 Autumn 1944 Peter Battle This model was built using the very old Italeri “Commando Jeep” kit, itself based on their standard US Army Jeep kit. The Italeri kits were much better than the Tamiya offerings of the time, but both are well past their use by date compared to Tamiya’s more recent offering although, that too, is not complete. To do a North West Europe theatre SAS version (or even a Western Desert vehicle) you need the Vickers K-Guns, and the base kit has very good ones, so waste not, want not. The Italeri kit is based on one very well known picture of a particular SAS vehicle (a staged photo as evidenced by the fact the wheel ruts in the mud show the vehicle was reversed into position for the photo) but has several faults when compared to the photo: -The Fuel tanks are twice as wide as they should be; -The rear K Gun mount is located in the cargo area not outside; -The rear tyres are wrong pattern -The exhaust muffler is in the wrong place -The front bumper is not cut down; -The search light mount is wrong; -Etc   The SAS vehicles themselves had many different layouts and a wide variety can be modelled from the early Desert versions of 1 SAS, the “France” pattern vehicles with no armoured shields, the Browning .50 Cal armed ones (Western desert vehicles had old full jacketed aircraft guns, the Europe ones had the usual vehicle type), and onto the final versions with armoured radiator louvres, spare wheels on engine cover, metal basket frames on the rear, etc. I chose to simply correct the kit and convert it to what it should have been.     Coupled with the obvious faults listed above there are also those inherent with Italeri trying to use existing parts from other moulds to pad out the kit: - Front medical bag holder is too big; - Medical bag provided is actually an infantry back pack; - Tool box on fender is the wrong type and not fitted into brackets like in the kit; - Etc. Many of the kit parts have been thinned to scale thickness (armoured shields, fenders, rear bumper loops, etc) and I have added detail to simplified parts and scratchbuilt omitted or faulty parts (bolt heads, Rear fuel tanks, under seat fuel tank, seats, K Gun mount, pedals, etc.). The in progress shots will give you an idea of the additional work undertaken. Cargo is a mixture of bits from the spares box, bags made from Milliput, tarps from tissue, camo net from medical gauze and rope from model ship builders rigging thread. The Jeep is painted in Tamiya Acrylics, with Vallejo paints and pastel chalks for weathering. Light lenses are clear epoxy and windows are made from clear styrene (kit parts are waaaay too thick).  copyright©2006 ausfwerks |