A what? It started because I bought a Chieftain w/ Marksman turret for about $20, used the turret and stuck the rest of it far far away, occasionally pilfering it for small bits. Then for some unexplained reason I thought I’d snag a Tamiya Chieftain for the turret and build something a little more accurate than the Tamiya kit using the Takom hull and bits. Sounds easy, right? It actually went well until I did enough research to figure out I had more to do to get something close to accurate than I thought, but after ordering a couple of Takom sprues from a kit-breaker on eBay, I’m very close. I have something that looks like a Mk9C, (I think) using the basic Tamiya turret (green), Takom parts (gray) and some minor adds in plastic stock (white) Tan stowage boxes are probably old Accurate Armour parts, picked up in a bag full of miscellaneous bins at a show. I also pirated a couple of smoke grenade launchers from an AFV Club M60A3 kit (light green). Tracks are from Ebay, brand unknown. I just have to finish up the engine deck screens and grab handles and it’s done, less stowage and the TC’s MG.
IMG_4608 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4609 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4610 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4611 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
And just for a good read but also a great reference, I grabbed a copy of the Haynes manual. Not only does it have great info, it’s truly a great read, highly recommended for anyone interested in the Chieftain.
Looking good. Any plans for the Tamiya hull?
How cool! I’d say this build is a testament to all the involved kits, that their parts work together reasonably well. To say nothing of your skill. And as cool as it looks now with all those different colors, I am anticipating seeing this one under paint.
Thanks. At this point I have no plans for the Tamiya hull. It really shows its age, especially when compared to the Takom and Meng kits. I know it’s the basis for some conversions done by AA but those just use the lower hull and running gear, most of which would be hidden.
Looks great.
I usually enjoy looking at projects unpainted as it shows all the additional work put into a model. Once they are painted and weathered, it’s easy to overlook all the additions, especially if one is unfamiliar with the kit(s) used.
You’ve done a great job on it and I can’t wait to see it finished (without paint).
There have been times when I’ve been tempted to leave something like this unpainted, just for my own enjoyment. My compromise is to print a pic of the model just before paint and display it with the finished, painted model.
I like that idea, @RBaer – I always take photos before a big progress step is made, but I never thought to print them and include them in a display.
Another cool idea, @RBaer!
I also do it for models that go to contests, very helpful when the degree of difficulty is considered as part of the judging/scoring process.
I kind of forgot about texturing the parts of the hull and turret that are cast, so I did that the other day, using my usual mixture of MrSurfacer and MEK.
IMG_4614 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
I’m taking a break for another day or so, I had a quickie fix for trigger finger done on my left thumb yesterday so until the Ace bandage is off, I’m stuck.
Looking good, it’s almost a shame to paint it seeing all the mods.
I swear Russ…you are the KING of kitbashed armor builds man. And then you go and make it look all too easy.
Watching this one.
Gotta love modern medicine, doc said use my fingers as much as possible, so… construction is done. I finished up the engine deck, added a few bits on the turret and did the hand-holds on the skirts. I want to add a bit of stowage to fill up those big turret baskets, but other than that, it’s time to prime.
IMG_4623 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4619 - Copy - Copy by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4622 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
IMG_4621 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
During the research phase of this build, kind of a constant thing anyway, I stumbled on a few pics of the Khalid, basically a Chieftain with the Condor power pack that found it’s way into Challenger 1. It was sold to and used by Jordan, so there’s a few out there. It looks like a really cool project if I can find just a few more pics… maybe even plans. Hmmm…