1/48 VCP diorama accessories help

[RAFP8911]

Hi there

 

i have a couple of the Airfix 1/48 sets with the Snatch Land Rovers & WMIK Land Rovers. I would like to do a couple of small dioramas based on VCP Operations but over two periods.

 

a) the first will probably be just a single vehicle scene depicting a Snatch Land Rover somewhere in Northern Ireland at the back end of the 90’s.

 

b) with the second I am aiming for a multi vehicle scene depicting somewhere in the Middle East and an RAF Police / RAF Regt. Checkpoint operation.

 

to that end can anybody please point me in the direction of any 1/48 diorama accessories such as Vehicle Checkpoint signs, (for both theatres) and things like HESCO or the concrete ‘jersey barriers’ (which I think were the small barriers, the big huge concrete wall sections were called something else.)

 

a 1/35th example of the signs:

https://accurate-armour.com/aa-products/135th-accessories/a171

 

I would quite like a sign just like this one near RAF Aldergrove:

 

 

Although I imagine I would have to make my own one, has anybody seen anything like this available?

 

Any other accessories that anybody can think of that will fit the bill?

 

Thanks in advance.

[JockMcPlock]

Hi,

 

I assume you’re talking about snap VCPs, so everything for them, you would have to take with you. 

In NI you would have a sign in either direction ‘Checkpoint Ahead’ or words to that effect. But you would literally have just your two or three vehicles and a section or multiple of eight or twelve men respectively dismounted. 

You might also consider a stinger hidden behind the controlling vehicle for fast movers running the CP and a cone or two. 

 

For the Middle East, let’s say Iraq, HESCO arrived much later on during the conflict, by which point, WMIKs were not used for VCPs. WMIKs generally were only used up until mid to late 2004 when the threat changed from man on man to IED’s and the unarmoured WMIK was restricted to the like of internal wire QRF. (Someone breaches a fence at the airport). 

WMIKs were more used in Afghan as fire support vehicles for companies clearing compounds. 

 

I would say, the use of WMIKs, RAF Police and RAF Regt doing snap VCPs is highly unlikely. They would have more established checkpoints at say Basrah APOD with Jersey barriers then T walls (the big ones) with sangers. 

 

If you switched from the RAF angle and went for the Royal Marines or Para Regt in early 2003, then WMIKs were everywhere doing snap VCPs, but you wouldn’t have much checkpoint apparatus. Perhaps just a battered up Toyota or Mercedes from the 80s in the old white and orange taxi colours.