1/35 Challenger 2 TES Rye Field Model RM5039

[popeye the sailor]

it's how we all think.......but your spot on     the A team...always have a plan!    very detailed model......coming along really good  

[Old Collingwood]

5 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

it's how we all think.......but your spot on     the A team...always have a plan!    very detailed model......coming along really good  

Thank you kindly Denis, the added bonus  after building this one I will be having a go at the RFM  M1A2  SEP V2/TUSK  MBT   with the Full engine bay/engine.

 

That way I will have  both heavyweights  side by side.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Evening all,   the bottom tub is complete  afting fitting the Twelve wheel suspension struts, and the front units,  I will have to test the weather tomorrow before working out if I can prime it.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Evening all,    right  the bottom tub was put on one side  but no primer has touched it  - weather is too rubbish,   so  next  in the build  is the top  plate, this  starts with a couple  of fittings underneath, then  the instructions call for the  extra armour plate on the front glacies plate, this has quite a few fittings before being  glued down.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Evening all,  more progress on the frontal armour  - I added the two drive lights  (fiddly little things)  one of them forsted over from getting a bit of glue on it, I removed the glue after it had set with a sharp blade,  it doesn't matter too much as I will paint them alum and when I add some dust dry brushing after painting  - they will blend in and wont be seen that well.

The bottom section of armour was cut off next  I decided to glue the Two togther as they lign up better that way,   then a tiny bit more bling was added,   then it was on with the top section - this has a few fittings including Two PE  pieces that needed bending Three times then a couple of lights where fixed in place with a small amount of CA.

 

I then dry fitted the Two togther - a  great fit of parts is shown  straight out the box.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Here's the plan over the next day or so  - I will attach a few more of the fittings and PE  on the top of the hull,  then the exciting bit  - 

 

I have had my other kit arrive  including a few bits  - modern British tank crew,   the plan is   I will  pinch the internal bits for the turret  and drivers cab, and start the process of  trying to make them convert from a M1A2  into a Chally 2  interior.

 

Here is the kit -

[Egilman]

6 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

I have had my other kit arrive

That's a gorgeous kit....

[Old Collingwood]

6 hours ago, Egilman said:

That's a gorgeous kit....

Should see the size of the box  its  Huge  and the parts count   loads and loads.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Evening all, more progress  still on the top plate  -  firstly I had what seemed like Ten Million engine hatch hinges, then there was a few handles  that were about  0000000.1mm  wide  (well not quite)  but still  minute,   the savior was some larger fittings like  fuel filler caps  and  engine exhausts, also a couple of  side handles (not as small as the other tiny things).

Next was some engine cover Bling  that was a pleasure to fix down.

 

I have taken a few pics ot show the massive size of the M1 kit  (that I will be pinching the interior from)  and also some super detail sets I boright to bring the M1  upto its most modern look, and  the Chally  tankers  I will  buid and paint.

 

OC.

[Canute]

You going to do the "bed spring" standoff gear? I've seen some Strykers and such with that gear. A lot of PE.

[Old Collingwood]

5 minutes ago, Canute said:

You going to do the "bed spring" standoff gear? I've seen some Strykers and such with that gear. A lot of PE.

What I will probably do with the Abrams  is limit the  extra armour on the hull to just the reactive flat boxe's  and not the  (roof tile looking plates)  just think they look silly   but will give the turrets the Full Monty.

 

OC.

[marktiedens]

Looking good OC - what kind of glue are you using to attach the PE?   The only thing I could get to work was CA gel - the really thick stuff.

 

 

Mark

[Canute]

OC, I think the TUSK armor system is a replacement for that earlier system. But the TUSK system is kind of cool. I await your example.

[Old Collingwood]

9 hours ago, marktiedens said:

Looking good OC - what kind of glue are you using to attach the PE?   The only thing I could get to work was CA gel - the really thick stuff.

 

 

Mark

I brought this one Mark,  it seems really good  I just use a thin bit of wire  - dab the wire end in the small puddle of glue in a saucer (like the garden pot type ones)  then dab it on the place were I want to place the PE, keeps it  controled taht way  also give a little time to move the part around  (not lots of time but just enough)

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

1 hour ago, Canute said:

OC, I think the TUSK armor system is a replacement for that earlier system. But the TUSK system is kind of cool. I await your example.

Think it will look superb  - wait till I have to paint the figures in that disruptive camo😲

 

OC.

[Edwardkenway]

That Gorilla brand is good, their wood glue is also excellent,  and the CA gel stops even me gluing my fingers to the model 😉

Can't wait to see turret interior detailing and the new kit!

[Egilman]

3 hours ago, Canute said:

OC, I think the TUSK armor system is a replacement for that earlier system. But the TUSK system is kind of cool. I await your example.

Tank Urban Survival Kits (TUSK) has had two phases Tusk I was the square reactive explosive armor, Tusk II added a few enhancements like the tile shaped charges on top of the square block charges and grid armor to the rear of the tank to improve it's RPG protection... They added a .50 cal to the main gun barrel to add infantry level offensive protection to the infrared targeting system, gun shields to the commander position and several electronics upgrades to make it more survivable in a city environment against irregular troops.... They were first used in Iraq during the first occupation, and upgraded when the insurgents learned how to destroy an abrams with rather crude devices..... (well not so much as destroy it, but render it useless for combat) 

 

In places where the threat is more conventional, (normal armor operations against field forces like in Europe) TUSK is not deployed cause it hampers the tanks cross country mobility.....

 

The upgrade kit is TUSK II and you wouldn't see it anywhere except in a city environment....

[Old Collingwood]

1 minute ago, Edwardkenway said:

That Gorilla brand is good, their wood glue is also excellent,  and the CA gel stops even me gluing my fingers to the model 😉

Can't wait to see turret interior detailing and the new kit!

Thank you Edward,   yep I will be test fitting stuff in the turret  soon  not sure if the assembly will  convert straight across  from one kit to the other, the turret rings might be a differnt diameter, I will no doubt have to  do abit of fettling  to get it to fit.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

34 minutes ago, Egilman said:

Tank Urban Survival Kits (TUSK) has had two phases Tusk I was the square reactive explosive armor, Tusk II added a few enhancements like the tile shaped charges on top of the square block charges and grid armor to the rear of the tank to improve it's RPG protection... They added a .50 cal to the main gun barrel to add infantry level offensive protection to the infrared targeting system, gun shields to the commander position and several electronics upgrades to make it more survivable in a city environment against irregular troops.... They were first used in Iraq during the first occupation, and upgraded when the insurgents learned how to destroy an abrams with rather crude devices..... (well not so much as destroy it, but render it useless for combat) 

 

In places where the threat is more conventional, (normal armor operations against field forces like in Europe) TUSK is not deployed cause it hampers the tanks cross country mobility.....

 

The upgrade kit is TUSK II and you wouldn't see it anywhere except in a city environment....

I didn't realize that brother  - right then  I will  do this version  as seen on exercise  in Germany.

 

OC.

 

Not my pic.

[Old Collingwood]

Evening all,   so work continues on the rear engine  cover,   this time I assembled and placed the barrel  brace   for when the tank is in stoawge position,  I also added a few more fitting including the reat stowage bins - these are lovely moulding including the locks.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

making some really good progress OC........the kits look awesome!   interesting to see the scope of a kit expand.......the project grows   

[Old Collingwood]

8 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

making some really good progress OC........the kits look awesome!   interesting to see the scope of a kit expand.......the project grows   

Thank you kindly Denis, yes  Rye Field Models are Superb   with so much detail  - deffo recommend them to anyone  wanting to do an armoured kit.

 

OC.

[Canute]

I have the TUSK II inbound. I think it does any one of 3 versions.

[Old Collingwood]

1 minute ago, Canute said:

I have the TUSK II inbound. I think it does any one of 3 versions.

What make have you gone with Ken?

 

OC.

[Canute]

Rye Field Models. After you and, I think it was Craig (CDW), showed their kits, I was sold. Read a few reviews on some armor sites, too. I can do research, just not able to see well enough to do the fine bits and bobs you're working on. Got another month before my first op on right eye, then 2 more weeks for the left one. I'm already cranky from the lockdown and it's too darn cold outside with the wind event we've had going on around here. Most of the white stuff Jack and Denis got up north was a swing and a miss down here. We got a bare inch of mostly slush. It's -2C right now with a wind chill making it -9C.

[Old Collingwood]

4 minutes ago, Canute said:

Rye Field Models. After you and, I think it was Craig (CDW), showed their kits, I was sold. Read a few reviews on some armor sites, too. I can do research, just not able to see well enough to do the fine bits and bobs you're working on. Got another month before my first op on right eye, then 2 more weeks for the left one. I'm already cranky from the lockdown and it's too darn cold outside with the wind event we've had going on around here. Most of the white stuff Jack and Denis got up north was a swing and a miss down here. We got a bare inch of mostly slush. It's -2C right now with a wind chill making it -9C.

Will follow your build  mate, they are Superb kits  and are really well made, I think like me you will love building yours.

 

OC.

[Jack12477]

2 hours ago, Canute said:

Most of the white stuff Jack and Denis got up north was a swing and a miss down here.

The official amount for my town was 25.6 inches.  Another snow event coming Friday then another nor'easter possible on Sunday. 

[Egilman]

3 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

The official amount for my town was 25.6 inches.  Another snow event coming Friday then another nor'easter possible on Sunday. 

Several decades ago I moved out here, have never regretted it......

 

I miss the quaint houses with exit doors on the second floor, but I've learned to live with it....

[Jack12477]

5 minutes ago, Egilman said:

miss the quaint houses with exit doors on the second floor,

My uncle had one of those when he lived in Watertown NY, east of the infamous Tug Hill Plateau, back when they were building the St Lawrence Seaway.  His company, Atlantic-Richfield Oil,  was a major lubricant supplier for the construction equipment. They  sent him up there to oversee their contracts;  2nd year he lived there he had to use that 2nd story exit.  He had some wild stories to tell about the drive from Watertown to Massena NY during winter, in the days before "climate change".   And cars didn't rust up there either, no road salt,  at least not until they hosted the Winter Olympics in the 1980.  

 

Don't have any of those down here in the Valley. 

[mtaylor]

I never did understand the second story door.  If the snow is up that high (or close to it) would wouldn't stepping out the door lead to your being buried in the snow?  Or did this assume you have snow shoes?