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'Desert Rendevous, Libya 1942.' Finished 26/3


DaveJL

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Hello all,

 

Here is a side project to my current (and next) aircraft builds - A 1/35 diorama with a SAS jeep and LRDG Chevrolet truck. 

 

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Two classic Tamiya kits, ones which i've built in the past. These will be OOB with a few additions from the spares:

 

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Been wanting to do this for a while as these old Tamiya kits remind me of my youth. I've always been interested in the history of the SAS and LRDG but only recently have I read up in more detail about the units during the Second World War.

 

Looking forward to it!

 

Dave

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Just done something similar myself. it's in the RFI Dioramas under 'Ruddy sand-nav.' Just a simple no frills thing. The Masterbox figures in the LRDG kit are really good. Just keep an eye on where the sandal straps are on one of the standing figures. The Arab style headgear may need a very thin amount of filler along one of the joins but this can easily be done and disguised as another fold. Above all just have fun.

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Thanks chaps.

 

24 minutes ago, Darby said:

Just done something similar myself. it's in the RFI Dioramas under 'Ruddy sand-nav.' Just a simple no frills thing. The Masterbox figures in the LRDG kit are really good. Just keep an eye on where the sandal straps are on one of the standing figures. The Arab style headgear may need a very thin amount of filler along one of the joins but this can easily be done and disguised as another fold. Above all just have fun.

 

Nice diorama Darby! I don't plan to use all the figures, maybe 4-5 max. What colour did you use for the camouflage on the Chevy?

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If I remember rightly it was Tamiya Dark Yellow and Tamiya light blue. I'm not at home at present so can't cross check the colours.

EDIT: I used Tamiya Buff as a light overspray fro the dust weathering.

Edited by Darby
forgot to add.
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Made a start today. A few hours and the jeep is pretty much built up:

 

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I've made some jerry can racks on the rear load bed from some bits I found in the spares. Built up the aforementioned Jerry cans and separated all the kit which will be going on:

 

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Some 'captured' German kit:

 

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Some of this will be going on the Chevy. Speaking of which, the chassis has been built up:

 

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More soon.

 

Dave

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Don't forget that the SAS Jeep kit and the fuel can set both still have the awful old "2 handle" Tamiya Jerrycans of that (early 80's) vintage, which are also somewhat too thin and completely missing the prominent centre seam flange on the German type as well as missing the centre handle on both types.  You'll really need to replace them with something better.  You can just about use the German ones at a pinch by sandwiching with 10 thou card sanded to match the outline to make the seam, but you'll need to find triple handles from somewhere and new filler caps for the US cans.  Everyone else apart from Tamiya has managed to get the handles right, and Tamiya have subsequently caught up.  Tasca plastic can sets are good, likewise Bronco: there are many resin options too.  LRDG made more use of the disposable square 4-gallon "flimsy" cans rather than jerrycans they had to haul back.  Several resin choices here: I'd go for Panzer Art, who also do 2 gallon cans and several species of jerrycan as well as some appropriate British ammo boxes and crates.

 

The vinyl tyres in the LRDG kit will eventually react with the plastic wheels and make them go soft.  Resin replacements are available.  DEF, Blitz, TWS and Resicast do the usual diamond tread.  The DEF ones are really nice, TWS probably best avoided.  Panzer Art do a couple of types, but not the most common pattern.

 

Tamiya goofed with the M2 Browning for the Jeep.  They just recycled their standard M2, whereas SAS exclusively used the AN/M2 aircraft gun with the full length perforated barrel jacket and higher cyclic rate.  You could use one from an Academy US MG set if you prefer plastic.  The Tasca plastic Brownings are nice and there are several resin options, but all still with the wrong barrel.  Master do that barrel in brass.  By the time LRDG got the Chevy 1533X2 truck very few, if any, would have carried the Boys AT rifle as the box art shows. It was known to be useless by then, and the concept of the large calibre Anti-Materiel Rifle wouldn't re-surface until Vietnam.  A Lewis Gun (still included in the kit?) or a water-cooled Vickers would be more typical in the back.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Been watching a documentary on iPlayer for some further research (Thanks for the heads up Darby!) Some books I've been reading too:

 

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And a mural, I think you may find interesting, in mine, and Paddy Maines', hometown:

 

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I took the above picture a few years ago for a university project. A bit different to the types of murals you normally see in this country :lol:

 

Dave

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The SAS Jeep was the first kit I ever built, back in 78 I think, and the LRDG Chevy followed a year or so later. The Chevy didn't come with all those figures back then, just a gunner and driver I believe. Since joining BM I've seen several of these kits being built and am sorely tempted to follow suit. I don't know about you but I have a very strong urge to revisit all those models I built (or dreamed of buying) back in my youth, before I explore the newer kits.

 

I look forward to seeing what you do diorama-wise. It would be nice to see something a bit different from the normal barren sandscape. What do you have in mind?

 

Rearguards

Badder

 

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Like you these kits remind me of my youth and are a nice change from modern fast jets.

 

2 minutes ago, Badder said:

I look forward to seeing what you do diorama-wise. It would be nice to see something a bit different from the normal barren sandscape. What do you have in mind?

 

 

 

Unfortunately will be pretty barren!

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32 minutes ago, DaveJL said:

Like you these kits remind me of my youth and are a nice change from modern fast jets.

 

 

Unfortunately will be pretty barren!

Oh well. Maybe just a well? :)

 

I will be following progress with interest nevertheless.

Rearguards,

Badder

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6 hours ago, DaveJL said:

Been watching a documentary on iPlayer for some further research (Thanks for the heads up Darby!) Some books I've been reading too:

 

IMG_2563_zpslrgpb4us.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice start Dave, just finished reading the Rogue Heroes, great read, not got the other is the book just as good?

 

Regards

Richard

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16 hours ago, Ripaman said:

 

Nice start Dave, just finished reading the Rogue Heroes, great read, not got the other is the book just as good?

 

Regards

Richard

 

Yes Richard it's a good read, especially for the likes of me from the same town as Col Mayne.

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