Jump to content

Takom FV432 converted to a FV436 Command Post


Recommended Posts

So chaps, the next build will be something that is very dear to me, Veh reg 09EA90 ( G3 Ops)  my old ride at 6th Armd Bde  Salamanca Barracks

in Soest West Germany. 

 

I signed for the detachment back in 1990 as a young Signaller barely just out of school, 09EA90 was straight out of base workshops after a major overhaul 

so it was basically a brand new wagon, the paint finish was immaculate ( sprayed black and green) , not a chip or scratch and all the kit was brand new first issue. (didn't stay like that for long) 

 

I'll be using the great Takom FV432 as the basis of this conversion which will be a in depth conversion. Most people wouldn't be able to tell a 432 and 436 apart 

from first glance but there are a bucket load of differences, the interior is the major headache as it filled with Radio kit. 09EA90 had a twin 353 Zulu fit along with a single 321 

and a SCRAT fit. We also had 3 Ptarmigan subsets and the Redbrick TAC IC system.   Adding to that I have to scratch build the new cage as the Takom cage is too small for a 436,

a 1500 w Onan gene set and add the various armoured boxes on the roof plus the Racal 8m masts and mounts. 

 

After the first Gulf War our Squadron started getting the GPMG to fit on the commanders cupola, the Infantry started getting the swearing removed LSW as a section weapon 

so us Signallers got the GPMGs that were surplus to the Infantry. We did still have the LMG (Bren) up until that point but no mounts to fix them to the cupola. 

 

The box shot 

 

40724265071_5b50c2b7bd_b.jpg

 

I need to find more of my photo's from the day but here are a few of 09EA90 

First photo is of the Forward Headquarters 6th Armd Bde,  09EA90 (G3 Ops )on the left,  centre is Radcon and the right hand side is one of the Ptarmigan Radio Relay wagon 

 

40724246521_bc8ab5d668_b.jpg

 

40681476702_230ebdeb2a_b.jpg

 

Stay tuned for more 

 

 

Dan 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 22
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, DAG058 said:

Ok Dan, you've really got my attention now! 

 

Don't forget the 1/35 scale Dungeons & Dragons set, and what ever other strange things you scaleys get up to on exercise! 

 

 

Dunno what books you been reading my lad , so far from the truth fella :o

 

The  Radio Relay  Operators  had 240 volt power so they took play stations, HiFi’s on exercise with them and microwave ovens, easy life,  normally found on remote hilltop 2 or 3 Klicks from our location and  generally sleeping after a good game on the Play Station and a good feed of microwave food , location easily found by the enemy as the sound of Dire Straits playing on the Kenwood Hifi would drift through the woods for miles.

 

The liney’s... what can be said about this group of extra special trade persons ... they love playing freckles and bum facing new guys ... enough said and best leave it there. 

 

The Tech  trades, expert at keeping clean in the field, got the most sleep on exercise and moaned far too much especially if we broke a Radio for them to fix, heaven forbid that ever happened and they had to leave the ERV, probably the the most un military looking  bunch in the Royal Signals TBH. Although possible candidates for playing D&D I must say.  Keep away from them on the Range at all costs, I was almost shot by a Cpl Tech on battle camp after he ND’d his weapon clearing it after a range practice, the round missed my head by inches :o 

 

The Electrician  Drivers just played cards all exercise and and swanned about until a gene broke down and then demanded a *yellow hand bag to fix it or they would report it, they were always very well turned out indeed, probably due to the lack of hard manual work. 

 

System Operators ...... cross between a Tech and an ED ( Electrian Driver) treat with caution and stay away from the SAS MC ( secondary access switch message center) their wagon, excellent at manicures and general beauty treatments. Foul language can be expected if they chip or break a nail in the line of duty.

 

The RTG ... (Radio Telegraphist ) cross between a System Op and Radio Relay Op , often found walking about showing his pay slip to non Tech trades and bragging about how much he has earnt as they are almost on Tech pay,  they also like to try and steal  the rebro jobs from us Radio Operators. 

 

 

 Us Radio Operators worked like dogs and made the Squadron look good on the whole, the back bone of the Corps in my opionion ;)

 

Spec Op trades were a complete group in their own right, taking Russian morse code and cracking the crypto code, interpreting it into English really takes its toll on these poor chaps, they deserve their own chapter.

 

One trade I never had much dealing with was the lesser spotted Tele Mech, they only served on RAF bases so I presume they love 5 Star hotels and gourmet food as much as the Crabs? 

 

The above is just a light hearted look at the Corps I served in, I’m sure I’ll get a ribbbing from the ex scaley’s on here that were not gods trade ;)

 

*Yellow hand bag is a crate of Herforder Pills Larger, also the standard fare if your 43 broke down on exercise to the Sqn LAD REME fitter section to get repaired or recovered.

  • Like 4
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dan,

you mentioned in your introduction that you still had the Bren, what did you think of it? I loved that gun on the ranges, as accurate as you could want an mg to be, maybe too accurate? The gimpy was pretty good too, just different.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, spaddad said:

Hi Dan,

you mentioned in your introduction that you still had the Bren, what did you think of it? I loved that gun on the ranges, as accurate as you could want an mg to be, maybe too accurate? The gimpy was pretty good too, just different.

 

I liked the LMG, it was such a great design and as you said very accurate. Ours I think were pretty warn out though, and bits regularly fell off them. I didn’t like the rather large case with the spare mags though, rather awkward to stow away in the back of a rather full 43. 

 

We were one of the last to get the SA80 I think it was 1993-4 before we handed over the SLR , SMG and the LMGs for the marvel of the new IW 5.56mm, I think it was universally hated by every member in the Squadron at the time of its introduction.

I would of preferred to keep my SLR and would of been happy to do so ;)

 

Ive cut plastic on the 43, pictures later but Takom must take the award for the biggest ejector pins in the history of modelling, some are in real awkward places and need cleaning up before anymore work starts. 

 

Cheers for the comments chaps 

 

Dan 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was out before the SA 80, but I liked the SLR. I can't help but think the SLR (& the LMG) would have been the biz in the wide open spaces of the various desert rumbles or the hills etc of Afghanistan.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello,

 

really nice project, really interesting to see this variation built by someone who's been there ;)

 

Your memory of service time are funny ... any corps has "kind" words for others B) Just imagine, I was in the infantry ... knee deep in the mud, we didn't have much respect for those who were clean and warm :D

 

Cheers, E

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Following with interest with notepad at the ready, I always enjoy projects where the builder has a personal connection with the subject - unfortunately I don't think there will be much interest in the WIP of a 1/35 scale replica of my desk though !

 

It sounds like you're planning the build the wagon's interior as well ?

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cheers chaps, I'm going to do as much of the interior as possible so the various radio fits 

and other Signals kit for the inside, it's going to take a huge amount of scratch building to get these small 

but important details done so please bare with :P

 

So onto the part clean up, the ejector pins could easily win an award for the biggest and most awkward placement, some are easy 

but the size of dinner plates and others are right in the detail and very hard to get at without destroying detail.

 

Exhaust is assembled and ready to go, its the only bits I've glued together so far.

 

26877987258_9c2feda49d_b.jpg

 

26877989808_14c9ba153a_b.jpg

 

40706201682_1e9a1a788d_b.jpg

 

26877995148_2b2f7d068d_b.jpg

 

26877992328_051b191e5c_b.jpg

 

More later folks 

 

 

Dan 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Etienne said:

Hello,

 

really nice project, really interesting to see this variation built by someone who's been there ;)

 

Your memory of service time are funny ... any corps has "kind" words for others B) Just imagine, I was in the infantry ... knee deep in the mud, we didn't have much respect for those who were clean and warm :D

 

Cheers, E

 

 

We used to take pity on the infantry platoon assigned to us for defence,  poor buggers sat in trenches and eating compo 

whilst we had a nice space heater in the complex, and a lot of fresh rations, they did take the wiz out of us and called us all sorts of names such as REMF 

and Bleep, but soon as the outside temps dropped to -8 that changed their attitude towards us, BV's are indeed the finest bit of kit the MOD paid for, almost constant hot brews 

and rations that's defrosted many a sour Infantryman ;) The Kero heater was also very good at making Kero toast :D add a little canned ration pack cheese and you have a winner.

 

Total respect for our infantryman, I wouldn't want to do it, I could of, but I didn't. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Dan,

 

Great to see you back again and an interesting nostalgic model to return with.

I always remember the "excitement" of getting a base overhauled vehicle back again, as you say so clean and new looking but........refurbished parts (indicated by a coloured dot, green if my memory serves me right) sometimes meant that it still came back knackered!!

 

Watching with interest as always

 

Nick

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cheers guys :D 

 

So after a while cleaning up a few parts, we have the basis of the drivers and commanders compartment, I must say Takom need a pat on the back 

for this, it's almost bang on and it's only missing detail is the 4 point drivers harness, easily sorted with lead foil. The drivers seat back rest to me doesn't look right to me 

almost like it's dropped onto the seat itself, again another easy job to sort out.

 

I'm going to make this into sub assemblies to ease painting so certain things will get a temp rub of CA glue just to tack them into place.

 

As you can see below the detail is really good, they have got the piano boards bang on, you can see the engine oil and gear box oil fillers, the hatch for the governor oil 

on the inside upright and even the brass plaque giving gear ratio and speed limitations to the right of it. 

 

Most of our wagons carried the piano boards in the cage for the most of the time in camp as these were a right royal pain in the butt to fix into place and with the reliability 

of some of the older tracks it was just easier to leave them out to carry out repairs. The silver paint used to paint the insides is worth a special mention, if you got a drop of oil or 

grease on the stuff it soften up nicely and stuck to anything that touched it. Most of our coveralls were olive silver rather than green :huh:

 

So far I'm liking the kit, shame about the clean up required on the parts to get a decent fit.

 

26898516528_e522754b34_b.jpg

 

26898514448_4c0128c8a4_b.jpg

 

26898512648_965b4d5bba_b.jpg

 

39873977215_749e70db94_b.jpg

 

 

 

Cheers for looking in 

 

 

Dan 

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drivers seat and tillers next, the instructions show the tillers to be off set, that is not correct for a parked 

432, they should be both level, if they are not then the steering box if royally chuffed and it should be VOR ( Vehicle Off Road ) 

until the REME inspect it and fleece a yellow hand bag out of the Det Commander for fixing it.

 

The headlight main beam button was also on the floor but I can't really remember its position, I think it was next to the accelerator pedal on the drive shaft tunnelling? 

 

The Tillers were like two handbrakes, they allowed you steer left and right by pulling back on the corresponding lever, to stop both would be pulled together and you would depress the buttons on the top 

of each lever to lock them, there was no foot brake.  There was a deadmans pedal but that only switched off the fuel pump so it wasn't instant ... ask me how I know :D Apart from a steering box failure the runaway pack was the second most feared 

failure, the engine revs would just keep on increasing until, A :- you hit something big enough to stop you or B:-  The engine power pack popped and blew up, both not nice and I've had both. the Steering box failure is just that, no steering or brakes, really sends ones Ring into overdrive and concentrates the mind as you don't really know where you are going to end up. 

 

Oh and they are not officially called Tillers, the DMI's ( Driver Maintenance Instructors ) would throw a track if you called them that, they are Steering Levers :D so you all have been told !

There was more batteries under the drivers seat which Takom have left out and the commander floor plate was hinged to the back of the drivers seat but I'll forgive them for that as you wont really see it in situ.

 

 

 

40060598504_8b33c3e4d2_b.jpg

 

40060602384_0417918181_b.jpg

 

More later 

 

Dan 

  • Like 9
Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, ivan-o said:

Have you tried to put the seat in yet? it is a VERY tight fit i had to shave the bottom runner to get mine in.

 

I've seen that it's really tight, it binds on the padding in the drivers compartment much like the real thing, I'll chisel out some of the padding 

with a micro chisel, but cheer for pointing that out :yes:

 

The seat back is fine, just my faded memory :huh: I'll need to add a few more bars though.

 

26900959938_e02a71d53e_b.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Hi Dan I thought the dip switch was on the left of the steering levers with the dead man between the levers and throttle pedals. I may well be wrong on that though as its several years since I last was in a 430.

That interior does look great as is with paint it will really pop

 

      Roger

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Consider this followed :popcorn: , I've recently picked up this kit (and its Bulldog brother) I know what you mean about the ejector pins  although to be fair to Takom a lot of them are placed where they'll be hidden from view.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...