Thinking tanks

[scooter]

I suppose the answer is to spray it, so I hope Halfords do a suitable green to match

Just had a visit to the Halfords site, and it looks close enough, at least as a base layer and to get those "hard to reach spots" that'll never see the light of day after construction.

[PR19_Kit]

OooooooooOOOOOOOoooooooh! 

That looks JUST the job, thanks so much. 

I rarely bother with Halfords web site since my awful experience in trying to get some Grey Primer via that route earlier in the year.

[PR19_Kit]

Got more odds and ends assembled now, and both side armour panels are glued to the upper deck, which makes it look a bit more tank-like.

I've had to do some thinking about the area I'm intending it to operate in as quite a bit of the kit is designed for desert warfare, but the backstory will be modified to suit that. 

The desert type exhausts are the most obvious things, but I can't leave them off as there aren't any alternatives in the kit, and scratchbuilding them is WAY beyond me!

Lots more to go on this yet, but I'll chasing after that camo spray paint tomorrow. 

[Gondor]

If I remember correctly the normal exhausts are a set of louvres that look a bit like a Harrier exhaust nozzle. It is possible that they might be hiding on one of the sprues and not called for.

Gondor

[Old Wombat]

Kit's right, Tamiya haven't included the "standard" exhaust in the desertised version of the Chally 2.

However, as the desert exhaust is, in part, designed to reduce the amount of dust displaced by the exhaust gasses (& smoke from same), surely this is a good thing in an urban environment, too?

By the way, have you seen this?

[PR19_Kit]

No, I hadn't seen that, and thanks VERY much. 

That's a SUPERB pic and it'll help my colour scheme ideas a lot. I love the tank's name. 

Where did you find the pic please?

[Later] I note it has the later wheels with the holes in too. Mine will have been in store at Ashchurch for a while....... 

[Old Wombat]

Oops, forgot to add the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/comments/dn1dvf/the_challenger_2_streetfighter_ii_rtr_demo_tank/

It's not actually the tank's name, Kit, it's the name of the development program it's part of; a program designed to improve the survivability of the Chally 2 in urban environments &, consequently, extend the active service life of the Chally 2 overall.

A few links:

https://www.army-technology.com/features/streetfighter-challenger-2/

https://militaryleak.com/2020/01/20/challenger-2-street-fighter-main-battle-tank/

https://www.realcleardefense.com/2020/01/22/british_streetfighter_ii_tank_is_all_about_the_urban_fight_311751.html

[Dizzyfugu]

I love the tank's name. 

There's also "Megatron", apparently a test vehicle which has been used at Bovington to adapt ERA and the late Mobile Camouflage System (MCS), the latter looks pretty cool and calls for lots of textured paper tissue for a model. 

[Steel Penguin]

wow dizzy that bottom pick makes it look like its covered in dragon hide.

[PR19_Kit]

Thanks for those links Womby, VERY useful! I only got seven screenies from the vid. 

I wondered what that box on the back of the turret was for, and now I know. 

And the Megatron's featured strongly in the Haynes Manual, with lots of pics. Unfortunately they chose THAT tank above all others to use as a 'Walkaround' example, which is useless for the modeller of course as you can only see the scrim camo netting! 

Oh, I got the camo paint today too, both green and sandy colours, but they do 4-5 of them, so it'll be spraying tonight. 

[Steel Penguin]

Kit a look round here may be useful

http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/

searchable, and lots of lovely pics.

[PR19_Kit]

Kit a look round here may be useful

http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/fotoweb/

searchable, and lots of lovely pics.

What a brilliant site, thanks VERY much! 

[PR19_Kit]

You were dead right Alastair, the standard Challie exhausts DO look like squared off Harrier ones!

Courtesy of the marvellous MoD web site, here's the proof. 

[PR19_Kit]

That Halfords Camo Green paint is MAGNIFICENT! 

The first light spray coat looked OK, but didn't cover the irregularities that the Tamiya paint had left, but a second heavier coat was darn night perfect. I LOVE the stuff. 



All I've got to now is paint all the wheels, all sixteen of them...............

[scooter]

Probably should have shared this video from the Tank Museum when you started thinking about building the Chally II, but better late than never:

Tank Chat #92 | Challenger 2: Full Length |The Tank Museum