I will be building the Revell 1/72 Challenger I (03183) OOB:


I will make a start on Sunday when I will post the obligatory shots of the box contents.

Dave

Looking forward to this one....

Is it the Matchbox kit?

Looking forward to your build Dave.

Cheers
Al.

No, it is not the reboxing of the Matchbox kit. That was 1/76 whilst this is the Revell 1/72 scale.

Finally got round to doing something today! First of all piccies of the box contents:
Front page of instruction leaflet:


Sprue 1:


Sprue 2:


Sprue 3:


Sprue 4:


Decals are crisp and two machines can be represented - 34KA79 - a 17/21 Lancers, BAOR Exercise Iron Hammer 1988 or 79KF08 - The Queen's Royal Hussars machine of IFOR in Bosnia-Herzigovina:


Plastic is crisply moulded with very little flash. Next post will show beginning of construction.

Dave

Finally got started on this one. I am not a "tanky" expert and had wanted to build this OOB. However, since starting this build I have come across the Extra Tech photo etch for this machine and so have ordered it. There is plenty to do before it is needed!

Painted the tracks in a base rust colour:


Assembled the hull sides to floor, assembled fuel tanks and cleaned up inner road wheels:


Here you can see the hull sides positioned on the underside of the hull top. Note the gaps either side. I was in two minds whether to fill the gaps or not as they probably won't be visible when the tracks and sides are fitted. However, I KNOW they are there and so they have to be filled:


Plastic card fitted to port side:


Plastic card fitted to both sides:


Another view:


Last step for today was to cut out the outer road wheels, sprockets and idlers and clean them up:


Dave

Looking good Dave. Good luck with the PE, that would be more than my eyesight and fingers could cope with.

Thanks John. Can't really see the PE being much of a problem as there are only 16 pieces, a doddle compared to the 1/600 ship stuff I am more used to. Only hope I don't come to regret saying that.....

I assembled the gun and applied filler to the fuel drums and the two sink holes on the box next to the hatch opening:


The rear of the hull showing the various components in place. The centre sections of the fuel drum cradles are a bit oversized and one cradle was damaged but as they will be hidden by the drums then I decided to leave them as they are:


I then got out the paint and starting splashing it around:


Close-up of topside of hull showing the still-wet paint:


Close-up of hull after first coat of paint applied:


Dave

Got some more work done on my Challenger I. Finished painting and fitted the road wheels:


Also assembled the basic turret. Here I have dry-fitted the hull top to the hull:


I also made progress with the weathering of the tracks:


Dave

Looking good Mr Coventry!

peebeep

Thank you Mr Brown! :D

Dave

A little more work today on my Challenger I. I painted the "mudguards" and painted the thermal sleeve on the barrel:


Next step will be to assemble the tracks. I have never tried them before and am not sure what to expect. However, I do know to assemble the drive sprocket sections first before fitting to the hull.

Dave

Looking good Dave. B)
Funny thing, I have never ever painted track sections before assembly!

A little more work today on the Challenger when I tackled the tracks:


First time I have ever had a go at assembling Revell link and length tracks. Not the best of jobs this time round but at least I've experienced them now. With hindsight I would have put the plastic card extensions onto the hull after fitting the tracks. However, because I have already put them on, I am finding it hard to fit the top track sections correctly. Because they will be hidden by the side skirts in any case, I am considering leaving them off!

Dave

Edited to show correct picture (thanks, Andy, for tip-off)

You've done a better job than I did with the link and length tracks! I ended up ripping mine off and getting some aftermarket ones.

:clap:

Thanks. For a first attempt I am quite pleased with the result. I found the answer was to cut off the four tiny tabs from one end of each link and from the end of the sections. That made them fit a lot better. Since that last photo, I have fitted the top sections of the tracks and fitted the hull top to the hull:


Next step will be to finish painting the road wheels and tidying up in wake of fitting the tracks.

Dave

Not bad at all for a first attempt. :clap:
The connecting lengths between drive/idler sprockets and road wheels usually look and fit better with a slight curve bent into them, but otherwise great!

Cheers and thanks for the tip! Live and learn....

Dave

I did just the same as you the first time Dave... :lol:
Now I always try to bend a little bit of 'hang' in just to give the impression of weight. It's easy to overdo though - over-saggy tracks also look wrong. Done that a few times too! :rolleyes:

Looking good, Dave.

Lol.

Coming on really well Dave :coolio:

Andy

Thanks lads. :D

I am still waiting for the PE set that I ordered more than two weeks ago. So, here is another photo to keep the thread going....


Dave

Looking good Dave, was given a tour of the Vickers plant in Newcastle and were shown a video of Challenger at speed airborne off a ramp, the suspension must be phenomenal. They were also using a metal press that was originally from Krupps and part of the reparations from WW1.

Nice work Dave.

Thanks, lads.

I had to chase up my PE order by email today and glad to say that it is now finally in the post......

Dave

At last! My postie delivered my PE yesterday. The parts include stowage bins and baskets, light guards and doors.:


Last night I made a start fitting it. Previously, I had left off some of the kit parts until I knew what work was needed before fitting the PE. They have now been fitted (lighter green bits):


Another view:


And another one...


Still need to fit the front stowage bin (in picture), three baskets and the light guards. I am concerned about those because they are so fragile that they broke up. I am now in two minds whether to faff around with them or else adapt the kit parts and use some stretched sprue instead.

Dave

The use of the PE really makes the kit stand out. Nice work Dave :thumb:

Cheers, Dirk.

More work on the Chally this afternoon when I finished the PE:




As you can see, I left out the PE light guards and used the kit parts.

Dave

Looking good with the PE added. Very nice.

Lol.

Coming along nicely.

The PE really does make this model really stand out

Thanks, all!

I painted the added parts and then applied the camo:


Not much left to do now and the parts still to be fitted are shown in the pic.

Dave

Looks good Dave :coolio:

Andy

This looks better every time i see it!

Thanks, lads. :D

More work today when I made progress by fitting the remaining parts:


I then applied Klear in readiness for decalling:


Here I have applied matt varnish after applying decals. Decals were not very good and despite using Klear and decal setting solution I still had problems. I also added a couple of aerials from brass rod:


I'm waiting for the varnish to dry before I take any more photos but it is done now.

Dave

Very nice build, Dave. The etched brass really adds to the basic model but you've also achieved an excellent finish with the camouflage

Thanks.

It is now finished:














Dave

Nicely done

Thanks, Dirk. :D

Dave

Great build! I took to the Challenger after seeing it on Top Gear. If I could just find a 1/76 Range Rover and Jezza...

peebeep

Cheers, Paul. :thumb:

I fell in love with the Chally when I first saw one at Bovington many years ago. I've got a 1/35 job in the stash and looking forward to making that one day...

Dave