Cromwell Mk 4 1:16 scratch build Ludwig kit

[Raminator]

Coming along very smoothly Roy, it looks like you're off to a great start. How are you finding working with Chris' kit? Does the fit and finish hold up to your expectations?

[43rdRecceReg]

Coming along very smoothly Roy, it looks like you're off to a great start. How are you finding working with Chris' kit? Does the fit and finish hold up to your expectations?

Actually, Ram, I have nothing to compare it with. In a sense it's a bit like a giant Airfix kit: something I dabbled with decades ago; but this is much more advanced. I like the logical layout ('Spock' would have approved ), as specific parts are arranged in clusters, much as they are in Tamiya kits....and I've just had my first experience of one of those recently. That was the Cromwell 4 (1.:35) I'm using as a reference maquette. Christian is without a doubt a talented guy, and he knows his stuff; but therein lies a slight problem. He's almost too familiar with it. What's obvious to him, might be obscure to someone less experienced. Thus, some key steps seem to have been omitted from the Build Pdf. Presumably, they're too rudimentary to mention.The Instruction manual comes in at 27 pages, and yet the one for the
Comet amounts to some 75 pages. In order to make sense of the Cromwell instructions, and minimalist illustrations, I've had to refer to the Comet ones, as they often overlap- and the two models share most of the same components.
All that aside, I find the whole process utterly engaging- as witness the fact that I'm still up in the early ours engaged in it, and blethering about it. It's also ironic that we Brits should have to rely on the Germans for the preservation of our own military heritage.. But, hey ho...ich kann mich nicht beklagen! Es muss sein. My Dad's granny was English and that gives me, along with the English, some germanic roots and heritage.
More than half the words I've written here are, in fact, germanic...and the whole of this last sentence!! Apart from the word 'sentence'...
Now waiting for bits to arrive before I can continue, and so I'm champing at the bit..
In the meantime, I found pictures of these very unusual Cromwells:

They finally put a massive gun on the Cromwell

That was a leftover post-war adaptation.
Then, in the A30 guise of the 'Challenger', whilst sporting the 17 pounder mounted in an absurd turret:

Big head on a little body..the 17 pounder adaptation

Challenger Cromwell A30.jpg (38.54 KiB) Viewed 6933 times

[43rdRecceReg]

Still waiting for a few essential parts. I've also been giving my lungs and brain a break from toxic fumes (even though I use a mask and have breezes blasting though.. ). In the meantime, I've made a start on the lower
Hull/ Chassis. Christian's instruction Pdf. shows the suspension arms being fitted before the track plate/ mudguard assembly is fitted to the hull floor. As it's crucial to get that joint absolutely plumb at a right angle, I decided that to have spring loaded arms in the arrangement process wouldn't be the best method of doing that... Looking at the way the arms are configured, there should be no problem installing them after the main components have been bonded in place.
Stage 2: The Lower Hull:

The plastic meat in the sandwich..

Track plate ready for mating...

Right angle- right way to bond Track plate..

An old HL tiger 1 suspension support is donating brass pivots to the Cromwell

Donor Tiger 1 pivot assembly

It will look this this..

Preview of brass suspension arm pivot...

Now, the Track plate has to be bonded at an exact right angle to the Mudguard..

Trusty Faithfull set square to the rescue

If I had nails to bite, I'd be chewing them. Now comes another crucial step: bonding the track plate to the Hull floor. The Join must be tight and at right angles. Sometimes wish I'd been born with three arms

Bonding Track plate assembly to Hull floor

and the other side:

Nice day for it..and plenty of natural light

Now, it's time to assemble the Glacis. To line the wee shackle and mudguard bases up with their intended 'bolt holes', I drew dots with a marker pen on the 'holes'..so they'd be visible the plates. That made alignment simple.

Glacis plate

Now ready for fitting to the Track Plate and floor assembly..

Glacis shackles and angle iron..

Ok...more in a moment

[43rdRecceReg]

Back again...

Glacis in place..

Got to admit- this scratch building business is pretty immersive...in fact, there are times when it's possible to drown in it

[PainlessWolf]

Good morning,
This is the thing about flat pack kits that has been at the back of my mind ( and summarily keeping me from completely considering one ), the three piece or more, Lower Hulls. You certainly have that kit on the straight and narrow, Doc. Once you turn it into a four sided box by adding the deck, it should take any bump that comes its way.
regards,
Painless

[43rdRecceReg]

Thanks, Painless! Judging by the consummate skills you've demonstrated with the Tamiya Tiger and many other builds, I don't think the flatpack challenge would be much of a real test for you.
One big benefit of building one of these kits,(apart from redressing the woeful paucity of WW2 British tanks in 1/16 scale) is that you can introduce a few mods of your own here and there. Buying just a basic kit to make a rolling shell, can leave you with fairly flexible options for the rest of the build. Or, you can buy - as I have- a few bespoke extras. As it is, I shall have to design and make my own Commander's cupola, as one is not included in the kit. But now I'm getting the hang of this, I think I'll relish the challenge.

[AlwynTurner]

Sorry but you are now completely hooked! Scratch building is even more addictive than rc tanks and can result in all kinds of side effects. Beware the alienation of the better half as it can have very serious consequences!! Next thing you know there will be these cravings for a 3d printer.

Joking aside I am following along in awe at the brilliant job you are doing on this build.

Great job.
Alwyn

[43rdRecceReg]

Sorry but you are now completely hooked! Scratch building is even more addictive than rc tanks and can result in all kinds of side effects. Beware the alienation of the better half as it can have very serious consequences!! Next thing you know there will be these cravings for a 3d printer.

Joking aside I am following along in awe at the brilliant job you are doing on this build.

Great job.
Alwyn

Praise indeed for the humble apprentice, from an acknowledged Master, Alwyn. As for the addiction guilt, these days my 'better half' has four legs..not two and a rolling pin! That said, I'm still on best friend terms with my ex-wife (we have lots in common, including an absurdist sense of humour, kids, memories and grandkids; but not...er..erm ..tanks. I've kept that one quiet )
Alienation? Ha, ha. I think you can be alienated in a city...but not in the wondrous Highlands. Still, my ancestors hacked it for thousands of years, so I've got the genes for it..and the malt too!
N..o..w that 3D printer. I can already feel the insidious cravings appearing... a bit like the tingle of an unwanted cold sore but infinitely more desirable....

[43rdRecceReg]

Back again; like urine in the wind
Build continues slowly, as I've discovered tools I need that I don't have, and had to order. The same goes for miniature screws, hinges etc.,as well as bits from our Teutonic tech maestro (Chris..)

Ludwig designed Cromwell Driver's hatch

Now back to the suspension. I opted for metal suspension arms with springs. The original ones used on the Comet and Cromwell employed by Christian were plastic Tiger 1 types fitted thus:

Tiger 1 arm fitted to Cromwell

Suspension Arm from Tiger A.jpeg (47.26 KiB) Viewed 6804 times

Note the Brass pin directly above the assembly, in a central location. That serves as the Suspension ring retainer. Later versions of the Comet and Cromwell have revised metal arms fitted, but note that the wee Brass pin is still in the same location

Suspension with metal arms and spring

Suspension Arms -metal- B.jpeg (48.97 KiB) Viewed 6804 times

Now, its little else to go one, I put the suspension spring retaining pin/bolt in the same central location, (marked in pencil) thus:

When fitted, it became clear that the spring was stretched almost as far as it would go. In fact, the suspension was so taut that it could have been for a Tonka toy (if anyone can remember those taking the weight of a car in Tv adverts.. )...

The Rite of Spring..

Suspension Arm B.jpeg (92.63 KiB) Viewed 6804 times

and looking, and feeling (rigid) more like aircraft landing gear:

Wee pencil crescent is where I think the Pin should be..

It now occurs to me that one of the hardest aspects of scratch building a model tank, is getting the suspension right. First you have to decide on how strong it should be (i.e what springs to fit, or dampers), and also where the ride height (seen through the centre of the wheel axles) should be settled. Another time, I might even use the adjustable suspension/telescopic damper units used on model cars.
Anyway, I decided to moved the Pin positions to the right (marked with pencils) and reduce the ride height, as well as the unacceptable tension on the springs.

Pin relocated left for left side, and right as appropriate

Talk about learning curve
Now for some details. The rear mudguards first.

Distinctive Cromwell shapes

Building layers up

Where there's muck..there's...steel

Taking shape..

Normal service will be resumed shortly..

[43rdRecceReg]

...back again

Mudguards ready for mounting

Both rear mudguards now ready to be fitted, as is the lower front plate with shackle brackets. But they will have to wait until the suspension is complete. First I want to install a Henntec track adjuster, at the front (leaving the leading plate off improves fitting access..), then the motors and rear sprockets. The sprockets are the bespoke metal type (Ludwig..) with lots of fiddly wee screws.