Matilda tank :Australian 28mm

[JOHN BOND]

Hi all, this is my first post, its a 28mm Australian Matilda tank based in the Pacific.
Follow the link for more info and pics:
http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com/2018/12/australian-matilda-tank.html
cheers John

[carlos marighela]

Nice! Suitably gunged up.

It could do with some modifications and additions. The Warlord version, which I assume this to be has a cupola that’s too high. Most but not quite all of the Australian Matildas had cut down commanders cupolas. That’s one of the reasons I chose the Tamiya version for mine, it was easier to cut down.

Most of the 2/9 Armoured Regiment Matildas has their rear decks plated over with pierced steel plating/ Marsden matting.  If you are modelling a Matilda for the Borneo campaigns you want PSP on the deck and on the verticle angled plates on the rear sides. Fortunately, you can obtain brass PSP matting from the after market model manufacturers in 1/48.

Other armoured units used steel mesh over the rear.  The Frog flamethrower versions used by the Brigade Recce/ Special Equipment Squadron typically had wire mesh welded to frames over the engine deck. I’ve found that flywire from the local hardware shop does the trick.  Both options allow you to really load up the rear deck with stowage.

Of course, you can ignore all of the above as there were plenty of variants elsewhere. The ones in 2/9 and the Special Eqpt Sqdn seem to have been more standardised in terms of additions.

If you want to go to town on the markings, here’s a handy reference.

http://www.mheaust.com.au/Aust/Research/Matilda/Markings%20WW2.htm

Anyway I like yours and it’s nice to see someone else modelling Aussie armour in this scale. Welcome aboard!

[carlos marighela]

Here’s the Tamiya version with a Eureka digger for scale comparison.

[flatpack]

John
Great paint job on your tank.
Looks like a lot of time and effort went into that.

The second tank with all the kit on the back, reminds me of my roof box on the top of my car, when I go on holiday with the wife and kids.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Nice job on the Matilda, I look forward to seeing more of your work.

[voltan]

Cracking work on those, I do like the look of the old Matildas.

[Quendil]

Hi all, this is my first post, its a 28mm Australian Matilda tank based in the Pacific.
Follow the link for more info and pics:
http://iagsmgm.blogspot.com/2018/12/australian-matilda-tank.html
cheers John

Great work there, gives me some inspiration to get mine done 

[tom q vaxy]

…  this is my first post...

you're certainly coming out of the gate at full pace!


nice blog, too.

[Captain Blood]

Uber grungy, but I like it. Looking forward to seeing more 

The second tank with all the kit on the back, reminds me of my roof box on the top of my car, when I go on holiday with the wife and kids.

Yes, I do wonder about a heap of loose, apparently untethered stowage. Wouldn’t it all just slide off the back as soon as the tank starts to drive over any uneven ground? Or even as soon as it starts to move?
I’m sticking to strapped-on or tied-on stowage only on my most recent AFVs...

[Redmist1122]

Wow!  That tank looks awesome...great work on the weathering. 

I'm doing an ANZAC group and I'm curious what tank markings make it a digger tank?  I have some decals for New Zealand and Aussies, to make it happen...just a bit difficult to find and real markings...if any.

Thanks.

[moiterei_1984]

A beauty of a tank John!

[carlos marighela]

Uber grungy, but I like it. Looking forward to seeing more 

Yes, I do wonder about a heap of loose, apparently untethered stowage. Wouldn’t it all just slide off the back as soon as the tank starts to drive over any uneven ground? Or even as soon as it starts to move?
I’m sticking to strapped-on or tied-on stowage only on my most recent AFVs...

Yeah, I thought about adding ropes but Marsden matting features little holes, hence its more descriptive name of ‘pierced steel planking. Bed roll ties and the like could be passed through the holes. On the whole I think you are right though and I should tether the ammo boxes and crates. I’ll get round it some day.

Here’s the inspiration.

[carlos marighela]

Wow!  That tank looks awesome...great work on the weathering. 

I'm doing an ANZAC group and I'm curious what tank markings make it a digger tank?  I have some decals for New Zealand and Aussies, to make it happen...just a bit difficult to find and real markings...if any.

Thanks.

It’s not so much the markings as the additions. Australian Matildas featured different tracks to those found in the desert, guards at the track front and spare lengths of track welded to the hull. These are not features seen on British versions. Descriptions of them suggest a darker paint being used in the latter part of the war, although the photos of mine are darker than they appear normally. Shit photo and overcast, late afternoon here.

For markings see the link in my earlier post. You can scrabble most of the unit, formation and bridge markings from existing sets by Company B, Rubicon etc but the red fording marks you have to add yourself. A Gundam marker or red gel pen is handy here. I buggered mine and then muddied them in an attempt to hide it.

[JOHN BOND]

Thanks all for your comments , Carlos, I wished I have know about the reduced cupola before painting the tank, I was considering also adding the storage and metal onto of the engine bay but I was in a bit of a hurry to finish the vehicle.
I did however make some small adjustments: changed the colour of the commanders beret to a brown colour and  the number in the square insignia from a 4 to a 7, which I am thankful for John and TasminP .

[Cubs]

Yeah, I thought about adding ropes but Marsden matting features little holes, hence its more descriptive name of ‘pierced steel planking. Bed roll ties and the like could be passed through the holes. On the whole I think you are right though and I should tether the ammo boxes and crates. I’ll get round it some day.

Here’s the inspiration.

And once the bottom few bits are strapped on, the rest can probably be safely lobbed onto the back, safely held back so they can't slide off.