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Great looking tank! A huge amount of time and effort has gone into this build, and it shows! Well done!

Ad Lav wrote:Great looking tank! A huge amount of time and effort has gone into this build, and it shows! Well done!

Thanks, Adam. Much appreciated. Yes, it's finally a runner- almost a sprinter, in fact. I have just a few things to tweak, with the recoil; some tidying to do, and some bits to add to the exterior (tools and extinguisher); otherwise, I can almost close this very long chapter.
Tempted though I am with a Churchill build, having seen Louis' (Imcq11)'s incomparable masterpiece, I think I might just leave that as a pipe dream. It could only be a poor relation.
I do have the Trumpeter T34/76- Taigen hybrid option waiting in the wings, though. ...
Even so, I may just have a break for Christmas.

Another saying is "all good things come to those that wait" and the wait is well worth it Mr 43RR

HERMAN BIX wrote:Another saying is "all good things come to those that wait" and the wait is well worth it Mr 43RR

Much appreciated, HB
I'm hoping that worthy old saying is able to trump another: "procrastination is the thief of all time..." A wee break would be welcome to charge my figurative batteries, and the NiMHs too, if fate will allow it, before the T34/76 project becomes too alluring.
When I finally wind this thread up, I'll post a summary of the fittings (3D printed etc) wiring connections (TK 6.1s), plus components used (Clark recoil etc...). Just in case some plucky would-be Cromwell builder wants to try his/her luck with this specific project. If the weather ever improves, I'd like to see whether I can make mine take to the air like this one :


I can only imagine the crew had nut-crushing injuries, or compressed vertebrae, when this Cromwell met terra firma once more...

Just the decals to sort out now, and some decent hinges for the storage bins. I've drilled holes through the base of the bins to allow the upper and lower hulls to be screwed together. (My bins have solid floors, and the units are actually bonded to the upper hull, and not to the fenders, as in other builds I've seen.The upper hull twists fairly easily, and I think that magnets wouldn't be sufficiently strong to keep the join between the two surfaces even and uniform. The front tends to pop up out of the locating holes either side of the front armour plate. Hence, the need to screw them down. Here, the upper hull is just resting on the lower, unattached.
I need to tighten the gears up on the Clark recoil unit, as they're a loose fit, and slip out of alignment easily. I also need to replace the MG, as it stubbornly refuses to light up. I think I shall make my own, instead of using the Taigen unit. It looks like there's a dud LED in there.
The one I made for the Comet works really well.

43rd, this marathon thread and build is a testament to your skills, tenacity, and endurance It's been a pleasure to follow with you on this journey and it certainly constitutes an excellent guide to anyone contemplating a similar build I'm not sure I'm ready to take on one of Ludwig's 'flat packs' as yet, which is ok because I already have plenty of distraction with my up coming Panther project.
I do, though, really like the idea of adding more British armour (maybe this or a Comet or even a Churchill) to my tiny tank platoon but for now I shall continue to wait for your grand finale

Dr Phibes wrote:43rd, this marathon thread and build is a testament to your skills, tenacity, and endurance It's been a pleasure to follow with you on this journey and it certainly constitutes an excellent guide to anyone contemplating a similar build I'm not sure I'm ready to take on one of Ludwig's 'flat packs' as yet, which is ok because I already have plenty of distraction with my up coming Panther project.
I do, though, really like the idea of adding more British armour (maybe this or a Comet or even a Churchill) to my tiny tank platoon but for now I shall continue to wait for your grand finale

Many thanks, Doc!.
I'd go for the Comet, If I were you- and when seriously contemplating taking a 'flatpack' on. It's a great looking tank and, in some senses, 'the daddy of them all'.(Centurion and following). However, much of what I learned through trial and (lots of) errors, came from this seemingly endless Cromwell build. The Comet build owes everything to this one, and was relatively trouble-free because of it. Possibly the most technical-and fraught- aspect of that build was getting the resin mantlet to pivot credibly, and provide a sleeve for the barrel to recoil through. Given your undoubted expertise, engineering acumen, and flair for innovation (not forgetting 3D printing aptitude), I'm sure you could rise to all the challenges, and make an enviable Comet. Hmm.... as I wrote 'rise to challenges- I had a flashback to Phibes ascending with his demonic organ... That jackplug in his neck always had me in stitches.
Having seen what can be done with the Churchill, courtesy of Louis' (Imcq11's) masterpiece, one could be tempted. However, nobody could top that build of his. I imagine getting the suspension right with that model would be the biggest challenge. The turret build looks to be pretty much the same as a Comet one.
I think, that no tank collection can be complete without a WW2 British example.

43rdRecceReg wrote: Many thanks, Doc!.
I'd go for the Comet, If I were you- and when seriously contemplating taking a 'flatpack' on. It's a great looking tank and, in some senses, 'the daddy of them all'.(Centurion and following). However, much of what I learned through trial and (lots of) errors, came from this seemingly endless Cromwell build. The Comet build owes everything to this one, and was relatively trouble-free because of it. Possibly the most technical-and fraught- aspect of that build was getting the resin mantlet to pivot credibly, and provide a sleeve for the barrel to recoil through. Given your undoubted expertise, engineering acumen, and flair for innovation (not forgetting 3D printing aptitude), I'm sure you could rise to all the challenges, and make an enviable Comet. Hmm.... as I wrote 'rise to challenges- I had a flashback to Phibes ascending with his demonic organ... That jackplug in his neck always had me in stitches.
Having seen what can be done with the Churchill, courtesy of Louis' (Imcq11's) masterpiece, one could be tempted. However, nobody could top that build of his. I imagine getting the suspension right with that model would be the biggest challenge. The turret build looks to be pretty much the same as a Comet one.
I think, that no tank collection can be complete without a WW2 British example.

Thanks for the advice 43rd, it is greatly appreciated from someone like your good self who has 'been there' as they say! Indeed the Comet does seem an appealing choice and, for sure, the Louis Churchill is stunning by any measure (got my vote, not that it needed it). As for the Phibes (tech ) jackplug, you know I cant remember now whether it actually had a function? Regardless, it's a little detail I too chuckle at, though I admit it's a while since I have seen him in action (think what fun he would have today with mobile phones and such like ).

The final stage of this build is giving the model a unit identity. The Cromwell was used mainly in Armoured Divisions, but also in Reconnaissance roles. It's the Recce role I wanted to highlight. After a fair bit of research into the complexities of WW2 British unit markings, I found that the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars was the ideal candidate. It was (from late 1943) the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment of the 7th Armoured Division (aka 'The Desert Rats'). Equipped with Cromwells, it saw plenty of action, culminating in the capture of Hamburg in April 1945.
Armoured Recce tanks have different markings from the usual ones, in that 'tacsigns' are white, and not the Red, Yellow, and Blue seen in Armoured Brigades. At the same time, the red '50','51','52',and '53' seen on Armoured regiment tanks, is replaced with a white '45' on a background of green over Prussian blue. I simulated this, by carefully carving up bits of my Sherman decal sheets (the brilliant ones supplied with Firefly kits by Dean).

WW2 White tacsigns can't be had from the usual decal sources, so I made mine. The White diamond on the turret, indicating the HQ tank of the Armoured Recce unit, I made thus:


The little 'v' nick will be filled in with a tiny dab of acrylic white
Here's the '45' Recce symbol I made:

It's meant to be close- colour-wise to the symbol here:

The one seen on Bovington's Cromwell looks somewhat imrpovised:

Here's the symbol for the 7th Armoured Division- The Desert Rats. Note this is for the 'Black Rats' element of the division, and it's not quite right for the 8th Hussars: but, it's close.

I might add a frontal tank number later. Having looked at lots of pics, there's something of a lack of uniformity in the markings on display- on real, as well as model tanks. Finally, here's a useful list of all the WW2 markings on British Armour:

These are the tools I'm adding, by the way. I've yet to paint the extinguisher. Otherwise, the tank really is finished. 'Weathering' will be achieved naturally in the garden, and by (sensible) exposure to the lements.

Another fine build congratulations

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