1:35 British Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank(Desertised) Grilles

Grilles for the desertised Challenger 2, 1:35, E.T. Model

A photo-etched set of grilles which, on a model of the British Challenger 2 main battle tank in its desertised form, replace the plastic covers of the intake and outlet openings of the engine compartment. Photo-etched parts are open and have a scale thickness, whereas a plastic part tends to be solid with the mesh only suggested. It is not a kit of the tank, but a detail accessory for a model in 1:35 scale.

The real subject

The Challenger 2 is a British main battle tank introduced in the 1990s. Service in a hot and dusty setting called for modifications described as desertised: besides additional protection they concerned mainly cooling and the filtration of intake air. It is exactly the mesh above the engine compartment that is exposed to view, and on a model it gives away at once whether something is hidden beneath it or whether it is a blind surface.

Building and painting tips

The matching areas on the plastic part usually have to be milled or cut out, so that the grille is genuinely open; work slowly and clean the edges up. Separate the photo-etched part on a hard surface, make any fold in a bender and fix it in spots with cyanoacrylate. Degrease the metal and spray a base coat. Apply the covering paint in thin coats, so that the openings are not flooded; darken the space under the grille beforehand. Dust and fine pigments in desert shades settle naturally in the corners and along the lower edges of the frames.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the desertised Challenger 2 in 1:35 scale
• Those who are bothered by a solid plastic imitation of mesh
• Builders aiming at a contest level of detail
• More experienced modelers used to photo-etched parts and to altering plastic

The set is an accessory for a model, not a kit in its own right. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted; the base kit, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.