My attempt at a BATUS diorama

Did you post pictures of it in a diorama?. I might have seen it when I was browsing online for ideas

No it was a stand alone kit. There have been several chieftains done on this site in the Berlin camo all very very nicely done I might add; I think I know which one you are talking about though in reference to a diorama.

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A modeler on this site named Lucio Merlo I believe did a beautiful diorama of an early Chieftain in Berlin camouflage. It came outstanding.

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Rather than stretched sprue, think about K&S wire or similar. Will stay straight and is more durable than sprue (i.e. harder to break off) .

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I’d fully endorse what Peter says here; I use a thin brass wire – from my local hobby shop – to represent my antennae – it will provide the straightness you’ll need. The downside is that any undue influence will cause it to ping off (normally just prior to a model show) or worse, bend, however, as I say, it does give that straightness which is really essential.

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Thanks for the heads up there. I did use guitar string on a Cromwell that worked quite nicely, I don’t think I have any left of a good thickness.

I’ll keep an eye out next time I’m at the local shop, thank you

I like to use fine piano wire for aerials, though if you bend down too close, it can be an eye hazard.

“Regarding the “45s”, I just have a suspicion that they were only applied in the 80s, so for the time-frame of a Mk 5 ie roughly 1975 onwards”
Had wondered about that.

Mal

Thanks Mal, in regards to chieftain kits are there any you’d recommend?. Something more detailed than the Tamiya but not crazy parts count.

Choppermeir,

Most impressed with your BATUS Chieftain!
I too have an interest in BATUS subjects, and am currently planning a Challenger 2 in this setting.
Other BATUS-themed pieces will be a red Warrior Range Safety Vehicle, and an OPFOR Salamander (based on the CVR(T) Scorpion).
I work in 1/76 and 1/72 scales, so kits of modern British AFVs are more difficult to find. Fortunately, Trumpeter and Dragon offer decent kits of the Ch.2, and Revell have an excellent kit of the Warrior. As for the Scorpion, this is more of a problem. I may end up having to settle for the ancient Airfix kit (or even the one from Ace Model), both of which will require extensive reworking.
As an aside, here are some photos of a BATUS vignette that I completed several years ago. This is the CVR(T) Sultan Command & Control Vehicle, based on a resin/white-metal kit from CMSC.

Paul



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That’s the rub, currently either one or the other, no happy medium.
I gave up on 1/35th due to arthritis, only do 1/16th nowadays, so have a Haya Chieftain - 1/16th RC, which is effectively an upscaled Tamiya - I have 2 old Tamiya’s from the 70’s - 80’s - so quite familiar with the extra detail required.



My hold up is getting the interior bin photos for the lids of the T/C stowage & Front fender bins - cos the bins all open on the Haya.

Mal

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Yes, it was early to mid 80s when the 45s were added as a lesson identified safety feature, and even when I went out there first in 86 my first wagon didn’t have them, most did though.

@Choppermeir if you want a decent Chieftain look for a Takom one, I have a Mk11 I’m going to do as my final Chieftain ride. The one I showed early as my BATUS Mk10 ride was the Accurate Armour conversion… Takom do a nice Mk 10 as well… :+1:

Edit. Should mention that Meng do a reportedly decent Mk10 as well :+1:

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Ah brilliant Nice one for that, I’ll have to get one ordered and add it the growing boxes of models to build.

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Thanks Johnny
Military Modelling did a couple of articles on BATUS in colour - most of the magazine pics were B&W - back in either the late 70’s or early 80’s, made quite an impression, but I don’t recall seeing the turret markings.

Mal

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That was my favourite small scale build at the Penzance show. Fantastic effort put into that one.

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There’s something missing from this diorama… yes, that’s it! F***ing Gophers!

Once, one of those gits found my fresh pack of 200, unopened Bensons in the Crew shelter. It took a good munch on all 10 packs, thus rendering them useless…

I had my revenge. The tobacco didn’t seem to agree with it and it croaked before it had even made it out of the shelter. I sent it to Gopher heaven, strapped to a GV rocket…

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Oh that’s made me laugh. Nothing worse than a ciggie Thief, glad you got your revenge