Man, you are a master at repurposing junk and turning it into fine bits and bobs! Well done!
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All simple tips I picked up here ā¦ thats why you have to love the site ā¦
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I scored a Tamiya Cr1 Mk3 at a show a couple of weeks ago, getting the itch to do something with it and/or the Tamiya Cr2 I still have in the stash. Plus I have most of another Cr2 left over from the Trump Cr2 build I just finishedā¦ hmmm. I always get motivated by someone elseās fine work.
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That is very kind of you to say so Russ.
I am getting into Challys againā¦ I think my next kits will be a Merkava on Nikos @gtdeath13 recommendation, then another Tamiya Cr1 and an RFM Cr2 (possibly the TES)ā¦ And do that one as a what if WW3 one, and the Cr1 as a BATUS vehicle ā¦I already have a Cr1 ready to do as my old ride once I get a few of these others out the way
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Iām tossing around several things, just canāt quite focus. I really need to get back on the KRAB, and I have a Takoma M48 thatās calling my name too, but I had so much fun doing the āAMX 31ā that I may try and work in another āwhat-ifā. In the meantime, if you do your old ride, please post up, I may want to flat-out copy you. 
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My pleasureā¦ In fact, after the CTT, the Tomcat, then the F111 Raven, my old 42 ride will be next. For that one, I am considering my first attempt with indi Cr1 links if I can find any, and trying to scratch/convert a few the side skirt supports to show one or both sides with 1 or 2 plates missingā¦ But the supports need to be doable first ā¦
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Itās a pleasure catching up with your work Sir. Have you considered sculpting as a side line to make a few extra bucks?
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Haha ā¦ Thanks HG ā¦ The only thing I can safely sculp would probably be a breeze block lol ā¦ Kind words though buddy ā¦ Thank you for looking in 
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Iād love to do my 34 Striker from Iraq but cannot bring myself to go near Accurate Armours offering after seeing some of the issues you had to deal with on your build. Someone really needs to expand the CVR(T) line. I prayed for a Ferret in styrene and Airfix answered the call!!
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Donāt forget though, mine was over 20 years old, maybe close to 30, and I think now they have switched to the new grey resins the casting is a lot better with far far less bubbles etcā¦ Itās a good feeling building a ride you had ā¦
But totally agree, the full CVRT range in styreneā¦ Is there a God ??
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More fiddly bits.
Did the dvrs hatch lifting handle and the padlock brackets. The PE padlock bracket is just, well, wrong so I binned the 1 piece they give you (with no hole on it 
) and converted 2 pieces of the turret PE I donāt need for this.
Same with the handle, PE part is to square and angularā¦ the real ones were basically just thickish steel rod bent to shape, which is what I did here.
Also fitted the Dvrs sight.
Close up of the dvrs hatch stop.
tool securing pins with PE chain attached, ready to be fitted
Also added a length of plastic strip to each side from the top of the inner hull to inside of outer hull as I wasnāt sure if anything may be visible once the instructors cab is fitted.
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Fabulous! I do love the tiny bits. Re the tracks: I ordered Friuls direct and was very pleased. The castings were all clean and they went together quickly. Iād do it again in a heartbeat. I have been meaning to ask: Do the Chieftain and Cr1 use the same tracks? They surely do look the same. I have a Takom Chieftain w/ the Marksman turret that I bought just for the turret, leaving me with the whole hull as āextraā.
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Although they do look the same, they are slightly different. Main obvious ones are on the side triangular wing areas on each link. For the kits, they may well fit, I have never tried it, the big problem area would be the sprockets as I cant remember off the top of my head if the widthās and link holes are different.
Glad you like the little extras going into it
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Where is the PE chain from, is it included in a PE set?
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Yes mate, from the Eduard set. Its not perfect by any means but it gives it the proper look. It is actually flat so has no real 3D chain shape. But in the images above it looks good enough. You get individual chain bits for the A frame mounting pin, all the track/tool brackets and a couple left over for turret bits. They would work just as good on Chieftain as well, in fact anything that required a small length of chain to achieve the ālookā
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Yeah I suppose for something that small being flat wouldnāt really show. Itās a thing I have difficulty with, gauging chain size for kits.
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Iām about to start (in the next few weeks anyway) the Meng Merkava Mk IV with a few AM add ons. Wasnāt going to blog it actually, but might consider it if the demand was there.
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Yeah, because its that small, you can get away with it and it does give it a better look. I am tempted to look around hobby/craft/evil bay or Amzn and look at getting some various smallish gauges in real chain for other things, I think if you have it front of you and you can eyeball it for size, we would know if it looked true or not.
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Definitely ā¦ I asked Nikos for advice about the best OOB build for a Merkava 3 and he said the Meng 3D Late LIC which I am looking at getting for the future as I really want one. Blogs would be good as once they know a Merkava or IDF wagon is being built, Nikos or Israel normally put in some very valuable insights into the Mks, and bits and pieces ā¦
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Iām doing the Mk IV with Trophy system, iāll do my usual fairly superficial blog. The Meng Merkavas are without doubt, the best out there, Meng also do a Mk IV with mine rollers - an epic build.
Israel has already provided valuable insight into aspects of the vehicle and markings. Iām really looking forward to it actually, my first AFV for a couple of years.
I wouldnāt normally go for modern AFVs, let alone an IDF AFV, but the Merkava somehowā¦spoke to me.
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