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SAS/LRDG duo...with loads of extra goodies...


John Masters

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I have had these kits in the stash for a year or so.  I went a little loony last year and also invested in the aftermarket goodies one needs to really fix it up right for a 2-week jaunt in the desert.  Trust me....there is more...🤪

 

For a period of time in my tweens (10-14 yrs) I built almost exclusively armour and soft-skinned vehicles--1/35th of course.  The desert theatre was my favourite.  I am convinced that, like Patton in Carthage, I was there...

 

One of the kits...my favourite.

 

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I will use the jeep from this kit...

 

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And here are the resin bits...and some PE sand channels too...

 

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Fully loaded, this is what they could look like.  I am not sure I will use all the gear.  I have another Dragon Chevy in the stash...and a Marmon-Herrington from Egypt...and some Afrika Korps vehicles...oh my...

 

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--John

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7 hours ago, Col. said:

You're going for the fully loaded meal deal here John :D 

Hahaha! Thanks Col.  

We'll see.  Luckily much of the BlackDog gear is loose, so I can pack stuff in as I want.  There is a solid brick of moulded supplies as well.  More detail to come...

 

 

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Hi John,

 

That looks nice. I have always liked the Matchbox LRDG set though it is probably less detailed that yours.

DSC04711-crop

Stowage on the vehicles is not bad but could be improved! Both are heavily armed - the jeep seems to have a pair of Vickers "K" and a 50cal, whilst the Chevrolet has what looks like a Lewis and an air cooled  belt fed Vickers Mk IV or V. Don't know about kitchen sink but does your stowage set include a cooker - I have a resin set for tanks which does. It is a variation on a rectangular metal petrol can (aka flimsy) with the top cut off and filled with petrol soaked sand I believe - essential for a brew-up.

 

This thread has reminded me that somewhere I have the Matchbox "Monty's Caravan" set which might be appropriate for this GB - I will have to check up. I know there is a Daimler "Dingo" scout car and also the "caravan" which as I recall is a captured German or Italian body on a British chassis - bit ironic as the Africa Corps captured 3 British AEC Dorchester armoured command vehicles, two of which were used by Rommel, so you could say both Generals prefered the other's command vehicles to their own!

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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21 minutes ago, PeterB said:

I have always liked the Matchbox LRDG set though it is probably less detailed that yours.

Nice looking little set.  Are the your builds?  Very nice indeed!  The Jeep reminds me of a smaller version of the Tamiya 1/35th scale kit.

 

They are also smaller than the 1/72nd scale kits...😉

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Hi John,

 

Yes, they are ones I built many years ago. There has always been some uncertainty about the scale - some manufacturers say their's are 1/72, others 1/76 and Airfix did both! Add to that the fact that they often got it wong - the Airfix "1/72" Crusader for example being the right width but noticeably long, and having a mixed collection from dfiferent manufacturers means you have sometimes to turn a blind eye comparison wise. The difference should be around 2mm per 10ft so on a jeep it is not too bad but on larger modern tanks for example it gets more noticeable. Esci and Hasegawa always seem to be on the large side anyway to my mind!

 

Cheers

 

Pete

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The crusader was indeed over-long, but for the 1/76 scale it claimed to be.  I don't know how that compared with a 1/72.  Airfix only started adding 1/72 after the merger with Heller and the release of the Jeep and the GMC.

 

Fujimi, Nitto, Midori and Edai were 1/76 until the very latest releases, Matchbox were (the small M16 aside) consistently 1/76 until after the collapse and use of the name by Revell.  1/72 really came dominant with the flood of Eastern European kits, although Heller used it.  ESCI did, I thought fairly consistently, but Hasegawa were decidedly unreliable on scale.  There were always odd kits, or odd parts of kits, that didn't fit either.

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Just now, Graham Boak said:

The crusader was indeed over-long, but for the 1/76 scale it claimed to be.  I don't know how that compared with a 1/72.  Airfix only started adding 1/72 after the merger with Heller and the release of the Jeep and the GMC.

 

Fujimi, Nitto, Midori and Edai were 1/76 until the very latest releases, Matchbox were (the small M16 aside) consistently 1/76 until after the collapse and use of the name by Revell.  1/72 really came dominant with the flood of Eastern European kits, although Heller used it.  ESCI did, I thought fairly consistently, but Hasegawa were decidedly unreliable on scale.  There were always odd kits, or odd parts of kits, that didn't fit either.

However, it is wrong to just talk about the scale difference in terms of 2 or so mm.  The difference is much more noticeable because it is a matter of bulk in three dimensions, and the same subject in 1/76 is dwarfed by its equivalent in 1/72.  You can just about get away with it with a Jeep, and I must admit turning to 1/72 for softskins because of the shortage in the mainstream providers.  Hence the popularity of conversion articles.  Nowadays there are resin and white metal producers what will give us just about anything.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Jeep...I m using the Academy kit which is almost the same as the Italeri kit. The wheels seem to be better moulded.  I'll have to modify the parts a bit...

 

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Blackdog resin goodies...

 

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Chassis...frame, two transmission differentials, 4 leaf springs...all glued together.

 

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The handrails must go!

 

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Radiator grill before...

 

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And after adjustment.  It looks pretty ratty, but I am ok with that.  It looks like someone cut out the rails with a pair of tin snips and a grapefruit spoon...

 

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And I have this so far.  I added the seats and out the body together as well.  This will come together quickly.  Once it is all there, I'll prime it. give it some desert colour and pick out the details with the hairy brush.  Wheels will be painted separately.

 

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--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pretty much all together..  I am leaving off the windscreen.  I'll attach the bonnet tomorrow and prime it.

 

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No expensive fancy PE bending tools for me.  

 

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Hold it down tight, bend up using the flat slide of a hobby knife...

 

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And Bob's yer Uncle...

 

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--John

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The Jeep is pretty much finished.  Any sink marks, fit discrepancies, etc... will become null once it is loaded up with stuff.

 

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The underside has been given some cruddy looking wear and tear...

 

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Florywash Sand will improve its look as well!

 

I painted some of the resin components,.  Some of the soft bags are a mix of colours...khaki, light brown, Desert sand...the same with the helmets.  I made the fuel cans the same colour as the vehicle.  I have also govern them some oil pin wash to bring out the excellent detail.  I will take a fine brush and give the straps, etc...a different colour to further eventuate the moulded detail.  I have decided t use the kit-supplied .50 cal.  It's better than the resin one which seems to have lost its barrel.

 

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--John

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I got carried away...

 

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The three Lewis guns...waiting for paint and mounting...

 

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The Blackdog share tyres are not the same as the kit tyres so I will use the kit tyres for throw spares.  I snagged the spare from the Italeri kit (they're the same).  I'll throw the Blackdog tyres in the back of the Chevy when the time is right...

 

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--John

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20 hours ago, Hewy said:

The jeep looks superb john

Thanks Hewy.  It's a fun subject.

 

2 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Nice build on the jeep John, I'm looking forward to more of the same on the Chevrolet. These LRDG subjects are a favourite of mine.

Thank you Steve.  They are a favourite of mine as well.

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The Jeep is finished, so that is 'Part 1' of this little scheme.  When both kits are done, I'll post pictures the gallery.  For now, I move along to the Chevy.

 

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--John

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That looks really good John!

 

For the record I rather think that your "Lewis Guns" are actually Vickers Gas Operated (VGO) aka Vickers K guns - the angled flash hider suggests that to me anyway, and I know that they were used by LRDG. I believe they were about a foot shorter than the Lewis Gun which made them rather more handy for fitting on a jeep!

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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4 minutes ago, PeterB said:

"Lewis Guns" are actually Vickers Gas Operated

Yes...you're right of course.  Thanks Peter.  Still...a bristling little number!

 

The moulded detail on the Blackdog resin pieces is stunning.  You can even read 'US' stamped on the jerry cans.  First rate.

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10 hours ago, zebra said:

Nice work John, stunning little model. Looking forward to seeing the finished Chevy.

Thank you Zebra.  I'll get into the Chevy sometime this week I hope.

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