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I figured this old kit would fit in with this build and give me a chance to get it out of the stash. Time to see what I can do with it.

HUMVEE M1097A2 Cargo Carrier (35436) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle, shortened to HMMWV and referred to as the Humvee because it was easier and a lot faster to say in daily use, was designed to replace the original Jeep and its descendants with a standard chassis that could be adapted to many roles, cutting down on development costs, simplifying maintenance, and providing a familiar platform for the soldiers and drivers that would be hopping in and out of them. The project has its origins in the late 1970s, morphing through several design and project changes into the HMMWV that was given the task of replacing all the Jeep-like vehicles in the US inventory. It was to have a wide wheel-base that could follow the tracks of the Bradley AFV and Abrams MBT through minefields, be sufficiently armoured to withstand indirect fire and shell-splinters - a problem that reared its ugly head later in its career. It was also waterproofed to manage deep fording without stopping to rig any specialist equipment, and it had to have extremely competent off-road handling, both to keep the troops and their equipment comfortable, and to keep pace with the tracked vehicles that it accompanied. The AM General design won the contest, being found to be the most rugged and reliable of the offerings, and a huge contract for many thousands of vehicles was forthcoming, reaching 100,000 units of production by 1995. By then however, the vehicle’s short-coming were becoming evident, with a report stating that the average time between breakdown was only 370 miles, far below what we’ve come to expect from modern motor vehicles. They were a design intended for the previous war in many ways, and when the Gulf War began, their light armour led to casualties that were deemed unacceptable, resulting in upgrades to the armour with add-on packages such as armoured doors and top-turrets. These brought their own issues however, making it difficult for troops to enter and egress due to the door design, and the armour on the roof of the vehicle made it top-heavy and more prone to roll-over accidents. During the noughties moves were made to transition to Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that would protect the crews and were designed from outset to be much more survivable than the HUMVEE, but with additional work it continued to serve in the modern battlefield, ensuring that it was used according to its capabilities. Work-arounds have been created to ensure crews can escape crashed or damaged vehicles by adding D-rings to the doors so another vehicle can rip them out, and a window removal kit that could be utilised if no other vehicle was available, or incoming fire prevented outside assistance. A shipment of HUMVEEs has been sent to Ukraine to assist them in their fight against the invaders, where they will doubtless see extensive service, but in the longer term the US intends to replace the HUMVEE with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), which is a similar-looking vehicle, but one that has MRAP capabilities baked in, and more advanced comms equipment that will give the crews a tactical advantage on the battlefield. The Kit This is a new boxing of a brand-new tooling from ICM, who are based in Ukraine and now have impetus to have a model of a vehicle their own army are now using, and that works very well for the rest of us that want a well-detailed HUMVEE in 1:35 for our stash/cabinets/shelves. The kit arrives in a shallow top-opening box with ICM’s trademark captive inner flap on the lower tray, with a NATO camouflaged HUMVEE on the cover, parked in a rutted stretch of earth in front of a forest. Inside the box are six sprues in grey styrene, two clear sprues, a bag containing four flexible black tyres, a decal sheet, plus the instruction booklet that is printed in colour with a glossy cover, and has profiles of the decal options on the back pages. Detail is good, and is found on both sides of the body panels, showing off strengthening ribs and other structural shapes, although there are by necessity a few ejector-pin marks on the less prominent surfaces that are in open areas to make their removal more straight forward. New Sprue New Sprue Construction begins with the chassis, adding engine supports to both inner runners, then fitting a shaped tank to right inner rail, and the exhaust to the opposite rail on the inside. The engine is made from a two-part block that has a pair of four-port exhaust manifolds added underneath, with the sump and lower portion of the transmission installed below, followed up by a two-part transfer box to the rear, and the serpentine belts to the front. The assembly can then be lowered into the front of the chassis onto its supports, with a flat panel over the forward section, fitting a radiator hose to the front of the chassis, and the other half of the exhaust in the centre. The front axle is built with gaiters at each end of the drive-shafts, adding the axle tips, and the differential cover to the front, then creating the sub-frame that is made from two parts, mating it with the chassis and joining it to the transfer box by a long and surprisingly narrow drive-shaft. The rear axle is made in a similar manner, with the same style of sub-frame, attaching that to the rear with its own shorter drive-shaft, and fitting a pair of arms once it is in position. Each corner has a well-moulded two-part coil-over shock fitted from above, adding a steering linkage to the front axle, and two triangular carriers for the rear bumper, which is built from two layers, adding towing shackles and eyes before it is fixed into position along with a cross-member in the centre of the chassis, and another linkage to the front axle. The plate on top of the forward chassis now reveals its use as the base for the radiator, protecting it against shrapnel from the front and below. Three more protective parts are fitted to the back and sides with a fan moulded into the rear, then it’s time to put some wheels on your model, using the four flexible black tyres, and adding a hub surface to each side, slotting them in each corner to make your HUMVEE into a roller-skate. https://www.britmodeller.com/reviews/icm/35/35435-humvee.m1097a2/detail-bodyshell.jpg The bodywork begins with the firewall and its moulded-in windscreen frame, adding detail parts and painting various sections different colours depending on which scheme you intend to use, then adding a combined dashboard/transmission tunnel to the centre-left, and installing the two clear windscreen panes into the frame from behind. A scrap diagram shows that there are fourteen decals in total for this assembly, including dials, stencils and what look like nozzles for the heating/cooling system. An additional inverted W-shaped layer of framework is fixed to the interior of the windscreen, adding a neatly moulded steering wheel into the centre of the binnacle on the dash. Two cylindrical assemblies are made next, forming the air-cleaning box lying horizontal, and the coolant overflow tank sitting vertically against the diagonal section of the firewall on the engine side. A pair of windscreen wipers are attached to the top centre of the glazing panels, which are probably best either left off until later, or painted in advance of installing them. Going back to the cab side of the bulkhead, the ‘jug-ear’ wing mirrors are added into their protective frames, and each side has a sun visor fitted to the top, with a wiper motor glued vertically at the top of the centre frame, plus four more decals along the top frame. The floor is painted in two colours split between cab and passenger/load area, again differing between decal options, making a driver’s seat-base from two L-shaped parts and a top, the co-driver’s seat base formed from a single part, applying two decals to a small instrument panel set into the tunnel next to the driver. Two levers and a handbrake lever are installed nearby, mating the firewall/windscreen assembly to the front of the floor, and adding two T-shaped levers where they meet in the centre. The side panels are mounted either side of the floor after applying decals to the outside of the B-pillars that depends on the markings, making up two seat-backs from front and back, then sliding them onto supports at the rear of the cushions, locating them on the bases installed earlier, and putting two short divides behind each one, slotting into grooves in the B-pillars. The rear compartment has a pair of two-part bench seats added, mounting the rear and tailgate with extra parts on the top ends, to the back of the floor, after which the body can be mated with the chassis so that the bonnet/hood can be built. https://www.britmodeller.com/reviews/icm/35/35435-humvee.m1097a2/detail-radiator.jpg The bonnet panel has two oval holes next to the cut-out for the louvre panel, which a pair of large lifting eyes push through from underneath, adding shallow arches to the sides, then making the grille from the exterior with a mesh backing that depicts the radiator, plus two clear headlight lenses, then inserting it into the square cut-out in the front of the bonnet, adding the louvre panel, blackout driving light on the left, and combined indicator/blackout marker light on both corners. The front bumper is short but sturdy, with two types of towing eye fitted to each side plus two more on the rear, installing it and the bonnet assembly to the front of the chassis, giving your model a ‘face’. The shallow rear doors have raised sides moulded-in, and are fitted behind the B-pillars, with a pair of covers over the footwell to increase load space, adding another shallow full-width divider behind the crew seats, a rear bulkhead to separate the crew cab with an extra strengthening hoop and a small window, sliding into place and adding a roof between it and the windscreen. The front doors have frames for their windows, which are separate clear parts, completed by adding handles to both sides and fitting them in place open, closed, or somewhere in-between. The last two parts are two slatted panels that are mounted over the bench seats horizontally, or vertically if you prefer, as illustrated in the two drawings that follow the last instruction step. Markings There are two colour choices for this cargo HUMVEE variant, one in NATO European camouflage, the other in desert colours, both serving during the 2000s. From the box you can build one of the following: US Army, 2000s US Army (Desert Camo), 2000s Decals are by ICM’s usual partners, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion This cargo HUMVEE is the second of a line of many variants by the looks of things, with a little more height and detail in the cargo bed to add interest to the model. The detail is good, the construction simple, and the end result should be well-worth the effort with some care, some glue and a little paint. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

I know I only have two weeks, and the decals aren't here yet, but since I built a boat and plane, I figure I would add this one, even if I run out of time. Plus, a good friend of mince who passed away last year was a SeaBee in Viet Nam. Good old Mike...🥲 And I quote "...ANY Equipment on land or sea used in direct support of the Navy." Not sure which profile I'll use, but it will definitely be one of the 'blue' ones. Probably battleship grey, actually. What do you all think? --John

Fun little extra kit that came with a P-51 Mustang. My first time using weathering pencils for dirt and mud, they're really fun 🙂

HUMVEE M1097A2 (35435) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, shortened to HMMWV and referred to as the Humvee because it was easier and a lot faster to say in daily use, was designed to replace the original Jeep and its descendants with a standard chassis that could be adapted to many roles, cutting down on development costs, simplifying maintenance, and providing a familiar platform for the soldiers and drivers that would be hopping in and out of them. The project has its origins in the late 1970s, morphing through several design and project changes into the HMMWV that was given the task of replacing all the Jeep-like vehicles in the US inventory. It was to have a wide wheel-base that could follow the tracks of the Bradley AFV and Abrams MBT through minefields, be sufficiently armoured to withstand indirect fire and shell-splinters - a problem that reared its ugly head later in its career. It was also waterproofed to manage deep fording without stopping to rig any specialist equipment, and it had to have extremely competent off-road handling, both to keep the troops and their equipment comfortable, and to keep pace with the tracked vehicles that it accompanied. The AM General design won the contest, being found to be the most rugged and reliable of the offerings, and a huge contract for many thousands of vehicles was forthcoming, reaching 100,000 units of production by 1995. By then however, the vehicle’s short-coming were becoming evident, with a report stating that the average time between breakdown was only 370 miles, far below what we’ve come to expect from modern motor vehicles. They were a design intended for the previous war in many ways, and when the Gulf War began, their light armour led to casualties that were deemed unacceptable, resulting in upgrades to the armour with add-on packages such as armoured doors and top-turrets. These brought their own issues however, making it difficult for troops to enter and egress due to the door design, and the armour on the roof of the vehicle made it top-heavy and more prone to roll-over accidents. During the noughties moves were made to transition to Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles that would protect the crews and were designed from outset to be much more survivable than the HUMVEE, but with additional work it continued to serve in the modern battlefield, ensuring that it was used according to its capabilities. Work-arounds have been created to ensure crews can escape crashed or damaged vehicles by adding D-rings to the doors so another vehicle can rip them out, and a window removal kit that could be utilised if no other vehicle was available, or incoming fire prevented outside assistance. A shipment of HUMVEEs has been sent to Ukraine to assist them in their fight against the invaders, where they will doubtless see extensive service, but in the longer term the US intends to replace the HUMVEE with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), which is a similar-looking vehicle, but one that has MRAP capabilities baked in, and more advanced comms equipment that will give the crews a tactical advantage on the battlefield. We won’t mention the civilian HUMMER that was developed from the original military version, as it’s an abomination. The Kit This is a new tooling from ICM, who are based in Ukraine and now have impetus to have a model of a vehicle their own army are using, and that works very well for the rest of us that want a well-detailed HUMVEE in 1:35 for our stash/cabinets. The kit arrives in a shallow top-opening box with ICM’s trademark captive inner flap on the lower tray, with a desertised HUMVEE on the cover, parked in a rutted stretch of sand. Inside the box are five sprues in grey styrene, a clear sprue, a bag containing four flexible black tyres, a decal sheet, plus the instruction booklet that is printed in colour on glossy paper, and has profiles of the decal options on the back pages. Detail is good, and is found on both sides of the body panels, showing off strengthening ribs and other structural shapes, although there are by necessity a few ejector-pin marks on the less prominent surfaces that are in open areas to make their removal more straight forward. Construction begins with the chassis, adding engine supports to both inner sides, then fitting a shaped tank to the inner rail, and the exhaust to the same outer rail. The engine is made from a two-part block that has a pair of exhaust manifolds added underneath, with the sump and lower portion of the transmission installed below, followed up by a two-part transfer box to the rear, and the serpentine belts to the front. The assembly can then be lowered into the front of the chassis onto the supports, with a flat panel over the forward section, fitting a hose to the front of the chassis, and the other half of the exhaust in the centre. The front axle is built with gaitered drive-shafts, adding the axle tips, and the differential cover to the front, then creating the sub-frame that is mounts to from two parts, mating it with the chassis and joining it to the transfer box by a long drive-shaft. The rear axle is made in a similar manner, with the same style of sub-frame, attaching that to the rear with its own shorter drive-shaft, and fitting a pair of arms once it is in position. Each corner has a well-moulded two-part coil-over shock fitted from above, adding a steering linkage to the front axle, and two triangular carriers for the rear bumper, which is built from two layers, adding towing shackles and eyes before it is fixed into position along with a cross-member in the centre of the chassis, and another linkage at the front axle. The plate on top of the forward chassis now reveals its use as the base for the radiator, protecting it against shrapnel from the front and below. Three more protective parts are fitted to the back and sides with a fan moulded into the rear, then it’s time to put some wheels on your model, using the four flexible black tyres, and adding a hub surface to each side, slotting them in each corner to make your HUMVEE into a roller-skate. The bodywork begins with the firewall and its moulded-in windscreen frame, adding detail parts and painting various sections, then adding a combined dashboard/transmission tunnel to the centre-left, and installing the two clear windscreen panes into the frame from behind. A scrap diagram shows that there are eleven decals in total for this assembly, including dials, stencils and what look like nozzles for the heating/cooling system. An additional inverted W-shaped layer of framework is fixed to the interior of the windscreen, adding a neatly moulded steering wheel into the centre of the binnacle on the dash. Two cylindrical assemblies are made next, forming the air-cleaning box lying horizontal, and the coolant overflow tank sitting vertically against the diagonal section of the firewall on the engine side. A pair of windscreen wipers are attached to the top centre of the glazing panels, which are probably best either left off until later, or painted in advance of installing them. Going back to the cab side of the bulkhead, the ‘jug-ear’ wing mirrors are added into their protective frames, and each side has a sun visor fitted to the top, with a wiper motor glued vertically at the top of the centre frame, plus a pair of foot pedals for the driver’s use. The floor is painted in two colours split between cab and passenger/load area, making a driver’s seat-base from two L-shaped parts and a top, the co-driver’s seat base formed from a single part, applying two decals to a small instrument panel set into the tunnel next to the driver. Two levers and a handbrake lever are installed nearby, mating the firewall/windscreen assembly to the front of the floor, and adding two T-shaped parts where they meet in the centre. The sides panels are mounted either side of the floor, making up two seat-backs from front and back, then sliding them onto supports at the rear of the cushions, locating them on the bases installed earlier, and putting two short divides behind each one, slotting into grooves in the B-pillars. The rear compartment has a pair of two-part bench seats added, mounting the rear and tailgate to the back of the floor, after which the body can be mated with the chassis so that the bonnet/hood can be built. The bonnet panel has two oval holes next to the cut-out for the louvre panel, which a pair of large lifting eyes push through from underneath, adding shallow arches to the sides, then making the grille from the exterior with a mesh backing that depicts the radiator, plus two clear headlight lenses, then inserting it into the square cut-out in the front of the bonnet, adding the louvre panel, blackout driving light on the left, and combined indicator/blackout marker light on both corners. The front bumper is short but sturdy, with two types of towing eye fitted to each side plus two more on the rear, installing it and the bonnet assembly to the front of the chassis, giving your model a ‘face’. The rear doors are fitted behind the B-pillars, with a pair of covers over the well, adding another shallow full-width divider behind the crew seats, and a roll-over hoop to the tops of the B-pillars, which is made from two layers. Markings There are but two colour choices for this basic HUMVEE variant, one in NATO European camouflage, the other in desert colours, both serving during the 2000s. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion This simple open-topped HUMVEE is doubtless the first of a line of variants, so if the open cargo/passenger area doesn’t appeal, it won’t be long before you’ll have the one you want. That said, the detail is good, the construction simple, and the end result should be well-worth the effort with some care. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

After finishing my recent epic build, I looked at a Tamiya Panther as the next victim project, but decided I needed to do something that hasn't got tracks and lots of wheels so I released this from the grip of the not-a-stash stash .... This is my first foray into Takom, although having seen many of you build their products, I can't foresee any issues (I have my fingers crossed now as I've pre-ordered the 'Big Box' Tiger kits'!) and a first with 1/16th too. The nice thing here is the chance to have go at adding some extra details, such as wiring and brake lines ... Opening the box reveals this pile of goodies .... At first glance the parts look relatively flash free and crisply moulded, so off to a good start. And after bit of cleaning up, I have the three chassis parts ready to go together .... As always, comments and feedback welcome ... Keith 😁

We have a group-build comp on at the moment at Riverside model club where we can take the more-recent (1997!) Tamiya Jeep and do pretty much whatever we want with it as long as we end up with a single vehicle. After having so much fun building my 'Rommell's Uber-Halftrack' a couple of years ago, I though I would do it again with an M45 quad mount on the back of a Jeep with GMC running gear. All very nice and period. When I create one of these monsters I do try and keep everything at least contemporary. Donor kits sourced: Basic layout to make sure it will at least fit together: Believe it or not, I can get the GMC donk to fit in the Jeep engine bay without touching the grille or the firewall! The air cleaner will, however, be protruding through the bonnet. Quick dry run: After 4 or 5 mockups in paper, I found a gundeck layout I was happy with. And now the gundeck exists in plastic:

Well...here's one that truly ticks all the boxes. I left it on the shelf, almost finished (or thereabouts) in June during the Recon and Scouting GB. Loads of PE (too much IMHO ), finely detailed and probably over-engineered. I've regretted it ever since. This will give me the perfect chance to build these two jeeps. What's in the box? And here's the original WiP from the GB last summer. I'll get to it before the New Year! --John

I found this picture of a Jeep ready for shipping and I thought it might be useful to someone here. I love how four of the wheels fit inside and then the steering wheel fits into a wheel rim.

Dora Wings is to release a 1/48th Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep kits - ref. DW48043 - Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep - ref. DW48045 - Curtiss-Wright AT-9A Jeep Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2807763892787503&id=1929101897320378 3D renders V.P.

After the 1/48th kits (link), Dora Wings is to release 1/72nd AT-9Jeep kits - ref.DW72035 - Curtiss-Wright AT-9Jeep Source: https://dorawings.com/DWcatalogue_2021_22.pdf V.P.

“Good Lord, I don’t think we could continue the war without the jeep, it does everything. It goes everywhere. It’s as faithful as a dog, strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat. It constantly carries twice what it was designed for, and keeps on going. It doesn’t even ride so badly after you get used to it.” Ernie Pyle As some light relief from my Rolls Royce armoured car, and to make use of my holiday days without spending them entirely in scratch building the bits Meng messed up, I turned to one of my favourite kits of all time. Unbelievably the Tamiya “new” jeep is 23 years old, and I’ve no idea how many I’ve built in that time, but let’s say more than several... Whereas the Rolls Royce featured a hand built chassis and engine, the Jeep was a product of the mass production era, built in its thousands, (more than 640,000 during the war). And so it is with the models, the Meng Rolls Royce needs care and a degree of craftsmanship (which means I could be in trouble!) whereas the Tamiya Jeep really is as close to shake the box as it gets. It may lack some of the finer details of the Bronco, Meng and Takom offerings, and we may yet see some of them built too, but it builds into something that is unmistakably a Jeep, and when it was first released it was, in my opinion, better than any Jeep kit that had preceded it. So here we have the product of about two hours work, most of that being cleaning up the barely noticeable mould seams, some of which could easily be skipped if I wasn’t feeling fastidious. Tamiya 1/35 scale Jeep by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Tamiya 1/35 scale Jeep by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Tamiya 1/35 scale Jeep by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Oh, and the title? General George C. Marshall.

MB Military Vehicle (VS-011) 1:35 Meng via Creative Models Ltd The Willy’s Jeep is a WWII legend that shows no sign of diminishing, beginning in the 30s with a need for a four-wheeled drive light vehicle to transport small numbers of troops and officers in a rugged chassis that became more urgent when hostilities began. The Bantam was a competitor, and some of the design cues leaked from one competitor to another, but the ultimate winner was from Willys-Overland and was manufactured in huge quantities by various factories in the US and elsewhere. As well as being almost ubiquitous in the European Theatre, they were sent almost everywhere else too, and continued in service to the end of the war and beyond. Many fans of the type still collect and renovate them, with a huge market for second-hand parts, and some serious in-depth knowledge out there that makes us modellers look like amateurs. As well as their Officer transport role, they were used for reconnaissance where speed of exit was sometimes more important than infiltration if the Nazis caught you snooping about. It had leaf-spring suspension with four-wheel drive capable of ploughing over the roughest territory thanks to its 60hp engine and three-speed gearbox with high and low ratio drive modes. Over half a million were made during the war with more made after, and the design evolved into a civilian vehicle, whilst the brand Jeep became a household name that continues today. The Kit This is a rebox of a brand new 2019 tool from Meng that was originally released as a Wasp Flamethrower Jeep under the code (VS-012), which seems to have passed me by at the very least, and has a higher product code, which possibly means a change in release dates? Ok, I’m confused now. Anyway, this kit is a vanilla Jeep with a .50cal Browning M2 on a post in the rear, so it’s just what the doctor ordered. It arrives in a small top-opening box with Meng’s usual high-grade box art, and inside are three sprues of sand-coloured styrene, plus the Jeep bodyshell and the Browning breech separately, plus a small clear sprue, a decal sheet, and of course a glossy-covered instruction booklet with colour front and painting guide inside the rear. Detail is everything you would ask of a Meng kit, with a complex moulding of the majority of the bodyshell, and lots of lovely detail added along the way. This is a full interior kit, so construction begins with the little 4-cylinder L134 "Go Devil" engine with a two-part block, sump, ancillaries and fan at the front, plus transmission at the rear and the front section of the exhaust on the left side of the engine. This is then mated with the ladder chassis, with an engine support fitted underneath. The front and rear axles are then built up with their leaf-springs on each side, plus the drive-shafts leading into the differential housings that are offset from the centre. The front axle has the steering equipment added, then the exhaust/muffler are strapped to the chassis moulded into a protective shield for the transmission box. Before the bodyshell is fitted out, the steering column is slid into place through the engine bay, and a number of small holes are drilled from underneath the transmission tunnel and the left front mudguard for later use. With the shell flipped back over, the firewall with ancillary equipment is put in, and the tailgate section is glued into place, with the various lights picked out in red or amber paint as you go. There are also some holes that need filling in the outer skin of the tailgate, so have a little filler at the ready, preferably before you get too far down the line with integrating it into the shell. Inside the centre section of the crew area the 15-gallon fuel tank is positioned along with a fire extinguisher, gear stick and 4WD levers. In the front of the engine compartment the radiator assembly with the hidden headlamp housings within are assembled and slid into place, then the body is dropped onto the chassis in much the same way as the real thing. The wheel wells are empty, but that’s about to change by the making up of the four wheels from two halves each with moulded hubs in each one, and a simple chunky tread that lends itself well to injection moulding imprinted on the rolling surface. Each one attaches to the axle and should be glued in place for security, and if you feel the urge, you can add a small flat-spot to all four to imply weight. The battery and radiator header are installed within the engine bay, then the bumper-bar and coaming with instrument panel (with decals) are glued in between the two bays, with the air box and bonnet/hood added in the down position, or flipped open by the use of a hinge bracket that fits to the bulkhead. The windshield consists of frame and clear glazing panel with a groove in the centre to accommodate the frame, and a rifle stowed across the lower panel in a rain cover for easy access, and the two window-control grooves are fixed to recesses in the side frames. A little first aid kit is added to the transmission hump along with a decal, then it’s time to make up the seats. The seats in a Jeep are framework with pads on the back and seat, and here the back pad is moulded into the frame along with some pretty realistic-looking creasing that also extend to the separate cushions. A pack is fitted to the underside of the passenger seat, but bear in mind that on the back of the uprights of both these seats are ejector pins between two lateral supports, so deal with those before you do anything else. In the rear is a two-part bench seat, and around the passenger compartment the framework for the tilt is stowed away in three sections. The various accessories are yet to do, so the front light and its protective hoop are added to the left front wing with a couple of pioneer tools on the body behind it, the wing mirror on a long stalk attaches to nub on the left side of the shell, then the “accessory” steering wheel (ok, it’s fairly important) is glued to the top of its column, two corner grab-handles are attached at the rear, another larger fire extinguisher is put on the holes you drilled through the right fender, two ammo boxes are made for the rear and the back of the vehicle is dressed with a spare jerry can and a spare wheel on a bracket. The big machine gun is optional, but why not include it? The column has three additional props to support it, and with the height of the mount added, it’s high enough to fire over the heads of the crew although it might make them a teensy-bit deaf. The breech is a single slide-moulded part that is separate in one of the bags, and it takes one of the hollow-muzzled barrels from the sprue, a breech-top, cocking handle and the twin grips at the rear, which is fed by the ammo box with moulded-in link on a bracket to the side. Alternately, you can mount a .30 cal with a slight change in the mount and a smaller ammo can. The gun is glued into the floor of the jeep and a wire-cutter is attached to the front bumper-bar, finishing off the model. Markings There are three decal options included on the sheet and they’re all olive green – aren’t they all? Almost at least. From the box you can build one of the following: Company A, 70th Amour Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, US Army, Normandy, France, 1944 36th Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment, 9th Army, US Army, Northern France, 1944 21st Army Group, British Army, Normandy, France, 1944 <ul style="list-style-type:upper-alpha"> The decals are printed in China, with good register and colour density, but the small stencils are just blocks of colour rather than text, which might upset the purists a little, but at less than a few millimetres across, they won’t really be seen. Conclusion Everyone loves a jeep, and this one has a lot of detail packed into its tiny frame. They’re great in the background as well as the foreground of any diorama, or just as a new addition to your shelves. Very highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bantam 40 BRC w/ British Crew (35324) 1:35 MiniArt via Creative Models Ltd. WWII saw the increased mechanisation of war that had begun in WWI, including lighter vehicles that could transport a small number of soldiers, staff, weapons or equipment quickly across the battle-space with rugged design and good rough-field performance as well as being fast and manoeuvrable. A specification was issued by the US War Department, with three companies vying for the contract, one of which was Bantam, who despite being in poor financial shape, designed a simple vehicle that used many pre-fabricated assemblies to speed construction and ease maintenance, while Ford and Willy’s made their own designs. There was no clear winner initially, so a number of each design was ordered to be sent mainly to Allied forces under the Lend-Lease programme, as America wasn’t yet a combatant. As the jockeying for position continued between the three contenders, designs converged and the Bantam’s design features were pillaged to improve what ended up as the Willy’s GP. Whether the name Jeep came from the shortening of GP, or from the Popeye character is unclear, but Ford and Willy’s ended up making hundreds of thousands of Jeeps during WWII that made it ubiquitous on the battlefield, with many of the survivors reaching civilian ownership after the war, and a ready market for them still exists to this day. The poor Bantam however was consigned to being a footnote in the creation of the Jeep. The Kit This is reboxing of MiniArt's earlier kit containing the same British crew, with the original dating back to 2008. There have also been releases with US and Russian crews, plus a Russian driver figure transporting a heavy machine gun in the cargo area at the rear. This boxing contains three crew that were previously seen in the British Staff Car boxing from 2010. The detail is good throughout, although there is a little flash here and there on my review samples that could have been due to the age of the moulds, or over-pressure during injection. It’s not difficult to remove flash from such well-moulded parts though, so don’t let it put you off in the slightest, as it’s streets ahead or short-shot parts! There are three sprues in grey styrene, one of clear parts, a small fret of Photo-Etch (PE) brass in a card envelope, two small decal sheets and the instruction booklet. The delicate grille in the corner of one sprue is protected by a small piece of foam sheet and held in place by a staple through it. Construction begins with the ladder chassis, to which is added the four-cylinder engine, drive-shafts, transfer box and leaf-spring suspension. The exhaust is protected by a pair of large cross-braces with slats underneath, and a control linkage is fixed to the outside of the rail connected later to the steering column. With the chassis completed, the body is built up from an almost complete shell to which the front grille, foot well (left-hand drive) and grilles within the front wheel wells are added. The front foot well has driver controls added, as is the dashboard, then seats and rear bench seats are fitted, with the chassis attached underneath the floor on the lugs moulded into it. The windscreen has some nice PE fittings and two panels of clear styrene are secured into the frame by another PE frame, then clipped into the body with a tubular frame wrapping around the rear and the two-part wheels slotted onto the axle stubs in each corner. The spare is slung onto the rear on its bracket, the bonnet/hood drops into the top of the engine compartment with a stay glued to the underside unless you want to prop it open. The lights at the front have clear lenses with PE protective metalwork in front of them, and PE straps on each side of the front seat door cut-outs to reduce the likelihood of crew being thrown from the sides on rough ground. The three crew include a driver in a cap and goggles, sergeant major-type with a map, and an officer with googles leaning toward the back seats as if in discussion with the chap with the map. All are dressed in tropical uniform with shorts, a lovely pair of cool thick knee-high socks and low-rise boots. Sculpting is up to MiniArt’s usual standards with each figure broken down into head, torso, separate legs and arms, plus headwear, pistol holsters and ammo pouches in addition to the goggles and the aforementioned map. Markings There are two colour options in the box , one in plain sand, the other with blue, pink, and green swatches of camouflage all over it. From the box you can build one of the following: 1st Armour Division, HQ Unit, North Africa, 1942 No.3 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force, Libya, 1942 Decals are printed on two small sheets by DecoGraph, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin matt carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It’s a reboxing, but as it has been absent from MiniArt’s line-up for a good while, there ought to be a ready market for it. It’s still a good kit, and the inclusion of the figures is a nice bonus, as you know they’ll fit well. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Sometimes a picture seeds an idea. I found this photo when I built my Marine Corsair, and it inspired me to try and model this gun carrier as a companion. Tamiya's 1/48 Jeep was the perfect kit for this task. I used the Eduard PE set and Verlinden wheels, and scratch-built a new radiator grille to represent the early front, and a wooden box to hold the .5 cal Browning M2 machine guns. The box can be removed to have the Jeep perform other duties if needed. The picture below demonstrates the difference between the early radiator grille guard (vehicle in the front) and the more common pressed sheet-metal face (rear). The Jeep's official designation is Willys-Overland Model MB or ¼ ton 4x4 truck. My model served in the Solomons in early 1943 with VMF-124, part of Marine Air Group 12. Six machine guns, each weighing some 84 lbs, and a crew of two are an adequate load for the dogged Jeep, which has in fact a maximum paylod of 800 lbs. I hope you like this digression from my usual aircraft modelling theme, and you are invited to visit more airfield vehicles here. Thanks for viewing - Michael References Pacific War Eagles in Original Color, Jeffrey Ethell / Warren Bodie, Front Royal, 1997 Jeeps 1941-45, Osprey New Vanguard 117, Steven J. Zaloga, Botley, 2005 Pre-Standardized Jeep, Walk Around 5711, David Doyle, Carrollton, 2008 Willys-Overland MB and Ford Model GPW Jeep Technical Manual, Washington, 1947, reprinted by PeriscopeFilm 2011

Hi all! Here's my latest 'lockdown' quickbuilds - started the 9th of May. It's the good old Tamiya kit OOB with only straps and a tarpaulin added. First up is the 'beauty' shot: As with all my 'lockdown' builds - don't look too closely - keep your distance! Cheers Hans J

MP Originals Masters Models has just released a 1/48th Jeep NC-1A APU resin kit - Willys jeep NC-1A APU-Tug was a mobile start unit that was used on the decks of US Navy carriers in the 1950s and 1960s. Order: https://www.mp-originals-masters-models.cz/p/a48014-jeep-nc-1a-apu/ Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=830858917377488&id=236571760139543 Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=842853656178014&id=236571760139543 First casting V.P.

US Army 1/4 Ton Utility Truck + trailer & MP Figure 1:35 Takom via Pocketbond First of all we all know this is a Willys Jeep, also we know Takom knows it is. However due to licencing laws no one can actually call it that on paper so we are stuck with 1/4 Ton utility vehicle! Suffice to say the Jeep was developed with input from Bantam, Willys and Ford. All three companies competed for the contract from the US Army for a utility vehicle with Willys winning. The 60hp engine in their entry helping it to win. However design features from Bantam & Ford were incorporated into the final design. Willy could not keep up with production demand for the vehicles so Ford was contracted in to mass produce them as well. Production numbers were quite staggering even by todays standards with nearly 1.5 million being built in total and supplied to all branches of the US military as well as their allies. The Kit This was a surprise from Takom. The kit arrives on Three main sprues for the Jeep, and one for the trailer. There is also the main chassis as a single part and the main jeep body. There is also a clear sprue, small sheet of PE, and a sprue for the figure. Construction starts with attaching the axles and suspension components to the chassis followed by the wheels. The multipart engine is then built up and added to the chassis, along with the transmission. Controls are added to the body and this is mounted to the chassis. At the front of the jeep the front wings are added, along with the radiator and its distinctive grill. The firewall is built up and added in, and at the rear the rear body part is added. The underseat fuel tank is placed in and the bonnet (or hood) is added. The dash and its cover are added in along with the front seats. The windscreen is added t the frame and this is installed, followed by the steering wheel. At the rear the spare wheel and spare fuel can are added. If wanted then the pintle mounted machine gun is made up and added in. The driver figure can then be added if needed. For the trailer the suspension, axle and wheels are added to the underside. The tow bar mounting is then added. The sides and mud guards are added along with the trailer front & back to complete the main body. The wheels can then be added. to finish things off. Markings There are markings provided for 4 jeeps, any colour you want as long as its Olive Drab! US Army Military Police, Czechoslovakia 1945 US Army Military Police, Berline1945 US Army Anti Aircraft unit, Germany 1945 US Marine Corps, Korea 1950 The decal sheet is printed anonymously, but is of high quality and should pse no issues. Conclusion An immediately recognisable vehicle, Highly recommended if you want a new tool Jeep Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

"The Jeep, the Dakota and the Landing Craft were the three tools that won the war." -General Dwight D. Eisenhower Since armour STGBs seem to be doing well lately, and a more general AFV Group Build is gathering steam, why not take the next logical step and try an STGB for an unarmoured military utility vehicle? And what better candidate than the most widely-produced motorized vehicle of World War II, one probably used by every Allied army (and most of the navies and air forces)? The Jeep served as a reconnaissance vehicle, command car, airfield "follow me" vehicle, ambulance, messenger vehicle, aircraft carrier flight deck tractor, special forces assault vehicle, chaplain's car, improvised light AFV, mobile rocket launcher and even a railway locomotive...and that's just some of what it did in World War II military service, so there should be scope for a very wide variety of entries. Eligibility: Within the usual 25% rule, any kit in any scale and medium, representing any era, any role and any operator of: -Any of the vehicles developed for the original 1940 War Department 1/4 ton 4x4 requirement (Bantam, Willys or Ford). -Any variant of the standardized wartime Willys MB/Ford GPW design (including the Ford GPA amphibian). -Postwar vehicles directly derived from the Willys MB including, but not limited to, the Jeep CJ and DJ series through to the 1986 model CJ-7 and military derivatives of the CJ series (M38 and M606 series), as well as license-built derivatives produced by Hotchkiss, Mitsubishi, Mahindra, etc. -Prototypes based on the Willys Jeep design, such as the TJ Tracked Jeep, JBC Jungle Burden Carrier, Willys Bobcat and Hafner Rotabuggy. Exclusions: -No what-ifs, although in keeping with armour modelling conventions, "generic" vehicles are fine as long as they can be justified as historically accurate (or at least realistic). -No "jeep-type" vehicles with no direct engineering relationship to the wartime Jeep family. This would include the M151 Ford Mutt, M422 Mighty Mite, other countries' independently-developed equivalents (Land Rovers, GAZ-67 series, Nissan P60 / Jonga, Kübelwagen, Iltis, etc.) and of course Humvees and the current generation of MRAP-type vehicles. -No unrelated, or only indirectly related, civilian vehicles marketed under the Jeep brand name (e.g. Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade, etc.) I stand ready to be corrected on the logic of my eligibility list by people who know the subject matter better than I do, but hopefully that should be a good start. Part of me wanted to go for a broader theme that could have included Land Rovers, the Dodge WC series, GAZ-67s and Kübelwagens, but I felt that: 1) An STGB would have a better chance of getting the go-ahead, since it requires five fewer participants and doesn't have to get through the poll, and 2) I didn't see a good way of setting the parameters for a more general military light utility vehicle build that wouldn't either be confined strictly to military service within a specific time period such as World War II, or bloc of countries such as NATO or the Commonwealth, or else so open-ended that it could include anything from a Model T to a Nyala and would probably lose focus (and certainly lose any sense of a definite "jeep" theme). Who's interested? 1) Sabre_days (host) 2) Corsairfoxfouruncle 3) vppelt68 4) Knight_Flyer 5) Threadbear 6) SleeperService

Hello! I am an aircraft modeller but every now and then I build something different. I've decided to wade outside my comfort zone and post photos of my Airfix 1:72 LTV 4 Buffalo & Willys Jeep which I built OOB back in 2003. I am aware that the scale isn't really 1:72 but either 1:76 or HO. This kit was showing it's age back then and the fit of parts wasn't great. Although I assembled it with moving parts fixed, somehow the Jeep's wheels do turn and the Buffalo's door/ramp moves! Despite everything I was and still am pleased with the end result. Thanks for looking Miguel

Having, courtesy of Aldi, four of the new mould Airfix jeeps in the process of construction, can anyone point me in the direction of suitable crew? Ideally these would by USAF aircrew but GI's are acceptable. Two criteria are I) that seated figures don't need legs amputating and ii) as they are to appear in a diorama that places then off duty no armaments are required., I have used search engines to answer the question but to no avail - I get too many answers. Any help would be appreciated.

I started these two models as something to do while my larger builds were sitting with wet paint or glue. They are both Academy kits in 1/72 and go together nicely. I build them straight from the box.

If you check your modellers dictionary under the heading of 'Shelf Queen' you may well find a photo of this wee thing - Tamiya's 1997 Jeep... apart from the stowage, .30 cal belt and the M1 carbine, straight from the box. First figure I've painted in about 25 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Started just before Christmas 2011 and finished this afternoon ! As ever please feel free to comment, abuse or ask a question. Have a great weekend y'all... :soldier Ian.

In the real world of military vehicle collectors, the "Holy Grail" would be to find an original Jeep in its shipping crate. Of course, other than those at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in the holds of sunken ships, it's very unlikely anyone will ever find one. The whole "Jeep in a crate for $50" idea came from a post war scam, trying to con people out of their money. However, there are a number of photos around the net showing Jeeps in crates, although how they were packed and how disassembled they were seems to vary from picture to picture. This model was built for a friend, with the hood number matching his Jeep. The Jeep is from the Italeri kit with a scratch built crate from ramin strip wood and 1/32 birch plywood. The metal tie down straps are black painted paper, with painted wire over paper holding the wheels into the tub. It is presented in an A4 box frame.

I started this on March 28th and finished today with about 2 hours per day. The kit is a level 4 as per the box I purchased, but a level 2 on others. Both kits are the "Ranger" version, the same kit number and are identical in piece and piece count. This sort of thing is certainly not unheard of and is a good hint as to why you should research it. See the link above for more information on this kit. There was almost no injection feathering at all. The parts were strong and of good quality with striking detail.The directions were easy and clear as always with Revell. (to my knowledge) I painted the chrome rims as I am not a chrome lover and it never fit my color scheme. A couple of other things that stood out on this one; the rear license plate is too big, instead of cutting it down I threw it into my bonus-bag for future build. The other, was the body being a struggle to fit the frame. After some sharing expletives with the dog I finally got it done. Overall I liked this build and only wish it was a 1:1. The dog concurs. See photos here::: Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Google+