Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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chrism
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by chrism »

They look well smart. A nice pair together.
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by Ratch »

Thank-you both :grin:
We're starting a Crusader GB over on the ATF today, and this one's mine.
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My plan was to represent a Crusader II of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, 6th Armoured Division 1941-2. In the period 1941-2 they became part of the 6th Armoured Division. The Regiment remained in the United Kingdom and from 1941 - 1942 were part of the Coats Mission, the plan to evacuate the Royal Family in the event of a German invasion.

This kit was originally tooled in 1971. The kit is reputedly of dubious scale, but the olive-green injection mouldings are adequately detailed. The tracks are wholly inadequate being badly distorted. The small decal sheet is old and yellowed, but appears to be in register. The instruction sheet illustrates assembly in seven stages, with options to build Mk II or Mk III versions with decal options provided for a Crusader III of 1st Army 17/21st Lancers, 6th Armoured Division in temperate scheme or a Crusader II of 8th Army 10th Hussars, 1st Armoured Division in desert scheme. My original plan to do this as a 1st Northants tank is foundering on a lack of images and I have pictures of the 2nd Northants at Linney Head in 1942 and these look like Crusader IIs to me, so I shall try to replicate the muddy conditions at Linney Head in a small vignette.

Stage 1 sees the construction of the Mk.II turret. All went fine until I tried to cut the spade from the runner; it snapped into two pieces, one of which was consumed by the Carpet Monster.
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I thought I might have a spare from a previous build but inspection of my bits and bobs failed to reveal one. However, I found something that looks like a starting handle, so fixed that in its place (having filled the locating holes with putty). I also found a British tank crew member I had built previously. I cut off his arms and repositioned them. He will stand behind the turret in a similar manner to those in the photos.
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I also found a spare set of tracks. I have no idea where they are from and they’re probably totally inaccurate, but they may be better than the kit supplied ones.
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chrism
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by chrism »

If you want a decent set of tracks - Ian Hanratty - Wee Models up in Edinburgh - does a few bits and pieces to upgrade this old beast. He has replacement tracks and a bag of fittings for it and there are from memory spades and other items ...
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by Ratch »

Cheers Chris 8-)
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by Ratch »

Just had a look on the Friendship Models/Wee Friends site and they're out of stock :sad:
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ShaunW
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by ShaunW »

A Crusader, excellent and it's a long time since I built that little gem. It's a shame about those cream crackered looking tracks though - is there no chance that, once fitted, the tension caused by the wheels and sprockets might straighten them out? That said though, any decent aftermarket replacements would probably improve the build immensely! As it so happens next up from me might well be Airfix's 1/32nd version.
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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iggie wrote:Very nice 'pit; will much of it be seen do you think?
Here's the pudding Jim :shock: Not a lot will be seen through the glass, and the seams needed a smear of filler
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While the putty set I made up some sub-assemblies
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Seams sanded and wings and nacelles added
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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ShaunW wrote:any decent aftermarket replacements would probably improve the build immensely!
I shall have to look further afield Shaun ;-)
Today the carpet monster gave up the missing part of the spade. I fixed both halves and added the spade to my spares. I also assembled the Mk.III turret because it is possible that the 2nd Northants fired these at Anney Head in December 1942.
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Next up was stage 3 and the assembly of the hull. I quite like the way the hull is broken down making assembly simple yet sturdy.
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I must remember that the tyres were solid black rubber
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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Construction is complete (except for the skirts)
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I decided to spray it disruptive 2 colour green
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This is the first time I have shot VMC through the airbrush and when suitably thinned it went OK
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I have some replacement tracks on the way so this is on hold 'til they arrive
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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Meanwhile, back with the Destroyer, quite a basic build
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Assembly is almost done, time to prime
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A bit of masking for Alclad Honey Primer
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skypirate
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by skypirate »

Watching your B-66 with interest!
Very under-modelled aircraft!

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David
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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Cheers David. Had a bit of a disaster when I removed the Tamiya tape
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probably because I hadn't allowed the primer to cure properly. I re-sprayed the black today.
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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That Crusader really looks great, Ratch. Shame about the RB-66. I'm a long time user of Tamiya tape and, in fact, have rarely strayed away from it. I've read claims of 100% reliability for Tamiya tape, which I take with a pinch of salt. Most of the time it is fine and does the job but on occasions I've had excessive bleed through and lifting of paint as you have suffered here. It could be as you say that insufficient time was allowed for the primer to cure and I blamed myself in a similar way the last time it happened to me. I must admit that I'm not keen of primer. The last that I tried was Vallejo and it was fine until I found the need to carry out more corrective sanding. The primer came off in chunks. Could have been down to the way I applied it but I'm not so sure and I've not tried it since! I've gone back to using a neutral grey or white acrylic paint as an undercoat.
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Ratch
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

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Cheers Shaun, I rarely use primer, but as I want to use Alclad2 for the NMF if needs a black primer. The honey primer gives variation. I've just sprayed the anti-glare panel and will probably mask that either tomorrow or Monday, then out with the Alclad :twisted:
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Re: Ratch's 2018 perils with plastic

Post by iggie »

That's not good about the paint lifting! I don't tend to prime at all and I've seldom had any issues though. Is it an old tool by any chance? I ask as masking tape for decorating gets stickier with age and less good in preventing bleed.
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