Modelling the Challenger 1 and 2 MBT and VariantsReviewed by John Prigent
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Publisher and Title | Osprey Modelling 29, Modelling the Challenger 1 and 2 MBT and Variants, by Graeme Davidson & Pat Johnston, Osprey Publishing Ltd |
ISBN: | 1-84176-927-4 |
Media and Contents: | 80 pages |
Price: | US Price: $18.95, UK Price: £12.99, available online from Osprey Publishing |
Review Type: | First Read |
Advantages: | Interesting selection of modelling projects, subjects, scales and colours; useful and descriptive text; helpful colour chart |
Disadvantages: | |
Recommendation: | Highly Recommended |
FirstRead
This
book is great for both 1/35 and Braille scale modellers because both
scales are included. Instead of grading difficulty as Intermediate,
Advanced and Master levels we get star rankings up to five – they’re
just as easy to understand, of course. There’s a brief introduction,
but no space is used to discuss tools and materials so it leads
straight into the first build. This is a three-star exercise in
detailing Tamiya’s 1/35 Challenger1 Mk 3 as used by the King’s Royal
Hussars in Kosovo, using several aftermarket sets and showing how to
improve the kit with some simple scratchbuilt parts. Then comes a
switch to 1/72 scale with DML’s Challenger 2, built as one of the
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Gulf War 2. This is a one-star build
with just the addition of an Extratech etched set, and shows how to
use epoxy putty to create a rolled tarp. !/72 scale continues with
Revell’s Challenger I Mk 3 as used by 4th Armoured Brigade in Gulf
War 1, another one-star build with aftermarket etch and some resin
and very simple scratchbuilt items.
The next model returns to 1/35 scale and moves up to three-star
level with Tamiya’s Challenger 2 (Desertized) converted to a Desert
Challenger 2 of the Royal Omani Army. The difference between this
and Challenger 2E is explained, and the build is a fairly simple
scratch conversion that involves making new hull side and rear
plates and part of the engine deck. Then comes another three-star
build, turning Tamiya’s Challenger I into a CRARRV wit Accurate
Armour’s conversion set and a few accessories. The degree of
difficulty here has more to do with weathering the white United
Nations colour scheme than with the actual building, which is quite
straightforward.
Following it is Tamiya’s Challenger 2 (Desertized) again, this time
built at three-star level as one fitted with bar armour and used by
the Royal Dragoon Guards in Iraq, 2005. The Accurate Armour bar
armour set is used, and being rather fiddly to assemble properly it
accounts for the difficulty level though this chapter describes the
process clearly so will make it much easier for anyone else to
build.
The final model is at four-star
level, combining Tamiya’s Challenger I with a Modelpoint gun barrel
and a lot of scratchbuilding to produce a Falcon 2 of the Jordanian
Army. This is a major project, because the Falcon uses a completely
different turret with its commander and gunner shifted into the hull
and the loader replaced by an auto-loader. This one will be
difficult for readers to build, simply because as the author says
there are few photographs of it and no plans are available. He
created the turret by extrapolating its dimension from photographs.
Unfortunately he doesn’t give them in the book but anyone wanting to
build this tank should be able to make the same extrapolations from
the photographs of the completed model.
Each chapter gives useful suggestions, techniques and hints for
painting and weathering, and there’s a good list of the available
kits and accessories. The colour “chip” page includes
recommendations and mixes for the various armies’ camouflage, which
is very helpful – I wish all books in the series did this.
Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Osprey Publishing for the review sample