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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Fitz on 13 February 2017, 08:41:07 PM

Title: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: Fitz on 13 February 2017, 08:41:07 PM
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jfswb6AZ2e8/WKIXZRHZuwI/AAAAAAAAHoI/ePjF-gXxlP4-MyWCDp-5IWwCaGL9_s7dgCLcB/s640/Covenanter01.jpg)

My latest 1:100 scale digital project for 3d printing is the Covenanter, the (failed) predecessor of the Crusader line. This has been a surprisingly tricky tank to build, and I really regret not being able to get at the Bovington example to clarify some issues that are rather ambiguous in the drawings and photographs I have.

I just realised that I'm going to have to revisit the turret, because I didn't allow for the cut-out beneath the rear which would allow it to rotate over the guards and other assorted clutter. Bugger.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 13 February 2017, 09:36:43 PM
The invulnerable Covenanter, nice start.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Fitz on 14 February 2017, 02:32:07 AM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9SDEQkX3SZc/WKJrjQwTG_I/AAAAAAAAHoc/TrNlyOL1bLQTzGur7QVo0hQZLrxYKc7ywCLcB/s640/Covenanter02.jpg)

Running gear is complete, and now I'm making a start on all the crap that clutters up the decks. Those things in front are radiator covers.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Vintage Wargaming on 14 February 2017, 12:08:56 PM
Just about my favourite tank. There is one buried in an old anti tank ditch on a vineyard in Kent which has been located and is being dug up soon. It seems to be minus turret. Bovington's one came from the same ditch a good few years ago so they will have taken the best one then.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: fred on 14 February 2017, 09:29:30 PM
That looks great - the turret is very cool.

What a crazy idea to put the radiators on the front of the tank - its not like they might get hit by shooting there!!
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Etranger on 15 February 2017, 01:15:59 AM
Quote from: fred on 14 February 2017, 09:29:30 PM
That looks great - the turret is very cool.

What a crazy idea to put the radiators on the front of the tank - its not like they might get hit by shooting there!!

Although to be fair they did put dirty big armoured covers on them. Nonetheless it was an 'interesting' choice.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: fred on 15 February 2017, 07:30:59 AM
Which just scream 'shot trap'. Early war tanks you have to love them, and be very glad you didn't have to fight in one!
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Poiter50 on 15 February 2017, 07:35:39 AM
I think those very radiator covers were the downfall of the Covenanter as it was subject to overheating and that was in England! As an intended desert tank, it would have had massive problems in North Africa.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 15 February 2017, 08:41:17 AM
Quote from: fred on 14 February 2017, 09:29:30 PM
What a crazy idea to put the radiators on the front of the tank - its not like they might get hit by shooting there!!
Have a look at a Merkava, rather the radiator than the ammo or crew.

It was still a rubbish tank, stylish but rubbish.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Fitz on 15 February 2017, 05:02:48 PM
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-01Dda6PvZ6s/WKSI9f2SW7I/AAAAAAAAHo0/aEI_RtQQwwcJfjDHo_e2_h0RuDQhNkhJwCLcB/s640/Covenanter04.jpg)

Things are coming along, and most of the rear deck clutter is done. There are still a few bits and pieces to take care of — hinges, fire extinguishers etc., plus the driver's cupola — but the end is in sight.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter
Post by: Fitz on 16 February 2017, 03:02:54 AM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I-YLfJZj1Vs/WKUVDk9h5GI/AAAAAAAAHpI/dWE4cbUI3oom7hA_qGc4Ib-e3Umdh0QwwCLcB/s640/Covenanter06a.jpg)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AGNUh-yV2q0/WKUVDUI5oDI/AAAAAAAAHpE/AkpkykynuKcTi6FBB8D-Tnh7RQYq3z4owCLcB/s640/Covenanter06b.jpg)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fXp5y3ZzSFM/WKUVD2-pjiI/AAAAAAAAHpM/eK2MnKRpUKcOcoLCegBK6XcJJhGeNc7WQCLcB/s640/Covenanter06c.jpg)

I've finished my 1:100 scale Blender model of the Covenanter.

Now I'm trying to get it uploaded to Shapeways for 3d printing, but for the moment there appear to be issues — the trouble is, I have no idea if the issues are with the model, or with Shapeways' servers, which have been known to crap out fairly frequently, especially when somebody has been trying to make "improvements" to them.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: Fitz on 16 February 2017, 04:41:21 AM
OK, it's now available for sale at https://www.shapeways.com/product/PJ4PVBAJW/covenanter-15mm (https://www.shapeways.com/product/PJ4PVBAJW/covenanter-15mm). Just the thing for all those 15mm Seelöwe games :)
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: Ultravanillasmurf on 16 February 2017, 09:54:44 AM
It looks very good.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: aircav on 16 February 2017, 08:03:27 PM
Awesome, love this tank.
Shame no one does a 28mm version  :-[
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: Fitz on 28 February 2017, 09:10:15 PM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZGDrg9yL5rI/WLXmWkp1QCI/AAAAAAAAHtY/JyRwP-bK92Ee0f6_-5nZHLNvHxTJBDh7ACLcB/s1600/Covenanter06e1.jpg)

Something was bugging me about the proportions of the tank, and I finally put my finger on what it was — the road wheels were riding too high, so it didn't give the exaggerated gap between the running gear and the track-guards that was seen on the actual machine. So, I adjusted that and now it looks a bit better.

It could even be taken a little further still, but then I'd be running into strength issues in the printed model. So, this will do the trick I think.
Title: Re: Digital Covenanter (finished)
Post by: carlos marighela on 28 February 2017, 10:24:59 PM
The radiators themselves weren't the problem, it was their placement, which was occasioned by the cramped nature of the engine compartment vis a vis the donk placed inside it. Bunging the radiators ar the front and therefore at the opposite end of the tank meant plumbing running the length of the beast and the water in radiators does get rather warm (don't try this at home).

I briefly toyed with bodging the bridgelayer variant up from a Crudader kit. It's the only version that saw actual operational service (Australians at Tarakan in 1945) it would be essentially a terrain feature that saw action once and a bloody complicated one to scratchbuild at that so I nixed that idea quick smart.

Very nice work btw.