Australian Churchill MkVIII in Korea

[buzzbomb]

During the Korean War, the Australian Army contingent took zero Armoured vehicles.
At that time the Churchill was equipping the Armoured Regiment, with other WW2 era tanks such as the Grant. It would appear that the powers to be considered the Churchill unsuitable for Korea.
The Brits thought otherwise and took some Churchill Crocodiles, which appeared to mostly perform as gun tanks. There is of course the Churchill climbing ability, which was an asset in Italy, why not Korea ?

So.. what if the Australians did send some Churchills to Korea, including the Mk VIII version of which Australia received some including the the Crocodile version



A long stalled shelf queen of the Tamiya Churchill Crocodile will be the base for this build



Add in a bit of 95mm Close Support business, ex a Tamiya Centaur


So a bit of move backwards to get where we are now, by firstly fetching out some left over turret builds from the spares box


The easiest way is to just use the standard Tamiya Mk VII Turret and ignore the fact that the Mk VIII turret roof was a bit higher and the turret a smidge longer.

Ok tried to ignore that... and failed.  So the modified turret with the extra 4 odd inches added to the length and the roof a bit flatter and the mantlet opening squared off to accommodate the 95mm weapon.


Bog it up and see how it looks after the sanding once it cures.

[Gondor]

It looks good so far 

[Wardukw]

I'm a Churchill fan so I'm enjoying this Brian mate 😉 👍 

[Dizzyfugu]

Cool, I like that. 

[Jakko]

Nice

[buzzbomb]

Most of the turret work done
Some great info here 95mm Howitzer Churchills
Scratched up a new 95mm gun barrel, to fit better in the Tamiya mantlet bits.
Textured up the turret after the mods and various bits from the spares from AFV Club bits and old Resicast bits, like the turret bin, which , of course, was a different design for the Mk VIII, but rereading the above article, need to add another ventilator



Added some Hydran type post war smoke launchers, to give a point of difference, they were fitted to vehicles from 1946 onwards, with some conjecture that some were fitted very late WWII. I figured that once the Australians saw the Centurions, which were next on the list, they need to have some too on their in theater vehicles.
Either by indenting for some as a trial in an operation area or perhaps some interunit re-allocation of stores 

[Rick Lowe]

"Lost in the post, honest, Sarge!"

[Joe C-P]

I love the Crocodiles, too.  I did wonder at the utility of the hull MG, hidden away in the forward "valley" with almost no line of sight.
My wife watches M*A*S*H almost every day, plus my father served off North Korea right after the Police Action, so it is of interest.

[Jakko]

The hull machine gun on a Churchill was not really any more limited than on most other tanks. None of them had a wide traverse range, so it being set back between the front horns of the tank on the Churchill made little difference, I would think.

[buzzbomb]

So this is just about it.
Updated the old Tamiya 4 2 Gallon cans with more accurate types and switched out the single Jerry Can holder for a triple installation

Final Turret mods, second extractor and stowage



Finally, decided to put on a flexible Bren as a utility MG on a turret mount on the commander Cupola, the Bren I have will probably change as it is a Universal Carrier mount and this will need some vertical axis


To the paintshop !

[Jakko]

4 Gallon cans

2-gallon cans The 4-gallon ones, AKA "flimsies", were square when viewed from above.

[Gondor]

4 Gallon cans

2-gallon cans The 4-gallon ones, AKA "flimsies", were square when viewed from above.

Which are on the left rear bumper.

[buzzbomb]

4 Gallon cans

2-gallon cans The 4-gallon ones, AKA "flimsies", were square when viewed from above.

Yeah its a typo...
I will fix it henceforth

What Jakko has corrected me on is the difference between the 2 gallon small can on the left over the 4 gallon cans in the middle. With the "jerry can" which largely replace all of them.


Again, I will try to do better

[Weaver]

Nice project! 

Odd decision not to take Churchills to Korea. It's hilly as hell, so I'd have thought they'd be right at home shinning up mountains there.

Mind you, I wouldn't want to take on T-34/85 with one when I got down the other side...

[Jakko]

Which are on the left rear bumper.

The 2-gallon cans are, yes. Not the 4-gallon ones, which wouldn't fit in the standard Churchill rack there.

Yeah its a typo...

I pointed it out mainly because a lot of people can't tell them apart, whereas you do appear to know the difference and just confused them

the 4 gallon cans in the middle.

I'm not an expert on these either, but I think the second can from the left is a British 4-gallon "flimsy" can while the third from left, with the plain sides, is an American one.