Wombat's Centurion Mk XI "Beau Peep" - Tank Done.

[Old Wombat]

OK, folks, I've started.

Used, so far, parts of the following;
1 table-tennis (ping-pong) ball,
1 foam disc shooter toy,
1 self-electrocution toy,
1 car mobile (cell) phone unit,
1 drip irrigation sprinkler head,
2 battery powered desk fans, &
1 mini-gun/rocket pod from 1/144 F-16;

plus some styrene sheet, a section of brass box-beam & Aves.

I have yet to work out the fan intakes, crew hatches & the skirts, & they may prove awkward, but I think she's reasonable, so far.

I'm, also. trying to get the gun & turret to move (turret easy, gun not-so-easy).

Turret
Hull
Turret & Hull
Turret on Hull (front)
Turret on Hull (side)

I'm tossing up 2 colour schemes but the Dave Drake inspired chrome look is ahead at the moment.

I blame you, you know!

[Butters]

Ohhh, mama! That's looking nice. I like the rectangular (?) brass barrel and.... is that an eyeglass case in the front?

And who? Who do you blame? Is it him?

[Old Wombat]

Thank you, Butters, for the kind words. Much appreciated.

I like the rectangular look, it's slightly different, implying different weapon technology.

is that an eyeglass case in the front?

Yes, for my reading/modelling spectacles. I am a bespectacled modeller!

And who? Who do you blame? Is it him?

[Dr. Yo]

Chrome...when you don't care if they see you coming.


Looks good so far, O.W.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Doc!

[Scotaidh]

Looking very good, Mr. Senior Marsupial, sir. Is there a name for this piece of hovering death?

[HWR MKII]

Very cool. i wouldnt mind seeing it in primer at least to get a better idea of the lines. Thing about scratch bashes is that you dont get a feel for the next stage until theres at least one coat of primer.

[Old Wombat]

Very cool. i wouldnt mind seeing it in primer at least to get a better idea of the lines. Thing about scratch bashes is that you dont get a feel for the next stage until theres at least one coat of primer.

Yup, that's been applied & 90% has come off during Phase 1 smoothing.

I'll try to get a primer pic soon.... Promise!

Is there a name for this piece of hovering death?

Um, the "Centurion Mk XI"?

Vehicle's individual name? Still working on that.


Thanks, guys!

[Buzzbomb]

I like it. A lot

This appears to be shaping up nicely

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Brian.

This may amuse some of you... Then again, maybe it wont...

Anyway, I'm struggling with the scale of this thing!

Should it be my favourite scale for AV's, 1/35th, or should it be a huge beast in 1/72nd, or maybe go the middle ground & try 1/48th?

I want to add crew in the commander's cupola & in the driver's slot but I can't even begin until I know what scale to do them in!

[Butters]

Thanks, Brian.

This may amuse some of you... Then again, maybe it wont...

Anyway, I'm struggling with the scale of this thing!

Should it be my favourite scale for AV's, 1/35th, or should it be a huge beast in 1/72nd, or maybe go the middle ground & try 1/48th?

I want to add crew in the commander's cupola & in the driver's slot but I can't even begin until I know what scale to do them in!

1:2500!!!

[Scotaidh]

Thanks, Brian.

This may amuse some of you... Then again, maybe it wont...

Anyway, I'm struggling with the scale of this thing!

Should it be my favourite scale for AV's, 1/35th, or should it be a huge beast in 1/72nd, or maybe go the middle ground & try 1/48th?

I want to add crew in the commander's cupola & in the driver's slot but I can't even begin until I know what scale to do them in!

If you're going to include figures, then choose the figure you like most/is most suitable and go with that scale, whatever it may be.

Or -

Most of my tank greeblies are 1/35 scale, so I went with that. But I also had a Tank Commandere in that scale, so ...

And I meant 'does the tank have a personal name?' All the vehicles in Hammer's Slammers have names, hence my "Waltzing Matilda" name for the Coolie class tank I built. (So-called for the shape of the turret, which reminded me of a "classic" coolie hat - big overhang. )

[Buzzbomb]

Anyway, I'm struggling with the scale of this thing!

This is always the turning point..what scale. Even from our side looking at photos.. it is hard to gauge what size it is now.

A solution I have used is put a figure of each scale along side the vehicle.. then go with which one "floats your boat"

I have turned what started out as a 1/35 model into 1/48 on a whim.. just because it looked more "it" at that scale

[Old Wombat]

Excuse her hull, I'm in the process of creating the skirts.

Her hull is about the same size as an Abrams tank's but her turret is about half the size of an Abrams turret in 1/35th scale.

In 1/72nd scale her hull is about 4 times larger than that of an Abrams, while her turret is twice the size of an Abrams'.

Here we have a few pic's with scale references (crew).

1/72nd;

High view
Side view (high)

1/35th;

High view
Side view
Pointy end #1
Pointy end #2

Still haven't settled on a name, it may well depend on the scale I chose, too.

I'm thinking "Bo Peep" if she's 1/35th scale &, maybe, painting her in camo, rather than 'chrome', as a light scout tank;
but "Heavy Thunder" or "Lightning Forge" if she's 1/72nd scale.

I'm starting to slide towards 1/35th, myself, but that may be pure reflex.

[Dr. Yo]

I like it better in 1/35. Looking good, regardless of where it ends up.

[Butters]

I agree with the esteemed Doctor. Of your two choices, i like 1:35. If you had the figures for it, 1:48 would make it a MBT instaed of a light tank. 1:72 just looks ridiculus.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks Doc & Butters.

I haven't got any 1/48th figures, let-alone tankers, & none of the ones I've seen, looking on the interweb, really fit the bill.

So, 1/35th she is!

Now, what colour?

"Bo Peep" only works if she's a camo'ed scout tank;
"Lightning Sally" sounds right for a shiny metallicy chromy look, though.

What do you folks think?

(Ooh, look, a horse built by committee! We'll call it a camel! )

[Butters]

I think the camo'd scout tank would come off better.

[Buzzbomb]

Well it looks just beaut..regardless.

Of the scale demo's I agree with the diabolical Doc... 1/35 works

Fascinated to see how this turns out

[Scotaidh]

Thanks Doc & Butters.

I haven't got any 1/48th figures, let-alone tankers, & none of the ones I've seen, looking on the interweb, really fit the bill.

So, 1/35th she is!

Now, what colour?

"Bo Peep" only works if she's a camo'ed scout tank;
"Lightning Sally" sounds right for a shiny metallicy chromy look, though.

What do you folks think?

(Ooh, look, a horse built by committee! We'll call it a camel! )

And there's your name! The "Camo Camel"!

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Scotaidh, but I don't think so.

I did toss around the idea of "Camel Toad Tart" for about 30 sec's, then thought better of it.

We'll see where we go.

She's coming along quite nicely, by the way, but I'm waiting for the figures before I can do the hatches. I'll try to get some primer coated shots in the next few days.

Wife's birthday today - it being 0050 hrs, Sunday 13th June here right now - so not much going on today modelling-wise.

Catch ya!

[HWR MKII]

You gotta find an old 1/35 chieftain stowage bin and throw it on there. No UK or commonwealth vehicle is complete without one.

[Old Wombat]

OK, more pictures for you all!

These are taken on my daughter's cutting mat (that's why it's clean ) with a 1/35th tanker for scaling.

High View
Right Side
Rear View
Rear View Close
Left Side
"I think he's seen us!" (Note the gap when gun is elevated too high... Oops! )
Starboard Side Intakes
Port Side Intakes
Pointy End

Plus a few more general shots for an overview.

Right Side
Gun Elevation - High
Gun Elevation - Low
Front View High
"Run Away!"

Hope you like 'em!

As usual I've over-scribed the panel lines & left a few rough patches. One day, maybe.

[Butters]

That's looking real nice, sir! It actually looks the part of a hovertank!

Well done!

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Butters!

[Buzzbomb]

yessum that is coming along really nice and I gotta say it does look the part

Well done Sir!

Final metres to run..don't stop now

[Scotaidh]

OWB, that looks awesome! I wish I'd thought of using domed reverse-flow intakes, as you did - it would have greatly simplified matters! I especially like the hatches on the flanks - gives it that 'connection' to the old Churchill tanks ...

Will your driver have his own hatch? It occurred to me that if you decked over that 'wedgy-looking' area under the turret snout and surrounded it with 'passive viewers' (ie, periscopes), that'd be both easy and well-placed ... but you'll have your own ideas.

I like it, sir - I like it a lot.

[Old Wombat]

Thanks, Brian & Andrew!

Wish it was final metres, closer to kilometres from where I'm sitting. However, I did some work on the "drive" vent (at the rear) tonight; still to come are the hatches, aerials, lights & a few other bits. When they're done I can start painting (hard bit!).

That's one option for the driver's hatch, & is similar to one I've been tossing around; the other is to have the hatch & driver's vision blocks up at the top of that "valley", under the "chin" of the turret.

[Old Wombat]

Small update.

Working on hatches & cupola. Almost complete.

Started on the (visible) crew, driver & commander (gunner is tucked away inside).

Guess I'm nearing the end of the construction phase & about to enter the painting & detailing phases.

Here she is;

Front
Left
Right
Rear
Crew (incomplete as yet but note the upper-chest/shoulder armour, weapon & spare ammo placement).

Thanks for watching!

PS: HWR MKII, my apologies for taking so long to respond but mostly it's because I've been looking at the stowage bin idea &, although I agree with you, this beasty ain't gonna have 'em... Um... Sorry.

[Dr. Yo]

Top notch, Ol' W. The crew looks good so far-I think you ought to do something...suitably futuristic...with the helmets.