Junior's 3x 1/72 PSC Cromwells

[Tim Marlow]

Looking good Andrew. Chipping has worked well.

[adt70hk]

Looking good Andrew. Chipping has worked well.

Thanks Tim. I managed to get a clear gloss coat on this morning, so I'll be looking at doing the decals this week.

ATB

Andrew

[Steve Jones]

That's a beautiful clean paint job Andrew. Very impressive my friend

[adt70hk]

That's a beautiful clean paint job Andrew. Very impressive my friend

Thanks Steve for the support. Much appreciated as always.

Up next decals and some weathering....

ATB.

Andrew

[Jim R]

Hi Andrew
Those are looking really nice. Decals always make a model 'pop'.
Jim

[scottie3158]

Andrew,
They are looking very nice indeed mate.

[adt70hk]

Hi Andrew
Those are looking really nice. Decals always make a model 'pop'.
Jim

Andrew,
They are looking very nice indeed mate.

Jim, Scottie

Thanks for the support. Generally pleased with how they turned out and it's good to have three in one go to practice different techniques on.

And Jim, have to agree with you. They definitely bring a model to life!

Thanks for stopping by.

Andrew

[Jack L]

Look great, especially on the smaller scale!

[adt70hk]

Look great, especially on the smaller scale!

Jack

Sorry completely missed your post! Thanks for the support

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Evening all!

Ok so time for decals. As you know I'm not a stickler for historical accuracy but at the same time I like to try to at least be in the ball park where necessary.

As I explained in the initial post, these will be a second troop for Junior's11th Armoured Division Recce Regiment....or more accurately regiments plural......

For those not in the know, although the the 11th Armoured Division only had one Armoured Recce Regiment, as was the same in the other British armoured divisions, two regiments actually served in that role. In the run up to D-day and the next two months or so it was the 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

Unfortunately though, the 2NY took such a battering in late July/early August during operation Bluecoat, apparently mainly due to the action around Vire, that it was formally disbanded. According to the tinterweb some of the remaining 200 soldiers of the regiment went as replacements to the 1st Northants Yeomanry and some went to the 7th Armoured Division. The unit was replaced by 15th/19th Kings Royal Hussars, which served in this role until the end of the war, from what I gather.

As a result of no definitive info on the web I've had to take a bit of a liberty/guess with the markings.

Not all 11th AD Cromwells (and variants) I've found had the tactical markings on the turret side as was the 'official' practice, although C squadron 2NY appear to have done so, as do at least some B squadron vehicles allegedly from 15th/19th Kings Royal Hussars.

However, none of the Challengers that served with these units appear to have had the tactical markings on the side of the turret, and there are fair few pictures on the web. I have seen one though (unit unknown) with it on the rear of the turret, as I have seen elsewhere e.g. on some Churchills.

I also have some census markings allegedly for Cromwells (vehicles and units unknown), plus some for Challengers with plenty of pictures of these on the web.

One of these is an A Squadron Challenger apparently of the "..2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry passing through Flers France; 17 Aug 1944." I've not worked out when 2NY were replaced by 15/19 KRH, although the answer might be waiting in a Christmas present, so it could be a 15/19 KRH one but either way it's definitely A Squadron 11 AD one.

I have therefore marked the Cromwells as A Squadron to match the Challenger and also put the tactical marking only on the back. I've used the census markings regardless of whether or not they're strictly speaking correct. The ones on the side turrets are actually 15mm ones but I don't have enough 1/72 ones.

Interestingly, the bridge weight sign proved surprisingly problematic.

I've gone with 28 on a hollow yellow circle, as one of the 11th AD Cromwells on the web has that on it, although I have also seen 26 and 30 in various forms - but never the 27 which I have seen on a number of kits and indeed some decals I have in the stash. Interestingly most pictures I've found don't show one at all.....

Anyway after all that unnecessary waffle, they are below.....for better or worse.

ACW as usual.

Andrew

PS I didn't a single '28' bridge weight sign, so had to assemble it from the relevant decals......three in all..... :anguished::crying:

PPS Junior's existing Cromwell troop is from the 1st Troop, C Squadron, 2NY.

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The dreaded weight decals......not quite as bad as it appears though. thankfully....

[JR]

You can certainly take a bow with those Andrew, beautifully painted along with the crap on the back .:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:

[adt70hk]

You can certainly take a bow with those Andrew, beautifully painted along with the crap on the back .:thumb2::thumb2::thumb2:

John

Thanks very much, they've turned out not to badly have they!

ATB

Andrew

[adt70hk]

Good morning all

So the Cromwells got a satin varnish coat ahead of the weathering process. That might have to wait until after Christmas....given some likely arrivals on the big day.

In the meantime, time to work on the commander using the world famous 'Marlow Method' (as described here).

So far a coat of grey primer and wash with a coat of 50:50 Vallejo Black Game Color wash (73.201) and Vallejo Glaze Medium (73.596).

ATB.

Andrew

PS Junior thinks he looks like he's sitting on a cloud meditating.... :smiling5:

[Jim R]

Hi Andrew
Those do indeed look good. Had to smile at Junior's "meditating man" - he does look as if he's doing just that. :smiling:
Jim

[adt70hk]

Hi Andrew
Those do indeed look good. Had to smile at Junior's "meditating man" - he does look as if he's doing just that. :smiling:
Jim

Thanks Jim.....I'll pass on your comments to Junior. He has quite a sense of humour and sees things I marvel at sometimes...!

ATB

Andrew