Experiments

Inspired by More Four showing the Israeli drama series "Valley of Tears" (although inexplicably they cancelled the final episode promising to show it "at a later date" ) which is based on events in the 1973 Yom Kippur war and features genuine Centurions, BTR 152 and possibly Soviet armour (not sure if it's real or CGI), I have been playing around with methods for mass conversions (not religious before you ask....)

My intention is to build Israeli and Arab forces for 1982 and 1973 in addition to those for 1967. There will be some crossover, but the IDF improved a lot of their frontline armour by the time of both these wars.

The first major conversion was to re-engine the Centurions and  M48s; this was partially underway by 1967 for the latter. I solved the problem for the Roco M48 by a cut-and-shunt of the rear half deck of some scrap M60s. However with the numbers required, this was not an option for the 1973 and 1982 armour.

I had a couple of Zylamex diecast M60, the lower parts of which needed replacing as they are very crude. After drilling out the rivets, I lost enthusiasm. I was left however with a perfectly serviceable upper deck, including the correct diesel engine.

My apologies for the poor images. My first experiment is using some thermo plastic moulding material - the Japanese brand is Oyamaru - mine may have been unbranded. It is rigid until you pour boiling water on it when it becomes soft and malleable, hardening again when it cools. You can simply pop back into hot water in the event of errors.

I made two moulds to speed up production by pressing the soft material onto the metal upper deck and and then reversing and pressing down onto the flat cutting board.

Next I tried some sculpey (which needs baking) followed by some green stuff (actually a mix of very elderly blue-white and green -yellow epoxy putty). The sculpey have not taken the details as well as the green stuff, but is much cheaper......

Next experiment is baking the sculpy and possibly trying a mould using some dentist's putty......

I need a quick method to upgrade the Roco Centurions and M48s to Sho't Kal (as the upengined Centuions were called, the originals being Sho't Meteor) and Magach appearance. The 1982 versions will require up armouring with Blazer armour in addition. Lots of work so I need some way of prefabricating parts - there's the turret stowage baskets as well, but that's another story.....