

first mud effects on the lower surfaces, I'm counting on this drying and cracking like the mud on an autumn ex on Soltau.

 

there's more subtle layers to go on the track.

 

the long exercises on the Soltau Luneburg extension could go from this.... (taken by me in 1981)

to this back of the throat dust that gets into everything. taken in 1987

 

 

back to the model, and more subtle applications of mud to go on the track.

[metadyne]

the commanders vision devices are in clear plastic, only the upper exterior portion, typical of black label, not even a nod toward the interior.

 

the turret basket/cage on the bustle, put up a fight, got it together, then applied a second application of cement to add strength.

 not as fine as the real at Bovington.

 

 

Thing I'll cover it with a canvass and cam netting.

[Whitewolf]

Looking really good!!

[metadyne]

the tow cable stowage is interesting, though this close up I am all over the faults.