The Unofficial Airfix Modellers' Forum

Challenger 1,
SFOR, Waterloo Squadron, Queens Royal Dragoon Guards, Bosnia, 1997

Hi everyone,

Here we have my first attempt at a main battle tank, the Challenger 1 from Revell. The kit is quite detailed and goes together fairly well. Sure, my inexperience with tanks made parts of the build tricky but I managed to get around most problems ok. One thing I’m not entirely satisfied with are the tracks which were difficult to line up and attach and also despite my best efforts I couldn’t get one side to sit completely flat on the ground.

I added the tarpaulins which were made from pva soaked tissue and the jerry cans which were fashioned from some left over B29 parts. The aerial was made from stretched sprue.

Humbrol enamels were used to brush paint the colour scheme and also to add a wash, high-lights and a little weathering. As a final touch it was sprayed overall with matt varnish from a spray can.

I usually build aircraft so this was quite a change but I really enjoyed it and any feedback to help me improve would be appreciated.

Thanks for looking!
Stu

Great work, is this the re-pop of one of Matchbox last AFVs?

Looks great! I also build manly aircraft , but also some armor, the tracks can be tricky, but remember a lot of it cant be seen, if you really are in trouble try putting it on a diorama with a lot of mud on the tracks!

Wow looks great Stu. I'm not an armour builder, looks great to me.

Cheers
Jim

JamesPerrin wrote:Great work, is this the re-pop of one of Matchbox last AFVs?

The Matchbox kit was 1/76th scale and the Revell kit is 1/72. Also, the Matchbox one did not have the fuel drums or the modified air filters. These were changes the real tank got at the time of the first Gulf War (I think).

There is a threadover on the Airfix Tribute forum that shows the Matchbox kit.

http://airfixtributeforum.myfastforum.o ... 229757.php;

Terrific build and finish, makes me want to build a tank.

Very nice work

Regards, Bernard

That is a cracking build. It really looks the part.

That's a 62ton beast Stu and it certainly
would'nt fit in my garage!!
Pete.

It's good to see another tank build here. I really like your paint job on it. Do I see the gap on the front? Also antenna looks a bit too thick...
I hope the next one will go more smooth for you Keep them coming!

Thanks everyone!

MrDyzio wrote:It's good to see another tank build here. I really like your paint job on it. Do I see the gap on the front? Also antenna looks a bit too thick...
I hope the next one will go more smooth for you Keep them coming!

Hi MrDyzio, I think I know what you mean about the gap at the front. Its a seperate piece that just sits on top of the main body. I'm not really sure if thats how its supposed to look or not. You can see it better in the 3rd picture down.

Thanks again!

Stu

Stu, thanks for an explanation, but to be sure I'll have to check photos. Are you planning any base for it?

I hadn't planned to but maybe I will in the future. Just something simple perhaps.

Cheers
Stu

Stupot wrote:I hadn't planned to but maybe I will in the future. Just something simple perhaps.

Cheers
Stu

It can be simple. Tanks always look better on the base.