Stokesy's Desert Rat Valentine Mk II

[Stokesy44]

After a pretty grim summer where my mojo completely went I finally found some impetus and got back to the bench today.

This is my first truly British tank. I've built Allied stuff before but this is the first vehicle that was British manufactured in WW2. Its Tamiya and only a couple of years old so the kit should be a dream...



Nice box art, it has 3 options, 2 of them Russian but this will be a British North African jobby for me.



Lots of plastic, the detail is beautiful. Time to get stuck in...



Multi-piece hull, not the usual bath tub type





Running gear is nice, pretty detailed but it looks OH SO FRAGILE. Goodness knows what the crews must have felt like going up against the Axis tanks and anti-tank guns. You can just imagine what an 88 could do to this thing.







Drive sprockets. Wheels are on but not glued. Big decision to make soon because the skirts require the upper part of the tracks to be on before they go on over them and cover them up.

You have no idea how good it feels to be back at the bench and posting again.

Thanks for looking in guys.

[TheNordus]

I think an 88 hit anywhere on the tank would ruin the crew's day pretty well. Nice to see another tank from you, looking forward to updates.

[ElCapitan]

Looks good so far Stokesy - I'll follow along

[Gary30]

Nice start buddy, watching with interest!

[Tomcat64]

Great to see you back at the bench mate!

Will be following with interest how this comes together

[Quax]

Nice to have you back Stokesy should be interesting
Paul

[Kevthemodeller]

Stokesy's building again watching this one mate

[Stokesy44]

I think an 88 hit anywhere on the tank would ruin the crew's day pretty well. Nice to see another tank from you, looking forward to updates.

Looks good so far Stokesy - I'll follow along

Nice start buddy, watching with interest!

Great to see you back at the bench mate!

Will be following with interest how this comes together

Nice to have you back Stokesy should be interesting
Paul

Stokesy's building again watching this one mate

Thanks Guys

Now I'm back at work full time I'll probably be a weekend builder with the occasional mid week session now and again. Really enjoyed session 1 last week and very much looking forward to putting the tracks on this week. They're link and length so should look good. They'll mostly be hidden by the side skirts, which have got tons of detail on them, so hopefully I'll have a proper looking hull by the end of Sunday and may have started on the turret and its dinky little pea shooter of a gun - lord help those desert tankers!

[Stokesy44]

Also, while I'm in the build phase I've moved to the dining table so I can have the cricket on today!

Life is good!

[Nev]

Looks like a nice kit. Glad to see you back to building mate

[TheNordus]

Thanks Guys

Now I'm back at work full time I'll probably be a weekend builder with the occasional mid week session now and again. Really enjoyed session 1 last week and very much looking forward to putting the tracks on this week. They're link and length so should look good. They'll mostly be hidden by the side skirts, which have got tons of detail on them, so hopefully I'll have a proper looking hull by the end of Sunday and may have started on the turret and its dinky little pea shooter of a gun - lord help those desert tankers!

You're lucky to have work, I know I'd ditch my school if I got a bloody job bagging groceries for crotchety old women at some supermarket. I know how good building can feel, I've forced myself to work on finishing my last few kits before building any new ones and now that I finally finished an Sd. Kfz. 234/3 armored car I allowed myself to start building an M3 Lee - which I finished in pretty much two nights because I just love building things and seeing how everything works together. And then I picked up a JS-3M from Trumpeter and finished that in one night...I'm slipping on my painting and finishing again.

[Stokesy44]

Had a nice session with the cricket on in the background.

Tracks on first. Really impressed, they're link and length, 2 full length upper and lower sections, 2 pieces rising from the bottom length then indy links wrapping around the idler and drive wheels, not fiddly at all - as long as you can count!!

There's a nice bit of sag on the upper lengths so they look really good sat on the runners.









Then it was on to the upper hull track covers and all the greeblies. This is why I love Tamiya new tools, every thing fits like it should and the kit builds up beautifully.









Then on with the turret, its a great little turret, loads of detail and a nice big open hatch for the 2 crew figures.







Really nice texture detail showing the rough finish of the armour







So she now looks like how the tank would have been if I was building the versions sent to Russia. The desert version still needs its side skirts which will cover up most of that lovely track detail. However, I am determined to build the North African variant, both for national pride's sake but also because I have a SAS truck and jeep which may all go together at some point.

Its good to dream big, I'm just glad to be back building!

[TheNordus]

I'm sure you could find a reference photo for a Valentine tank without it's sideskirts. It's looking very nice though.

[Johnj]

I think i have asked you this before but you appear to have assembled the whole kit before painting do the skirts come off with the tracks and wheels for painting ?
It's good to catch up with your building again.

[Tomcat64]

Nice progress mate!

I like the Valentine a lot but it always makes me think it was a tank designed by committee - you can still see elements of the WWI heritage in some of the details on the decks especially.

[Stokesy44]

I think i have asked you this before but you appear to have assembled the whole kit before painting do the skirts come off with the tracks and wheels for painting ?
It's good to catch up with your building again.

Thanks John

Normally I would not attach the wheels before painting but with this kit you have to attach the wheels and the link and length tracks before you put the skirts on. The skirts also have side drop pieces that are yet to go on and cover almost 50% of the tracks and running gear. I decided to assemble it all before painting as I don't thinks its possible to do it the other way round. Once I put the side drops on you'll see why I did it the way I did.

[Stokesy44]

Nice progress mate!

I like the Valentine a lot but it always makes me think it was a tank designed by committee - you can still see elements of the WWI heritage in some of the details on the decks especially.

Yeah, and the turret looks straight out of Indiana Jones and the last crusade!!

It boggles the mind just how outdated this thing was compared to say the panzer IV, especially the later Mk IVs with the 75mm high velocity gun. It must have felt like going into battle in a coffin.

[Stokesy44]

I'm sure you could find a reference photo for a Valentine tank without it's sideskirts. It's looking very nice though.

Thanks mate. I'm just having a whinge about the skirts. I'm actually looking forward to putting them on so the tank looks like its in proper desert get up.

[SEBa111]

Nice progress mate!

I like the Valentine a lot but it always makes me think it was a tank designed by committee - you can still see elements of the WWI heritage in some of the details on the decks especially.

Yeah, and the turret looks straight out of Indiana Jones and the last crusade!!

It boggles the mind just how outdated this thing was compared to say the panzer IV, especially the later Mk IVs with the 75mm high velocity gun. It must have felt like going into battle in a coffin.

Agree whit you in almost all, except the "Later Mk IVs".

[Twokidsnosleep]

Hey, wait a second. This thing is a tank
I was expecting rodents and hearts
Keep building you mad man

[Stokesy44]

Hey, wait a second. This thing is a tank
I was expecting rodents and hearts
Keep building you mad man

Hah, fooled ya!

Put the skirts on today, got to keep that desert dust down somehow - dust means death, so the old saying went.



Like everything with this kit, it all went along nicely without any drama. I know I've said it but I LOVE Tamiya new tool kits. They are just what I need right now!

She's al skirted up and looking properly desertised.





I cant wait to get the paint on as the riveted surfaces and all the deck detail are a painting and weathering dream.

Finished off with the 2 crew figures. They're nicely molded and I really like the final pose.





I cant decide if the commander is saying, 'Righto Ginger, time for a brew,' or 'F*** me, that's an 88mm!'

I'll leave that up to your imagination.

[Cymru]

Coming together nicely Sir Even if there was an 88 on the horizon it would still be time for a brew, we're British right!!!

[Tomcat64]

Nicely built up - that's looking very tidy mate.

Looking forward to seeing how you paint and weather it up now

[Stokesy44]

Nicely built up - that's looking very tidy mate.

Looking forward to seeing how you paint and weather it up now

Cheers mate, if I can find a gap in all the sport next weekend I should be able to get the primer and the desert colour on to the little beasty.

To be honest, I enjoyed the build so much I might just build something else. I've got some similar vehicles I could go for, a little panzer IV flak wagon or maybe even the Tamiya new tool Nashorn that looks a real beauty.

Depends on how the mood takes me

[digger303]

Yes that is a nicely built Valentine...very nice. Its going to look even better when the base coat goes on.