My lack of knowledge of Trumpeter kits has put me in a bit of a rut here.

I am looking for the best option for a desertised Challenger 2. Here are my thoughts:

A) I can perhaps combine Trumpeter kits #01522 and #00323. Again I am unfamiliar with these kits, but after discussing this with a fellow modeller our thought is that I would be able to use the parts from #01522 with the anti skid texture in place of the equivalent parts for kit #00323, effectively giving me a desertised C2 with the correct anti skid texture. Is my thinking sound here?

B) I don't know anything about the accuracy etc. of the Tamiya desertised C2, but I do know that it does not have the anti skid texture molded on it. There aren't any direct replacement parts that I know of that would work for this kit. If the kit doesn't have any other flaws that wouldn't be corrected by PE, it was suggested by a fellow modeler that I use Chinchilla dust to replicate the anti skid texture. Does anyone here have any insight on this Tamiya kit? Or on using Chinchilla dust?

I built the trumpeter kit and found certain elements had a bad fit and needed work, however if you choose the tamiya the fit is nice and the anti-slip texture is not hard to recreate, i remember someone did it with flour.

Jeremy,

You could go with option #1 and add your own non-slip texture. Mask off the area and get yourself some Rustoleum "Terra Cotta" spray paint. You can find it at Home Depot, Lowe's and probably several other places.

Can't speak to any other issues with that particular kit; but that's how you can add your own non-slip surface. I'm doing it on all my Stryker kits...at least until Trumpy or AFV decide to add it to the kit.

Just MY opinion...I could be wrong!

One thing to remember when replicating anything on a model is that if you use an organic substance sooner or later it will be attacked by moulds and fungus and/or insects.

As long as they do it to scale!!

Rich if Jeremy goes with option one the anti slip coating is already on the 01522 turret and hull. I believe Jeremy wants to know what will result in the easiest and/or most accurate Challenger 2 in its desertised format.

Well said Darren. This is exactly what I'm looking for

Phil: Thanks for your insight. Regarding the flour Darren has a good point, the environment I am in does not bode well for organic compounds so I must stay away from them.

Richard: Trumpeter's new kit has a fine anti slip texture on it. If it is possible to use those textured parts on the older desertised C2 then I would consider going that route.
Regardless I would like to see how the terra-cotta paint texture is working on you Strykers.

About the flour, I remember thinking that when I saw it but cannot for the life of me remember how he overcame that obstacle.

The other suggestions such as the textured spray paint etc sounds better

Jeremy,

Take a look here:
http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/p/105363/1043093.aspx#1043093

About half way down the page you'll see a pic. While this isn't MY Stryker it's the same technique I plan to employ. I just finished assembling the hull on Monday. I'm gonna start on the turret tonight.

I'll post some pics in this forum once I get ready to start the finishing process.

Juan Chinchilla dust is a very fine grain sand sold in pet shops for chinchillas to clean themselves on as they cannot get wet, also known as a dust bath.

Here are a couple links to help explain it if you are still not sure what it is:

Bathing Chinchilla

Examples of dust

Richard: That looks really good, it has to be a real bear to mask something like that though. With my nearly non-existent experience I am hoping that combining the two Trumpeter kits will work, but I don't know if it will.

I certainly look forward to trying it out on one of the Tamiya kits sometime in the not so distant future.

Sure thing Juan, although I have to admit that Darren is generally far more helpful than I could ever be as his knowledge base is far broader than mine

The terra cotta spray works great. There is an example of the anti-slip in this build:
https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/152710#1280491

Paul

Paul: Thanks for sharing that, his work is looking very impressive. I'm pretty certain that I don't have the skill to pull that off.... which brings my back to my original question..


Has anybody combined Trumpeter kits #01522 and #00323?

I have the dozer version (it is an almost identical kit to the desertised version)of the older Trumpeter kit and the latest version with the bar armour. I believe that all you really need to add from the desertised version to the newer frame is the frontal and side armour, skirts, plus the rear fuel tanks and the brackets for mounting them. If I am correct in that belief then I see no reason why this should cause any real problems other than a small amount of scratch work.

Nonsense. If I can do it then anybody can. The masking is the worse part. I used tape and liquid mask. Getting the liquid mask back off is a pain as well.

Also the anti-slip usually wears off in spots as well so it doesn't have to be perfect.



Paul

I have to agree with Paul. Its quite easy. If you can apply masking tape and hold a spray can, you can easily do it.

Here is how: Applying Anti-Slip Coating.

I say go for it.

Darren: I love the Chally 2, so I think I'm going to hunt down those two Trumpeter kits like we talked about and give it a go. I'll make it my next project so that I can post it on here and we can see what really works and what doesn't.

Paul: I seriously have no idea what my capabalities are, but I like what I see in the picture. What liquid mask do you use?

Gino: Thanks too for you encouragement. What masking tape do you use? The stuff I am used to using isn't well suited for sticking to models.

Jeremy before dismissing the idea of applying your own anti slip coating, give it a try on a sheet of plastic. Just mask up some shapes and see what the finish comes out like.

Nothing special, just regular light tan masking tape from Wal-Mart. I prefer the better quality 3M brand though.

Darren: I think I am going to try it on my Tamiya kits, I need to get some PE for them though, and would like to pick up some indy tracks.

Gino: 3M is really the only brand I have ever had any luck with when it comes to tape. I did pick up a roll of that thin white Tamiya tape as well, but I've never used it before.

I think I still want to try out the kitbashing idea and see if it works. It will be hopefully be informative to anyone else wishing to do such a build if nothing else.

I highly recommend the workable tracks from Bronco, they take some work and very careful application of glue is needed to keep them workable but I am impressed with most aspects of them.