CVR(T) Sabre

David Taylor
Hi Alan
Go for it,the Sabre conversion kit is great.Check the gun barrel length if you use the canvas cover.I overlooked it and the barrel is slightly long.

David Taylor
P.S. AA cvrt crew fit nicely.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Thanks, this'll give me the shove I need to get these to the front of the list next time I have a purchase going - will probably pick up the Sabre conversion and the bits to do a late-model Scimitar. I'd *like* to pick up the upgraded combi-kit for one with the Plasan, but doing that means another set of tracks, so the plan is to get the two CVR(T) projects I've got kits for done first.

David Taylor
Got a set of AFV tracks to try but after a lot of frustration used the rubber ones. Used a mix of Humbrol enamel 2003 and 2004 for the metal effect.

Alan Crawford Аутор
I personally love metal tracks, the only reason I've moved away from them is that they've become so expensive. I've tried a variety of treatments - burnishing fluid gives best results but is impractical for large tracks and some Chinese-made tracks don't respond to it (worst example - a set of Maus tracks by Spade Ace). I also used to use a mix of of enamels and Dio-Sol (no longer available) to produce a wash that half-filled a jar of spaghetti sauce, and dip the track (hanging from a piece of wire) a couple of times. The track then had to be left hanging somewhere well-ventilated, with something to catch drips underneath, and flipped several times a day for several days to get an even wash. Results were impressive though.

However, both that (because of the Dio-Sol) and the most effective burnisher are of the market - probably too toxic. The burnishing fluid on the market now is about half the strength that Blacken-It was, at best. Burnishing also requires prep - I used to pre-assemble the track,using short lengths of piano wire instead of the provided wire (the slight springiness of the wire means the pins usually stay in due to friction), then give the track a once over with a wire brush (shiny) then an overnight bath in degreaser to ensure a clean surface *then* use burnishing fluid. Then, once that was washed off and air-dried, if the track had rubber pads, I did those using a wide Sharpie (for the flat of the pad) and a very fine Sharpie (for edge details, inside pads) which looks *terrible* - glossy with visible stroke marks and *very* black. However, the final step was a rattle can of clear, flat lacquer - track pods go a more natural color, and flat, and flattening the track isn't too bad, because washes and weathering makes those less monotonous.

You had an unfortunate choice trying the AFV Club clickable - from what I've heard, they barely stayed together. That's the reason why I picked up the Friul track - about 3x the price, but I'm confident I can make them look good.

The problem with big tracks, BTW, is purely economics - I did Friul E-100 track at about the same time as the Maus track, and while they were hefty (vs the Maus tracks, which look like weapons a biker gang might carry) it was going to use about 8 bottles of burnishing fluid to treat them, and I wasn't spending $100 on that. So I primed them, sprayed with "track colour", then a gloss aqua clear coat (Future) then did enamel washes. They're still not done, several years later, but that's laziness on my part.

David Taylor
Totally agree.The *clickable tracks* are a bit of a nightmare.Wasted my monies on them.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Got the Sabre ordered. I also ordered their combi-kit for the BGTI/Plasan etc Scimitar. Since that'll give me a spare Scimitar kit, I think there'll be a Malaysian Scorpion 90 in my future too, but not for a while yet, since I'm going to order all the various Centurion Mk. 1 bits they've released for my A41 - I *sort of* have the kit, since a friend whose web site has AFV Club as a sponsor got it for me in exchange for my doing some 3D printing for him. So he's got the kit tucked away, but I don't get it until I've got my printer all set up and producing.

David Taylor
Ransom,like it.LOL

Alan Crawford Аутор
Turns out I may have to get the printer working before I can think about the Malaysian Scorpion, too - I plan to do the final upgraded version they operated from 2016-2018. However from the photos on the SMM site, I noticed that it's got completely new double-pin type tracks. I found the website of the company that makes the real track, and it's specific to Malaysian Scorpions, so I need to model and print them. Michael's tried to discourage me by pointing out he sells about two of the Malaysian Scorpions a year, but I figure it'll be good practice with the printer, and I want all my Scimitars to look different - the Sabre probably in BATUS camo, the Plasan Scimitar in green and black, and the Malaysian Scorpion in the sand/brown/bright green digital scheme. I'm also toying with the idea of accurizing my Aussie M113A2 MRV by replacing the AFV Scorpion turret with the HKCW version, and likewise for the Trumpeter AVGP Cougar, which doesn't have a particularly great representation of the Scorpion turret.

David Taylor
I definitely be watching with interest.

David Taylor
Hi Alan
I have been using fine piano wire for aerials but found AA do carbon fibre aerials so splashed out on a couple of sets(5 in each one ).They look good.Will put them on my next build.

Alan Crawford Аутор
I think I've got a set of carbon fiber ones. Another thing I've found very good is Nitinol wire. It's not the easiest to find, and is only available in fairly thin gauges, but it's absolutely unkinkable- bend it in a U-shape, springs right back, which is great when the antenna might get brushed and you don't want it knocked off. I think the carbon fibre's like that and more reasonably priced - Nitinol is expensive because it's memory metal, it was developed by the military (it's a NIckel/TItanium alloy developed at the Naval Ordnance Labs) but the main use seems to be in medicine, for stents.

David Taylor
Cost about a tenner a pack.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Ouch - that said, My supply of the stuff is just a couple of 6" lengths. I need to order from AA anyway - Clansman bases for the Sabre, plus I need Clansman bases and "bricks" for a couple of Land Rovers, one an Op Granby generic 109', the other a mine-protected vehicle stationed in Beirut in the mid-80s. Italeri 109' for both, and they've both got a bunch of BSM resin - wheels and bench seats for the vanilla one, the full conversion kit for the mine-protected. I like SMM's stuff, but brass antenna are an accident waiting to happen.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Pic of the Malaysian track:

idgsa.com/portfolio/oruga-c108/

Not figured out if it needs a completely new sprocket.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Looks like it's got new sprockets too. Well, I figure if I've got to do the tracks, creating new sprockets isn't that big a deal. I think my printer is up to it, I've just got to get up to speed on one of the free CAD packages.

David Taylor
Dark arts.I'm defo Luddite.LOL

Alan Crawford Аутор
Decided I didn't want the Malaysian Scorpion 90 tracks to be my first 3D printing project, and ordered another set of late Friul tracks.

Now trying to decide what to do re Sabre markings. Suspect I'll end up doing a KFOR vehicle, since I reckoned I wanted at least one of the family in "old school" colors - the Scimitar 2 is going to be 361, the Plasan Scimitar is going to be 361 and 285 (since there are markings for one on a Bison decals sheet I have) and the Scorpion 90 will be in Malaysian jungle tiger stripe. Since my Chieftain is now looking likely to end up in overall 285, the Sabre may be the only chance I get to do green/black unless I can turn up a green/black scheme for my future Centurion Mk. 13.

David Taylor
Just ordered a Centurion MK5 AVRE.Looking at some pics it looks like not all Gulf Centurions had add on armour so might do it that way.Might order a Giant Viper from AA to tow behind.

David Taylor
My Sabre is black and green as is my Fox.Loads of variations on colour.

Alan Crawford Аутор
I've picked up the Amusing Hobby Centurion AVRE recently too, although mine's going to have all the additional armour. I messed up building my AA version of it - fixed the gun barrel at an angle that was incorrect, so it went on the shelf. However, I plan to cannibalize it for the new one - I can grab the MIMIC coil, I'll use the PE part of the skirts, and so on. Wheels will be replaced with the AFV Club ones with Firestorm resin tires, and the AA kit provides the dished idlers that the Amusing kit misses. A bit annoying, since the Strv 104 *does* include them. When I got the AA kit I got the AVRE trailer for it, not entirely sure what I did with that. The Giant Viper would have probably been a better option.

That just leaves one item to order - the resin replacement mantlet from DEF, which doesn't seem to have made it into any stores yet.

So at the end of the day, if I manage to build them all, I'll have an A41, an Aussie Mk.5/1, a British Mk. 5/2 or 6, a Shot, a Shot Kal, a Nagmachon (Legend conversion), an Strv 104, an AA Mk.11 (in Canadian four-colour camo) and a Mk.13. Most of the stuff is already in the stash, just need to get the SMM bits for the Mk.1 and the huge pile of bits needed for the Mk.13. I've found one pic of a late model Centurion in black and green, so I know they existed, and I may see if I can do something about the skirts on the Strv 104 - I'd prefer brass to plastic, but the Swedish skirts seem to be unique in terms of the footholes in them. If they turn out to be the same as the Mk. 11, I may contact Derek at AA, see if I can buy a set. Alternatively, if I can figure out a good way to cut the footholes in brass, I may just buy an SMM set. Worst case I'll either thin the edges of the kit ones, or build new skirts from laminated sheet styrene.

David Taylor
Sheet styrene may be the way.

Alan Crawford Аутор
Did you see Fat Frog (Hobbyeasy's own brand) has put out a set of 3D printed late type CVR(T) tracks? They look nice and while they're £20 a set, they're cheaper than Friul and look more detailed than the AFV Club ones. All mine have Friuls or I'll just use the kit link and length (Gecko) but it'll be interesting to see the reviews.

David Taylor
Never tried the link and length. I've always gone the easy way out with the vinyl tracks,but never say never as a lot of companies are going with link and length.