Bren Gun Carrier

[johnnyboy]

I am about to dip my toe into the world of AFV and I want to start with a small diorama featuring this famous little carrier. I want to make a version used by the BEF in the days leading up to Dunkirk so where to start? Apart from a very expensive all metal model and resin kit it seems the only other model in 1/35 is Tamiya's version, I have a question about this model as from what I have found on line about this model is that it is a good model for it age but it is let down by its early style of track, I have not able to find any after-market replacements for this part and in fact I have only found one set of PE for this kit in general so have I missed anything else that I could get to improve this kit and convert into to a Mk1?

[JackG]

The reviewer here states they used Model Kasten tracks.

review

regards,

Jack

[TheModeller]

I am about to dip my toe into the world of AFV and I want to start with a small diorama featuring this famous little carrier. I want to make a version used by the BEF in the days leading up to Dunkirk so where to start? Apart from a very expensive all metal model and resin kit it seems the only other model in 1/35 is Tamiya's version, I have a question about this model as from what I have found on line about this model is that it is a good model for it age but it is let down by its early style of track, I have not able to find any after-market replacements for this part and in fact I have only found one set of PE for this kit in general so have I missed anything else that I could get to improve this kit and convert into to a Mk1?

Resicast do a conversion on the Tamiya kit to make a Universal Carrier Mk.I, not cheap but very complete and accurate.

Of course that doesn't get you a 'Bren Carrier' as such, the name was commonly used for most of the carriers but a true BEF-era Bren Carrier is a very different animal to the UC Mk.I

It depends on how much you want to do yourself, most people say the Tamiya kit upper structure is too thick and needs to be replaced, I tend to agree, its quite an old kit nowadays, if you are going to contemplate doing that then rebuilding a Bren Carrier superstructure onto the Tamiya lower hull wouldn't be too hard, then you'll need to equip it and kit it out to suit your references.

I've done similar projects with the 1/48th Tamiya UC kit.

[rickshaw]

Errr, were Universal Carriers in use in France/Belgium 1940? I was under the impression that Bren and Scout Carriers (two very different, earlier versions of the Carrier) were in use there. The Bren and Scout carriers looked similar to the Universal Carrier but lack armour along one side (the Bren IIRC on the right and the Scout IIRC on the left). I'd check your sources and if possible find a picture of the Universal Carrier in use in that theatre before deciding to build one there. Now, if you were contemplating the Western Desert, then you'd be OK.

[Mike Starmer]

I think that very Universal carriers were ever sent to France. The Bren, Scout and Cavalry carriers certainly were. In case you did not know, the Cavalry version had a side facing bench seats on each side with the backs towards the engine box. The occupants had a metal meshed frame hung from the trackguards to prevent their legs from entanglement with the tracks. This was another bright idea of the over optimistic chair-borne Army Council members that was intended to follow the Light Tanks of the recce forces and collect the un-horsed troops when their mounts broke down or got shot up.

[eaglesixfive]

As pointed out above, the Tamiya kit is a MkII so is unsuitable without a MkI conversion kit. ref: Universal Carrier Mk.I/II Military Vehicle Workshop Series MV-12. Allied Command Publications

What about one of these Johnnyboy: here

[OzH]

This might be of some use...