_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Allied - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Allied forces during World War II.
Hosted by Darren Baker
A 30 Challenger Mk.VIII Cruiser tank
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 12:37 PM UTC
Hello! I would like to show you my latest project. This is A 30 Challenger a very rare tank.
I won't speak about history of development cruiser. All you have to know that A30 was a military necessity, because Cromwell wasn't so good to deal with Tiger and Panther.
So A 30 is a the next step after A27. The hull was lengthened on one roller, rivets and bolts were replaced by welds. Turret was new with more powerful gun.

I have had two kits. A 30 from SKP Model and Cromwell from Tamiya. SKP kith is terrible and inaccurate with a bad plastic,useless resin details. So I have decided to to merge two sets.

What sources of information do we have?
Two books:
Petr Brojo - Army Wheels in Detail: Challenger A30
P.M.Knight - A30 Challenger Tank A Technical History
One good walkaround from Overloon.

Some photos of abandoned tank somewhere.... Only two tank survived on presnt days.


Some of A30 had on applique armor on hull and turret - it is some kind of late A30 variant. I'd like to build such variant.

I have cutted Tamiya and SKP hulls and combined them. Then I've added some plastic,brass and copper





Now I am working with chassis.



pod3105
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Waterford, Ireland
Joined: August 08, 2010
KitMaker: 466 posts
Armorama: 444 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 01:30 PM UTC
An interesting project and off to a good start. Looking forward to more.
AOS
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Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Joined: September 29, 2005
KitMaker: 75 posts
Armorama: 74 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 03:39 PM UTC
This should be a great project, I will follow with interest! I hasitated to buy the SKP kit and hope it will be released sometime in the future (by Bronco maybe?). Your start Looks very good so far
JSSVIII
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: March 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,169 posts
Armorama: 1,067 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 05:07 PM UTC
Great Artyom, now you will really have to do that Cromwell OOB to show what you have added to this build also LOL!
Roast
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: December 08, 2004
KitMaker: 56 posts
Armorama: 53 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 06:19 PM UTC
Great start, Artyom!

I always loved the A30 Challenger, but not so much the resin (AccArmour) and plastic kits (SKP) which were made of the vehicle.
Perhaps Tamiya is watching this blog?

Clean and detailed work again, I love the use of the Masterclub bolts on the lower hull. Where did the yellow resin road wheels come from, SKP or some firm, perhaps even home cast?

Excellent job, I look forward to see your next progress photos

Regards
Theo
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 11:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

An interesting project and off to a good start. Looking forward to more.

Hello, Paul! I will try to do my best and keep an interest.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 11:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text

This should be a great project, I will follow with interest! I hasitated to buy the SKP kit and hope it will be released sometime in the future (by Bronco maybe?). Your start Looks very good so far

Hello, Andreas! I hope so and I hope Bronco will continue to produce British cruisers.
SKP kit is terrible unfortunately. So you have made a right choice not to buy it.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 11:26 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great Artyom, now you will really have to do that Cromwell OOB to show what you have added to this build also LOL!

It will be rather complicated! No box with Cromwell available Maybe Centaur
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 08, 2018 - 11:38 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great start, Artyom!

I always loved the A30 Challenger, but not so much the resin (AccArmour) and plastic kits (SKP) which were made of the vehicle.
Perhaps Tamiya is watching this blog?

Clean and detailed work again, I love the use of the Masterclub bolts on the lower hull. Where did the yellow resin road wheels come from, SKP or some firm, perhaps even home cast?




Excellent job, I look forward to see your next progress photos

Regards
Theo


Hi, Theo! I hope SKP model managers will read it! It is rather hard to drill every Masterclub flat rivet but it think it worthy. Unfortunately Masterclub doesn't produce such rivets with a hole or hex in the middle of it
The yellow road wheels are from another SKP model kit - Cromwell with F type hull. They are from plastic. And they a little bit better than wheels from A30 kit.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 14, 2018 - 01:13 PM UTC
Hello! I'd like to show my suffering with tracks.
I have bought SKP "workable" track links (SKP 147). It is rowerked kit by SKP. I have hoped that this kit will be correct. But unfortunatelly - no.

Quality of the tracks is very low. I need to work with each and drill 4 holes to put the pins.


Pins from the kit are terrible. I have substited them by Masterclub flat rivets. And I have drilled MC rivets to show the real pin.

So there is a little progress. this is hard work.



Now track chain is workable.

And one little thing. This tracks doesn't suit any driving wheel.....

Unfortunatelly I had to narrow down driving wheels. I don't think it's right,but there was no choice.


Wheels will be more detailed but a little bit later.

Perfect! And thanks to SKP for my suffering! I don't know what driving wheel will be good to their tracks....
barkingdigger
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
ARMORAMA
#013
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 20, 2008
KitMaker: 3,981 posts
Armorama: 3,403 posts
Posted: Monday, January 15, 2018 - 12:47 AM UTC
Hi Artyum,

Great work so far! On the tracks, have you seen my review of them? The real ones used the narrower sprocket from the Comet tank, so are too narrow for the Cromwell-cloned sprocket of the kit. Your track pins are crazy! It'll be stunning when painted.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Monday, January 15, 2018 - 10:51 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Artyum,

Great work so far! On the tracks, have you seen my review of them? The real ones used the narrower sprocket from the Comet tank, so are too narrow for the Cromwell-cloned sprocket of the kit. Your track pins are crazy! It'll be stunning when painted.

Greetings,Tom! Yes,I've seen your thread. Thank you for it. I've really thought that SKP will put driving wheel in the box of SKP 147 kit. It was reworked kit after SKP 098. So I was silly
So I should find driving wheel from A34 and finish track links.
barkingdigger
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
ARMORAMA
#013
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England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: June 20, 2008
KitMaker: 3,981 posts
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Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 - 02:23 AM UTC
You could take them from the A34 Comet, but I designed a set for myself that I sell through Shapeways.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 - 12:29 PM UTC

Quoted Text

You could take them from the A34 Comet, but I designed a set for myself that I sell through Shapeways.


Thank you Tom! I will think about because I have already ordered A34. I will take wheels from it. But I have had in plans Comet so I will need your product
JavierDeLuelmo
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Spain / España
Joined: February 29, 2016
KitMaker: 189 posts
Armorama: 186 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 - 02:28 PM UTC
Great work on that A30, congratulations!
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Thursday, January 18, 2018 - 12:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Great work on that A30, congratulations!

Thank you,Javier! I will try to do my best.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 - 01:02 PM UTC
Some photos in progress. Driving wheel from A34 is a perfect solution. Thank you, Tom!
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Tuesday, February 06, 2018 - 06:19 PM UTC
Hello! I have great news for myself! Track links has been done!
In addition I have added some bolts to the driving wheels from Bronco. I have maden spacers to the wheels because tracks were too close to the hull.
And very interesting mudguard was added from modelling garbage







JSSVIII
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Massachusetts, United States
Joined: March 28, 2007
KitMaker: 1,169 posts
Armorama: 1,067 posts
Posted: Friday, February 09, 2018 - 08:20 AM UTC
Congratulations on getting those tracks finished Artyom, great detail work, as well!
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Friday, February 09, 2018 - 12:25 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Congratulations on getting those tracks finished Artyom, great detail work, as well!


Hopefully yes! It was very hard to work with those tracks and to dril over 550 holes in Masterclub flat rivets
Next I will weld hull.
ColinEdm
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ARMORAMA
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Alberta, Canada
Joined: October 15, 2013
KitMaker: 1,355 posts
Armorama: 1,229 posts
Posted: Friday, February 09, 2018 - 09:21 PM UTC
Very impressive Artyom! You have a lot more patience than I do with all of those rivets, bolts and other details.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 10, 2018 - 02:08 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Very impressive Artyom! You have a lot more patience than I do with all of those rivets, bolts and other details.


Hi,Colin! Thank you! I hope my patience will be enough to finish this scratch
Roast
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: December 08, 2004
KitMaker: 56 posts
Armorama: 53 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 11, 2018 - 04:17 AM UTC
Hi Artyom,

Absolutely stunning work on the track links, and ofcourse on the hull as well.
For such patience, eye for detail and craftmanship you already deserve a medal! The Order of the Red Rivet Banner comes to mind

Always a joy to see such good work. I look forward to your next report!

Theo
callmehobbes
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England - North West, United Kingdom
Joined: April 17, 2005
KitMaker: 751 posts
Armorama: 740 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 11, 2018 - 12:45 PM UTC
Wow - you're turning this this into something special. Top quality modelling.
Neonik
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Joined: July 19, 2011
KitMaker: 397 posts
Armorama: 397 posts
Posted: Sunday, February 11, 2018 - 06:12 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Hi Artyom,

Absolutely stunning work on the track links, and ofcourse on the hull as well.
For such patience, eye for detail and craftmanship you already deserve a medal! The Order of the Red Rivet Banner comes to mind

Always a joy to see such good work. I look forward to your next report!

Theo


Hello,Theo! I am very pleased,thank you!

So my little next report will be below
 _GOTOTOP