Tankers...
I'll show to you guys a resin kit from the time Noah was learning to swim... Today, we are spoiled with the fantastic injected kits and the resin kits superbly executed and castings. But it was not always so... In the heroic times of 30 years ago, the models were much more simple and crude, as you guys will see...But first, let me introduce to you guys the real machine: the
Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30).
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - front view |
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - rear view |
The Tank, Cruiser, Challenger (A30) was a British tank of World War II. It mounted the
17 Pounder gun on a chassis derived from the
Cromwell tank to add heavier anti-tank firepower to the
cruiser tank units. The design compromises made in fitting the large gun onto the Cromwell chassis resulted in a tank with a powerful weapon, but with less armour.
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| A30 Challenger crossing a village, acclaimed by citizens |
The extemporised
Sherman Firefly conversion of the US-supplied Sherman to take the 17 pounder was easier to produce and, combined with delays in production, meant that only 200 Challengers were built. However, it was able to keep up with the fast Cromwell tank and was used alongside them.
History:
The driving force in the development of Challenger was
Roy Robotham. Robotham had been a Rolls-Royce executive in the car division who, with no work to do, had led a team to develop a tank powerplant from the
Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engine. The
Rolls-Royce Meteor gave the British a powerful reliable engine, which would power the A27M Cruiser Mk VIII
Cromwell tank. Robotham's contributions gained him a place in the Ministry of Supply and on the Tank Board, despite his lack of experience in tank design.
Initially, Vickers had been working on a "High Velocity" 75 mm (3.0 in) gun to be fitted to the Cromwell, but it was realised that the Cromwell's turret ring was too small to mount it. There were longer term plans to develop improved tanks to replace the Cromwell - this would deliver the interim
Comet tank and, at the end of the war, the
Centurion tank. The General Staff brought forward specification A29 for a 17 pounder armed cruiser tank. This was passed over for the alternate specification, A30 for a 17 pounder armed tank.
In 1942, an order for a 17 pounder gun armed tank was placed with Birmingham Carriage & Waggon expecting it to be based on the A27M components. Turret and gun mounting was in the hands of Stothert & Pitt. Birmingham Carriage had to modify the Cromwell hull to take a bigger turret.
Design:
The hull machine gun was removed to provide stowage space for the long 17pdr cartridges. It was expected this larger ammunition, together with its stowage forward, would require two loaders and hence a larger turret. To accommodate the large weapon and a second loader, a turret larger than that of the Cromwell was required and the hull had to be lengthened; and an extra road wheel added. This change in length, without a corresponding change in width across the tracks, reduced mobility compared to the Cromwell.
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| A30 Challenger in training at Gunnery School, Lulworth Camp, Dorset, England |
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| A30 Challenger with foliage cammo |
In order to keep the weight under control, compromises had to be made and armouring was reduced. It was not possible to reduce hull armour, so it was reduced on the turret - 63 mm on the front and 40 mm on the side compared to 75 mm and 60 mm on the Cromwell. As the base of the turret was unprotected, a jacking feature was fitted to clear any jam resulting from enemy action.
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| A30 Challenger with full and heavy armour in the turret |
The first Challenger was completed in 1942. When the second was tested at Gunnery School of Lulworth, it was criticized that, although it would be effective at long range against the current best-gunned tank in German service (the Panzer IV "Special" with the long 75 mm gun), at shorter ranges it would be at a disadvantage due to slow firing rate and thin armour. An order for 200 was placed in February 1943. In November of that year it was announced that no more would be ordered.
Service:
Unfortunately, due to some short sightedness, no provision had been made for deep wading trunking and the A30 was unable to participate in the Normandy landings; the tank had to wait until ports had been secured and the
Mulberry harbours completed. The Challenger, despite its high centre of gravity, was liked by its crews as it was somewhat faster and more agile than the equivalently armed
Sherman Firefly.
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| Size comparison between two tanks armed with 17 pounds of gun: A30 and Firefly |
The Firefly design, which had been a backup, proved to be easier to build and production of the Challenger was stopped with about 200 built. Many of the A30s were issued to units using Cromwells, which eased maintenance as they shared many parts.
Variants:
The Avenger or SP 17pdr, A30 (Avenger) was a variant on the Challenger idea with a differently shaped open topped turret to help reduce weight.
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| A30 Avenger 17 pdr. SPG |
With priority production at
Vauxhall Motors for the
Comet tank, those built in 1945 were not ready for use until after the end of the war in Europe. Some 250 were built and these formed part of the
BAOR in Germany.
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| The chassi and upper hull: Notice the date and the resin color; Resin inhomogeneous but steady. |
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| Wheels, wheels, wheels!!! |
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| Hull's dry-run |
The kit had amazing detailing considering the age. Turret's interior...
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| Notice the details and the breech of the gun |
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| Turret's interior - right side |
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| Turret's interior - left side |
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| metal gun by RBModels and the warped resin gun |
The assembly the kit was very easy ...
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| The resin blocks begin to take the shape of a tank... |
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| Copper wires as headlight guards |
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| the little details resisted for decades .... |
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| Huge girl !!!! |
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| Notice the details in plastic from the Tamiya's Cromwell (scrap) |
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| Ready for primer and paint... |
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| Primer |
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| Ups and down tones of green... |
For markings, I chose these colors:
Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) Niknamed "Uroczy" (Charming) - 10th Polish Mounted Rifle Regiment - the armoured recce regiment of the 1st Polish Armoured Division. Netherlands, 1945.
And my Polish Girl was ready:
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| Ops...wrong picture !!!! |
Ops...Wrong girl... The right stuff, now:
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Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - "Uroczy" (Charming)
10th Polish Mounted Rifle Regiment - armoured recce regiment
1st Polish Armoured Division.Netherlands, April - 1945. |
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| Uroczy - Charming... |
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - left side |
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - right side |
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - rear view |
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| Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - upper view |
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Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) - "Uroczy" (Charming)
10th Polish Mounted Rifle Regiment - armoured recce regiment
1st Polish Armoured Division.Netherlands, April - 1945. |
I love the shape of this girl. ..
Well, that's what happened, guys!
Brutal, realmente bello, I love it, This is one of my prefer tanks.
ResponderExcluirLegalzão.
ResponderExcluirPablo, gracias e un gran saludo, meu amigo...
ResponderExcluirFeliz Navidad
Evandro, um abração e se cuida!!!
ResponderExcluirCzy taki zestaw jest jeszcze do zdobycia, jeśli tak to w jaki sposób?. Będę wdzięczny za odpowiedz. Dziękuję
ResponderExcluirWitold, do you wrote this ??
ResponderExcluirIs such a system is still to come, if so, how ?. I would be grateful for your reply. thank you
Sorry, but what system??? I don't understand....
Hugs
It's probably a translation error, not only system for bonding. Also want to build such a model, but I can't get it cock. Thank you for your reply
ResponderExcluir