Hi guys

Just finished my latest project ,its Italeri's Crusader AA MkIII , built OOB the only change made was to hollow out the turret searchlight and added a lens.
Not a bad little kit for the price, but the instructions left a little to be desired and Italeri's method of not moulding part numbers on the sprues is a little annoying.

Anyway heres the pics , comments , constructive critism welcome as allways

Ian

Nicely done. Yeah, that one's based on an ANCIENT kit, amazing how much mileage they've gotten out of it.

I built one of the Crusader Mk IIIs over twenty years ago, and the flaky instructions led me to glue on the turret storage box wrong. I think I burned it up as a prop in a stop-action movie.

When I got back into modeling a few months ago, it was one of the first kits I landed. And damned if I didn't do the same thing again!

I think the key words there are "for the price." I have both the Mk 1 and Mk III kits, and I paid a total of $20 for both of them due to some good deals. This one comes in with a list price of about $36, with it normally going online for about $28 or so. That's a bit high for what you get. Like many Italeri kits it comes down to if you want the vehicle to finish a collection or dio or something. You buy it despite the price/value ratio, not because of it.

Looks like you did a very good job Ian. That would look good in a convoy with a Tamiya Cromwell and Universal Carrier.

As to the part numbering by Italeri I get particularly messed up. I have the habit of cutting down the sprues so they can fit in plastic storage containers that I use when I actually start building the kit. I have to look at the drawing showing the part on the sprue, then try to find the a part of the sprue that looks the same. It's time consuming, but it works, after a fashion.

Thanks Guys




I know what you mean Dan lol , i did have a few problems deciphering the instruction and im still not sure if the ammo drums for the cannons are correctly situated (good job you cant really see then ) , but it was a fun build , no major headaches.




Rodger I paid £12.99 for mine which works out at roughly $22-24 ? but i think the list price has gone up since I purchased it about a 2 months ago.


Ian

Really, I think you got a smoking deal. They hit the shelves here at $36 and the only way they are less is online from various places.

Im starting to think i did Rodger , i picked it up in a little hobby store in York
Ive just checked and its listed on Hannants for £14.50.

As much as i enjoyed building it I dont think its worth anymore than £12.99 though.


Ian

Nice one Ian! One of my other favourite British subjects apart from the Churchill.

I have got my eye on this kit too and will build it soon hopefully.

I am always interested in the brand and colour of paint that other modellers use and was wondering what you had used here for the base colour and panel highlighting. It has got that dusty, dry look about it to me, which I think brings compliments to your photography too.

I look forward to the next one.

Mark

Thankyou Mark

The basecoat is Humbrol OD rattle can, then on the panels I use pastels to bring out lighter and darker shades blended in with a very soft makeup brush

P.S. Im working on a Churchill with a scratchbuilt interior as we speak LOL


Ian

Ian ........tickety-boo ....nice one squirrel
Tempting ..its so nice a model --even with its age ..... ..oops ..its a bang-bang ....but niiice
aye
Barv
(GOSMG)

LOL thanks Steve

You know you could add a diggy thing if it would help :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)


Ian