This is Academy’s 1/35th scale Achilles IIc offering. The kit requires work to correct several faults including the incorrect layout of tools, incorrect tube ammo stowage, incorrect turret stowage (inside), incorrect main gun spent shell shield, incorrect positioning and mount type for .50 cal MG and badly undersized muzzle break. The kit comes with the T62 pattern steel tracks not the rubber blocks which AFV club provide with their kit. Interestingly, the Canadian forces used the T62 tracks but AFV club still offer decals for a Canadian unit.
All work on this is scratchbuilt from wire and styrene rod and strip, apart from the Eduard 17 pounder barrel. Unfortunately my barrel was scored - hence the camo net - which is okay 'cause the Brits used to break up the obvious outline with chicken wire and netting anyway.
I have added missing detail, weld beading, etc.
This model has been painted 3 times! First time my son had played around with my flatcoat and the end result was a disaster. Second time I declared the build finished but then went on to try a pastel chalk and Acrylic Thinner dusting which peeled the paint off in the crevases and corners. This time I only used Future & Tamiya Flat base on the bottom to see the result. Again I got this white icy coating. Must be a change in the formula of the Future (Pledge-one-go over here). Any other Aussie’s have any ideas? Back to Testor’s Dullcoat as a result
Basic side view of the model. The red and blue Royal Artillery panels and the Guards Armoured Division marks on the front and rear were hand made using my airbrush. The Gaurds Armoured eye ball motif was made from disected old Verlinden rub on lettering.
Close up of the interior side wall. This is the side that needs most of the work as none of these items are included in the kit - except the fire extinquisher that the instructions tells you to fix to the fighting compartment bulkhead in front of the engine compartment. The stens come from the old Italerie accessories kit. I replaced the 2 on the other side with the italeri ones for uniformity.
Rear view showing repositioned tools and scratchbuilt fire extinquishers and first aid box (top corner). Grouser racks were drilled out.
Pic showing one side of the fighting compartment. The Main gun rounds are all (32 of them) scratchbuilt from styrene rod and wire. The racks holding them are also scratch built. You can just make out the tigermodel Design fine chain attached to the fuel and lubricant fillers in this shot. This pic was taken after base coat and flat coat were sprayed, but weathering had not commenced.
Beautiful job Peter, you are truely scratchbuilding guru. Had you not said those rounds were , I would have thought they were from the kit. thanks for posting it , again.
I have been remiss in thanking Robert (Shermanfreak) for his help and guidance to all us guys and girls that participated in the GB. I am particularly grateful to him for the out of forum support and encouragement he gave me to perservere with this build, after all the probs I had with paint and then decals. This would probably have been shelved for finishing at a later time, if not for Robert and some of you guys out there. I guess that is what being part of the Forum and Group Build is all about. I hope the end justifies all the encouragement you gave me.
very nice work!! The interior looks especially good!! How did you get that finish on the brass casings? They are very convincing.
It also sounds like you have built one of the AFV M-10 kits. I was actually thinking about building another US tank destroyer. Would you recommend an AFV, or Academy M-10?
Once again, great build. keep up the good work!!![:D]
The detail painting and finishing is superb.
Glad you pushed through and got the reward.
P.S. My pledge is quite good, and I use it with Tamiya flat base also, but my friend bought some pledge that was quite milky, and had similar bad results.
