Need an insight on what kit to buy for a Jeep build?

[RobL]

Hi

 

I am planning a WW2 British commando/SAS post D-Day Jeep build.

 

Problem is I'm having trouble working out how best to do it.  For a starting kit I have 3 choices (all of which I will need to buy) - the Italeri Commando Car (kit #320), the Tamiya Willys MB (kit # 35219) or the Dragon SAS 1/4 TON 4x4 TRUCK ETO kit (6725).

 

I've seen Legend do a conversion set in resin, but I'd have a lot left over as it's for 2 Jeeps  The other Legend set only does 1 Jeep, but doens't have as many Vickers K guns as I'd like.   Both I think are too expensive for my build and I'm not very good with resin, so I've ruled out the Legend sets as an option.

 

The Dragon kit on the face of it seems the best option as it comes with all the SAS specific stuff, but I've read certain parts are incorrectly made (apparently the wheel hubs look wrong for a start), and it's a bit bereft of stowage.

 

So, I'm thinking, as the Italeri kit is only about £10, that I could do a kit bash of the Dragon Kit and the Italeri kit - basically take what stowage is on the Italeri kit, and possibly the wheels from the Italeri kit, and put it all on the Dragon kit?

 

My second option would be to do a kit bash of all 3 kits, take the SAS specific stuff off the Dragon kit, the stowage bits off the Italeri kit, and stick that all on the Tamiya kit (which I've read is possibly the most accurate of the 3 kits)?

 

I'm guessing a 3rd option would be to kit bash the Italeri kit with the Tamiya kit, leaving out the Dragon kit altogether, but I think the Dragon Vickers K guns would look better than the older Italeri ones?

 

 

Your thoughts would be welcome on this, as I'm really lost as the best way to approach this.

Edited May 6, 2019 by RobL

[Gmat]

Perhaps you might try to put your question on Armorama or Missing Lynx. No one here seems to have an opinion, yet.

 

How about this Jeep Campaign thread on Armorama;

https://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=196882&ord=&page=1

Gives some ideas about the various kits. 

 

Sorry, I can't help. You seems to care about detail and accuracy. If you were to buy only one or two kits, then the Dragon (best K guns) followed by the Italeri kit might make the most sense. 

 

This PMMS review says that Dragon redid the wheels for the Armored jeep kit. Perhaps a recent boxing of the SAS kit might have those corrected wheels. I don't know if they did it, sorry. 

 

I have some Tamiya jeeps for a 442nd Anti-tank Coy jeep with the British airborne 6 pounder AT gun as used in Operation Dragoon. I have the Bronco jeep gun combo, but like the simplicity of the Tamiya kit. Plus I live in Japan, so cost is not a problem for the Tamiya kit. 

 

Sorry, couldn't be of more help.

 

Grant

[John Tapsell]

The Bronco Jeeps are spectacularly detailed and fiddly to build but really nice when done.

 

Personally, I think the basic Italeri Jeep kit is still a very nice one despite being 40-ish years old (I'll go out on a limb and say that the 1970s were Italeri's golden age and a good number of their kits from that era will stand proudly against some of the best of what has been released in the last 10 years). Their Commando Jeep is pretty good and the Vickers K guns not bad.

 

The newer Tamiya Jeep (not their original release from the 70s) is definitely a better engineered option and would be my first choice. I would modify the Tamiya kit to the Para specification and graft the Italeri parts onto it.

 

I would be wary of the Legends conversion - past experience of their products suggests that whilst very well cast and detailed, they don't always worry as much about historical accuracy (hardly the only aftermarket company to fall into that category).

 

Contemporary period photos are your friend - find them, study them and understand what details were universal and what features varied from vehicle to vehicle. Learn how they were stowed and what they carried rather than relying on what box art, other models and aftermarket sets might have you believe.

 

Whatever you do, I would strongly suggest using Vickers K guns from Gaspatch Models - http://www.gaspatchmodels.com/products/vickersk-1-35.html

 

I model in 1/48 scale and if their quarter scale Vickers Ks are anything to by, their 1/35 versions will be equally gorgeous.

 

Regards,

John

 

 

 

 

[bzn20]

Sounds like you might like to read..

Nazi Hunters by Damien Lewis … Tag line.  The Ultra Secret SAS Unit and hunt for Hitler's war criminals .

It's a mind blowing read . Operations Loyton and Grassy . August 1944 , 60 SAS troopers to attack the enemy , Jedburghs to link with the Resistance and Phantoms to establish communications with London with kit inc Jeeps parachuted in to the Vosges area of France ,500 miles behind the lines . Base of operations to cause havoc , supported by regular supply drops . Even driving to Stuttgart in air dropped Jeeps, attack and drive all the way back to their base. I'm going  to read it again ! If it was a movie.. You'd think it was a bit far fetched.

Nazi Hunters ISBN 978-1-78429-389-5 There is a photo of an Air drop Jeep on the front cover

Amazon link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nazi-Hunters-Damien-Lewis/dp/178429389X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=7SCMDY6D1590&keywords=nazi+hunters+damien+lewis&qid=1557602232&s=gateway&sprefix=Nazi+Hunters%2Caps%2C222&sr=8-1

Edited May 11, 2019 by bzn20