Hi All
Just joined MAFVA last week, after many years of doing armour.
Have just got my first armoured kit - Academy British M10 "Achilles" 17pounder Am going to build it using the Bison decals for a unit based in Italy 1944 with the RA. As i don`t have much reference material. which wheel option should i be using. Have also been looking at some resin stowage sets. Are the Trakz sets ok (misus the hedge-cutter part)

thanks

Hi Philip,

Welcome to MAFVA! (And to Armorama.com!) Whereabouts in East Anglia are you? If you're in the Essex area I'm Secretary of the Essex branch, and we meet the first Tuesday of each month in Hornchurch. There are other branches in the area - see them here. They are great places to make contacts and get info on your favourite projects!

As for the Achilles, you can't go wrong with the "solid-spoke" wheels and plain sprocket plates - these were common on later vehicles. The earlier open-spoke wheels and "fancy" sprockets are also seen on some Achilles - it all depends on whether you want to match a particular photo. I don't know about the stowage sets - I tend to cover my builds with a mix of leftovers from lots of different sets collected over the years. Maybe somebody else will chime in?

You could also ask in the Armor/AFV forum. I take it you've looked in the Reviews tab for info?

Regards,
Tom
(#8505)

Hi Tom

thanks for reply and suggestions. As this is my first armour project for many years, i have no spares box tro fall back on,so have to rely on resin aftermarket kits. Once this project is complete! i aim to concentrate on Commonwealth Armour, such as Shermans,Sextons etc.
The CWH and the Tank Museum have already been very helpful with research.

I live on the Suffolk coast so regret Hornchurch is a bit too far, but hope to go to Duxford this year.

regards
Phil

Hello Phil,

I'm the Chair of the same MAFVA branch that Tom is the club secretary of. If it helps save you a couple of bob, I'll have a dig around in my spares box and see what I've got that might be of use to you. What sort of stuff are you looking for?

Gary

Hiya guys,

First welcome Phillip, this site will be a great tool, im on here daily and I can tell ya, no matter what your question is, there is always some1 that can help!

Second, sorry to 'high jack' this thread buy im interested in your club you guys speak of, im a born and bread ockendon lad and now live in west Thurrock, as a 'young' modeller (well 25) I struggle to find anyone else that's interested in what I do, apart from my little boys sticky fingers! Lol so I would like to know more about how I can be part of it please.

Bronzey

Hi Alex,

We're always happy to see new faces! Our lot build a wide range of subjects, so there's usually somebody else with an interest in any odd scale or time-period or nationality to share info. We are an armour-based club, but most members are also in other clubs that build ships & planes. And we don't go in for internal competitions, so club nights tend to be quite friendly with everyone happy to offer help and advice on research or modelling tips.

We meet once a month (first Tuesday evening) from 7:30-10pm in Hornchurch at the Fairkytes Art Centre, Billet Lane (the building directly opposite the entrance to the Queens Theatre across the road). Evenings consist of between 10 & 20 members building, talking, scoffing tea, and occasionally being interrupted by club business. We have a quarterly raffle too. We go to a number of model shows and put on displays - the next one will be OnTrack down in Folkestone on 23 Feb. We have tables at Southern Expo (Harrow Lodge Recreation Centre, Hornchurch, in March) and of course the MAFVA Nationals in Cambridge in June. Then there is our own club show in August, being held as part of the Military & Flying Machines Show at Damyn's Hall aerodrome in Aveley.

If you are interested, drop in to a meeting and introduce yourself! We're an easy-going bunch.

Regards,
Tom

PS: If you do come, our next meet is Tuesday 5 March. There is plenty of parking in the theatre car-park, or if that is full the Sainsburys car-park is handy. I'd suggest googling the location...

Hi Gary, and to all you guys who have replied. I waa mainly looking for stowage items like bed rolls, spare POW cans etc, but just ordered a generic set from Accurate Armour,now if i rid of this stupid cough/cold then i can get started on my " Achilles" kit.

Got a question for someone out there. DML has just released the " Sexton" but will there be any decal sheets be released, maybe Bison will do something, am also looking for suggestions for making Camouflage netting.

Thanks - Phil

p.s couldn`t resist it but bought the Tasca Sherman VC as next project.

Tom,

Thank you for the invite and I will be taking you up on it. There is a few small 'issues', first I don't drive (even though I've drove up to 10 tonne fork lifts for years!) so I will be traveling by good old bus, second is that I work nights and my shift starts at 11pm, so I take it there will be no objection in me leaving early (9.30ish) to ensure I am at work on time. I've never been to a show but have wanted to so I think I may have to make sure im around for southern expo lol

Alex, you can leave any time you want! (We don't lock the doors...!) Folks do start drifting away after about 9:30 anyway, so you won't be the onlyu one getting out a bit early.

As for transport, I don't know the bus routes, but if you can get to the "high street" part of Hornchurch we're only a few minutes' walk up Billet Lane. I've walked it from Hornchurch Tube stn before - it takes a good few minutes but is perfectly do-able.

See you there!

Tom

Hi Tom
thanks for letting me know which set of road wheels for the late version,have been studying the instructions quite a few times and assume that the later wheels are option B (not C) One other question on the suspension there is an optional part A5 or A7 (track pads)instructions ain`t clear as which is the early/late.

thanks
Phil

Hi Phil,

I'm a long way from home at the moment and cannot check part numbers on my kit instructions - can you tell me what you mean by "track pads"? I think Academy offers two types of skids - the bent-metal things that go on top of the bogies to hold up the track as it passes over the top. For those you need the "late" ones that look like a cresting wave "breaking" over the front of the bogie when viewed from the side. (The earlier ones that are simple symetrical domes are for very early Shermans - I've not seen them on any Achilles. Of course, that's always a cue for some jammy expert to produce a pic...)

Regards,
Tom

Hello Philip from across the pond,

Been building for forty some odd years and yet I just joined up with this site last year. The net work is awsome and the people sre fantastic for anything from helping or improving your skills or helping you with finding odd bits and pieces to get your project just right. I can't really help with the achilles project though except maybe for paint. I prefer german and cold war armor.Have a great time and if you got a question,just ask. Have Fun!!!!!

Tom
sorry that`s what i meant, didnt know what they were called, now i know where i am with the kit. Just bought 2 Tasca Sherman kits for next projects, with Canadian markings.

Phil