Hey Chris sorry about your family but good to see you’re still around!
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Good to see you back dude. Hope all goes well 
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Hey Chris I hope everything turns out well for your family.
Hey everyone this will be my entry, I will upgrade it to a Canadian Mk 11 as seen in Germany in 1975 with the Royal Canadian Dragoons.
Cheers
TJ
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My favorite!! 
Good call on the AM road wheels. A Mk. 11 is on the to do list as well and I will for sure be investing a set because those AFV ones are crap.
What’s your plan for the mantlet cover?
Nice choice Todd, and in case you missed my update on the Stillbrew and the Nav Towers, that problem is sorted now. The BATUS infra / safety guy I got in contact sent me a file with every a folder for every Nav marker with images …
Don this is my solution for the mantlet. I found two of them in my stash. I can’t get the Scorpion models upgrade kits yet so this will do. It is a beautiful casting as well.
I’m actually going to use the Firestorm Centurion Tyres for this one. I used them for my Centurion ARV and they are excellent.
John that’s excellent news. I was talking to a buddy of mine at Range Control and he said he would send a couple of his guys out to take a picture next time he is at work, but I will tell him it’s all sorted.
Cheers
TJ
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Cheers Todd and pass on my thanks as well
This just arrived
Going to break from the norm and assemble the turret shell first and then fit this so I know it’s all ok. Will start that tonight if I get a bit more of the Pantsir done
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So before I start cutting, here’s the opened box and contents 
First time with Amusing Hobby and looking forward to getting it started. Like I said above. Will start with the turret shell as I want to make sure I can get this DEF models mantlet to fit nicely …
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The turret shell is together. Looks nicely detailed with the bits moulded on it like wiring and junction boxes etc.
Now the area I have coloured black sits just in front of the moulded on canvas mantlet retaining strip.
When I compared the DEF mantlet cover it is just a little bit smaller, and that’s understandable as it was meant for the AFV Cent…
So the plan is to cut away the black area from the outside edge of the canvas retaining strip, then sand the moulded strip down till it’s flush with the turret, and hopefully that will allow the DEF mantlet to sit just about right … in all likelihood it will need some filler and sanding to blend it all in, but I was prepared for that anyway …
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The def mantlet is beautifully molded isn’t it! I might follow your lead and check my fit sooner rather than later
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Solid plan Johnny.
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Alright, @Canmedic and @Johnnych01 i got mine to this point.
But it was a bit ham fisted!
Either of you have any tips/tricks for making a nice precise cut around the tie down outline?
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Big push today. The swmbo remarked that I looked rather scruffy and frustrated - this little bugger is why.
God help me I hate side skirts. Got the primer on everything, painted the base coat, did the running gear up, even did some basic weathering, painted the tracks, got them into place (which was a crap job - they kept breaking apart once under the fender) then did the whole painting job again for the sideskirts. Clearly these Tamiya kits have made me soft. But now I can begin doing the camouflage, and then some proper weathering!
Also, I see the little places that need touchups or respray, that’s okay because I’m going to do another base coat over the entire tank.
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Oh that made me laugh…
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I think it just might be that the cover was canvas, the strip was metal, and canvas rots faster than the metal rusts.
Might have been given a hurry up by the custodian removing the rest of the rotted canvas?
Mal
I’d say you’ve cut it about as well as anyone could. I assume that was with a saw. I then get even closer with a no. 11 blade, then it’s time to bust out the mini files.
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Do you actually need to cut it away? Or can you just sand off the detail and reprofile the turret after with some evergreen or putty?
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Yup this was with a Tamiya razor saw. It didn’t go terribly but I can’t see me doing precise work around the lip. I may take your approach and what @Canmedic proposed and sand from here
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