Cromwell Mk. IV

 

Here is what I love about Tamiya. I set the upper hull piece on top of the completed lower hull, and it literally FELL into the correct position without any gaps! 

The upper hull is complete with the exception of the front fenders, tow ropes, treads, and whatever additional stowage I will add later. Tamiya provides the handy poly cap suspension system, so the suspension components don’t require glue and can be removed as needed. 

When I said that the suspension components can be removed as needed, that isn’t true if you are working with a Cromwell Mk. IV with the fenders attached. If you look at the rear fenders, you can see that they extend over the front of the drive sprockets, and the front fenders will do the same with the idler wheels. This poses a painting problem for masking and painting the rubber aspects of the road wheels and idler wheels.  

I intend to spray the entire completed tank with a dark prime coat, and then Commonwealth OD, with the wheels removed first, (except for the drive sprockets- no need to mask), and then add the wheels and spray the front fenders separately. As you can see, Tamiya’s crisp molding allows for an easy homemade mask using hardware store painter’s tape 

Turret is now complete with commander hatch left open. I intend to pose the commander in a “semi-buttoned up” position, where just his head is peeking out. The gun barrel has been given the putty treatment and sanded. The gun is not actually glued at this point just in case the primer reveals a visible seam. If so, I’ll have to do some more putty and sanding, or just take the lazy route and buy a metal barrel. Those metal barrels do look really sharp 

So my unexpected snag was the tow cables. Tamiya gives you the for looped ends off the spruce molded in the same hard plastic as the rest of the model, along with braided thread to attach in between, allowing the modeler to place them as wanted. I placed them as indicated in the instructions and box pic, but had a very difficult time getting the thread to glue to the hull. 

The box art shows some hooks on the hull storage boxes for the cables, (hooks not included in the kit), that certainly makes more sense than the current magical suspension created by the glue, so I think I’m going to remove the cables, and scratchbuild some hooks with some leftover after market brass sprue 

Primed with a mix of Tamiya flat black and dark gray because it’s so hard to get NATO black anymore 

 

Front fenders primed too, and the treads sprayed with a mix of NATO brown and carefully hoarded NATO black 

Tank commander provided in the kit. Since most everything below the shoulders won’t be seen, I played with some Vallejo colors to get a good color for the coveralls. I’ll be using the lower, darker color (equal parts olive green, US field drab, and olive yellow). I slipped painting the headphones and gave him a giant beauty mark that will have to be painted over! 

Two coats of Tamiya OD with some dark green and dark yellow added 

 

Road wheels and idler wheel masked for some Vallejo black gray 

 

The finished wheels and tracks have been added, followed by the front fenders 

 

During the suspension assembly I appear to have lost the middle of my three scratch built tow cable hooks. This model has just been a breeze other than the tow cables! 

More progress on the commander. Just needs some shading at this point. 

Quick coat of clear semi-gloss, applied the decals, and an application of Solvaset. So far so good! 

 

 

Dry brushed a lighter shade of the British OD for generalized wear/scraping. Now it’s time to paint the tools, MGs… and those accursed tow cables. 

 

 

Started adding stowage. Using a combination of Value Gear, the Tamiya Allied Vehicle Accessory Set, and my spares box. Stowage in the actual Cromwell kit is noticeably absent. 

 

Close up of the commander, posed taking cover, while still trying to maintain situational awareness. Tank commanders suffered horrific casualties. 

Now I’ve done some washes with a mix of black and brown artists oils. All that’s left is to place the clear side turret light lens and make some antennas 

 

 

 

And finished! First one where I feel like I could enter it in a show. Doubt if I would win anything, but it would make at least a respectable appearance. It’s also another excuse to go to another show, see some cool stuff, and buy future projects!