Airfix 1/76 Cromwell IV

[Eric Mc]

I'm not terribly knowledgeable about armour but of late I've taken to small scale (1/72 or 1/76) armour kits as an "easy" kit bashing exercise and to provide a change from my more normal subject matter i.e. aircraft and space.

The latest finished model is the Airfix 1/76 Cromwell IV. This is a new mould and therefore went together very well. In fact, this is the first kit I have finished since I don't know when that didn't need any filler, at all, anywhere.

Now, being no tank expert, it could be the worst Cromwell model ever made - but one of the joys of not knowing much about a subject is that you won't agonise too much over the model.

[SlipStream77]

Looks good to me! Very nicely weathered too, especially the tracks.

It must be pretty small in 1/76, I built a 1/48 Challenger a while back and it didn't look nearly as good as that. I wasn't sure what to do with the black rubber tracks.

[Eric Mc]

On these new Airfix kits, the tracks are moulded in the same polystyrene as the kit itself (no more of those horrible soft rubbery things of old). Last year I built the Airfix Vickers Light Tank (formerly a JB model) and that used the rigid tracks system.

I brush painted the tracks using Tamiya Mettalic Grey and then applied liberal amounts of Mig Rust powder - wiping away the surplus.

The wheels were also weathered using both Mig Rust and also Citadel Devlan Mud wash (to bring out the detail a bit).

The kit goes together really well. I'm trying to summon up the courage to have a go at one of the old Airfix armoured vehicle - like their Churchill. I'm sure that'll be far more of a battle.

[SlipStream77]

Thanks Eric, I might have to look into these weathering powders, I know doc gn has recommended them too. They certainly produce good results.

[dr_gn]

Looks excellent to me, then again Airfix always did their small vehicles pretty well IMO.

Apparently the sprues from the old flexible tracks make excellent biplane rigging when heat stretched over a flame.

[Jonny1984]

That looks really nice. I've got a few on the go now thanks to yours and gn's advice (among others). I think I want to try armour next.

[dr_gn]

Jonny1984 said:

That looks really nice. I've got a few on the go now thanks to yours and gn's advice (among others). I think I want to try armour next.

How did the white masking test go?

[perdu]

The Cromwell looks really good Eric, I must add my self to the list of people who will rejoice that Airfix have stopped using that terrible rubbalastic tread material

I can't see any reason for tank tracks to need glueing down when they can more easily made to fit where they should, like these ones.

Bravo Airfix, oh arr, nice one Eric

I may even go and look for one of those myself, it's a handsome beastie.

Which of the sixty zillion shades of green did you use?

[Eric Mc]

How do I answer that?, Being a total ignoramus when it comes to British Army WW2 greens, I kind of made it up as I went along.

I initially sprayed some Halfords grey primer.

Then I laid on some Tamiya XF-28 Deep Green ( which looked far too green).

That was overlaid with a few passes of Tamiya XF-58 Olive Green.

And finally another overlay - this time of Tamiya XF-51 Olive Drab.

Then some Johnsons Klear to provide a decent surface for the decals.

Citadel washes were used to highlight some of the panel lines and nut/bolt details.

Then a light coat of Xtracrylic Flat Varnish - heavilly thinned with water.

Finally, the whole thing was dusted down with some lightly brushed on pastel powder to dull everything off and to try and blend the decals into the paintwork a bit.