Tamiya GB --> Matilda, Queen of the desert (PART I)

Gents,

Here you have some images of the new Tamiya Matilda I am making at the moment. The kit is another little sweet gem full of potential. This is one tank that comes together really easy and fast. The running gear (the most boring part to build on all tanks, but always fun to assembly) can be done in minutes which speeds up the entire build. It only took two days for basic assembly and two more to add some very simple details to customice my model as follows:

1> Tracks

The welded bar tracks are really easy to make by adding two small bars to every link, but I think it's a simple conversion that adds lots of character too. Basically you only need to put the bars in the visible links, I added the bars in the bottom track runs though.

The spare track link parts come solid in the kit. In order to get clean parts for the spare links, I cut a three links segment from the upper track run to replace the tree-links (clean) original part intended to complete the lower track run. This way, you can get original (clean) three-links parts ready to use for spares and the original spare track parts were used to fill the gap in the upper track run, but I realized later you can skip that step as the missing links cannot be seen at all once the running gear is fully
assembled.

2> Hull

I replaced the engine cover lock bars and the showel mount that came solid in the kit. I also inserted a small piece to fill the driver's periscope. On the front plate I extended the welded edge of the grilled covers and added some other small details to reproduce the tiny handle to open the covers. The spare track links were replaced and theirs solid theeth were drilled too.

3> Turret

Althought I decided to leave the model with one almost naked turret, that is the area that required more attention. I remade the smoke mortars, a new antenna mount, and reworked some other small details like thinning the aiming device in the top, filling the periscope and adding some bolts here and there. The stowage basket is missing but the bolts and the tie-downs are there. In the commander cupola I added the periscope, the lifting hooks and some more little styrene bits. Commander cupola hatches are not glued for painting purposes.

And thats all. There are some very few very delicate parts left I will add after paiinting but the most is there. The Matilda was never an apealing subject to me and just because Tamiya releases it I am having the oportunity to make one. I know nothing about Matildas but after consulting some documentation I am discovering she is not that bad after all . I suspect we will see some other Matildas showing up here by some other forum members soon hopefully...

Thanks for looking.
Lu