Tamiya 1/35 Matilda Mk.III/IV

[Dave Ward]

After a bit of off forum building, I'll be starting a blog of this for the holiday.....................

This was an edition to celebrate Tamiya's 300th release - it has a two sided reference sheet of photos of the Bovington Matilda.
The model should have the choice of link & length tracks, or vinyls - but I snaffled the vinyls for this https://www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/dave-wards-1-35-hobbyboss-vickers-medium-mark-i.30492/page-3 back in 2018, when the individual tracks got the better of me!
I've seen a fair few builds of the Matilda in Caunter camo schemes, Mid-Stone & even Russian Green, but I can't remember seeing one in Home Service Colours. I have this set:
and I'll use the SCC 1A Dark Brown & SCC 2 Khaki Brown.
I'll put up some sprue & detail shots tomorrow ( providing it gets light enough ) - I can say it looks a very nice model!
Dave

 

[scottie3158]

Dave,
Its a great kit I built one awhile back will follow with interest.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Always liked the Matilda. Have fun with it Dave.

 

[langy71]

Nice one Dave, I've got this lurking in the stash and never got around to throwing glue and paint at it..so I'll be following along for inspiration

 

[adt70hk]

Like Tim I've always liked the look of them.

It was actually the Airfix 1/72 Matilda kit that got my son into the hobby and me back into it.

Good luck with the build.

Andrew

 

[Ian M]

A fine looking tank if you ask me. I have built a few and its cousins.

 

[rtfoe]

Looking forward to your build Dave and what a choice for the holidays, I have two of the older kits, one in mothball after a coat of primer. You may have seen that being built in the old forum with the scratchbuilt missing hatches and headlights.
The new kit is a cracker. I wouldn't worry about the vinyl tracks as Tammis are good besides 3/4s of it will be hidden under the sand guards.

Cheers,
Richard aka Wabble

 

[Dave Ward]

Sprue shots


All the sprues are clean, crisp, free of flash, visible ejector pin marks & sinkage

Decal, tow rope & polycaps

Instructions - B&W booklet that looks very clear

Colour schemes - the halftone printing makes it difficult to see the colour demarcations - a colour print would have been much better

As this was a special edition for Tamiya's 300th release. a colour reference sheet of the Bovington Matilda


See part II for some detail shots & comments!

 

[Dave Ward]

This was new tool in 2009, replacing an earlier 1975 model....................
A few detail shots:

Slide moulded single piece barrels only one will be used

The link & length tracks

.......and this is where the vinyl tracks in the model ended up.......


HobbyBoss Vickers Medium Mk. I - a good fit, replacing the very difficult individual links in the HB kit.

Very nice looking model in the box - I remember thinking when I bought it, that it didn't look like the typical Tamiya tank model - the flat pack hull & general sprue layout remind me more of TriStar, or HobbyBoss models. I'm not familiar with the later production Tamiya tank models to say that it is common now.
I'll be using the Hataka paints - one thing with these paints is that they require a lot of shaking before use, or you get some odd results......................
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

That looks very very nice!

 

[adt70hk]

Looks very good Dave!

 

[Dave Ward]

For info., I'm taking a couple of days away from the bench, my hand is acting up, but normal service will be resumed as soon as possible
Dave

 

[Graeme C.]

Looks a nice build Dave, hope your hand settles down.

 

[David Lovell]

Looks a good old box of bits Dave ,looking forward to watching this one. Can never understand why the major manufacturers haven't knocked out the MK1 instead of more of the same German MK1's to whatever they all go up to and AtoZ's. I'm sure there's one out at Bovington bit worse for wear but a great subject. Dave.

 

[Jakko]

Can never understand why the major manufacturers haven't knocked out the MK1 instead of more of the same German MK1's to whatever they all go up to and AtoZ's.

Because [country name here] doesn’t sell!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looks a good old box of bits Dave ,looking forward to watching this one. Can never understand why the major manufacturers haven't knocked out the MK1 instead of more of the same German MK1's to whatever they all go up to and AtoZ's. I'm sure there's one out at Bovington bit worse for wear but a great subject. Dave.

The Bovington one is a runner Dave. I thought the same when I saw this. Great subject, looks quite archaic compared to the one Dave is building….

 

[Dave Ward]

Matilda I - a total joke - armoured heavily, enough to be largely invulnerable to anti-tank guns - then armed with a single machine gun - and crewed by two men ( very busy men ) - top speed 6mph off road, and a range of 80 miles. Having said that I'd love to see an injection model of one!
Dave

 

[Jakko]

Your only real options for a Matilda I in 1:35, other than scratchbuilding it, are the resin-and-metal Accurate Armour kit and one (or a couple of?) 3D-printed, but going by comments on Missing-Lynx a few weeks ago, that last one is nowhere near as good as it initially seemed.

 

[David Lovell]

Matilda I - a total joke - armoured heavily, enough to be largely invulnerable to anti-tank guns - then armed with a single machine gun - and crewed by two men ( very busy men ) - top speed 6mph off road, and a range of 80 miles. Having said that I'd love to see an injection model of one!
Dave

Sorry Dave I'm afraid three of us doesn't warrant a halt in production of spits hurricanes and all things german apparently the thirst for these things is insatiable.

 

[Dave Ward]

Going to limit my benchtime to around an hour or so a day, but made a start on assembling bits today

Usual Tamiya fit Oddly there are hexagonal recesses in the base of the hull bottom plate, and the upper hull is to be held on by polycaps - maybe Tamiya had further plans for this model ?

All the road wheels & suspension bits assembled - most of this will be hidden by the side skirts, but I know it's there!
The box says 'Mark III/IV' - a bit of research finds that the Mk.IV had an uprated engine & lost the turret lamp, but nothing in the instructions about this................
Dave