greenbaron

Long awaited A30 Challenger earlier announced and made by SKP has hit my table this morning. First impressions are: The package is really impressive - large one with hard and sturdy box bottom and sides and relatively soft cover with copy of BW picture already published. There are two partition/reinforcing walls inside the box. Parts and sprues are safely stored inside, sealed in vinyl bags and small ones fixed by sticker tape. Metal (alu) barrel of main armament (17 pdr) is stored safely in plastic tube. Metal (brass) coax MG barrel added - that makes me puzzled, according to my sources it should be .303 MG, SKP offers this barrel as BESA. I am not sure... Metal lengths for towing ropes are included to be cut into proper length. Decal (dry ones) options for marking of two 1/CSIABG vehicles, one (only) for 1 (Polish) AD (whitewash camo) and one for 11AD (GB) based on picture taken during liberation of the Netherlands. Camo options on saparate A4 sheet (full colour, four drawings for every vehicle). I believe more marking options are available on separately sold dry decal sheets. Numbers of parts are marked on assembly instruction sheet only - would be clever to mark them in advance before cutting them off. Tracks are by +/-1 mm wider when being compared with original (Tamiya) Cromwell ones, separate links made of resin will need certain amount of flash cleaning... Nothing horrible, they are pretty close to "snap together" quality. !!! When compared with pics of Overloon A30 the tracks show certain difference. The tracks seen on Overloon A30 seem to be older Cromwell tracks (original narrower ones), tracks included in the kit are actually wider ones as seen on later Cromwells (15,5 inch). Crew hatches could be fixed as open, rear turret wall hatch and engine compartment hatch too. Certain amount of delicate flash, quite a few sinkholes, generally better detail (in comparison to their earlier Humber). Unfortunately there is no interior at all - could we expect any aftermarket goodies later? Paperback on Challenger Cruiser Mk.VIII printed by Capricorn publications would be useful reference source. Pictures of sprues are available on SKP website: http://www.skpmodel.eu/ Hopefully SKP will continue their line of British made vehicles and will make more improvements in the field of quality and reality of detail... Happy modelling.

Pics of NADWISLANIN and other Staghounds of the unit could be find in "Od Acromy do ...". And I believe inner surface of hatches should be camoed..., not painted white.

Really well done Stuart. I have some comments on her and her crew... I would say that Pixie Suit is not appropriate dress for North African campaign - this type of coverall was pretty warm and certainly, it was introduced a bit later. A tankie wearing shorts, shirt with sleeves "up" and regimental colours on shoulder straps sliders would look smarter. Both smoke dischargers should be drilled hollow or made of PE or their muzzles should be painted black/metallic at least - it is a pitty...