RalphSarc

A bit of wash and pigments will make those rubber track look passable!! Any suggestings on AM tracks for a novice?

Okay let's get started on the Challenger 1. Kinda hoped around on steps 2,3 and 4 assembling the bottom hull and suspension. Will of course as in other armor builds leave the road wheel until near the end. In hind sight I should have left off parts A23 which are part of the side skirt armor. They're a bit fragile and could be broken during the build. Completed step 6 and the assemble if the rear hull section. Didn't install the external fuel tanks as I need to do some seam work on them! Test fitted the top and bottom hull section and with a snap they fit perfect. Did I say I love Tamiya armor, lol!! Taking a break from the B-58 today and building a bit on the Challenger 1. Completed step 7 by installing the external fuel tanks and Jerry Can. Also plugged the holes in the lower hull and filled with Perfect Plastic Putty. Will sand once it dries. This way if anyone visits "The Basement Air Force" and happens to turn over on of my armor builds there won't be any holes, lol!!

Tamiya 1/35 Challenger 1 (Mk.3) Building Thread! 1/35 Tamiya Challenger1 (Mk.3) Battle Tank (Desert Version) Kit Number 35154 Great Britain has a long and interesting history of armored vehicle use and development. In fact they coined the term "TANK" for such weapons, and are known as well, for their superb designs. Their latest version of the Challenger Main Battle Tank is regarded as on of the most advanced armored fighting vehicles in service in the world today. Modern technology has enabled several outstanding improvements in its firepower, crew protection, and mobility, to meet the demands of today's battle conditions. The Challenger demonstrated and proved its combat worth during the recent Gulf Conflict. In addition to painting the tank with an overall sand color, many modifications for desert operations were accomplished, including an improved cooling system; better air cleaners; a reinforced transmission; extra side skirts from Chobham armor for added protection, plus bolt-on Reactive armor applied to the frontal area; an additional 200 liters of fuel was carried in external tanks mounted on the rear of the tan, which greatly extended its range; extra external stowage bins; and the use of maintenance free batteries. Despite operations in the harsh desert environment, the Challengers maintained an outstanding "in service" and availability figure that exceeded 90%. This achievement, along with its accurate and heavy firepower, pointed to the Challenger as being one of the best main battle tanks used during the Conflict.

Wow that looks so sharp!! Love your pigment work!!

Love the chipping!!

Well done!!! Bravo!!

Beautiful work!!

To bad you have to close up all that beautiful work!

Nice work so far!

Wow been following since the begining. Beautifully done!!

Very nice work!! Really like the scheme!

Wow 1/72!!! Bravo on the effort!!!

Vrery nicely done Efrick!!

Progress continues on the B-58!

Started painting and detailing the B-58 cockpit this afternoon. Used Tamiya XF-26 Deep Green for the cushions and seat back along with XF-7 Red for the headrest. I did a small amount of dry brushing with XF-16 Flat Aluminum to simulate some wear. I then used XF-10 Flat Brown for the safety harness and XF-16 again for the buckles. Used Tester Yellow and Black enamels for the pod activation handles! The B-58 Ejection Pod and cockpit is complete. Got as much instrument panel detail with black acrylic oils as I could plus your not going to see much one installed in the fuselage! Dry fit cockpit in the fuselage. I'll leave the top hatch open for interest and should show well in the SEA camouflage scheme! A side view of the cockpit tub and pod!

Have several Doctors appointments with Beth today so had the paint shop prime the cockpit parts so I can detail them later today.

Thank you Steve for your kind comments! Being retired has its purks and unlimited bench time during the winter although I did build last summer on the deck, lol!! I was considering weighting the nose but it does indicate that on the instruction. I'm wondering of ot really needs it???

Thanks Rick!! I'm doing this as part of the Bomber Build on my FB group and I'm really excited about bringing this kit to like. It should be pretty striking when completed.

Nice build but you lost me at metal tracks, lol!!! I hate tracks!!

Cool build. Love Tamiya armor!

3,2,1..... Blast Off!!! I read a lot concerning the fit of the fuselage to the wings on this old girl so I was ready with the large shop clamps, lol!!! Good Lord this thing is big but really excited to see the challenges she'll throw my way!! Step 3 was easy enough. Assembled the cockpit tub side walls and the instrument panel. The cockpit had really nice details so I'll leave the top hatch open so I can enjoy the view. I'll prime and paint it light gray and do either a thinned India Ink wash or black oil rub to highlight the instruments! Step 4 was the assembly of the seat and escape pod. Again I'll paint and detail these. The pod was painted a rescue orange so should show nice with the hatch open! No room on the bench for anything else, lol!!!

Revell 1/48 B-58 Hustler Building Thread The U.S. Air Force's first operational supersonic bomber, the B-58 made its initial flight on Nov. 11, 1956. In addition to the Hustler's delta wing shape, distinctive features included a sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing system, a slender "wasp-waist" fuselage and an extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels in the wings and fuselage. Since the thin fuselage prevented the carrying of bombs internally, a droppable, two-component pod beneath the fuselage contained a nuclear weapon -- along with extra fuel, reconnaissance equipment or other specialized gear. The B-58 crew consisted of a pilot, navigator/bombardier and defense systems operator. Convair built 116 B-58s: 30 test and pre-production aircraft and 86 for operational service. Hustlers flew in the Strategic Air Command between 1960 and 1970. Setting 19 world speed and altitude records, B-58s also won five different aviation trophies. The B-58A on display set three speed records while flying from Los Angeles to New York and back on March 5, 1962. For this effort, the crew received the Bendix and Mackay Trophies for 1962. It was flown to the museum in December 1969. Operation Bulls Eye was the B-58 community’s response to change to low level tactics. Another objective of Operation Bullseye was to turn the B-58 into a more flexible weapon system with the addition of externally carried conventional weapons. Possible use for the Hustler would have been in the war in Vietnam. The program itself was conducted in April 1967 and had the B-58 configured as a pathfinder aircraft and conventional iron bomber. The program originated out of Eglin AFB, FL and utilized Hustlers from the 305th Bomb Wing. Various weapons ranges at Eglin, Nellis, AFB, NV, and Matagorda Island. Other tests within the program replaced the Hustler’s navigator/bombardiers with F-4 Phantom Weapon Systems Officers (WSOs). The Hustlers were configured with up to 3,000 lbs of bombs and flew as many as 3,000 sorties over a 27 day period. Almost all the bomb drops were done visually without assistance from the B-58s bombing/navigation system. During testing a Hustler was damaged by it’s own bomb fragment with minor damage. It was during these test the Hustler was painted in the South East Asia Camouflage (the war in Vietnam was going on at the time). I make a note of it here because, for Hustler enthusiasts, the infamous SEA-camo Hustler is a bit like Bigfoot.

Very sweet looking!!

Very nicely done Remco.

LOL Wayne cross over to the "Dark Side"!!!