Latest on my bench is another "what-if/Paper project" the FV217 Badger tank-destroyer modification to the Conqueror heavy tank.
Now this tank was only proposed postwar, never leaving paper. But players of World of Tanks will recognize this profile as the top tier to the British TD line.
This conversion comes from the small British maker Soviet Bear Productions (why he went with that title while in the UK and doing English tanks I don't know.)
The conversion consists of three pieces, gun mallet, replacement upper glacis plate and the main enclosure.
Some of the cutting necessary to fit the casement.The producer prescribes using the Amusing Hobby Conqueror kit 35A006 as the donor for the lower hull and suspension but I think the Dragon Black Label kit could work just as well.
The kit also reuses the main gun from the original kit, but I personally can’t leave things there and I am replacing mine with a 183mm from Shapeways intended for the FV215b kit currently also available from Amusing Hobby.
Finally, sharp eyed viewers will note two major differences between this conversion and the upcoming Amusing Hobby kit.
First this conversion reuses the commander machinegun turret from the donor kit which may be just a bit of artistic license but I personally like it and it improves the otherwise bland roof.
Second; the sides of this casement appear to be inclined more than the Amusing Hobby kit resulting in they're extending out to the edge of the fenders.
Again, these differences are just artistic license based on the broad outlines from the original 1947 proposal, but i personally prefer this version.
Still some more fitting and sanding to do before I get to work with accessorizing the model. I'm considering adding supplemental armor, storage bins/racks and some missing fenders but I may be pushing my abilities and time constraints a bit far.
