Hi folks,

I had planned this one for the British Armour Campaign and hopefully will be getting underway by next week. This will be the AFV Club Mk IV Churchill with the new Inside the Armour Interior conversion set.

Might be a surprise in the build somewhere too, have to wait and see!

So here's the main players.

.



If any one has pics of the Mk IV without the track guards I'd be interested as I prefer that finish, so I'll have to do a bit of looking for a suitable candidate.

Al

Alan, nice project....

Churchill IV without track guards???

I hear and obey, Sahib !!!

A Canadian Ajax and other girls. The short barreled 6 pdr is an interesting detail...

DISCUSSION ONLY


Another Girl with Mk III 6 pdr and exposed tracks.: Bradford, splashing mud and making a mess on the fence:

DISCUSSION ONLY

And, finally, these anonymous girls on a beach in Scotland, down the beach without getting their feet wet ...
Tracks fully exposed and long 6 pdr ... A beautiful composition ...
The first girl wearing late tracks and the second use the early shoes...

DISCUSSION ONLY
These images are part of my files. The source is the Internet.

Good modeling, Alan !!!!

Morning Marcos,

Thank you very much. Are you going to trial out one of the interiors, a fitting project for you growing range of Churchill's?

Your last series of builds were terrific. I picked up a copy of Dieppe through the Lens and hopefully will get around to some of the earlier versions at some point in time so your blogs were really useful.

Cheers

Al

This looks like it could very interesting

I love kit builds with interiors fitted, is the ITA kit a full interior kit, ie with the engine and everything, or just the fighting compartments ?

Hi Matt,

No, it's the lower hull up to the rear firewall and the full turret. I might add the Resicast engine but undecided yet.

Cheers

Al

Go on, add the engine, pleeeease

Hi Matt,

I did put one in the Mk III, if you want to check it out.

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/154977#1298960

Cheers

Al

Thankyou for this link,

That is a fantastic build log, exactly the kind of modelling I love, interiors, conversions, lots of open hatches, brings the model to life, adds a whole new dimension,

And I love those AFV Club metal rivets, I am tempted to visit my local model shop and order a Tamiya Centaur now.

Hi Matt,

Glad you enjoyed the last blog. A bit off topic



If you like interiors you might enjoy this one I did on the M.A.S. Boat

http://modelshipwrights.kitmaker.net/forums/169007&page=1

- something different for me anyway.

The brass riverts are grand a bit expensive if I remember correctly.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Right back on topic.

I did a review of the AFV Club kit here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/5906

Jim S did a preview of the kit here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/5858

and Ted H did a review here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/5916

So the AFV kit has been pretty well covered .

There is a review of the new ITA conversion here:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/6528

and for some additional detail I'll be using the Voyager Models Basic Exterior details set, on which a review will be up shortly.





As I have a few days hols next week I hope to get clean up and production under way fairly quickly.

Some time ago I bought a set fo each of the AFV club Churchill track both the T-144 double pin and the Heavy Cast Box Steel type so that side should be taken care of depending on what vehicle I settle to build.

I've got additional spare tack from Resicast and should have more than sufficient stowage from other various purchases.

Crew wise I have a set of Alpha Image Tankers in Pixi suits bought 4/5 years ago who might fit the bill, so all elements would appear to be in place.



I can't say what the figuers are like as I haven't really look at them yet!

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

The process begins.

I had a set of the AFV rivets so used those for the side hulls.



Cleaning up the wheels next and washing the resin parts.

Al

Hello Alan,
looking forward to this build

One photo of the metal rivets and I'm sold on this build already

They look fantastic.

Hi Geoff and Matt,

Thanks for dropping in. Matt hope you enjoyed the boat.

After adding the rivets I added some Mr Surface to the inside of the sponsons, fills in the holes and gives a bit more realistic texture. Adding the springs and poles is straightforward, just note Part D6 goes at the end. Separated and clean up the road wheels too.





joined together



Lots of wheels!



Cheers

Al

I hope you've remembered to sand down the top of the suspension mounts Alan

great start Do the rivets add much in the way of sharpness of detail by the way?

Hi Chris,

I'll sand down the tops all together when the parts are dry, It's the next stage, that way I can deal with them all at once and not individually. It worked OK for me that way the last time.

Probably slightly sharper, I bought a couple of sets when I got my first kit, they are much easier to place than their plastic counter parts but in thuth I thought they were over priced but they do look good and of course there is no clean up .

Cheers

Al

The boat was very good, yes loved it.

I like the way you can go from tanks to boats, and then back to tanks again.

Hi Matt,

Good, glad you enjoyed it, something slightly different .

OK back to the build. As Chris rightly points out you need to lower the top of each of the suspension arms, 0.6mm is needed to come off each stud. I choose to mount the suspension arms and sand the studs down when in place, either way will work depending on your nature.

The set also provided a nice PE blanking plate to go over the top of the lower sponson thereby hiding the arms and providing a flat surface to mout the internal fittings on.

I'm undecided yet as to what is anything to add into the engine deck but working on the premis that I probably will I've cut new plastis sponson floors that will reach end to end, so any additions don't become a tag on later.



I won't add these in until I've completed the build of the suspension and wheels.

One tip that Kevin Tucker gave me for the last build was that when you have the suspension in place glue the front and rear boggies in place, this I believe helps when fitting the track, but other builders might like to add their thoughts here?

I've been doing a bit of research to look for a suitable candidate. 2nd Grenadier Guarsd seem to have had a lot of Mk IVs but their standard presentation seems to be with the middle fender in place. The Scots guards look like a better option their tanks having more the layoput I'd like.

Would anyone know if Dundee was a MK IV? There is a neat picture of it crossing a Churchill Tank Bridge on page 179 of Mr Churchills Tank. Has the right layout I'm looking for and well loaded up with troops so I could finally find a home for my Cromwell Tank riders.

So I'll most probably finish it as a Scots Guards Vehicle.

Al

Al,

Will be following this one closely. I have this kit in my stash. It looks very nice.
Like those figures you have too. I should look to pick a few up myself.

Regards,
Dave.

Nice work Alan

According to Kevin's very useful spreadsheet on the MAFVA site, Dundee is a MkIV. If I have a picture I might be able to date the type of turret etc.

I shall have a look.....

Found the picture, not chance of working that out

Thanks Dave, and Chris for the effort.

Still pondering finish options. I might be a bit pointless adding seated tankers much better perhaps to stick with the dismounted in the field type inspection.

I've been looking through Mr Churchill's tanks and Dennis Olivers British Armour in NWE and Italy/Siclly for possible candidates.

There is a nice option for the North Irish Horse on Page 162 Mr C's Tanks and Page 42 of BA in Siclly and Itally has another.

Maybe a Scots Guards Tank is the best option given the crew clothing and the finish/style I'd like.

Thanks guys.

Al

Question time

Why does 0.6mm have to come off the suspension arms ?, is that just an AFV Club kit thing ?

I have not done a churchill yet, but was thinking of doing the Tamiya kit at some point, so this 0.6mm off the suspension arms has sparked my curiosity.

Hi Matt,

The suspension arms sit up through the lower hull and are designed to be moveable. However they sit slightly higher than the level of the sponson so to fit the flat plate needed for the base of the interior on each side they need to be leveled off to the same height.

Al

Hi folks,

Here's another thought as regards finish. For reference only from Mr Churchill's tank an A22 on the production line at Vauxhall's in Luton.



I had thought about something like this when I did the Mk III and there are quite a few production pictuers in the book. It would show of the interior nicely although some of the bins would need replaced with empty ones.

Just thinking out loud .

Al