Chieftain Build No.17

[John Clarke]

Hi Mark

The Chieftains coming along nicely,

Stainless or zinc or usually electo coated, totally up to you, both are quite tough, both will need etch primer. Zinc and elecro coated will rust if scratched, but are usually cheaper to buy.

Paint, not my strong subject. But out the factory Bronze Green, In service dark green, Nato colours Green/ Beige, Green/black, Berlin Camo. Iran, Jordan and Kwait had a few in desert brown, dark brown and dark green. It's going to be interesting to see the variation in colours when the models get together. I do like tamyia paints, expensive though.

Kilopoise Grease, unless I'm mistaken or missing something, you don't need it. There are no shock absorbers, just moving arms that look like them.
A decent lubricant on the levers is all you need.

[Mark Russell]

Thanks John just found out that the Kilopoise Grease is in the kit!

[Stephen White]

Mark, the Chieftain paint choices are pretty straightforward.

The factory paint for UK service vehicles was to FVRDE Specification 2012 which set out what a military standard paint was required to do, compared with a proprietary paint. It's this standard which is called up on Chieftain drawings. In the late 1960s, the Army started to review the effectiveness of the gloss Deep Bronze Green which had been the standard AFV finish. You will see some early pre-production and Mark 1 Chieftains in Deep Bronze Green but not in operational service. So you can discount gloss green unless you're nostalgic.

By the time the Mark 2 production had swung into gear, the standard finish had changed to a drab green. The early colour was based on, wait for it, "Paint, War Equipment, Matt, Olive Drab" which was in widespread use in NATO and is widely referred to as "NATO Green". The early colour wasn't to full military spec and for the next ten years, FVRDE worked on two aspects, protecting agains the absorption of chemical agents and IRR reflectance. The definitive paint standard emerged in 1980 as NATO Green BSC 381C No. 285. This was a UK interpretation of the NATO standard. I mention that because it's not the same as for example the Bundeswehr colour, which can be found in model paint ranges.

So: Chieftain came from the factory in green! The British Standard above should be enough for a paint supplier to mix you some. It looks like this:

https://www.e-paint.co.uk/Lab_values.as ... TO%20green

There are quite a few model paints which purport to be to this standard. Note that when it weathered, NATO Green had quite a grey hue.

Once in service, the tanks were painted at regimental level with a disruptive pattern, with the addition of a matt black paint. The pattern was largely freestyled on the tank park although there was a supposed template, which I've mentioned in my own thread. Black is black is black so take your pick. Painting the black was usually done by brush unless a large number of tanks were being done for a special occasion.

If the tank was going to Canada (BATUS), it was resprayed on arrival at the BATUS Workshops in a disruptive pattern. This time, the base colour was Light Stone to BSC 381C 361, which looks like this:

https://www.e-paint.co.uk/Lab_values.asp

It actually looks too dark on screen but in the strong sunlight of prairie Canada, the paint appeared to lighten. The disruptive pattern was painted in NATO Green, using a spray gun.

Berlin is a special case, which I can deal with separately and with the export Chieftains, you can make it up as you go along. I haven't a clue.

So short answer is green and black or sand and green unless you like the Berlin job.

[Mark Russell]

Hi a bit more progress on the Chieftain. I thought that I would try soft soldering the mudguards/fenders and I am quite pleased with the results. Plus a few pics of progress elsewhere. It’s coming along slowly but surely.

[Mark Russell]

Spent all day today modifying the triangular bins by removing the odd end piece and then soldering all of the joints. Also added sone more detailing to the rear deck and turret. Getting the knack of soldering the steel bins now! Also added the wading strip, man that took some fettling but got there in the end I think!

[Mark Russell]

A couple more bins added!!!

[John Clarke]

Coming along nicely Mark, may I ask if your going to strip her all back down again for paint, or just going to go for it as she is?
I tend to put a few bits together, Check, strip, paint and rebuild when happy.

[Mark Russell]

Thanks John I will strip down some of the more easily removable items but will etch paint prime and paint pretty much as is. The only proviso will be that I can get a covering of paint on everything that’s required. I have the assembled suspension units not yet fitted, and the wheels, and will paint these prior to fitting to the hull.

[John Clarke]

That workmate you have there will come in handy

[Mark Russell]

The problem that I have at the moment is that I now prefer to paint outside and then bring inside the garage to dry, but it’s just been too cold lately to spray outside. I use spray cans warmed up in a jug of boiling water which warms the paint up and increases the pressure so win win!!!

[John Clarke]

Don't over heat them otherwise it will be lose lose.

Seriously, any thoughts on the track links

[Mark Russell]

On the track horns I think it’s a conversation with Armortek once they return on the 6th Jan. Easiest fix I would have thought is modifying the return roller but not sure as I haven’t measured it yet as to whether there’s enough material to machine off and still leave something there?

[Mark Russell]

A bit more progress made a start on the rear deck engine vents. A bit fiddly but getting there. Going to make the rear middle two such that they just lift on and off as I can’t get enough clearance for the LH and RH vents to open with the middle ones still in place. Plus it will give easier access to the internals.

[Mark Russell]

Spent all day working on the rear engine deck vents and hinges in order to ensure that they all operate with clearance and without clashing. The hinges needed a little fettling in order to ensure smooth operation. Also modified the smaller filler caps to make them operational.

[Mark Russell]

Hard work this the mod to the suspension carriers to enable full travel. You need to remove around 3mm good job I have a power file.