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A13 Cruiser Mk III - Bronco - 1/35
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Monday, April 06, 2009 - 06:55 AM UTC
Well, Gents ...

I love the British armour !!!
These beasts are ugly, full of angles, and strange, because these characteristics, attractive!

My victim:
A13 Cruiser Mk III - Bronco - 1/35

Well, first of all, the presentation of the main character, the protagonist of our story:


The Cruiser Mk III (A13) was the first British cruiser tank to use the Christie suspension system which gave higher speeds and better cross-country performance, previous models of cruiser tanks having used triple wheeled bogie suspension, like its predecessor, the A9 Cruiser:


The Mk III began production in 1936. He weighed 14 long tons (14,200 kg) had a crew of 4, a Nuffield Liberty V12 petrol engine with 340 hp which gave a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) and was armed with a 2 pounder gun and a .303 Vickers machine gun. However, when it was introduced into service in 1937, the Army still lacked a formal tank division.
Sixty five were built, the original order being for 50. The order was completed by mid 1939.

Like most British cruisers, the A 13 was very fast but under-armoured. Most were lost in the French Campaign in 1940. The basic design was used for the Cruiser Mk IV.
The photo below is classic. Shows an A13 Cruiser Mk III the 1st Armoured Division abandoned by its crew, close to Dunkirk:


Specs:

Weight: 14.2 tonnes
Length: 6 m
Width: 2.5 m
Height: 2.6 m
Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armour: 6 - 14 mm
Primary armament : QF 2-pounder gun (87 rounds)
Secondary armament: .303 Vickers machine gun (3,750 rounds)
Engine: Nuffield Liberty V12 petrol (340 hp)
Suspension: Christie
Operational range: 90 miles
Speed: 30 mph

Well, enough of History and go to the construction of the kit...

The box is large and made of a cardboard a little thin for my taste. Presents a fine illustration of a Mk III in combat. Pity that the figure of the Commander is not included:


The content:trees of parts packed in individual term-sealed bags:


The low hull: one fine piece...


Vinyl tracks:




Some commented that the tracks are short!
A little test ...


Uops... :o :o
As Scarlett O'Hara said:
"Tomorrow. I think about this ..."


Continuing with the presentation of parts...
Nuts butterfly style:


Transparency:


Photo-etcheds. Involved in a double plastic film and very, very thin:


Upper-hull:


Close-up:


Turret parts:


Mantlet in close-up:


Suspension parts:


... and the rest:



The instructions booklet:


and a nice decal sheet:


......


Gents, start your engines !!!

The fun starts by the suspension:


The plastic is soft and good to work:


But the booklet is awful !!!! Confusing instructions out of order ...

Definitely, not a kit for beginners ...

Aligning the armor of the suspension. The arrows point to tractor wheel parts which must be below to the alignment of the rest of the armor:


The upper-hull. See the white marks in the plastic, due to warping of the upper-hull:


Done:


Rear parts:


Reinforcing gaps:


and;


Using PE´s:


Tractor wheels:


Driver´s place:


Exhaust pipes..Very fine!



Gluing and align the main wheels:


Here, a little trick:
Back the holes of support of the idler-wheel in 2 mm, to try to improve the problem of small track ... It is a great news that Bronco finally launched the LBL tracks in the market to solve this problem ...



On your feet!


Dry-run with the tracks:


Too tense...deforming the wheel and the track:



I will try to use the technique of boiling water to fix it! !!!!

A little good after-market: The gun is good, but metal is better...




With the turret:




There this...for now!!!

Stay connected and suggestions for painting and finishing are welcome !

Regards, from Brazil !!
AlanL
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Monday, April 06, 2009 - 07:08 AM UTC
Hi Marcos,

Nice presentation of the kit, good starting info and and interesting series of pictures on the build.

The front wheels look footery, with the PE. I'm going to opt for the indi links when I get to this one. Hope the hot water works out but it will be hard to get any sag I suspect.

Good luck with the build and thanks for sharing the info.

You shoudl get one of the staff to mark this as a blog.



Al
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Monday, April 06, 2009 - 07:19 AM UTC
Ok, Alan...

all the best !!!
CHESTERNIMITZ
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Vizcaya, Spain / España
Joined: March 01, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 95 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 10:41 AM UTC
Hello Marcos:
This kit has a little short tracks you'll be able to miss a few terminal. Indeed the model has very good looking. What about the lace?
AVRE165
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: December 31, 2002
KitMaker: 181 posts
Armorama: 145 posts
Posted: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 - 10:54 AM UTC
hi
what about using the crusader flui track.?
ossie
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Friday, May 01, 2009 - 01:43 PM UTC
My intent is fix the problem with the kit parts only...

Well, more stages:

PE´s from the kit:



butterfly nuts:


On your feet !!


Primming:


and cammo:


Using brass wire to prevent the links bend:


and starting the weathering:






Well, the end is near...

regards, Folks !!!



AlanL
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
Armorama: 11,675 posts
Posted: Friday, May 01, 2009 - 07:50 PM UTC
Hi MArcos,

Good work and some interesting fixes to soem of the the kit problems.

The tracks in this kit are a major disappointment, but you've done a grand job in trying to fix the problem. Unfortunately, they should sage a bit and I'm not sure how owill achieve that but excellent stuff none the less.

Al
exer
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Dublin, Ireland
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
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Posted: Friday, May 01, 2009 - 11:56 PM UTC
Very good work Marcos. Early War British Armor doesn't really interest me but seeing this I could be tempted.
tjkelly
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Maryland, United States
Joined: May 04, 2007
KitMaker: 1,132 posts
Armorama: 1,123 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 02, 2009 - 03:26 AM UTC
Great work Marcos! Nicely told, sequence went well, great fixes to the few problems you've encountered. Your camo and finish turned out nice! Thanks for sharing!

Cheers -
Tim
jjumbo
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British Columbia, Canada
Joined: August 27, 2006
KitMaker: 2,012 posts
Armorama: 1,949 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 02, 2009 - 06:39 PM UTC
Hey Marcos,
It looks great, excellent solution to the short track and twisting/warping problem !
It's a shame that such a simple engineering error can spoil what appears to be a great kit !!
Hopefully Bronco get the problem sorted out with their next A13 release.
Looking forward to your finished build.
Cheers

jjumbo
CHESTERNIMITZ
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Vizcaya, Spain / España
Joined: March 01, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 95 posts
Posted: Monday, May 04, 2009 - 01:24 AM UTC
As you've settled the issue of Tracks? Assembly work and paint is very good ..
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 - 09:56 PM UTC
Thanks, Gents !!!!

Soon, new pictures of the end of this saga !!!!


panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 - 10:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

As you've settled the issue of Tracks? Assembly work and paint is very good ..



Felix...
I did this:
1 - Back the idler wheel in 2mm


2 - Soak the traks in boiling water for a few minutes, stretch it carefully and immediately plunged the tracks into ice water . I repeated this process about 2 or 3 times ...

3 - Glued with superglue metal pins in the traction wheel to prevent link curves and bend...
After:

Doing in the left track...See the right track fixed:


4 - Mount the tracks before the main wheels, supported only on the idler and tractor wheel


5 - Build the main wheels:



6 - I used nylon yarn to tie the tracks in the first and last main wheels suspension, to simulate the weight ...



Voiláa



Regards, from Brazil !!

Grumpyoldman
Staff MemberConsigliere
KITMAKER NETWORK
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Florida, United States
Joined: October 17, 2003
KitMaker: 15,338 posts
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Posted: Thursday, May 07, 2009 - 03:24 AM UTC
Turned out looking really nice Marcos.
AlanL
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: August 12, 2005
KitMaker: 14,499 posts
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Posted: Thursday, May 07, 2009 - 04:11 AM UTC
Hi Marcos,

Great work, turned otu really well.

Al
CHESTERNIMITZ
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Vizcaya, Spain / España
Joined: March 01, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
Armorama: 95 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 07, 2009 - 04:37 AM UTC
Hi Marcos!!!
A great work of craftsmanship. Very hard to do I would say. I said to be safe if I get this problem.
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 05:38 AM UTC
Well, Lads...

The Cruiser finally is done !!!

The kit is delicious to build...the problem of the track is easy to solve, by tecnics described above...
One more British in my collection, by Jove !!!









regards and all the best !!
Halaci
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Budapest, Hungary
Joined: October 05, 2005
KitMaker: 223 posts
Armorama: 215 posts
Posted: Friday, May 15, 2009 - 09:07 PM UTC
Thank you Marcos for this very nice and informative build! I knew the problems of the track and it was good to see the problem in real life. I'm not sure whether I would try to solve it your way or buy a LBL track, but I have definetely mor info for the final decision.

A really astonishing work!
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Friday, May 15, 2009 - 10:08 PM UTC
Thanks, Gents...


My intention was really this: try to solve the problem of tracks without betake products after-market ...

Home made solution !!!!

eoin666
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England - South East, United Kingdom
Joined: March 31, 2008
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Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 09:56 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Thanks, Gents...


My intention was really this: try to solve the problem of tracks without betake products after-market ...

Home made solution !!!!




Ingenious work on those tracks Marcos. Just in the process of completing Italeri's old BT-5, and the similarity between the hull and suspension is striking
panzerserra
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Goias, Brazil
Joined: March 29, 2002
KitMaker: 730 posts
Armorama: 688 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2009 - 10:25 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Thanks, Gents...


My intention was really this: try to solve the problem of tracks without betake products after-market ...

Home made solution !!!!




Ingenious work on those tracks Marcos. Just in the process of completing Italeri's old BT-5, and the similarity between the hull and suspension is striking



Indeed, Eoin...

In my opinion, Bronco should resolve as soon as possible this problem ....

Best regards

Panzerserra
CHESTERNIMITZ
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Vizcaya, Spain / España
Joined: March 01, 2009
KitMaker: 96 posts
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Posted: Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 05:58 AM UTC
A great job with the paint and wear.
GeraldOwens
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Florida, United States
Joined: March 30, 2006
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Posted: Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 12:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Thanks, Gents...


My intention was really this: try to solve the problem of tracks without betake products after-market ...

Home made solution !!!!




Ingenious work on those tracks Marcos. Just in the process of completing Italeri's old BT-5, and the similarity between the hull and suspension is striking


Both designs were descended from J. Walter Christie's M1931 Medium Tank. The US Army purchased seven of them, but never sought a production order. The Soviets bought one and put it into mass production as the BT-2, and the improved BT-5, -7 and -8 followed, leading eventually to the T-34. In 1936, a British military delegation saw Russian BT's on maneuvers and had an immediate case of "mobility envy," since these tanks were drastically faster cross country than the contemporary Vickers six ton light tank. Buying a Russian tank would probably have been politically impossible, but the Russians helpfully directed the British to this crazy American designer. The British bought one of Christie's leftover prototypes and redesigned it with more modern tracks and a wider front hull, producing the A13.
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