PhilHendry

It might be worth persuading AA to release the wheels seperately.

I'm really looking forward to this. I've been wanting a plastic kit of it in 1/35 ever since it first appeared in photos... It's such a beast of a thing!

They do indeed, and it fits a treat.

I dunno about the 'tank', but the character with the umbrella isn't Frost - rather it is Major Digby Tatham-Warter - who was famed for carrying an umbrella in battle - he said he carried it because he could never remember the password, and "only a bloody fool of an Englishman" would carry an umbrella into battle.

Potentially great news, and good on them for taking the job on - the Tamiya kit is a bit limited in possible applications. Plenty of 'options' for cross-kitting between the two, and for the after-market guys to make add-ons - wide tracks for one thing. It certainly opens up the possibilities. The hull types are useful too - type D (or E?) on the IV, and type F on the VI, add to the possibilities. Presumably, it wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to convert the Tyoe D/E to a welded hull variant either. Is it just my imagination, or are the sprocket and/or idler mounted slightly too low - there doesn't seem to be quite enough sag in the top run of track? Something about the geometry in that area looks a teeny bit 'off' to my eye anyway.

Great job - love the setting.

That’s brilliant. Hard to believe it’s not 1:35.

Looks impressive!

Great job!

Thanks! Yes, you’re right - the body appears to be steel too, rather than made of wooden planks, and has that grab handle on top - all of which rather gives away that it’s not a Scammell - how did I fail to spot that? Anyway, that in itself is interesting, as it shows that there was a diversity of towing vehicles for that trailer besides gantry lorries and the Scammell. I don’t recall having seen a Diamond T with that style of jib (which right now doesn’t mean anything, given my memory and that I’m away from my library), though the Mack LMSW definitely had it, though there were also twin-boom Macks too.

Being in possession of the Thunder Models SV/2S and Resicast Light Recovery Trailer, I am pondering the idea of making a combination roughly like those shown in the photos below: Once upon a time, before I lost all my marbles, I’m sure I had a series of tables showing me the equipment held by various RAOC and/or REME Light Aid Detachments, Workshops, and suchlike - which would have furnished me with sufficient information to make a decent stab at deciding on a set of markings for such a combination. Alas, though, my marbles have rolled away, and though I can find the kits and all the bits, the information is eluding me. Does anyone have details of where in the army’s organisation, during WW2, such a combination might have been found please? Once I’ve got that, I can sort out the markings pretty readily. (from at least 30/12/42, in 1st Army, 88 on black was the AOS for the senior infantry brigade workshop - later 88 on red, yellow, blue) Thanks, Phil

Thanks for all the kind compliments guys!

It's a seriously impressive scene - great modeling, great eye for detail... And yet, unlike some dioramas, it's not 'overdone'.

That's a seriously impressive model. So well finished too.

Thanks!

Great looking model - and the muddy groundwork is really well done.

Well, I think I might have finished this. I could add some (a lot of?) damp mud to the lower hull, suspension, and tracks, and some rain-staining to the upper surfaces, but right now, I'm fairly happy with it 'as is'. It needs a figure, because otherwise the diminutive size isn't apparent, but I don't like the poses of the kit figures. I think I've seen the figure I want to use (with a bit of green-stuff to mod one or two areas), but haven't purchased it yet.

It really is very well done indeed. It has exactly the right 'feel' about it.

Thanks! It’s coming on. Hoping to finish the weathering over the next couple of days - if only the weather would cool down a little bit; it’s just about unbearable right now and I don’t feel much like modelling, though it’s a good excuse to hide from the sun.

It's far too hot for modelling today. Progress so far, before last night's spectacular thunderstorms:

Thank you - useful advice!

That's superb!

Thank you! Interior colours - I just hunted around the www for modern photos of original No.18 wireless sets, and the other stuff, well, after nearly fifty years of modelling, and bookshelves everywhere full of books on AFVs, I just sort of know. To be honest, I try not to get too hung-up on absolute authenticity - near enough is good enough, life’s too short, and all that!

A bit of progress - some stowage, and the census number (repeated on the back), made up from Archer dry transfers. Not a big fan of dry transfers - I don't often seem to 'succeed' with them, but today they went fine. Hopefully, sometime this evening, I'll get the rest of the decals on. Then it'll be on to final assembly and weathering. And a shot of the interior, now that the gun and stuff are fitted:

It’s a pity the Achilles is missing the driver’s compartment fixtures and fittings... Though I suspect they aren’t really visible unless you leave the hatches open anyway?