CONVERSION: Crusader AA fitted for wading

CRUSADER AA TANK

Another of the ‘waders’ I’ve completed for the Sword 80 game in June is a Crusader AA tank. This being a conversion of a resin Raventhorpe 20mm ‘Ready to Roll’ model.

Developed by Morris Motors and armed with a pair of Oerlikon 20mm AA guns housed in an armoured turret, the Crusader III AA MK II prototype appeared in the summer of 1943. The tank had a crew of four and carried 600 rounds of ammunition, some of which was stored in ready to use 60-round magazines.

Due to allied air superiority (or should that be supremacy?) very few of the Crusader AA tanks saw action either during D-Day or the subsequent Normandy campaign. However, I wasn’t going to let that stop me building one into the British force for Sword 80!

CONVERSION

While I have an IBG model of this tank (and the 40mm Bofors version) in the stash, I decided to convert a resin Raventhorpe model into a wading version. Mainly to save the build time as there are 80+ vehicles I’m building and converting! The IBG models will be useful for a later project…

First step was to measure and cut some styrene sheet to form the wading stack, and then create a lip around the top outer edge with thin styrene strip. Once this was glued, I attached to the rear of the tank. I’ve then added some waterproofing to the gun area as seen on period photographs, by using Vallejo plastic putty. This has to be the simplest conversion to add wading gear I’ve attempted so far.

PAINT SCHEME

As with all of my vehicles for Normandy I’ve followed the paint scheme as mentioned in this earlier post. Here are some ‘work in progress’ shots.

DECALS

These are a mix of Dan Taylor Modelworks and from the decals box, and I’ve gone for a rather generic 27th Armoured Brigade tank rather than attempt to model a specific vehicle.

So there we have a further wading vehicle to hit the beach in June. Next up I’ll post a Crusader Gun Tractor fitted for wading, and then follow with a pair of Priest self propelled guns – in between painting the remaining 15 carriers and Shermans!

Featured photo credit

Crusader AA Mk III (nicknamed “Allahkeef”) belonging to the 22nd Armored Brigade HQ, 7th (GB) Armored Division, landing from an LST on Gold Beach on June 7, 1944. Photo: IWM B 5129