bootneck

Hi David, keep it all together, carrier and aircraft; so that we can go to one thread and continue following this glorious (actually Victorious ) build. All the best, Mike

Thanks darthspud; however, I have been informed that it isn't a British version as seen in the video. I won't be on the lookout for one. cheers, Mike

That makes you an international! Don't forget the guy from Singapore, who bought a few from you at Telford. It might have been Bernard Cher, of M Workshop, as he comes over for SMW. Mike

Thanks Kingsman. As John said, they're not the same vehicles so I won't bother following up on them. From what I have managed to find about postwar British softskins up to the late 1980s, such as the Bedford RL and MK family; Scammell transporters and recoveries; AEC Mandators and the like, only seem available in resin from Accurate Armour or Dartmoor Models. Nice that those are, they are way out of my budget. I started my 1:35 venture with Tamiya, Revell and Italeri Land Rovers and I may just have to end up staying with that theme. Thanks all for the advice. cheers, Mike

Thanks for that information John. I should imagine that none of the vehicles in that video have been produced in kit for then. I have only recently converted over from aircraft to vehicle modelling but am finding it very difficult to get postwar British softskin vehicles, except Land Rovers, in 1:35 scale kit form. It's as if the model producers think the British Army was disbanded from 1945 to 1990. Ah well, I'll make do with more Land Rovers. cheers, Mike

That's great, thank you for the link to Shapeways. I can see an eight wheel version [Revell 03044] which means that I can now go on a search for one. It is a left-hand drive version but that shouldn't be a big problem to scratchbuild the parts to make it a right-hand drive. cheers, Mike

I have just been watching this video, posted by @rayprit, of vehicles loading at Marchwood. Those views of vehicles has inspired me to get some 1:35 scale MAN kits but I don't know which variants are/where used by British forces. I can make out an eight-wheeler, were there any others? Can anyone advise of plastic kit suppliers of these types of kits in 1:35 scale? cheers, Mike

That's a great video, with lots of detail, especially to a newbie armour chap like me. Are all those definitely loading for the Ukraine? I noticed different types of MAN trucks, AA 96 AB; LW 41 AB; GY 90 AB; LE 30 AB, are there any kits of them available in 1:35 scale? Mike

It will be interesting to find out what serials they are. Just for interest at the Helicopter Museum where I volunteer in the Archives Office. Mike

It's still here, at the Helicopter Museum. The actual serial is XS486 [WA160] and was originally a Junglie of 848 NAS and also 707 NAS at Culdrose Back then the cab was in Sand and Spinach colours, being painted overall green with the rest of the squadrons around 1969. The cab was again transferred to 848 NAS, code WW, in 1976; after being repaired following a car accident*, and later was deployed to the Falklands on board RFA Regent in April 1982. After retirement it was transferred to RNAY Wroughton in 1986, then transferred to RNAS Lee on Solent in 1989, for use as a mobile recruiting exhibit, where it was repainted in the blue/grey and red SAR colours. This aircraft eventually came to the museum in May 2004. The Union flag was already painted before it arrived at the Helicopter Museum. * I remember this cab as, one early and dark morning in March 1971 at Culdrose, whilst being towed from 707's hangar; a tilly drove into it's port oleo causing it to fall over onto the tilly. I was driving a Land Rover some way behind the tilly, travelling from the control tower to 848 NAS's hangars at B Site. The wren driver was slightly hurt. The cab was recovered to RNAY Fleetlands for repair. EDIT: I forgot to mention how good your model is, wonderful in fact. cheers, Mike

Wonderful stuff Tony and I am following every aspect of your designs. I use Fusion but there is no way that I could achieve that level of detail which you are demonstrating. I really, really want to get better at it though, and I shall keep practicing. cheers, Mike

as we know it

Hi Tony, I work at the Helicopter Museum and I am going to show your images to the Restoration Team there. They could learn a thing or two from them!! Cheers, Mike

Hi John, yes, it seems to be the utility vehicles that had the plates and possibly for the reason you mention. I've only seen them on restored vehicles, although they were representing the correct era etc., but not sure when they would have been fitted. Perhaps they were bought, and fitted, by those utility companies that felt a need for them. cheers, Mike

Thanks Paul. Mike

I am in the process of building, modifying and converting Land Rover kits in 1:35 scale; however, there are a few areas that I am having difficulty with identifying: 1. Land Rover designated their pre-defender vehicles as 'series' but the military were designated as marks. When searching online, I see the vehicles either as series or marks but I cannot find a comparison match. Can anyone here please provide a list of which marks were allocated to the various series? It would certainly help me with identifying which version to build next etc. 2. I've seen some series II and III Land Rovers with tread plates on the panel tops, but only on photos of reconditioned vehicles at shows. Were tread plates fitted at the factory or as aftermarket editions. Also, when were these tread plates first introduced, could they be found on original series I versions for instance? cheers, Mike

Hello all, This will be the Royal Air Force version and I have managed to make up the pickup style cab for it, thanks again to @PeteH1969 for producing this item , I just need to construct some glazing for the curved rear windows and that part will be done. The bodywork for the rear section has been started and has been test fitted to the chassis. It seems OK so I shall continue to build up the other parts for it. Note the body and cab for the Royal Navy version in the top left corner of this photo. The bonnet for the Royal Navy version was black; however, I am not so sure on the Royal Air Force version. Can anyone confirm whether it was black or green? cheers, Mike

we're metric here now

not on my map

Did you mean I?

Reading that blurb from Aviation Megastore, it sounds more like Minicraft has stopped exporting to Aviation Store; as opposed to the implication that Minicraft are ceasing production. Mike

Thanks Pete, I want to do the green/yellow version as this type on the right, but not necessarily that actual vehicle: It has subtle differences on the chassis rear section, such as an angled cross frame, step and lighting; however, I don't know what the rest of that TACR1 looks like. I think I can just make out the vent on this one but not sure so I don't know whether to add the heater vent or leave it off. cheers, Mike

I have reached another query point. Some TACR1 Land Rovers have what looks like a vent, on the left front panel, whilst others like this one did not. In order for me to build the correct version, can anyone please advise me when/why these vents were fitted? Also, can anyone please point me to any green/yellow RAF TACR1 images? Apart from one in a museum, I am having difficulty identifying colours and marking for the green/yellow RAF version. cheers Mike

Hello Björn, I have this book on the Aquitania and I could scan some pages for you, if you want. Cheers, Mike

Hello Nick, here is a view of the flight deck layout for HMS Invincible in 1981. The only changes were the removal of the helo spots. Ignore the text in black, those are just for information and were not present on the actual deck. There is also a decent WiP build here. cheers, Mike