Well Guys im doing a blog post on this build to get some help on where to start and how to do this one right and learn a lot of new things to try. Its going to be a Tamiya British Army Chieftain Mk5 and I also have the Tamiya Modern Mititary Equipment set coming with it. first did any of these appear in Iraq or in any other dessert areas? And If so What color should i use ? Or should i go a green scheme instead? Always wondered on if the green schemes should get a wash or filter and what colors to use on it if i go this route or the opposite for a sand colored one?

Chris--I'm no expert on the Chieftain, but as far as I know the Brits had phased out the Chieftain before the 1991 Gulf War, and certainly none made it to OIF. I also don't think the modern equipment set will be of much help, as it only includes US-issue equipment (from the 80s, if you have the old set, or from the early 2000s, if you have the newer set). British kit is fairly different in appearance, unfortunately.

I don't know if the Chieftain was used in any desert environments, but if you're looking for interesting cammo schemes, check out the Berlin urban combat scheme--it's quite eye-catching.

As for using washes and filters on green or OD subjects, by all means try it out. A very dark brown pin wash (or black, if you prefer) can give a solid-green colored tank quite a bit of depth, and filters (in whatever color you choose) will have the same impact on the final look as they will on a sand-colored tank.

They were used by Kuwait.....painted in desert tan.

Some were captured from Kuwait by Iraq.....and subsequently destroyed during the invasion.

Some were used by the MeK(Mujahedeen Khalq...an Iranian resistance group in Iraq)....maybe captured from Iran....painted in tan and a light green.

They were used in Canada.....at BATUS....painted in stone and green.

Whatever paint scheme you choose make sure it is proper for the correct Mk of Chieftain....they probably won't be out of the box Chieftains.

The Berlin Brigade urban scheme.....I am not sure if a Chieftain out of the box would be correct....it would have some upgrades for the earliest versions in the urban cam.

If I remember right, the Tamiya Mk.5 isn't even a Mk.5.

Chieftain Tweaks

Accurate Armour has resin kits to covert the Tamiya kit into several different Marks.
http://www.accurate-armour.com/showaaproducts.cfm?category=66&subcategory=39

I checked out the upgrade list and the resin update kit. Im a little broke to buy that thing so i guess ill have to try to go by the list with some readlily available items. Still cat figure what scheme to go with. I couldnt find too many pics of them, but i did find one with a dessert sand scheme and some of the details on the front quarter view i found of that pic.

Chris I don't know how concerned you are about accuracy, but Tamiya's offering looks the part. I believe a MK5 is at Bovington and I will try and get you some reference pics in the new year, also if there are areas you are interested in covering please let me know. I will be going back there in Feb.

Prime portal has usefull pics of Chieftains, see:

http://www.primeportal.net/the_battlefield_armor.htm

im not majorly concerned with 100 % accuracy just some of the pieces being correct. And that would be sweet if you had some pics for me to make a period correct cheiften at an almost out of box build. So i can plan on the correct colors and equipment setups and all that.