Revell/BlackDog Cromwell Mk. IV with Hessian tape camouflage in 1/72 scale

Oh, you look surprised! Now close your mouth again and realize that even I build Allied armour from time to time. Not in 1/35 scale, but in 1/72 scale! I built the Revell kit the first time when it was new many years ago, then the kit disappeared again. I´m very happy that Revell brought it back again. In combination with the BlackDog resin conversion set you are even able to build such a tank with the famous Hessian tape camouflage. This was a tempting idea i could not resist. Both kits are superb, highly recommended! Even beginners will have plenty of fun with these. I painted the model with acrylic paints from Revell. For weathering i uesd oil washes and MIG pigments. I realized that weathering a small scale tank model is a bit different from larger scale ones i usually do. You have to work a bit more subtle, because it is much easier to overdo the effect. "Hessian Tape" was a type of netting which was very popular with Commonwealth armies during W.W.II. It differs from ordinary netting, such as that used by the Germans in that it has attached to it many strips of material which hang down looking like strips of tape. Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M), and the related Centaur (A27L) tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second World War. The Cromwell tank, named after the English Civil War leader Oliver Cromwell, was the first tank put into service by the British to combine a dual-purpose gun, high speed from the powerful and reliable Meteor engine, and reasonable armour, all in one balanced package. Its design formed the basis of the Comet tank. The Cromwell and Centaur differed in the engine used. While the Centaur had the Liberty engine of the predecessor cruiser tank, the Crusader (and the interim A24 Cavalier), the Cromwell had the significantly more powerful Meteor. Apart from the engine and associated transmission differences, the two tanks were effectively the same and many Centaurs built were given the Meteor to make them Cromwells. The Cromwell first saw action in the Battle of Normandy in June 1944. The tank equipped the armoured reconnaissance regiments, of the Royal Armoured Corps, within the 7th, 11th, and Guards Armoured Divisions. While the armoured regiments of the latter two divisions were equipped with M4 Shermans, the armoured regiments of the 7th Armoured Division were fully equipped with Cromwell tanks. The Centaurs were not generally used for combat except for those fitted with a 95mm Howitzer which were used in support of the Royal Marines during the invasion of Normandy. (Wikipedia) I don´t own the rights for the music in this video. Music: "Main theme" from the game "Company of Heroes"