Hi all,

I've finished my second ever armour build - Tamiya Matilda Mark III/IV.

I'm aware re the inaccuracies of the Tamiya paint choices for the Caunter Scheme, but wasn't aware until after finishing!!! I'm lucky enough to live within a 40 min drive of Bovington, so have seen the working example Tamiya based their scheme on, so hadn't thought to doubt it.

Fairly happy with this but always ongoing room for improvement, so any feedback is welcome. Think I went slightly overboard on the chipping, but then again desert tanks got a battering? Also not happy with the tracks - think maybe too much pigment for sand, so may well try and brush off.

Nice job on the Caunter scheme.

Thanks Mark. The masking was a bit time consuming, but not as fiddly as I feared.

I know this has been out there awhile, but wanted to say you did a GREAT job on your Matilda, ESPECIALLY it being one of your first AFVs! I think your chipping is fine, but I would consider adding more dust/dirt on the horizontal surfaces, since tracks in the desert through up a huge amount of dust. Nicely done!

By the way, I just finished my Matilda some time last fall. And I agree, the Caunter scheme looks a lot more frightening than it turns out to be!

Wow! For only your second armor build it looks amazing!!!!!!

I’ve only just seen your comments. I’m going to have a revisit regarding dust on the top surfaces. I’ve kind of avoided it a little whilst doing builds as it’s a different approach to mud, which I’m more comfortable with. Not really sure whether to try pigments, an acrylic dust wash, or go with oil paints. Think I’ve been procrastinating enough and will just have to give it a go.

Your kind comments are very much appreciated. Likewise Ezra.

By coincidence I recently revisited Bovington. They’ve either repainted their version in more historically accurate colours (light stone, silver grey and slate as opposed to blue.) now, or they had a second example I’ve somehow missed before. The name has either been changed to Greyhound, from I think Phantom, or Defiance, or it is indeed another example.

Lovely work. I think it looks brilliant.

Neatly done!


Question to the group.....
Regarding the Caunter camo scheme...

Is this currently considered incorrect?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Infantry_Tank_Mark_II_%28Matilda_II%29_-_MVTF.jpg/1600px-Infantry_Tank_Mark_II_%28Matilda_II%29_-_MVTF.jpg

Hi Barney, when I was researching it (after painting mine) it seems there is some dispute over the caunter scheme, more specifically the colours. It seems the blue is the main point of contention and debated that originated from errors in the 60’s/70’s and replicated by museums incorrectly since. One line of thought is the silver grey of the caunter scheme when faded and covered in dust gave an incorrect impression of blue.

Bovington seem to have changed the colours on their example recently to replace the blue. I’ve got a photo somewhere which I’ll post up when back at my laptop.

Thanks! One of the few survivors of my earlier modeling days is a Tamiya Matilda in the now incorrect Caunter scheme with light blue.

Mike Starmer has written authoritatively on this colour scheme, and coincidentally, on the M3 Grant, and M3 Stuart. His articles and books will answer literally all your questions.

Your second tank - this week? You look like you've been building these for years - nice work.

Do you have the ISBN codes of these books, please?

Published by Partizan Press. The ISBN code of volume 3 on the Caunter scheme is 978185818365

I found this article on Mike Starmer's Caunter work.
Lots of photos with models sporting the scheme.

https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=5673

The pattern was different for different vehicles.
Here's Mike Starmer's article in Military Modelling, featuring the Caunter pattern for the Matilda:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missinglynx/military-modelling-article-matilda-caunter-scheme-t325488.html

Mike's camouflage books are great. Highly recommended.