Churchill Mk IV, AVRE

[digger303]

Good to see it coming together.

[DRUMS01]

Thanks digger..... hope your back to 100% now. And here is a little snippet, it's got green paint!





Time to let it dry for a day or two, so lets see what I can get into till then (?).

[digger303]

Thanks digger..... hope your back to 100% now. And here is a little snippet, it's got green paint!





Time to let it dry for a day or two, so lets see what I can get into till then (?).

I like that bridge section

[Stokesy44]

Figures too? Awesome

[DRUMS01]

Been some time since the last update so we thought we would show everyone our progress.

- add, repaired, items on hull and turret.



- began first stage of weathering.



- started adding wear and weathering to tracks.



- assembled and started painting of the figures.



- added base coats to bags, tarps, rolls, etc.

Next gloss coat and decals, then add tracks, final assembly, final wash / dry brush / weathering. Jarrod and I still undecided on how to display it when done; diorama, kit only (no base), kit with basic base, etc.

[digger303]

Maybe on a base about to deploy with a motorcyclist directing where to put it.
Just a thought.

[Stokesy44]

It looks superb.

As for the display, cant really offer any guidance. It comes down to what you want to do. If you fancy throwing yourselves into a full on dio then go for it, or if you fancy a new project, finish this one off and move on.

Whatever you fancy is the right call.

[DRUMS01]

Thank you both for your input. I know what you're saying in regards to the finished product. There are several things that are clouding my decision making for this one. First off, I really want to start on two or three other kits. At the same time I totally agree with a full diorama to include other vehicles, figures, destroyed buildings and bridge (and so on), but then I don't want it to take anything away from the kit. Every time I build a larger base for a diorama it takes more space on the display shelves. I'm at the point where I have square footage but I need to build walls and display shelves for what I already got. Decisions, decisions....

Perhaps a simple base with an earth incline to one side of a bombed wooden bridge. No city dwellings or stone bridge or cobblestone streets, etc. etc., I like the motorcycle idea too.

[Stokesy44]

Thank you both for your input. I know what you're saying in regards to the finished product. There are several things that are clouding my decision making for this one. First off, I really want to start on two or three other kits. At the same time I totally agree with a full diorama to include other vehicles, figures, destroyed buildings and bridge (and so on), but then I don't want it to take anything away from the kit. Every time I build a larger base for a diorama it takes more space on the display shelves. I'm at the point where I have square footage but I need to build walls and display shelves for what I already got. Decisions, decisions....

Perhaps a simple base with an earth incline to one side of a bombed wooden bridge. No city dwellings or stone bridge or cobblestone streets, etc. etc., I like the motorcycle idea too.

A small diorama - an excellently reasoned response

[DRUMS01]

OK, finally an update with something to show. Jarrod and I have been working on the tank to the point where we can seal what we have and begin the final road dirt, slight washes, and very light chipping. Next we will begin the same on the bridge, but here is where the Churchill is at the moment.







Hope you all approve as Jarrod and I like it so far.

Ben and Jarrod

[Stokesy44]

It looks superb, great weathering and subtle shading.

[digger303]

Lovely work. It's going to be a show stopper as they say.

[DRUMS01]

Jarrod says thank you with a big smile to Stokesy and digger. I'm looking forward to bringing the bridge up to the same level of wash and wear. I noticed in some photos that some used on the beach landings had a white trestle under the bridge. We've also seen images of bridges with the white edge trim, one with red and white trim, and some with none. Numerous photos also had the wood planks painted green with only the centers worn to the wood from used (the model instructs us to paint the whole wood planking in a wood color). We think it would look more realistic if only the areas used by tracks and wheels be worn to the wood versus the entire wood surfaces being bare wood, what do you think?


Ben and Jarrod

[Stokesy44]

Jarrod says thank you with a big smile to Stokesy and digger. I'm looking forward to bringing the bridge up to the same level of wash and wear. I noticed in some photos that some used on the beach landings had a white trestle under the bridge. We've also been images of bridges with the white edge trim, one with red and white trim, and some with none. Numerous photos also had the wood planks painted green with only the centers worn to the wood from used (the model instructs us to paint the whole wood planking in a wood color). We think it would look more realistic if only the areas used by tracks and wheels be worn to the wood versus the entire wood surfaces being bare wood, what do you think?


Ben and Jarrod

I think its too good an opportunity not to show worn paint on the wood planking as it will look spectacular when done

[RangerNeil]

Excellent job the two of you.
Another creation you can both be proud of!!

Don't know if things changed post-war but the bridge units I recall that in the 70's were wood decked were as you describe, green paint on the decks that was worn to the wood where the wheels traversed it. Where the wood showed it was darkened from the dirt in the tyres. Bridges for armoured/tracked traffic had metal decks.
Edges were painted white for use in blackout conditions. I'm not sure but I think red and white marked low weight limits. Certajnly post-war every bridge had a plated weight and every vehicle carried a round yellow bridging plate at front with the vehicles weight on it. For example Landies were 3, Stolly's were 14, Militants were 21. They could be marked with 2 numbers, one above the other designating the unladen and laden weights - again as an example a Militant would be 11 over 21.
MP's controlled the bridges, checking the vehicles plated weight and if it exceeded the bridges capacity you got redirected to the bearest one that could cope. WW2 operated the same way in that regard.
Hope thats helpful?

[DRUMS01]

Thanks Neil, that actually makes perfect sense! And that also explains to me why the ends of the bridges aren't torn up more in the photos from track vehicles. That's because this "wood" planked bridge was for wheeled vehicles only. And I reasoned the coloring of the planks in my mind to exactly how you spelled it out, thanks a lot.

So white on the sides of the plank runners and worn in the middle it is...

[Stokesy44]

Excellent job the two of you.
Another creation you can both be proud of!!

Don't know if things changed post-war but the bridge units I recall that in the 70's were wood decked were as you describe, green paint on the decks that was worn to the wood where the wheels traversed it. Where the wood showed it was darkened from the dirt in the tyres. Bridges for armoured/tracked traffic had metal decks.
Edges were painted white for use in blackout conditions. I'm not sure but I think red and white marked low weight limits. Certajnly post-war every bridge had a plated weight and every vehicle carried a round yellow bridging plate at front with the vehicles weight on it. For example Landies were 3, Stolly's were 14, Militants were 21. They could be marked with 2 numbers, one above the other designating the unladen and laden weights - again as an example a Militant would be 11 over 21.
MP's controlled the bridges, checking the vehicles plated weight and if it exceeded the bridges capacity you got redirected to the bearest one that could cope. WW2 operated the same way in that regard.
Hope thats helpful?

I love the fact we've got guys on here who have actually served. My absolute respect and thanks for your service but also, your technical nous when it comes to these sorts of questions is priceless.

And I'm not taking the p***, this is a genuine compliment.

[digger303]

Excellent job the two of you.
Another creation you can both be proud of!!

Don't know if things changed post-war but the bridge units I recall that in the 70's were wood decked were as you describe, green paint on the decks that was worn to the wood where the wheels traversed it. Where the wood showed it was darkened from the dirt in the tyres. Bridges for armoured/tracked traffic had metal decks.
Edges were painted white for use in blackout conditions. I'm not sure but I think red and white marked low weight limits. Certajnly post-war every bridge had a plated weight and every vehicle carried a round yellow bridging plate at front with the vehicles weight on it. For example Landies were 3, Stolly's were 14, Militants were 21. They could be marked with 2 numbers, one above the other designating the unladen and laden weights - again as an example a Militant would be 11 over 21.
MP's controlled the bridges, checking the vehicles plated weight and if it exceeded the bridges capacity you got redirected to the bearest one that could cope. WW2 operated the same way in that regard.
Hope thats helpful?

I love the fact we've got guys on here who have actually served. My absolute respect and thanks for your service but also, your technical nous when it comes to these sorts of questions is priceless.

And I'm not taking the p***, this is a genuine compliment.

[DRUMS01]

Jarrod and I are near the point of calling the kit done, just some minor clean-up of the dark wash and a second flat coat on it. So this is the end of this string. Thanks to all who commented which helped direct our build to something more authentic than what we may have ended with, all of you are appreciated.

Should we build a diorama base, we will start a new build for it and show the very minor clean-up from what you see here.

Just like most people who post images, you think its done till you look at your photo results. Jarrod and I could do so much more but there is a time when to call it D-O-N-E, and this is around 96% there. It's been fun but my mojo is leaning towards either an aircraft or automotive build next.













Next build coming soon.... As always, critiques and comments always welcome.

Ben and Jarrod

[digger303]

Well apart from the ground work in the last pic being right out of scale
It looks marvellous. I like the way the cabling is all tight as it should be, not always easy to do.
The light restrained weathering is just right too.

Maybe a bi-plane is next

[Quax]

Full credit goes to you both, it’s been a great build and a super result!

Paul

[Stokesy44]

Excellent finish. Thanks for such a great thread too.

George Lucas once said 'Films are not finished, they're abandoned', kits are sometimes like that. You get to the point where you decide where the finish line is for various reasons. Getting an itch for a new start is always a good reason to declare the finish.

I think the kit is worthy of the title 'finished', time now to crack the box on something new.

[RangerNeil]

Beautiful job as always - congratulations to both you and Jarrod. I'm consistently amazed at the quality of your work. A dio would be nice - but perhaps as the subject of a new thread?
Up next - how about something rotary wing and unusual - like the Focke-Wolf Angelis??

[DRUMS01]

Thanks everyone for everything... following, input, etc. I still believe we will eventually get this in a diorama with another vehicle, several other figures, a partially destroyed bridge, etc., but that will be a whole other build compilation.

As most have seen, we have moved to a small figure build but will be going big on a rotor wing subject next. We just can't help it after following Neil's prolific helicopter building, he's a machine. Looking forward in building the 1/35 Tarhe, perhaps a late kit for the Group Build?