Cromwell Mk.IV - D-Day 80

Airfix 1:35 Cromwell Mk.IV and Bill Bellamy’s book: “Troop Leader, a tank commander’s story”.  

The British version of Sergeant Culin's hedgerow cutter was tested on a Centaur III in September 1944 but not produced until November for the Cromwell and thus too late to be of any use. I will not therefore, be fitting this. 

I’m not sure I’ve worked this many hours on a kit without picking up my airbrush!
This, I’m thinking, is as far as I can go now before adding some colour and starting to work on the tracks. Will it be individual links or the friendly flexible rubber tracks.  

Can you spot the photo-etched parts? I’ve got a grill to fit later. It’s nice to finally see this on an Airfix kit. 

The gun fittings were a little stiff so an old tin of ‘grease’ was found 

Tank commanders rotated their hatches through 90 degrees so a slight modification was needed to what I built yesterday.  

I always like to use black primer on my AFVs so this is all now done too.  

Layer of Olive Drab camouflage to the tank body 

Rust pigment added to the tracks. As the rust pigments are easily rubbed off, even when dry, I’ve also given the tracks a coat of matt varnish ready for fitting tomorrow.
 

I do have a pot of Khaki Drab on order from Jadlam Racing Models but uncharacteristically it’s stuck in their system awaiting fulfilment. I’m sure there is probably little visible difference between the two and so plan to give a few panels a dusting once it arrives to add additional tonal interest  

Using a standard liquid cement, I glued the top and bottom pieces, including in this case, the string of 13 and 15 single tracks which I fixed to the top piece of track. 

I left both pieces of track for about 30 minutes for the glue to take hold but not to let it harden solid. 

I fitted the bottom track first, using the weight of the model to keep it in place and using the residual glue from the links to lightly bond this in place. With the tank sitting on the lower piece of track, II fitted the upper length, moulding the connected single links around the idler and sprocket wheels. I was then able to invert the model to apply glue to the two ends and secure them in place to complete the circle of track. 

Once it looked OK from below, I flipped it back over and depressed the flexible upper track to sit nicely against the wheels. 

I then repeated this process for the other side, such that by the time I had to return to the model the first track was sufficiently glued in place that it did not move as I flipped it over and around. 

I will now leave them to dry and harden off over night and can then touch up and add further weathering as required. 

An afternoon spent at the bench fixing the 70 pieces of track together and aquatinting myself with the new tank commander.  

The new tank commander seems quite a taskmaster!  

Final piece of PE attached 

That’s all the out of the box parts of my Airfix Cromwell fitted and a 3D printed tank commander installed. I have decals to apply and probably a few bits and bobs, such as kit bags and bed rolls that were known to have been carried, to attach.  

I then need to decide on just how much distress and weathering to add. I am even considering leaving it fresh and clean, as if it had just rolled off the landing craft and onto Sword beach on D-Day +2 ?