Alan: Thanks for getting your build started so quickly, I'm looking forward to seeing how the whole process turns out with great interest.

Hi Chris,

Thanks, I've already got a Mk I version cut and drilled and very fragile it is too, some shell fitting this morning if it holds to gether, if not I'll make a Mk II version as you suggest. However with 60 odd rounds stored around the ring mine will at best be an illusion but sometimes that's all that's needed.

Hi Jeremy,

You and me both , I've sent off for some Accurate Armour weels to compare the larger road wheels against which seems to be the main issue. They also make two different styles and I imagine like Shermans the style you want will depend on you're build picture.

I thought enough of the kit to buy the Mk II version though lol, lol. For those Non Allied Fans, the Mk II comes with some German Markings.

Has anyone bought the Squadron SIgnal Book? I'd be interested in the range of pictuers in the publication as I have yet to decide on a finish.

Right shell time.

Cheers

Al

Greetings folks,

Well a bit more work. Firstly some explanation.

Originally I cut the turret basket base based on the inside diameter of the turret This seemed a logical start point..



However, when I looked at some pics and the diagram of the part it appeared to me to have fold out extensions that meant that it covered a wider area of the hull floor when installed. I don't know if this is correct but it is how it appeared to me. Therefore I made a wider basket floor based on the diameter of the upper hull opening and this is the bit I've been working on.

I have added the second tier of shell racks, and added some left over shells from the M3 build for a bit of colour. I made the seats from left over bren carrier parts and the extendable extensions from drilled out plastic rod in 2 sizes. The commanders seat should be an oval shape not suqare llike my effort and there should be 2 additional besa boxes in front of the smoke bombs box but it's too late now to fix that and that part will be under the gun breech anyway so I'll live with my mistake.



I still have about 5 shells left over so they may get added.

You can see here the differnet diameter of the basket base.



My intention is to fix the base to the lower turret ring and add some small square plates to secure it to the upper turret, well that's the plan .

It looks pretty busy in here which was the object of the exercise, plus to have some fun and experiment.



I have also filled in the ejection marks on the underside of the lower hull and the top plate of the turret. There was a .45 Thom[pson clipped to the turret sealing plus the gunners periscope prism rack thingi at the back so i may add some detail there if it doesn't interfer with the radio when I get it added.

That's it for now.

Al

Hi Folks,

Well while I wait for the basket to dry and contemplate my next move there, I made a start on the hull interior. The kit comes with some basic items which are nice , drivers seat, control panel, pedels etc, but I thought I wouold add a little more so I started with the elcetrical wiring on the LHS and adding some detail to the bare flat surface. Need a better picture of this to see what else can be done.



Al

Hi folks,

A bit more info. Parts B9 and B10 shown as the seat are on Spur A. Part A18, the LHS instrument panel is the wrong way around, so you might want to reverse it and make you're own control panel.

If you were nifty then you could make the periscopes rotate

Al

This build is looking great so far Alan. The Valentine is high up on my "to build" list, so I'm watching your work very closely.

As always, thnks for the effort and sharing all the details!

Mike

Hi Mike,

Thanks for droping in. Some more progress.

The drivers controls and seat all fitted nicely and the only error I can see here is that the control panels are situated too far back on the undersiode of the front hull so you might like to move them forward. I'm rewoking the larger panel as it was the wrong way around and have added some little bars to give a better fixing when I move them forward.

On the detail side I've added some of the wiring system and gear change leaver operating rod which might be a bit thick but can be swapped out for a thinner version. To the rear of the drivers controls would have been some liftable flooring panels but I'm not going to worry too much about those as the purpose of any additional detailing is just to fill in some of the empty spaces.

I got a basic coat of paint on ther lower basket and will finish that off in preparation for fitting later.











I need to make some bins for the RHS drivers compartment too.

Al

Hi Folks,

A bit mroe progress, joined the turrret and basket. Mine is probably about 1/2mm to long in depth but as I'm not fitting a floor it fits and turns so will probably do, unless it drives me potty knowing that and I decide to shorten it .

When measuring for the depth of the basket you would need to add a flat floor and measure from that. As the basket is a styrene job, it would be an easy fix to lift it up a couple of mm.

Also added the pistol port latches, and some additional fittings to the inside of the turret.

One thing I didn't atttempt to buid and should have was the turret travers device, but if I come across a suitabely sized cogged wheel I might give it a go, or it can be a project for the next one when I get to it.















On the instruction side of life, Im about here with the turret roof/wireless to complete and then start on the wheels.





Al

Hi Guys,

I spent the mroning looking for some possible finish options. As I will complete it as a Mk II British Vehicle, I came across some that might suit.

This one In Gibralta



These on Training in the UK







Al

Hi folks,

A little work on the suspension units. I fitted the hull fittings and will let them dry thoroughly before I attach the suspension units.

The small road wheels are nicley done. I have made one of the larger wheels to compare against the Accurate Armour wheels when they arrive. The 3 step process to build them if pretty neat.







Al

Great show so far Alan. I'm watching with interest. I wonder how the AFV-Club kit will stack up against this one. When it rains it pours...

Cheers!
Stefan

This is cracking along at some pace and very nice work on the interior Alan

How about doing it on a training exercise as a German tank with the chalked on balkencruz?

Hi Stefan,

Yes, and then there were two lol, lol. I would say the AFV kit would be very good, if they approach it like their Churchill.

Hi Chris,

Yes, saw a pic of one or two acting as enemy lol, lol. I was hoping to find a picture of a N Africia Mk II without the sand skirts but nothing yet. I have a naughty child that might fit for something around the 4th picture .

Right, started on the drive wheels, these are made up of 6 pieces and fit together well with only some clean up needed on the 2 halfs of part B24 and some light snading needed on Part B20.

The No 19 radio is very good, being made up of the No 19 radio, battery box with a very cool joint part D 25. To add to that you get a variometer and part D41 which looks like a take over box plus a brass cage. The dimentions are smaller than other 19 sets I've looked at but it has clearly been designed for the kit and although the detail isn't as good as the resin equlivent it is probably the best in plastic I've seen.



Al

Hi folks,

A bit more work on the turret. I added the upper periscopes, you can get them to swivel if you have a mind to. The kit provides some additional PE bolts to go on the front of the turret under the gun mount opening and on the rear of the turret. You could better fit these as per the instructions before you join the turret but I've added some hex nuts from Grand Line for better definition.

Step 9 shows the addition of some PE fittings or the top of the turret. The ariel mount and a small fitting for the Lakeman mount. Part PE 20 is for the ariel and part PE 8 shown as PE 9 in the instructions the small fitting. You can get a better idea of where the small fitting goes if you look at Step 11 or 13.

In Step 11 you add the PE part 7 the housing that covers the vent. This is a difficult part to fold as it should be a Z shape but you don't get any clear bend lines. I also found the PE very fragile both the small ends broke off in the bending process so I shall have to make two small ends for this part. Given the central locaton of this part and the very fine detail produced on the kit I would think this could have been done in plastic, or at least a plastic alternative part provided. PE is not eveyones cup of tea.

On the turret join I found mind a bit out of sync. This need a little filing and might need a little filler but nothing major.






Al

Hi folsk,

Painted and fitted the No 19 Ste and started work on the rear firewall. This fun as the part needs recessed not something I've tried before,







Al

Hi folks,

just a bit more info on the LHS control panel:

references:

1. Mil Veh Workshops Mv-05
2. Armour PhotoHistory

I've been checking over the vaious stowage diagrams and pictures I have and across the range of Valentines there are a couple of different styles of LHS control Panel.

Reference 1 above show the panel as per the kit for the Mk IV. Reference 2 shows it reversed in stowage diagram TD 2694 Pictuers in reference 2 show it as the kit layout and actual photographs show both. So there was some variation here across Mks. A best guess would say that depending on where the tank was built might effect this as well. So what to do, I'd say that if you are building a Soviet tank produced in Canada, then leave as is if a Mk II then reverse it, but that's just a best guess.

Anyone got stowage diagrams for the drivers area for the Mk I or Mk II??

Al

Hi Al ...great build so far ...sorry can't help you on the interior ..

I see this build is really holding you back Alan, whats taking so long.

Hi Al,

Looking at that firewall it doesn't look quite right. It shouldn't be recessed? the one I've seen is basically shuttered, designed to be slid open in slats to let air into the engine

The photos I've sent should show what I mean. They were posted saturday, so hopefully you chould have them tomorrow

Chris surely that would leave the crew open to poisoning from the fumes?

Hi Rick,

Thanks for popping in, no worries.

Hi Darren

Darren, yes it is

Hi Chris,

Have look at the picture Darren posted, I used it as a basic guide.





This sliding panel, see the handle, looks slightly recessed to me, there is clearly a lip underneath, setting it back slightly. In the build the only thing you will see is the shape of the panels so from that point of view I hadn't intended in doing anything more there, as it's main purpose is to block/fill the space behind the turret.

The panels at the bottom seem to be the cover panels in a down position? I'll check your pics when they arrive but it should be sufficient for the necessary illusion.

Al

Hi Alan,

Actually, that's a very nice picture, but because its front on its not clear on this one point. That lip projects from the wall, its not recessed. and the darker slats are the same depth as the top of the firewall

To be fair, very little of it will be seen when you put the turret in. You might as well leave it as is

Chris

Hi Chris,

There is about 0.5mm in difference. I wasn't sure how I would build this so originally I built the panels onto the fire wall but this meant they sat proud, so I then cut out the opening and reset them, I could move it but it's not really worth the effort, with a picture it is always best guess.

Added some bins to the RHS.



Al

Hi folks,

Started adding the ends of the hull, work on the uper hull and the front idler wheels fixings. They have a very delicate part, C11, to add so take care when removing it from the spur. Part c29 is quite cool as this is what the rear upper hull links into.





I'll leave completed parts 23 off until I join the upper and lower hull, as I'm quite likely to break off part C11 mentioned above .

Al

Hi guys,

The engine doors are very nciely done, being made up of 7 parts complete with the handles.



I've added the rear side paltes parts A3 and A4, and the front side lites parts B16, all fitted very well.

The first of the side bins, C70 was a little large, so I took off a portion of the separating bar on the hull and filed the lower edge to get a good fit.





Al