Tamiya 1/35 Challenger 2

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:09 pm

So, I got this kit through in the post the other day and with my Group Build entry nearing completion I wanted to crack open something else. And frankly the armour bug has me in its grip and so I opened the Tamiya Challenger 2.

I am aiming to do this in a BATUS scheme to go alongside my AS90. This is the sort of look I am going for.

Although I won't be doing this......(might make a cool diorama though!)

So onto the build. To date I have gotten the lower hull more or less complete, I am working on the details that attach to the rear hull plate. Russ2471 was saying he isn't sure if he is going to add all the details there prior to painting, and I can see why! I might leave off some of the bigger sub assembles like the fuel drums etc, just to ensure that when it comes to painting I can get everything.

Pictures!

Return rollers on

Drive sprockets

Suspension arms on

Roadwheels on one side installed

Then both sides

Hub caps and other lower hull details added

Start of the rear plate

And you know you have had a good modelling session when this is your desk

Kit is going together very well so far, no ejector pin marks in visible plates, fit is very good, details are awesome.

So please follow me through this build, give encouragment, criticism, wit, banter, etc etc etc

Thanks

Post by **Nige201980** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:18 pm

Look good mate looking forward to watching this coming together.

Post by **DC87** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:29 pm

Very nice so far.

Did the kit provide the screws holding the front arms?

Post by **Coen** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:32 pm

Nice touch with the pile of clippings Gav.
Proof of a days work.
Or carpenter ants have been at your kit.

Post by **DC87** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:34 pm

Coen wrote:Or carpenter ants have been at your kit.

If only they could be trained to built kits

.

Post by **schweinhund227** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:51 pm

It's going to be Epic! A superb model! Can't wait for more!

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:18 pm

DC87 wrote:Very nice so far.

Did the kit provide the screws holding the front arms?

Yes mate, even comes with a sheet of clear plastic to cut out the commanders cupola vision blocks, white plastic card to make the ID panels, copper wire to wrap around the telephone wire reel on the rear hull and string for the tow cables.

So todays work has been thus...

I painted the tail lights, I will mask these off with Vallejo Liquid Mask then paint the rest of the light cluster.

I made the tracks up. They are very nice for rubber tracks, and can be glued with plastic cement!

I made up the water/jerry can holder for the rear hull plate, and added the telephone wire reel (sans wire)

Fuel barrels built up, the racks were added to the rear hull plate.

Upper hull was glued in place

Fuel drums and jerry can rack sat in place, they will be painted separately

I was intending to do this as a BATUS vehicle, but discovered the kit doesn't come with the "normal" side skirts as I first thought, I was going to do this as it comes in the box. But Russ2471 has kindly said he will give me his spare side skirts from his Tamiya Challenger 1 build. So they should fit as the lower hulls are more or less the same. I will have to be carefull and leave off any parts that aren't present on BATUS vehicles. Luckily they don't have any extras that aren't on other Challengers, so should be easy enough to do.

C&C welcome as always.

Post by **NovYank** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:06 am

This build is coming together great so far mate! Can't wait to see your future progress on the BRUTUS build.

Post by **schweinhund227** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:33 pm

Ohhhh I must buy this Bad Bad Girl !!!! she is so S E X Y !!!

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:42 pm

Hahaha cheers Norm. Hoping she turns out as nice as I invisage.

You should get it mate, cracking kit!

https://www.youtube.com/user/bnealuk · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:55 pm

Very cool stuff so far. I do love this tank and plan to do the new Tamiya one soon.

Post by **RED** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:01 am

nice looking tank, great start mate

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:26 am

Cheers guys.

So Russ2471 very kindly sent me his spare side skirts from his Chally 1 kit. As I have mentioned I am going to model this vehicle as if its at the BATUS facility in Canada. The vehicles there wear a sand/green camo scheme and are not (at least to my knowledge and research) fitted with any of the extra ERA armour seen on vehicles in Iraq etc. So I needed the standard short side skirts for this vehicle and the Tamiya Chally 2 Desertised kit doesn't come with them.

Now the ones Russ sent are different to the ones on the Challenger 2 usually, but some internet research says that earlier Challenger 2's did have these bigger side skirts, and so that's my evidence for using them!

See

Stay tuned for the next update.

Cheers

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 11:24 am

So last night I was working on my GB entry, but just at the end of the night I picked up the side skirts Russ sent me to see if I could make them fit to the tank. With some small tweaking I can get them to fit no bother I think.

However I did kind of want to still have the short side skirts more common on Chally 2 nowadays.

Like this

So I marked out where I needed to cut and took my knife to the side skirts! In order to get some more realism I also cut each plate from its neighbour so they can be placed individually, and possible even leave one off.

So this is where I got to last night

Top skirt has been cut, and you can see the markings for the next bit.

Pretty pleased with how its going so far!

Cheers

Post by **russ2471** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 11:30 am

See I knew you'd manage something , good skills mate

Post by **Coen** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 11:57 am

Nicely done dude!
I love it when a plan comes together.

Post by **Modelpro72** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:10 pm

Looking good Gav

Post by **Nige201980** » Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:41 pm

Looking great Gav

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 1:23 pm

Cheers all.

So last night I took the knife to the plastic once again.

Got the full first side skirt cut to shape.

Then the 2nd one

Now its not 100% accurate, as the front plate on the real tank looks more like the middle two than mine does. But frankly I don't care. They look similar enough to the shape of the standard Chally 2 side skirts for me. And I have the satisfaction of knowing that I made them myself.

I also got the barrel barrel and gun sight/mantlet made up but forgot to get a picture of that, so will get one later.

Post by **Coen** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:41 pm

"But frankly I don't care. They look similar enough to the shape of the standard Chally 2 side skirts for me. And I have the satisfaction of knowing that I made them myself. "

That's what it's all about!
Right on!

Nice job by the way.
Cutting that without a saw takes skills and a steady hand.

Post by **Tiger131** » Thu Jul 25, 2013 5:11 pm

i think you have done a superb job better than i would have done

Post by **russ2471** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:42 am

You are going to rivet counting hell for that one Gav

and you Coen for encouraging him

Post by **Coen** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:15 am

And I'm taking you all with me!

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:29 am

Hahahaha. Maybe I should find a rivet counting forum and post this up there as well and just be all like.

"Well I converted these side skirts because they weren't accurate for the Challenger 2 I want to model, but the result isn't perfect and some panels aren't the right shape, and some don't match up exactly, but you know what, I don't care and I had FUN doing it".

And see what reaction I get!

Post by **BrummieModeller** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:14 pm

Hey great work gav

I only just noticed you've started this build lol didn't know you was starting this yet but its looking great, the side skirts look top draw!

Post by **Coen** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 12:37 pm

Gav0909 wrote:Hahahaha. Maybe I should find a rivet counting forum and post this up there as well and just be all like.

"Well I converted these side skirts because they weren't accurate for the Challenger 2 I want to model, but the result isn't perfect and some panels aren't the right shape, and some don't match up exactly, but you know what, I don't care and I had FUN doing it".

And see what reaction I get!

Tar and feathering would be my guess. Maybe a little naked pony ride through the streets of paris, just for good measure.

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:24 am

Should I do this with the fuel barrels on the back of my Challenger 2?......

"Scottish tanks, powered by Irn-Bru since 1975" lol

Post by **DC87** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:28 am

Would certainly be eye catching, I say do it but mount them in such a way that they can be replaced easily should you change your mind in several years time.

Do you know what the occasion of the photograph was as I imagine MOD execs would have had a field day slamming the books on those tankers.

Post by **chief5437** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:58 am

Made in Scotland from Gird'as! You've gotta do it! Lol

Post by **NovYank** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 2:17 am

Yes those gas tanks would definitely put some variety to the tank. Make people wonder

Post by **Coen** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 3:35 am

I think that you should do it... or something like it.
I'll bet that it wasn't the first time one crew got creatively bored while waiting for orders.

https://www.youtube.com/user/bnealuk · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 6:18 am

Yeah I agree that would look really cool

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 10:28 am

Hahaha cheers for the comments. I don't think I really will do it wouldn't be able to paint it.

Dc87 - the picture is froma walkaround set and from the look of it, it was some kind of Army show day as the tank (and another Chally 2, field gun and other vehicles) were on Dundee high street. I guess they were Scots Dragoons tanks and it was just a bit of fun.

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 12:26 pm

Ok I got quite a bit of work done on the Challenger 2 last night. And here is what I did..

Well first of all I spent half an hour chasing one of my Degu's around the living room as the little bugger snuck out of the cage while I was sorting some things inside it.

After that I got settled back at the bench and added some more detail parts to the upper hull, travel lock, etc

I also added all the various parts that needed to go on the inside of the upper turret half. These included aerial bases, and various clear parts. The vision blocks around the commanders cupola needed to be cut to size from a sheet of clear plastic, so I needed to manually cut out 8 bits 5 x 4mm. These and the other clear parts were painted with Tamiya clear colours for variation. The insides of each vision port/sight etc were also painted black so that the plastic couldn't be seen.

Stowage boxes for the upper hull were made. These came with an odd gap in the front, which I assumed was possibly a mounting point for the thermal exhaust cowls that I am not using on this build, so I took to filling them in with plasticard as the following pictures show.

However looking at a walkaround of a Challenger 2 later on I realise that the gap is supposed to be there! On the real tank, a small pipe exits through the gap. But I am just going to leave it as is, I wouldn't have bothered adding the pipe, and so the gap would have looked odd anyway.

I added the turret backs and sides to complete that, now its just details on the top of the turret to do.

This thing is a beast!

C&C welcome.

Post by **DC87** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:16 pm

Nice to see pets are running you rampant. The Challenger is looking great and those lenses will make the turret pop so to speak

.

Post by **NovYank** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 1:29 pm

I'm enjoying the progress you've made, and all I can really say is keep up the good work!!!

On the topic if those gas tanks, those tanks would be hard to paint, but I've seen other tanks with barrels that have logos from Exxon or Shell. A little simpler and it will definitely add some detail!!

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 11:46 pm

Cheers guys.

So I have made a load of progress today. The build is complete, so its now on to priming and paint.

I spent some of this afternoon watching Parker, new Jason Statham film and was pleased to come across this scene lol

First of all I finished adding the various bits on top the turret, cupolas, GPMG etc.

Tried Russ2471's method for adding the anti-slip surface

Worked quite well so I did it all over the tank

I also adapted the front mudgaurds to better represent the style on the vehicle I am modelling

So I was priming away and went to give the airbrush a clean out as I thought it was getting a bit blocked up, and the bloody nozzle thread snapped!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d199/ ... 999f03.jpg

I have a 2nd brush which fits the same nozzle as this one, but it broke before so I am now airbrushless with a bloody tank to paint!

This is the brush I have, and the needle.

So I have a request, if anyone has the nozzle and a needle for this brush, and would be willing to give me the needle and nozzle bit or come to some agreement for it that would be great.

If not then I will buy another cheap brush to keep me going.

C&C welcome.

Post by **DC87** » Sat Jul 27, 2013 11:57 pm

Sexy thing -UM the Challenger I mean!

Shame about the airbrush, not something I can help you with I'm afraid.

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:02 am

Ok, so this build is currently on hold until I can sort a replacement airbrush as its at the priming stage now and I am not painting a model of this size with such flat surfaces by hand. For one thing I don't own brushes suitable to that kind of work anyway.

So until I get things sorted in the painting department this is on hold. However that does mean I ended up starting a new kit......see my new thread.

Post by **Coen** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 11:34 am

Gotta love the STASH... always work to be done eh?

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 12:01 pm

Exactly. Although this is the last kit in my stash. I don't actually have much of one. I think left in my stash is a 1/48 Monogram JU-87B and a 1/72 Airfix Spitfire MkIVB, which I am not likely to build anytime soon as I already have one on the shelf and its a very basic old tooling.

Post by **Modelpro72** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:37 am

Hi Gav.

Posting that picture of that girl was terrible!! You would never see me doing things like that on facebook after posting what I got from the postman or very randomly throughout the day when I'm bored or that video I did with the AK Interactive girl.

I've seen a different side to you now!!

BTW Top class on the Chally

Lenny

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:02 pm

No Lenny, I have never seen you doing such things

I could post other pictures, but this is a family forum so I might get in trouble for doing so....

Post by **Tiger131** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:42 pm

looking good buddy real nice anti-slip surface top work and sorry to hear about your airbrush problems hope you get them sorted soon

Post by **alextheblue** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 2:18 pm

Loving the build so far Gav and real shame about the airbrush.

Don't think I can help with needle/nozzle for yours. but I do have an airbrush that I've never used that you're welcome to. It's a siphon-fed double-action brush that came with my compressor when I bought it. I've robbed/lost a couple of the items from it for my other brush (paint cup and bottle), but you're more than welcome to have it if you think it might be of any good.

Let me know and I will post a couple of pics of it later once I'm home from work.

Post by **russ2471** » Tue Jul 30, 2013 3:23 pm

Sorry to hear about the airbrush mate, but on the plus side the chally2 looks awesome

Post by **Modelpro72** » Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:27 am

Gav0909 wrote:No Lenny, I have never seen you doing such things

I could post other pictures, but this is a family forum so I might get in trouble for doing so....

Message recieved and understood.

Website · Post by **Gav0909** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 11:33 am

So with a new airbrush (very kindly donated by Coen, huge thank you). I got painting again last night!

I got the Challenger 2 hull primed (just needed touching up on some thin parts) and the turret, gun and side skirts primed. I still have the road wheels to do, but I have run out of toothpicks so need to pick up some more.

Bit of pre-shading, as you can see I am not great at this, but should do the trick.

And after a few thin coats of Vallejo Model Air Desert Yellow (I think).

Pre-shading is still a touch prominent for my liking on the side in that 2nd picture, so when I do the hull I will put another coat on there too.

C&C welcome!

https://www.youtube.com/user/bnealuk · Post by **T3hGuppy** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:14 pm

Looking good dude.

Not a fan of pre-shading myself. but looks good.

Post by **Paul** » Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:54 pm

Preshading looks good gav, the last thing you want is perfect lines anyway, well That's my excuse anyway lol.

Very nice guy that coen is, all those bad things lee keeps saying about him can't be true