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[Andy H]

 Now the fun can begin. 

Looking much more like a tank already. A uniform colour has gone some way to masking those splashguards. I'll let it dry overnight and put the decals and cammo on tomorrow.





















Thanks for looking in - back soon with more Cromwell craziness 

[Andy H]

 Sheesh! Possibly the second-worst decalling experience I've ever had. 

 The decals had a nasty habit of bending over on themselves, some to the point of no return. The white star on the right of the turret was robbed from the engine deck circled star from the kit's Polish option. The yellow B Squadron/2nd Regiment square on the left side has gone; I could try painting one on, but will more than likely hang a rucksack and a tin hat or two over the adjacent lifting eye to cover the area. The leaning 'T's are authentic, although they were not spaced from the numbers and it was a right pain unrolling them. My fault or Airfix's? The jury is out, but it's just another thing that's leaning me more towards Tamiya's lovely (and cheaper) older offering if I ever need another Cromwell.

 The Czech lion insignia wasn't on the real tank, but for the sake of a heraldic splash of colour, I'm claiming artistic licence.

 Time for a calming mug of tea before I start the cammo...










Thanks for dropping by - back soon with more plastic pandemonium 

[Andy H]

 A long, long way to go, but that's the main colours on - I'm looking at it as undercoated. The yellow should be quite a bit darker by the time I'm finished. Happy accident with dripping paint over the rear '52' decal, just the sort of thing that would happen when soldiers let loose with paint...I couldn't replicate the effect if I tried. 

 Not too worried about colour edging at the moment, I'll blend as I go along.























Thanks yet again for looking in - back soon with more Tommies on tour 

[Andy H]

 First coat of Klear, followed by first brown wash. A much more pleasing shade of dunkelgelb already. The normal messy start, it'll look neater as applications of powders, pigments and washes continue to ever finer degrees until finished.























 Thanks for looking in - back soon with more modelling madness 

[Andy H]

 Tamiya weathering powders, preserved with a light coat of Windsor & Newton fixative spray. Time to start painting tools and other details before getting the powders out again; I've got some Humbrol powders I'm keen to experiment with once I get around to wheels and tracks.























 Thanks for dropping by - back soon with more Czechs at Channel ports 

[Andy H]

 Close of play tonight. Getting there at a liesurely pace. Lots of touch-ins and touch-ups, wheels and tracks ready for weathering. 























 Thanks for looking in - back soon with more armoured adventures 

[Andy H]

 A few more little touches, another coat of varnish. Second attempt with Humbrol weathering powders - that 'dark earth' looks a little red to me, but now I've figured out how to preserve it, I can darken it down; it's just going to take some time...
























Thanks for dropping by - back soon with more mudbound merriment 

[Kopfdorfer]

I saw your Cromwell and thought - well that's a Centaur , not a Cromwell ,
but I did some reading and I was in error ( though they are very much alike ).
It's looking really great.

Kopf

[Andy H]

Thanks for kind words, Kopf 

 Yes, difficult to tell Centaurs and Cromwell VI's apart.

 Well, here's how she looks now - getting where I want to be with the Humbrol powders, they're very messy compared to the waxy Tamiya stuff I'm used to, but I can see some potential in them.

 I'm currently gathering tarps, boxes and cans to stow aboard, the poor old Bren Carrier has turned into a donor kit. 















 This is just a quick test, but I think you get the idea of matching tank mud and dust to base mud and dust...







Thanks for looking in - back soon with more fine-dining fun 



 

[genXgamer]

Turned out great Andy.
Especially like the wheels/tracks (the original rust colour).

[Andy H]

  Belated thanks for kind words, genX 

 After a few nights at work, I managed to get some more time in on the Cromwell today - here's how she looks with some stowage. Just the commander and wireless ariels to go, followed by final touch-ins and a good squirt of matt varnish. I *should* get it finished tomorrow.
























 Thanks as always for looking in - back soon with a completed Cromwell 

[Andy H]

 Meet Karel - I had to shave his holster to get him to fit, but happy with how he turned out...




 And there's the Cromwell finished 

 As mentioned, the base is temporary - I have grand dreams and schemes of building some cold, wet and muddy farmland outside Dunkirk, but that'll have to wait until I've got room for it. 
























 Not really a fair comparison as the Tamiya Cromwell's been chopped-up and had its' turret discarded to accomodate a Black Dog resin set, but here they are together...the Tamiya's cheaper, and is a genuine 'shake and bake' kit, the Airfix has lots of parts in the box to build different variants - but beware that photo-etch and the poor fitting gun pivot. A very nice result is obtainable, but for all the nice stuff, I can't help feeling Airfix has gone off half-cocked.










 Thanks for dropping by - back soon with more miniature madness 



 To the next build...and beyond!