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Austin K2 Ambulance


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"I'm going to get Katy to Alex if it kills me. It's personal, see."



DSC_0721large.jpg

This is my Jubilee Weekend build to mark the fall of Tobruk to Rommel's Gazala offensive 70 years ago this month.

DSC_0719.jpg

It's the Airfix 1/76 Emergency Set ambulance, painted to represent a Western Desert based example. It is also as near as I could get to the star of one of my favourite films, Ice Cold In Alex.



IWM%20(E%2013327).jpg
An Allied Casualty Station in the Desert © Crown copyright.IWM (E 13327)

The ambulance in the film was in fact several different ambulances - for most close-in shots a genuine K2 is used, but for many of the desert scenes, the vehicle used is actually an Austin K2 body on top of a rather more mobile 4x4 Canadian Army truck, clearly evident by the live front axle differential casing that can be seen in many shots, plus the rather larger wheels.

DSC_0716a.jpg

The diorama base and palm tree come from an old Matchbox kit of the Sd Kfz 124 Wespe - which it seems didn't enter service until 1943, so never actually served in the desert - well done Matchbox!

DSC_0721.jpg

Coincidentally, HM the Queen (as HRH Princess Elizabeth) also served in the ATS as an Austin K2 Ambulance driver during WW2, making this a doubly ideal build for the Jubilee weekend.

IWM%20(TR%202832).jpg
© Crown copyright. IWM (TR 2832)

Fred T ;)

Edited by gengriz
Fleeing from Photobucket
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Hi Fred

Like the build a lot !!!!!!!!!!!! Have done a few of these in my youth and have one or three in my stash to be done some time never !!!!!!!!!!! They are nice wee kits of a nice truck !!!!!!!!!!!!

Never realised about the film Katy being something other than a K2 through the whole film !!!!!!

Nige

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"I'm going to get Katy to Alex if it kills me. It's personal, see."



DSC_0721large.jpg

This is my Jubilee Weekend build to mark the fall of Tobruk to Rommel's Gazala offensive 70 years ago this month.

DSC_0716a.jpg

It's the Airfix 1/76 Emergency Set ambulance, painted to represent a Western Desert based example. It is also as near as I could get to the star of one of my favourite films, Ice Cold In Alex.



IWM%20(E%2013327).jpg

An Allied Casualty Station in the Desert © Crown copyright.IWM (E 13327)

The ambulance in the film was in fact several different ambulances - for most close-in shots a genuine K2 is used, but for many of the desert scenes, the vehicle used is actually an Austin K2 body on top of a rather more mobile 4x4 Canadian Army truck, clearly evident by the live front axle differential casing that can be seen in many shots, plus the rather larger wheels.

DSC_0719.jpg

The diorama base and palm tree come from an old Matchbox kit of the Sd Kfz 124 Wespe - which it seems didn't enter service until 1943, so never actually served in the desert - well done Matchbox!

DSC_0721.jpg

Coincidentally, HM the Queen (as HRH Princess Elizabeth) also served in the ATS as an Austin K2 Ambulance driver during WW2, making this a doubly ideal build for the Jubilee weekend.

IWM%20(TR%202832).jpg

© Crown copyright. IWM (TR 2832)

Fred T ;)

Hi Fred,

cracking Katie build there!!! :closedeyes: However if you'd like to get up close and personal with one of the stars of the film, I work for the East Midlands Ambulance Service who have an ambulance preservation group that own one of the K2's used in the film. If I'm right, there's a photo on the EMAS website.

Regards Adrian.

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My late Father was in Ice Cold in Alex he was in RAMC in Libya at time off filming. He played an extra as Afrika Korps.

I have great Photos from the filming with Him and the Late Sir John Mills, I must get from My Mothers House and Post them.

I have seen this Film 1000`s of times, And the part in Film when they buried the Nurse and an "American Half Track" comes over the Hill full of Afrika Korps, He is one of the soldiers who jumps out the half track, Waving his Karabiner menacingly!!

He gets other bit parts here and there in the Film.

I also have a great Photo of him in Uniform of Afrika Korps from Film which caused quite a stir at Primary School on Bring in your Familys War momentos, And i proudly told them that the Afrika Korp soldier in the picture was my Father!!

Katie was in a way my first Love! And when they wind her uphill it is a classic piece of cinema that will always stay with me.

Sadly he passed away last year, But I always have this Film to remind me of Him and his Film Star Time doing his National Service.

I hope to share the Photos soon as they have never been seen.

Great Model and Great Memories.

Ooh just remebered i think they had 3 Katies for the Filming. :)

Also being a Medic it was My Father who told Director J. Lee Thompson that Captain van der Poel (Anthony Quayle) must be eased out from under Katie when her Axle gives way and his Super Human strenght saves the day. As he had a serious Back Injury and would be treated as so.

Edited by TerryUK
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Hi,

For anyone contemplating a similar build I highly recommend the wee friends metal wheels and axles. Lovely castings and only a couple of £s.

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Great build and write up story.

I have that film and have watched it many times, will look out Terry for your late father next time I watch it.

I was lucky to be an extra in two films, one was L of Arabia, but thats another story. :rolleyes:

Have used the Airfix Austin many times for conversion to Bedford lorries, its a fine kit.

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Nice one!

Regards

Pete

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  • 1 month later...

As promised... This is my Late father on the Film Set of Ice Cold In Alex with The Late Sir John Mills (Captain Anson) It was shot in Libya in 1958. My Father must have been warm in his Army Shirt and Jumper in the middle of The Sahara Desert!!

The Photo is staged as RAMC extras who were in the film got a photo with Sir John Mills and other Stars of the film! I can`t remember what they were saying to each other in the photo sadly. But recall it was funny!!

Sadly one of my Brothers has the photo of my Dad in Afrika Corps Uniform as an extra in Ice Cold In Alex in Australia.

Thanks to Gengriz for the memorys with his Austin K2 Ambulance Build. I am now the proud owner of this kit now also. I just hope i can do half the job he has on his. :)

Regards

Terry

IceColdinAlex.jpg

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Managed to pick up wee friends metal wheels and axles from E-Bay for much cheapness :) Thanks to Badger for the heads up or i would have missed these. Cant wait to get started on my K2 when they arrive.

Edited by TerryUK
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  • 1 year later...

Hi Fred,

cracking Katie build there!!! http://www2.britmodeller.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/closedeyes.gif However if you'd like to get up close and personal with one of the stars of the film, I work for the East Midlands Ambulance Service who have an ambulance preservation group that own one of the K2's used in the film. If I'm right, there's a photo on the EMAS website.

Regards Adrian.

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