Hey Guys,
I finally got started, or should I say restarted! I had started my M-7 with the first 4 pieces of the lower /rear hull, and then saw everyone was taking pics of the beforestarting so I stopped and had to wait for my son to take some pics with his digital camera, which we should add later today. I also had get some shots of the Sd 251 which I will start later in the week.
I made good progress on the M-7 yesterday with the gun,gunmount and front shield completed along with most of the rest of the lower and front hull completed. As I said We will try to load/add the pics later today!
Good Hunting,
Gdub

Hi
Mine's primed & waiting for it to warm up in the shed before I start spraying any colour on it.

@AJB and firstcircle - I am sorry to hear of your and others difficulties. I guess that our presumption that these kits would "fly together" were a bit premature. I am particularly astounded that in both your cases we are dealing with original Matchbox kits. Doubly intriguing is that in both your cases there have been a severe suspension component problem. I shall be wary and forewarned once I get to that stage of my build.

AJ, I am particularly intrigued by your pictures. In certain ways the scale is not particularly evident. Could you explain what type of camera, lighting and or settings you are using?

@tommytanker - Thanks for the update and I can't wait to see some progress pictures. As I have an M7 in the stash you experiences should prove enlightening.

@muddyfields - There is still plenty of time left so you needn't feel rushed. Pictures of the status or progress to date would be appreciated by all.

In my case I haven't made any progress since my last update as I was completing a build for another campaign. I have a couple of days off work so I am hoping for things to advance over the next couple of days. I must say that I find it particularly interesting that people building the same kit are having different experiences with their construction. I must thank those of you early starters for sharing your experiences through text and photos with this group.

Cheers,
Jan

It just keeps on getting better. Someone has pointed out to me that the tracks on the right side of the tank are orientated the wrong way. A picture in prime portal confirms that the front of the tracks edge slopes down and points inward. Being the masochist that I am I decided to correct the problem. Firstcircle, I think that I now have you beat. Not only did the last wheel on the left side break three times and require two part epoxy but the correction of the track orientation resulted in the breaking off of the second and fourth main wheels. As if that weren't enough, after correcting the broken wheels with gap filling super glue I tried to install the track and was almost done when I noticed I orientated the track the wrong way again. In removing the track the front idle wheel decided to give way. After all this I am wondering how appropriate the name Challenger is for this kit as it is definitely proving to be a challenge to build.

Hoping for a brighter tomorrow,
AJ

PS- Jan, the photos are taken with a Sony A100 DSLR with a 18-55 zoom lens. Aperture is set to F20 with a -.7 exposure modification. Illumination is by two wireless remote flashes with diffusers attached.

Okay, got to do a bit of painting on the Firefly base today and also got the decals on the vehicle as well. No real problems with this one so far, hopefully it stays that way. No mods except frilling out the muzzle brake on the 17pdr.

A question to someone more qualified than me: what actual calibre was the British 17pdr?



Andrew

76.2 mm (3 inch)

I must apologize for not posting these pictures earlier but I was rather flustered and frustrated the other day do the track problems. These should have been posted before the previous ones I put up but I misplaced them on my computer. It was suggested that we post before pictures and I totally forgot. This is as close as I can come at this point..



I've got the tracks sorted out so here is where I did the front and back pieces and have just started on the turret details.





Hopefully things will go better now and I can get this build organized.

Fingers crossed,
AJ

Nice progress on the Sherman, Andrew. Looks good.

Those banks next to the bridge could look really good with some patches of grass.I know you might already have planned it.

Here's my entry guys, just another Chaffee, built straight from the box without any additions at all. It is actually spray painted in a two tone camo but the pic didn't seem to show it clearly. The model was then weathered with oil wash and dry brushing. This was a fun campaign and it really brought back memories of the good old days when I used to build these brand models to play with after

A nice Chaffee!

I must say the finished builds look excellent so far.

Well,
Here it's Friday and no pics, We tried to add them last night and I don't know where they went but they didn't go to my file and they didn't come here!!! SOOOoooo.... We'll try again tonight or this weekend, also have some progress shots... Have the first 3 steps done and some base painting on some parts including the roadwheels and lower hull. When you guys see the pics you will notice I added a driver as I wanted the vehicle ready to move after the first shots are fired!!
Good Hunting,
Gdub

Well we have just passed the one month mark and we have three completed builds in the gallery. THere is still plenty of time for the procrastinators.

@AJB - Thanks for the photo information. I must say that you have earned my admiration in sticking with such an uncooperative build. I hope that you have smooth sailing from here on in.

@CMOT70 - Your base, let alone the Firefly, is really taking shape. Adding a few extra little touches such as grass, foliage or the like is totally acceptable.

@Muttley - As Michael mentioned your M-24 is looking very good and if this and the other completed builds hold to this high a standard this will have been quite a campaign.

@tommytanker - If you still have problems with picture issues feel free to ask for assistance here. I and/or other fellow campaigners will be happy to assist.

Cheers,
Jan

Howdy folks!

Nice work here! The M24 has always been one of my favourites.

I'm calling mine done. Took some pictures and uploaded it to the gallery. This campaign was great fun! Maybe I'll do another kit if I get bored with my other projects.






Cheers!
Stefan

Stefan, your AVRE is absolutely stunning. As someone noted much earlier in this thread, if it wasn't for some inaccuracies and too thick tracks these builds so far could pass for a larger scale then 1/76.

Cheers,
Jan

I began the Sd.Kfz 232 today. It has to be over 30 years since I last built this kit.

Nice WIPs on the builds, and congratulations to those who have finished! I myself got into a slump these past couple of weeks. Have a couple of campaigns ongoing, and just got up one morning -- felt I couldn't work on anything. Anyways, I have primed the Jagdpanther. Will post some pics soon. Cheers -- Tat

Here's the completed Firefly. All done during breaks with my main projects.





I also have the T34 and Priest in the stash too...

Andrew

@Sabot - Interesting choice and duly noted in the Campaign chart. Can't wait to hear your impressions of the build today as opposed to days gone by.

@Tat - This isn't a race and you still have almost three months left to complete the Jagdpanther. Just remember that among other things this campaign was to bring back fond memories from less stressful times.

@CMOT70- Beautiful build, Andrew. Your additions to the base are a very nice touch and I'm impressed with how the tools turned out.

Thank you all for posting,
Jan

It was something German (as someone had recommended/requested) yet does not require an intrinsic German camouflage pattern nor did I have to try to deal with an interior that a build like the Wespe required.

Hello All! I'm enlisting with a PzKpfw II.

Stefan, Great Churchill bridgelayer. The extra rigging really adds some realism.

Andrew very nice build. The Sherman is really presented at a great angle on the base.

Thanks for participating, guys

Welcome Chris (cjbloch) we lose one person and then gain another. I built this one in the "dark ages" and from what I recall it was very nice. It was quite small but the details for the time were quite something. This also gives our group another Axis vehicle. I've updated things to reflect your entry.

Cheers,
Jan

Most impressed with the builds so far, excellent work everyone!

Greetings fellow campaigners. Things got off to quite a start but seem to have calmed down a bit. Anyway, I've made some minor progress on the M40 and expect to have more done over the next two days. The engine deck front took quite a bit of dedicated filing with a small jewellers file. This was due primarily because the joints that mate each have an 'L' shaped contour that need to interlock and the area was where they had the sprue attach. This little beast is taking far longer to assemble than I had anticipated.






Back to work!

EDIT: 15 min. later...



Cheers,
Jan

True to purpose, this is very nostalgic: super Chaffee and Firefly builds, both of which I remember making. Always wondered where the Firefly was going, perhaps it's trying to get a hull down position on the bridge. The Chaffee is one of the better kits as I remember it, and somehow, it's exactly what a tank looks like, if you know what I mean. Glad to see someone is doing the Panzer II, I think that was my favourite of all the Matchbox kits I did in the old days.

Anyway, I have made a little progress on my Puma. In trying for a little variation on Jesper's excellent offering I am going to include the figures and have therefore been quite occupied with trying to get them into an acceptable form for public display! The detail of the faces is a bit "minimalist", I think the officer has a slight resemblance to Captain Pike from Star Trek (if you remember, Kirk's predecessor who got badly disfigured and spent his time in the mobility unit).

To keep the retro theme I am also entirely handpainting this, so no beautiful airbrush camo finishes - I'm thinking of leaving it plain dark yellow, a bit of a cop out maybe, but we'll see. This has meant using Humbrol enamel for the vehicle, and the base colour of the uniforms, but everything else is in oil, and I tell you, those paving slabs are taking a long time to dry . . .



Boring pic of tyres, also in oil, but they're dry already.


Koated in Klear - but the matt Humbrol enamel really absorbs the shine.


That face on the left really isn't too good, but fortunately not so bad in real life.