Thanks John. A question for you if I may.
Are the rims of the idler wheels just steel and therefore would get polished in use please?
Yes mate, they would just be a dull finish or a very slight dirty rust colour if unsued for a few weeks 
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I was in Berlin in 83, (Across the road infantry ) just after it had started use, the vehicles were kept clean as used on road runs around the city to keep them working, on practice call outs would go and hide in the woods, so kept in good condition,
the wheels are a satin black, use the RAL colours in the book on the mk9s, as they were locally bought as matched the colour on housing,
later and the mk10s , some QM, had the bright idea to save money, and use MOD listed paint, that has no resemblance to the housing.
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As far as all of them being kept clean, I have seen photos of them and the FV434 “in the field” getting muddy and scrathed up.
That was generally exercise only and once that was done they would be cleaned back up straight away as Frank says they were mostly on road patrols as a show of force and reassurance. They had to look the part at all times.
That would be a nice idea for a diorama John, a 50/50 clean/dirty Chieftain back at the sheds being hosed down, I think the contrast between the two elements would be fun to replicate, 
.
G, 
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That’s a very good idea … and never seen one like it either…
Sorry for the break. I am still having health issues, I am waiting for 3D printed exhausts as the seams are really difficult to eliminate on the kit ones.
I used the muzzle from the kit rather than the AA one as it has rifling which the latter does not.
Despite getting the Berlin Brigade book I am going to do the two-tone one. I am not up to all that masking again.
@Johnnych01 The Meng instructions have the spare tracks on the rear painted over with the camouflage. Do you think that is right please?
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“Normally” they are unpainted. Either a brand new look - (new track links have a very slight semi gloss look - and normal track pad colour) or the used spare link look as in your tracks above. Any wagons that went for a full repaint would or should have had any external fittings removed. I’m sure a few probably slipped through the net over the years but as a general thing they would be unpainted. Lazy crews may have painted over them, but again, not a common thing.
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Thank you. I take it Meng have got the wheel colour right or should they be black still?
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NATO green wheels and lower hull behind the wheels.
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Love this. My old man was in the army and i grew up in the early 80s in Paderborn/Sennelager and Catterick. Seeing these huge great Chieftains every day, with the Rolls Royce screaming, belching blue smoke, orange lights blazing etc are some of my earliest memories. I remember being utterly in awe.
To that end I bought the Takom Mk10 which is the equivalent of this but looks less complicated I think, fewer parts etc.
100% having looked at the tracks, I’m having a set of Friuls for it though.
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I could of walked past you in the NAAFI in Sennelager lol…
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You may well have done. We were in there a lot. My dad was ACC, we lived close by the barracks. My mum was a teacher at John Buchan. For sure you’d have had food cooked by his team on barracks and down range, also at the regimental BBQs etc which I also remember fondly. There was a very specific smell to BBQs in Germany - i dunno if it was the charcoal/wood, the sausages or what but it was glorious. I was only four and I remember it vividly.
mmmmmmm Bratwurst … next stop Lidls lol
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Sorry Colin … no more side tracks … Back to the Chieftain
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Sorry lads, as you were.
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Colin, Whats the decal sheet like with the kit ? I noticed there are no C/S markings for either the Berlin or standard NATO version on the sheet you showed ?
John,their not printed very well either
" The decals are printed in China, and under magnification are a bit fuzzy , although most of that could be cut off along the straight edges. The Union Jack is a bit messy, and the tiny badge on one of the front fenders has a simple black centre where there should be a logo. They should be suitable for purpose however, but I miss the days when Meng used to use Cartograf as a matter of course."
Above from here:
If you know of any AM replacement options please let me know.
The only ones I have found are other marks in foreign service.
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So, let me have a look tonight when I get home as I think I have some spare Chieftain era VRNs you could have (although yours maybe ok, if you have a steady hand and cut them straight) and I’m sure I have some spare Accurate Armour C/Ss (A, B or C Sqn) I can cut off and send to you if you want. The first aid box crosses look ok, and you only need one of those. Union Jacks were and are hit and miss on wagons so it wont be wrong not to have one. Ref the rear warning diagonals, I was out in Germany until early 1990, and none of our Regiment wagons had those on the rear, Chieftain or Ch1 - Im not saying some units didnt use them, but I think at that time it wasnt a then legal requirement. And I wouldnt bother with the blob of a Regimental badge, not every unit used them. The convoy plate square looks ok, but I usually paint that on mine.
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