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Hi all 😎 Although completed just before Christmas 2020, as I'm new to BritModeller (and I'm quite pleased with how she turned out), I'd like to present my third completed build since returning to the hobby after a 23 year break: Airfix 1:32nd 1914 Dennis Fire Engine. Built out the box with the exception of a few scratch built extras on the engine block, and a couple of lengths of fine brass chain on the rescue ladder supports. Painted with Tamiya acrylics except flesh tones and wood grain on the ladders are Citadel Miniatures. Weathering/stains using Citadel Miniatures shades and the odd dab of Tamiya weathering powder. As always, comments and suggestions welcome 😊👍 Cheers!

Mercedes-Benz Unimog U1300L TLF 8/18 (07512) 1:24 Carrera Revell The Unimog U1300L is based on the 435 chassis, although the original U1300 was built on the different 425, and sibling the 1700L is also based upon the 435. It was introduced as a specialist fire engine for the German Fire Service and the Bundeswehr staring in 1975, and by the time it was retired in 1987, under a thousand U1300 and over 21,000 U1300L has been produced. The L variant used the enhanced 435 chassis and has a more powerful engine to improve its traction and load-carrying capabilities, with a choice of two lengths within the designation, driven from the rear wheels with selectable four-wheel drive for rough or muddy terrain. A straight six-cylinder diesel engine provides the power, sometimes with a turbocharger, and that power is put down through two or four wheels via an eight-speed gearbox that gives it a top speed of just under 70mph for an empty vehicle. Speaking of load, it can carry up to 1,800 litres of fire-fighting water supply to make a start on remote fires, and has a capacious load area that can be stacked with fire-fighting equipment and supplies, accessing them via large lift-and-retract doors on the sides and rear of the vehicle, a fenced-off roof area for more equipment and a ladder, and seating in the cab for three crew. The roof of the cab is the location for the blue flashers and the siren horn, with a movable search-light at the top of a post on the bonnet, as fires don’t just happen during daylight hours, although they do bring some of their own illumination. It was replaced by a 437 based truck that is still in service today. Incidentally that same chassis is also the basis for the Dingo 2 MRAP Armoured Vehicle. The Kit This kit is a reboxing of a kit from Revell that was first released in 1985, with new parts being added during the remainder of the 80s. The kit arrives in a large end-opening box with a painting of the kit in front of a burning building of some type, with a few fire-fighters seen in the background in their hi-viz protective gear and helmets. Inside the box are five sprues in styrene, two in red, one each in silver, black and white, plus a clear sprue, four flexible black tyres, a small piece of widely spaced mesh, a large decal sheet, and the instruction booklet that is printed in colour with profiles at the rear for the marking options. It is of course a product of its time, but still has some good detail where it counts, although there are a few moulded-in tools that would have benefitted from separate parts when looking at it from a modern perspective. There isn’t any mould damage visible, and a tiny amount of flash is relegated to the sprue runners, so shouldn’t be an issue. Note: The red sprue photos have been processed to reveal more of the detail, as they were a little bright. Construction begins with something you wouldn’t necessarily expect of a kit from the 80s, which is an engine. The big inline block is built from two halves and includes the sump, adding the serpentine belts with alternator to the front, and a depiction of the turbo on the left side. The chassis is moulded as a single large part, adding some ancillaries, the engine, drive-shaft, transfer box with additional drive-shafts moulded-in, and the exhaust muffler with exit pipe and feeder pipe that links to the engine in the front. The front suspension mounts are each made from two-part springs with rubber covers and connections on the bottom that accepts the seven-part front axle with pivoting hubs that have brake discs and callipers moulded-in. Additional struts, dampers and anti-roll bars are fixed to the axle, and a steering linkage ensures that the two hubs move in unison, providing you haven’t overdone the glue on the pivots. The rear axle is supported by another pair of covered springs, but its assembly is more complex and rugged to support the weight of the rear of the vehicle. The two assemblies are slipped over a transverse beam near the rear of the chassis, then the four-part rear axle is fitted, with two cross-braces, dampers, anti-roll bars and ancillaries layered over it. Two hydraulic reservoirs and their hoses join them together, then the assembly is attached to the chassis just forward of the rear axle, with more parts around them, adding fuel tank, foot-steps, stowage boxes and a rear cross-beam with towing shackle and reversing lights, one on the beam, the other on a bracket to the side. The vehicle’s wheels are each made from two hub halves that hide a mushroom pin to attach to the axle, and a rubber tyre is slipped over the completed hub, all of which requires no glue. The cab is a single part that is created via sliding moulds to produce all four sides in one part including detail, minus the doors and windows, with a pair of support beams that must be nipped off from the door openings, ready for the installation of the doors later. The two seats are moulded from two parts each, consisting of the upper pencil-quilted portion, and the base with integrated rails, one seating two on a wider cushion, while the driver gets his own individual seat. The cab floor is detailed with foot pedals, gear and drive shifting levers added to the centre, and the dash perched atop the centre console, applying four decals over the painted part before it is installed. The seats are mounted on the rear of the floor, the steering wheel and column are inserted, and another two decals are applied to the ends of the dash panel. Starting with the cab body inverted, the front grille is fixed under the bonnet, the windscreen slips in from inside, and a rear-view mirror is added to the centre, then building up the doors with door cards, fixed quarter-light, and a three-part hinge that is selectively glued so they remain mobile. They are glued at the front edge by the hinges, taping them into position until the glue dries. The cab is then lowered over the interior, adding a detail insert with ribbed roof and circular panel over the recessed top. The details are then applied, including the siren horn, a three-spoked circular part, and the blue lights on the front corners of the roof. Two small panels over the front wheels are inserted on the sides, with arches mounted on pegs from below. The load area is a complex assembly, starting with the partially tread-plated floor, adding four sides, taking care to mount the floor above the supporting lip inside each face. The internal dividers create four compartments, with moulded-in equipment, some of which are surprisingly deeply recessed to add realism, with a few that aren’t quite so good. Additional equipment, including rolled-up hoses, a simple cot, and the two up-and-over doors are inserted into the visible compartments on the right side, then some more details are added. This includes fire extinguisher, manifolds, nozzle, another hose, and a trio of yellow containers, which are fitted under the moulded-in hose racks, one of the more impressive moulded-in portions of the interior. The roof is fitted, and each side is edged by a length or double railings, fixing an extending five-part ladder into position along one side, and a vertical roof ladder that is moulded from vertical and horizontal sections, plus two mounts that fit on pins to the back of the vehicle and extends onto the roof for ease of access. The rear light cluster has clear lenses, hanging on a single stalk under the back of the vehicle, joined by a pair of lollipop reflectors on the corners, and number plate with light on the left side. Turning the body over, supports and pivots are inserted into location guides, then are joined by four mudguard halves, which will help when gluing the body on the rear of the chassis, adding the cab to the front, then making up the front bumper, which has the reflectors moulded-in for the running lights, fitting clear lenses over the top, and cutting two pieces of the supplied mesh to 7mm x 14mm to act as their protective cages. The vehicle is essentially complete, although the cab exterior needs detailing, adding the two wing-mirrors on large C-shaped mounts, the searchlight with clear lens on the scuttle in front of the windscreen, a pair of separate wipers, two grab-handles for access to the bonnet area, and two contoured clear indicators that should be painted clear orange. Markings There are a surprising eight decal options included on the sheet, but you’d be safe in guessing that the predominant colour is red. There are however TWO different reds, depending on which option you choose, so make your choice early, as you will have to apply some red paint to the exterior during the building process. From the box you can build one of the following: Trier, Germany Bad Oeynhausen, Germany Höxter, Germany Braunschweig, Germany Venlo, Netherlands Salzburg, Austria Switzerland, Altstätten Hasselt, Belgium Decals are by Cartograf, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. Conclusion It’s an older kit, but it checks out. With careful painting and detailing, this should build up into a creditable replica of this workman-like fire-engine that saw extensive service in Germany and Europe. Highly recommended. Carrera Revell model kits are available from all good toy and model retailers. For further information visit or

Model T 1914 Fire Truck with Crew (35606) 1:35 ICM Via H G Hannants Ltd The Ford Model T has gone down in history as the world’s first mass produced car, introducing the production-line in a manner that would still be familiar to modern eyes, only perhaps with not so many robot arms flailing around. That production line ran from 1908 to 1927 with over 15 million sold. Its so-called three-speed transmission included a reverse gear rather disingenuously, and the four-cylinder 2.9 litre engine could output a whole 20bhp through the rear axle to reach a top speed of just over 40mph at some point after you floored it downhill with a trailing wind. It was capable of 25mpg with a light foot, and over the course of production, many different applications and body styles were envisaged for the first world-car, including armoured cars, trucks and vans. The Kit This is a new boxing of the recently released base kit with new parts specific to its task and a set of crew figures to give it some human scale, which you’ll find near the bottom of this review. It is in the predominant AFV scale of 1:35, although ICM have also tooled a 1:24 series of kits that have been released alongside these to appeal to the car modellers in their main scale. It arrives in a medium-sized top-opening box with ICM’s usual captive inner lid, and inside are fives sprues in grey styrene (three for the figures), a small sprue of clear parts, no decals and a glossy colour instruction booklet with the painting guide on the rear page in full colour. Construction begins with the radiator surround that is moulded to the front axle and has the Ford logo in the centre of the core insert, and on the header tank of the surround. This is fitted to the floor pan, which has two styles of tread-plate engraved into the footwells and the running boards between the fenders. Some small parts are added under the front, then the engine block is made up with its transmission and other ancillaries added along the way. Incidentally, this engine stayed in production until 1941, long after the Model T became extinct as a complete vehicle. The engine is fitted into the bay behind the radiator, and is plumbed into it with entry and exit hoses. Underneath is the long exhaust pipe with a single muffler box that is made from two halves with the exhaust tip moulded to the separate part that extends it to the back of the vehicle. The drive-shaft with its large differential housing is fitted between the rear drive-shafts and suspension part, and is inserted into the underside with the drive-shaft mating to the back of the angular transmission housing. Suspension braces are added to the front and rear axles, along with the steering arms that fit to the rear of the front axle, then the single-part spoked wheels with pneumatic tyres moulded-in are clipped over the ends of each axle. The wheels are very well moulded, with air valves and sharp spokes on each one, plus a well-defined rim and tyre tread detail. The early Model T had a faceted five-faced cowling over the engine until 1914, the two sides lifting up on a central hinge that ran from front to rear of the top face. The hinge is attached between the bulkhead and the radiator, and the two lift-up panels are added over the top to complete the cowling, although you could also leave one or both open to show off the engine, but you’ll need to remove a couple of ejector-pin marks, which is easily done because the cowlings are flat-surfaced and should be a little thinner to be more realistic anyway. The front floor pan has the Ford logo in the passenger well according to the instructions, but there’s just a section of ribbing there on the plastic, as well as some more treadplate patterning, and this is sandwiched between the two lower sides of the body, with a spacer at the rear. It is lowered onto the chassis and the three foot pedals and handbrake lever are inserted into their slots on the left (wrong) side. A quick trip to the furniture store has you making up the front seats (read “couch”) from an L-shaped seat pad with quilted surface, and matching texture is also present on the arms. The completed soft furnishing is fitted within an outer shell that is made from base, back and two side panels, then it is installed on the raised platform between the front and rear areas. A rear lamp is made up with a clear three-sided wrap-around lens, then the rear passenger compartment is filled with a pair of water tanks, which are three parts each, and joined together by a frame that has control wheels at the rear, along with pressure regulators with more valves on the top. A large stowage box is fitted on a frame over the tanks, and each side is perforated to form a diamond mesh pattern, with a coiled hose placed in the bottom, linked to the manifold in the rear of the vehicle. The driver’s fifth wheel has a pair of controls mounted at the top and a long column added, then it is slid into a hole in the sloped part of the floor in front of the pedal box. Two front lights are made up in the same manner as the rear lamp, but they have handed brackets to fit on the bulkhead, while a two-layered ladder is fastened to the left side of the vehicle on a pair of brackets that form part of the rear equipment area. Two more headlamps are each given clear lenses and their cylindrical bodies are made of two halves, split top and bottom. Another lamp, this time a searchlight also has a clear lens and fits to the top of the bulkhead, with a bell for the dinging-of on the opposite side next to the driver. Two types of fire extinguisher and a short drum are the final parts that fit on the right running-board, with the optional hand-crank for the engine slipped into the front under the radiator. Markings There is only one colour option supplied on the back page, and it’s not going to surprise anyone that it’s predominantly red with a bit of brass for the fitting, plus a pale grey set of old-fashioned bicycle-like tyres. When did tyres become black? There are no decals as already mentioned, so registration and all that aren’t of any interest for a change. Cool. The Figures This figure set depicts a brave crew of four lads to populate the area around your model or diorama base. They are attending a fire in their great-coats, big boots and wide-brimmed hats that were often made of heavily treated leather, and sometimes still are. They arrive in a small top-opening box with captive inner lid, and inside are three sprues in grey styrene, plus a folded instruction and painting sheet. There are four figures on the large sprue, with their hats and equipment spread over two small identical sprues to complete the set. They are all standing, and three are wearing the afore mentioned gear, while another is carrying his hat in one hand and a bedraggled moggie in the other, presumably having just been rescued from the fire. The other three all have moustaches, and one of them (the men, not the moustaches) is pointing up at something whilst holding his helmet in place, another has a fireman’s axe over his should, and the third is carrying an equally bedraggled child in tattered clothing in his arms, walking away from danger and into the waiting arms of a medical team or his worried parents. The sculpting is up to ICM’s usual high standard, and breakdown is sensible with separate arms, torso, legs and lower tails of their coats that fit over slimmed-down thighs to keep things in scale. The jackets have crisply moulded brass clasp-type closures, and the helmets have the prominent seams visible where the leather sections of the crown are sewn together. The prominent badges on the front of their helmets are separate with a pointed support piece in addition, as they stand higher than the helmet’s cap, and are again better detailed as a result. There are two separate raised collars too for added detail, the little boy is broken down in a similar manner to the main figures, and even the cat has a separate head to give it a more realistic level of detail. Conclusion ICM have done really well with this range of Model Ts in both scales, although the 1:35 kits are of more interest to me personally. Moulding is excellent, with some really crisp detail on show, both in the bodywork areas as well as those ever-so-comfy front seats. Adding the figures broadens your options for displaying your model, and the excellent sculpting matches the quality of the rest of the kit. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

American Fire Truck Crew 1910s (35622) 1:35 ICM via H G Hannants Ltd The fire crews in the early 1900s had a lot more work to do than modern crews thanks to the haphazard nascent electric networks of the day, and the probabilities that some of the least well-to-do were still using candle-power or gas to light their way, and coal or log fires to keep themselves warm. Add to that the fact that a lot of early fire crews were volunteers, and their protective gear was a large shaped leather hat with a wide brim, a thick coat and heavy boots, and it’s largely a thankless task. They still used to go out risking life and limb whenever the bell rang though, rescuing people and pets wherever they were able. This figure set depicts a brave group of four lads doing just that. Attending a fire in their great-coats, big boots and wide-brimmed hats that were often made of heavily treated leather, and sometimes still are. They arrive in a small top-opening box with captive inner lid, and inside are three sprues in grey styrene, plus a folded instruction and painting sheet. There are four figures on the large sprue, with their hats and equipment spread over two small identical sprues to complete the set. They are all standing, and three are wearing the afore mentioned gear, while another is carrying his hat in one hand and a bedraggled moggie in the other, presumably having just been rescued from the fire. The other three all have moustaches, and one of them (the men, not the moustaches) is pointing up at something whilst holding his helmet in place, another has a fireman’s axe over his should, and the third is carrying an equally bedraggled child in tattered clothing in his arms, walking away from danger and into the waiting arms of a medical team or his worried parents. The sculpting is up to ICM’s usual high standard, and breakdown is sensible with separate arms, torso, legs and lower tails of their coats that fit over slimmed-down thighs to keep things in scale. The jackets have crisply moulded brass clasp-type closures, and the helmets have the prominent seams visible where the leather sections of the crown are sewn together, and now I’m wondering how I know this? I think we can blame TV’s “How It’s Made” for that. The prominent badges on the front of their helmets are separate with a pointed support piece in addition, as they stand higher than the helmet’s cap, and are again better detailed as a result. There are two separate “popped” collars too for added detail, the little boy is broken down in a similar manner to the main figures, and even the cat has a separate head to give it a more realistic level of detail. Conclusion Excellent detail throughout, and I suppose that we should say there are six figures in the box if we’re including the boy and the cat. Highly recommended. Available in the UK from importers H G Hannants Ltd. Review sample courtesy of

Hi all 😎 This kit is the 1991 re-box of the 1966 vintage Airfix tooling. My third build after 23 years away from the hobby. Being built out the box with some scratch built extras to liven the engine up as the engine block is very basic. This is my first attempt at gloss paint and gloss clearcoat with an airbrush, for which I'm using Tamiya acrylics. There's a lot of photos to come, so will be added over the course of several posts here. Comments and suggestions always welcome! 😊👍 Cheers! 1991 re-release box artwork and build instructions. Construction isn't overly complicated, however it pays to test-fit multiple parts (even build sections) to avoid surprises. Care is needed on fettling, and there are a few sinks, ejector pin marks, part numbers and heavy split lines that need addressing, with some in fairly awkward/annoying places; however nothing that I would call a show-stopper. The plastic is red, but is almost radioactive in it's glow. I found it needed primer very quickly as it started to hurt the eyes, and is awkward to keep track of fettling as not everything shows up well on the surface! Note that the left hand of the driver figure in the photo isn't a bad casting - this is how it was designed. This is going to be amputated and a replacement hand sourced from the spares box. More to follow!

Hi there everyone, firstly a big thank you to all those who have inspired me with your builds, now its my turn, I hope you enjoy! Revell Schlingmann 1:24 fire engine Intended to modify and try to make it a bit different and more UK like https://imgur.com/2ErDXiS Box art https://imgur.com/Dilukra Masked and sprayed the black in primer, this left a nice matt finish https://imgur.com/0CzPrhR Cab sprayed in Tamiya red, thinned with Mr Levelling Thinner (RB8 also clear coated) https://imgur.com/hSmMygN Dry fitting - can see the size of this now https://imgur.com/XKELxfs My first attempt at lighting a model, used pre-wired SMD's from ebay https://imgur.com/JNux4E1 Quick test - they work! the SMD's have a built in flasher, working off 3v source (2x AAA batteries) https://imgur.com/5q70sYg Bit more soldering https://imgur.com/yKhiD59 brush painting, all Tamiya paints https://imgur.com/AGQYfbV Nearly there!! lockers / shutters go up and down, added some fluorescent Revell paint for side reflective - if I'd have seen this earlier, would have done the tip panels in this! https://imgur.com/YkONyVV Lights all work! on a picture frame base of cobble stone Still loads to do, this is never ending, still need to pluck up the courage to glue together Have got a few LED candles to take to bits to create a bit of a scene to accompany Would love to hear feedback, any pointers welcome! Hopefully more to follow soon Jon

I picked up this kit a while ago after building Bandai's Showmans Engine and Steam Roller. I started it back in May for the Made in Britain II GB and completed it toward the end of July. I stripped the brass and silver plating from the plastic and replaced it with Alclad and Mr Colour metallic paints. I can't say its a good kit - its 1970s vintage and the moulding is poor, lots of mould lines, sink marks and ejector pin marks EVERYWHERE!!! The photos here show the model just after it was initially complete where I had used the quite ropey decals on one side. Since then I've replaced the decals with gold vinyl lettering which looks vastly better. Here you can just about make out the lettering decals on the side - they are seriously rubbish and I'm not at all happy with them. This side doesn't have lettering I had to remove one of the fire extinguishers at the back as it got in the way of the ladder's axle The ladder does extend but its a very delicate operation as the plastic gears don't work Here you can see the wood-grain effect I got on the ladders

Finally! After building this kit and checking the lights every step of the way, only to find that when it was finished the blue lights on the cab failed me. Keeping calm..........sort of........and before sending it into orbit, I set it aside and went back to it a few weeks later to trace every wire and replace them (also had to dismantle the blues lights on the cab). So now, everything works and I have taken some pictures for those who were patient enough to follow this build for the past 6 or more months. I hope it was worth the wait. A video will follow soon showing the lights in action and I will post a link on here when it is ready for viewing. For even more pictures of the finished build, the WIP pictures and a video click HERE.

Land Rover Fire Engine, pics thanks to Rich Ellis. [img=http://www.britmodeller.com/walkarounds/vehicles/Land%20Rover/land%20rover%20fire/f10.jpg

This is a Land Rover Series 2B With a Carmichael Fire Engine conversion used by The RAF. Pics thanks to Rich.

Dennis Sabre XL Fire Engine operated by Midlands Fire & Rescue, pics by Rich.